Commuter amenities in Morris Plains, but community happenings, too
Morris Plains is part of the Parsippany metro area, connected to this township via Route 10 and Littleton Road. But despite being a smaller suburb in the orbit of a larger locality, Morris Plains has desirable public transportation amenities and a variety of retail options. It all adds up to a quiet retreat that’s appealing to commuters who want easy connections to New York City, which is 35 miles east. “Residents like the train station, the shops and easy highway access," says Gloria LaForgia, a sales agent for Weichert Realtors and team lead of the Gloria LaForgia Real Estate Team. Community occasions contribute to the small-town feel, like family drive-in movie nights and parades for popular holidays like Halloween.
Ranches on hilly lots and sprawling colonials
In contrast to the flatter terrain in nearby Morris Township, and despite this neighborhood having plains in its name, it’s common to see homes built on sloped lots here. Frequently seen styles include colonials, ranches and split-level homes. Prices range from $600,000 to $900,000. Much of the price variation is accounted for by square footage. For example, a three-bedroom, two-bathroom ranch will sell for $650,000. But a two-story colonial with four bedrooms and two baths will for $700,000. It’s the expansive properties, like five-bedroom colonials with three baths, that command a $900,000 price. Overall, though, homebuyers should expect to see sweeping carpets of grass, small ornamental trees or hedges as well as taller mature shade trees. The neighborhood scores a 2 out of 10 on the CAP crime index.
Architecture and biomedicine studies at Morristown High
Mountain Way Elementary covers kindergarten through 2nd grade, and receives a B-plus rating from Niche. Students can then attend the A-minus rated Borough School for 3rd through 8th grade. Architecture and biomedicine are some of the specialized studies that students can pursue in Morristown High’s STEM Academy. The school receives an A-minus rating.
Concerts and a library in Roberts Garden
One popular place to congregate outdoors is at Simons Memorial Park. Its athletic facilities are overlooked by the pebbled façade of Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, and there’s a playground framed by shade trees. Roberts Garden is unique not only for hosting a summer concert series – it also contains the Morris Plains Library, which is housed in a sprawling colonial building. Mountain bikers like to go to Briarcliff Trail, a hilly half-mile stretch of loose gravel just behind Uncle Giuseppe’s Marketplace.
Walk to eateries on Speedwell Avenue
Time For A Bagel on Speedwell Avenue is the type of eatery that’s popular in Morris Plains: small, reachable by foot and locally owned. Next door is Carmel Haifa, a Middle Eastern restaurant serving falafel and kebab skewers. Other eclectic options include Korean and Japanese cuisine. Another longtime standby is grabbing a steak dinner at Arthur’s Tavern: behind a brick façade painted stark white is a colorful bar and gingham tablecloths. Pizza places and ice cream shops round out the small-town character. Many residents go to the Wegman’s that’s 10 minutes away in Parsippany, but there’s also a more immediate option at Uncle Giuseppe’s Marketplace, located next to Route 10’s cluster of big-box stores like Kohl’s and Barnes & Noble. “Route 10 is one of the busier roads of the area,” says Frank LaMorte, broker associate with Latimer Realty. “It’s more than just retail. There are a lot of offices and pharmaceutical companies, too.”
The commuter train reaches NYC in almost an hour
While some areas of Morris Plains are highly walkable, like the shop-lined stretch along Speedwell Avenue, some of the northwestern areas become very hilly and hard to walk on due to lack of sidewalks. In many respects, Morris Plains is still a car-dependent suburb, and drivers do have convenient access to Route 10, Route 287 and Hanover Avenue which leads to Route 24. Otherwise, a prime amenity of Morris Plains is the commuter rail station near Speedwell – the train takes a little over an hour to reach New York City.
Photography Contributed By
Brendan Rogers
