Haddon

Centerville is an urban neighborhood on the southern edge of the City of Camden. The community has historically struggled with urban blight and vacancy, but the city is working to improve conditions in the area with the redevelopment of public housing, ongoing park renovations and the development of a commercial corridor along Ferry Avenue – Centerville’s main thoroughfare. “Camden has really brought a lot of life and jobs back to the community,” says Veronica Woods, a real estate advisor and investor with Daniel Woods Real Estate.<br><br>About 85% of residents in Centerville are renters. In recent years, outdated public housing communities have been replaced by modern apartments and mixed-income townhome developments available for rent. Those looking to buy will find older rowhomes and twin homes built in the first half of the 20th century. Most homes feature brick exteriors, covered front porticos and narrow fenced-in backyards. Street parking is the norm for most homeowners. Prices range from around $50,000 for a two-bedroom rowhome in need of repair to about $215,000 for a four-bedroom twin with recent renovations. First-time homebuyers may qualify for the City of Camden’s First Time Homebuyer’s Program, which offers applicants a one-time deferred loan of up to $14,999. Centerville has a CAP Index Crime Score of 9 out of 10, higher than the national average of 4. To combat crime in the community, the Camden County Police Department follows a Unity Policing Model to collaborate with residents, local businesses and government officials to promote safety.<br><br>The New Jersey Transit provides local bus service to the community, and Route 453 stops along Ferry Avenue on its way from Camden’s Central Waterfront to the nearby Ferry Avenue Station. The Ferry Avenue Station is about a mile west of Centerville in Whitman Park and is served by the PATCO Speedline, which connects residents to Philadelphia. Philadelphia’s central business district, Center City, is just 5 miles northwest. Locals can easily access Interstate 676, which borders the neighborhood to the west. The Philadelphia International Airport is a 12-mile drive away.<br><br>Students begin their education at Riletta Twyne Cream Elementary School, which serves prekindergarten through first grade. Kids in grades 2-8 go on to attend the Henry Braid Wilson Family School before moving on to Camden High School. All three schools earned a C-minus from Niche. The high school offers the district’s only pharmacy technician program, which partners with the local Bell Rexall Drugs to offer teens hands-on pharmaceutical experience to prepare them for future careers in health care.<br><br>Restaurants and corner stores line Ferry Avenue, which bisects the neighborhood. Fu Hing Restaurant & Seafood Shack is a casual take-out spot serving authentic Chinese food, while the Progressive Democrat Club is an intimate lounge open long after sunset. Further north is Sophie’s Lounge, a neighborhood bar and grill known for its classic cocktails and small plates. Alex’s Bakery & Food Store serves Mexican dishes and sweet treats, and Aldi is about a mile east along Ferry Avenue.<br><br>In the southwestern corner of the neighborhood is Staley Park, which has ballfields, basketball courts and a playground for kids to explore. The green space also has a lighted football field and is home to the Staley Park Panthers youth football team. Elijah Perry Park is currently closed for renovations and environmental clean-up. Preliminary assessments found elevated concentrations of metals and pollutants in the park, and renovations will resolve these environmental concerns. The city also plans to install new basketball courts, outdoor exercise equipment, a playground and a splash pad set to be completed in 2024. Across the street from the park is the Riletta L. Cream Ferry Avenue Branch Library, which hosts various programming for all ages.<br><br>Residents are just east of Camden’s Central Waterfront, where the city hosts various events. The Freedom Mortgage Pavilion is a popular concert spot, and Wiggins Waterfront Park hosts an annual Sunset Jazz Series.<br><br>Centerville is less than 2 miles west of Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital. The hospital has the only transplant and organ health program in South Jersey.

