My Block: Which Block Is The Best In Montclair?

This week, Patch is starting a new segment titled "My Block." The goal is to find out why you believe your block is the best in Montclair. In our inaugural segment, Sidney Simon, a proud resident of Inwood Avenue, talks to neighbors about what makes their street so special.

To hear real estate agents tell it, Inwood Avenue is indeed a highly coveted street, within walking distance of the Upper Montclair Train Station as well as the Decamp bus stop. It's also close to restaurants, shops, and the Bellevue Movie Theatre. And it's only about a mile down the road from Montclair State University.

Also within walking distance are great stores such as Williams-Sonoma and Jafajems, as well as popular restaurants such as Dai Kichi and the Char-Broil diner.

The majority of people on the block have children and a gaggle of kids walks together to and from Mount Hebron Middle School, which is around the corner, every day. In one direction, Anderson Park is about a 10-minute walk away; in the other direction is Brookdale Park.

House prices run the gamut, but recently have gone as high as $1 million, even in this economically depressed year. One late Victorian home at 213 Inwood Avenue, built in 1880, has seven bedrooms and was recently placed on the market at $829,000.

Those on Inwood Avenue say they are proud of their potluck dinners, book clubs, poker nights, and other social gatherings. The ladies on the block have even coined a name for themselves: "Women of the Woods."

Inwood Avenue is in Upper Montclair and runs from Valley Road down to Grove Street.

Check out this video. If you think your block can beat Inwood Avenue, either comment or shoot me an email at Shelley@patch.com and we'll send a videographer out to your block so that you and your neighbors can make your case.

I see a serious contest about to start brewing...