ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, NJ

Englewood Cliffs is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 5,281, reflecting a decline of 41 (-0.8%) from the 5,322 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 312 (-5.5%) from the 5,634 counted in the 1990 Census.

The borough houses the world headquarters of CNBC (NBCUniversal), the North American headquarters of South Korean conglomerate LG Corp, and the American headquarters of global CPG conglomerate Unilever, and was home to both Ferrari and Maserati North America.

The borough's formation dates back to an election for Road Commissioner in Road District 1 between William Outis Allison and Clinton Blake, a future mayor of Englewood. Blake won the vote, but Allison challenged the result, arguing that women had been improperly allowed to vote. The vote was overturned, but Englewood officials would not seat Allison; this ultimately led to his successful efforts in 1895 to have Road District 1 secede to form the Borough of Englewood Cliffs, with Allison serving as the new municipality's first mayor.

Englewood Cliffs was formed as a borough on May 10, 1895, from portions of the now defunct townships of Englewood Township and Palisades Township, based on the results of a referendum held the previous day. The borough was formed during the "Boroughitis" phenomenon then sweeping through Bergen County, as of one two boroughs created in 1895 after 26 boroughs had been formed in the county in 1894 alone.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 3.37 square miles (8.73 km²), including 2.13 square miles (5.51 km²) of land and 1.24 square miles (3.22 km²) of water (36.91%).

The borough borders Englewood, Fort Lee and Tenafly in Bergen County, and the New York City boroughs of The Bronx and Manhattan across the Hudson River.

Demographics

In 2012, Englewood Cliffs was ranked 129th in the nation, and fifth in New Jersey, on the list of most expensive ZIP Codes in the United States by Forbes magazine, with a median home price of $1,439,115. In 2006, the borough was ranked sixth in New Jersey and 78th in the nation in the magazine's rankings, with a median house price of $1,112,500.

2010 Census

Korean Americans accounted for 20.3% of the borough's population. Englewood Cliffs has witnessed expansion of this demographic from the adjoining Fort Lee Koreatown, as well as from the borough's status as the North American headquarters of the LG Corporation, based in Seoul. The Korean language is spoken at home by more than half of the residents of Englewood Cliffs, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released in 2017.

Same-sex couples headed 10 households in 2010, an increase from the three counted in 2000.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $101,964 (with a margin of error of +/- $32,516) and the median family income was $126,985 (+/- $37,177). Males had a median income of $88,438 (+/- $9,456) versus $52,950 (+/- $7,757) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $53,260 (+/- $12,101). About 8.0% of families and 16.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.9% of those under age 18 and 32.7% of those age 65 or over.

2000 Census

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 5,322 people, 1,818 households, and 1,559 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,544.3 people per square mile (983.2/km²). There were 1,889 housing units at an average density of 903.1 per square mile (349.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 66.84% White, 1.37% African American, 0.04% Native American, 29.69% Asian, 0.71% from other races, and 1.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.89% of the population.

There were 1,818 households, out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 76.0% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.2% were non-families. 12.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.16.

In the borough the age distribution of the population shows 20.7% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 27.7% from 45 to 64, and 22.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.8 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $106,478, and the median income for a family was $113,187 in 2000. In 2008, the estimated median income had risen to $134,419. Males had a median income of $79,501 versus $42,019 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $57,399. About 1.4% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.9% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

As of the 2000 Census, 11.76% of Englewood Cliffs' residents identified themselves as being of Korean ancestry, which was the tenth highest in the United States and eighth highest of any municipality in New Jersey, for all places with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry. The 2000 census found that 3.4% of Englewood Cliffs residents identified themselves as being of Armenian-American ancestry, the eighth highest percentage of Armenian American people in any place in the United States. In the 2000 census, 8.42% of Englewood Cliffs' residents identified themselves as being of Chinese ancestry. This was the third highest percentage of people with Chinese ancestry in any place in New Jersey with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry. In this same census, 2.91% of Englewood Cliffs' residents identified themselves as being of Japanese ancestry, which was the fifth highest of any municipality in New Jersey – behind Fort Lee (6.09%), Demarest (3.72%), Edgewater (3.22%) and Leonia (3.07%) – for all places with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry. As of the 2010 Census, 20.3% of the population (1,072) reported as being of Korean ancestry, 8.9% (472) Chinese and 5.7% (300) Asian Indian.

Economy

CNBC, LG North American headquarters, and Unilever North America are headquartered in Englewood Cliffs.

LG Electronics held a groundbreaking ceremony on November 14, 2013, to build an environmentally friendly North American headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, having received a favorable legal decision subsequently being appealed based upon building height issues. Protesters have sharply criticized the proposal, arguing that the height of the building exceeds the borough's limit and that the height of the building above the tree line will disrupt views of the Palisades.