Fairview, a small community of about 1,000 homes in Haddon Township, began life as a federally funded, planned community built during World War I to house shipbuilders and their families. Inspired by the 20th-century garden city movement, this 225-acre Camden County village is encircled almost entirely by Newton Creek, with blocks of homes looped around the town’s central park. The little village was laid out to facilitate walkability and easy access to shops, schools and parks. “People appreciate the area for its convenience to downtown Philadelphia and the easy access to highways and the New Jersey interior,” says Keith Greaves, a Realtor with REMAX Preferred – Cherry Hill, who has several decades of experience in the area. <br><br>Fairview’s unique design is implemented by a mix of Federal-style homes, many of which are on streets named after famous naval vessels, such as the USS Alabama and USS Wasp. The neighborhood’s housing consists of row houses and twins throughout the village, along with occasional single-family houses. Because this community is designated as a historic area, there are rules limiting what can be done to alter the homes. “However, many of the homes here have been renovated,” says Greaves, “There are limits on what can be done with the home’s façade, but the interiors can be completely updated.” The mainly all red-brick homes vary in size. Greaves says the neighborhood’s biggest appeal, especially for first-time buyers, are the reasonable home prices. Smaller row houses in need of repairs can be purchased for about $75,000, while move-in ready homes with 1,100 square feet or more of living space range from $135,000 to about $185,000. A single-family home can be purchased for around $200,000. <br><br>Children in the community may begin their education at Yorkship Elementary, within a short walk of the neighborhood. The school serves kindergarten through fifth grade children and holds a 1/10 rating from GreatSchools. From there, students may progress to Morgan Village Middle, which has a 3/10 rating. Students go on to Camden High School to complete their secondary education. The school holds a 1/10 rating. The school has a formidable basketball team that won its 13th state title in 2024. <br><br>In the center of town, Yorkship Square offers locals a place to relax and enjoy the outdoors. The 1.5-acre park features shady trees with walkways and several benches. Union offers a playground, basketball and tennis courts for a more active outing. Malandra Hall Community Center is located in the neighborhood. Camden’s largest rental facility, the hall can seat up to 150 people and is available for private events. The building is surrounded by a large green space, which includes a fenced-in playground and a sports field. <br><br>Although the north, south and west sections of Fairview are bounded by Newton Creek, Black Horse Pike borders the eastern edge. The busy road is home to most of the village’s shops and restaurants. Retailers along the road include CVS and other small retailers. Scarlet Ace Clothing sells fashionable women’s fashions and jewelry. When Fairview residents need to fill prescriptions or pick up essentials, Hometown Pharmacy is located right on Yorkship Square, as is Square Food Market, a small grocery store. When it’s time for dining out, Crown Fried Chicken is a crowd pleaser known for using halal poultry. It is just down the street from El Monte Mayor Mexican Restaurant. <br><br>Haddon Township sponsors the Makers Market in May. This one-day event is an open-air market with more than 30 area artisans and crafters. Located at Haddon Square, attendees can find unusual jewelry, gifts, clothing and more. In June, nearby Gloucester Township holds the annual Camden County Fair. Attendees can enjoy pony rides, 4-H demonstrations and the amusement park. <br><br>For traveling around town, NJ Transit has several bus stops throughout Fairview Village. Residents have easy access to Interstates 676 and 76, which intersect on the west side of town. Interstate 676 will quickly get commuters to Center City Philadelphia, about 6 miles away. Philadelphia International Airport is a 9-mile drive.

Venturing into New Jersey via the Walt Whitman Bridge, one of the first neighborhoods you'll pass is Morgan Village in Camden.<br><br>At the city's south end, low-slung red brick row houses compose most of the community's housing options. Arranged in a typical city grid pattern, Morgan Village sits at the intersection of Interstate 676 and Morgan Street, a primary thoroughfare that passes a large apartment community, a sizable public green-space park and a densely populated subsection of the community. Another significant element of the Morgan Village is its proximity to the Port of Camden. Most dockyard industries operate on the other side of the interstate, but you'll still find warehouses and a truck terminal within the more residential side of the community.<br><br>Like many other parts of Camden, Morgan Village offers low-cost housing options convenient for commuters working across the river in Philadelphia or elsewhere in South Jersey. Recent sales show homes requiring repairs or a new certificate of occupancy going for as low as $43,000. If you prefer a move-in ready home, newly renovated and updated houses sell for around $150,000 to $200,000.<br><br>Veronica Woods, a real estate advisor and investor with Daniel Woods Real Estate, says local officials in nearby Chester have looked to Camden for guidance on revitalizing its community based on the latter's success, particularly along the Delaware River waterfront, where many go to attend outdoor concerts at the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion or check out the penguins and other sea creatures at Camden's Adventure Aquarium. "People make a lot of comparisons" between the two communities, Woods says. "They've both been economically depressed areas. But [Camden] has really brought a lot of life and jobs back to the community."<br> <br> Students in the community can remain close to home through much of their schooling career. At the start of the educational journey, most H.B. Wilson Family School students walk to class daily. Morgan Village Middle School anchors the community with its centrally located campus on Morgan Street. From there, students advance to Camden High School, which was recently rebuilt and hosts the Camden school division's Big Picture Learning Academy, the Brimm Medical Arts High School and the Creative Arts Academy.<br><br>Across the street from the middle school, folks walk or drive over to Reverend Evers Park after the end-of-day school bell rings or on the weekends, when people come to play team sports or walk their dogs. A paved trail outlines the park, so strollers often stride past baseball fields, basketball courts, playgrounds and a summertime spray pad within the 40-acre park.<br><br>Within the neighborhood, a couple of mini-markets and neighborhood grocers sell food, drinks and snacks just a few blocks from where most people live. To the east, however, numerous stores, fast-food franchises and other businesses line Black Horse Pike, a busy commercial thoroughfare that leads to downtown Camden in the north and the city's more modern suburbs to the south.