In 2017, Maserati announced it was moving its U.S. headquarters from Englewood Cliffs to the former Walter P. Chrysler Museum in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

Government

Local government

Englewood Cliffs is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of a Mayor and a Borough Council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council is comprised of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The Borough form of government used by Englewood Cliffs is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

, the Mayor is Republican Mario M. Kranjac, whose term of office ends December 31, 2023. Elected to office in 2015, Kranjac became the borough's first Republican mayor in 40 years. Members of the Englewood Cliffs Borough Council are Council President Tim Koutroubas (R, 2023), Ramon Ferro (R, 2022), Mark Park (R, 2023), Glen Luciano (D, 2024) and David Di Gregorio (D, 2024); the seat that had been held by Republican William Woo expiring in 2022 remains vacant.

Mayors

Federal, state and county representation

Englewood Cliffs is located in the 9th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 37th state legislative district.

Politics

Historically, Englewood Cliffs has generally supported Republican candidates for president, although the borough has been rather split in recent decades. Since 1992, no presidential candidate of any political party has carried the borough with over 60% of the vote.

, there were a total of 3,505 registered voters in Englewood Cliffs, of which 1,069 (30.5% vs. 31.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 761 (21.7% vs. 21.1%) were registered as Republicans and 1,675 (47.8% vs. 47.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 66.4% (vs. 57.1% in Bergen County) were registered to vote, including 84.6% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 73.7% countywide).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 74.2% of the vote (1,182 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 24.9% (397 votes), and other candidates with 0.9% (14 votes), among the 1,669 ballots cast by the borough's 3,528 registered voters (76 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 47.3%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,059 votes (51.5% vs. 45.8% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 879 votes (42.7% vs. 48.0%), Independent Chris Daggett with 54 votes (2.6% vs. 4.7%) and other candidates with 12 votes (0.6% vs. 0.5%), among the 2,057 ballots cast by the borough's 3,588 registered voters, yielding a 57.3% turnout (vs. 50.0% in the county).

Emergency services

Ambulance corps

Emergency medical services (EMS) are provided to the borough of Englewood Cliffs by Englewood Hospital and Medical Center under the terms of an agreement between the borough and the hospital.

The borough had been served by the Englewood Cliffs Volunteer Ambulance Corps, which was staffed by trained and certified Emergency Medical Technicians who were on call from 7:00 PM to 6:00 AM on weekdays and 24/7 on weekends. ECVAC maintained three vehicles, two Ford Type-III ambulances and a Chevy Tahoe SUV and responded to an average of over 300 medical emergencies each year. The ECVAC was disbanded in August 2012 by the Mayor and Council of Englewood Cliffs, citing delays in providing prompt emergency response to borough residents due to the lack of volunteers, and replaced by a contract with Englewood Hospital and Medical Center.

Education

The Englewood Cliffs Public Schools serves children in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 500 students and 54.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.2:1. Schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are

North Cliff School with 216 students in grades PreK–2 and

Upper School with 331 students in grades 3–8.

The school district has a sending/receiving relationship with the Englewood Public School District under which students attend public high school at Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood. As of the 2018–19 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,063 students and 83.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.7:1.

Public school students from the borough, and all of Bergen County, are eligible to attend the secondary education programs offered by the Bergen County Technical Schools, which include the Bergen County Academies in Hackensack, and the Bergen Tech campus in Teterboro or Paramus. The district offers programs on a shared-time or full-time basis, with admission based on a selective application process and tuition covered by the student's home school district.

Since 1975, Englewood Cliffs has been home to a campus of Saint Peter's University, where evening and weekend classes are offered for Associate's degrees, Bachelor's degrees, and graduate degrees. The college's nursing program for registered nurses is also located at the campus. Previously, the campus had been home to Englewood Cliffs College, which closed in 1974.

Library

The borough does not have its own public library. After a 47-year-long relationship with the Englewood Public Library under which the borough paid $225,000 to allow borough residents to use the city's library, Englewood Cliffs started negotiations in 2016 with other municipalities to pay for privileges elsewhere.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the borough had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Bergen County, by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission.

U.S. Route 9W and the Palisades Interstate Parkway both run alongside each other for about along the Hudson River from Fort Lee in the south to Tenafly in the north. County Route 505 (Hudson Terrace / Palisades Avenue) travels through the borough from Fort Lee in the south to Englewood in the east. Motorists can also take a scenic drive along Henry Hudson Drive at the Palisades Interstate Park, which is accessible via Dyckman Hill Road.

Public transportation

NJ Transit bus route 156 serves the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan and the 186 terminates at the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal.

Rockland Coaches provides service along Route 9W to the Port Authority Bus Terminal on the 9T / 9AT routes and to the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal on the 9 and 9A routes.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Englewood Cliffs include: