Chapters · West New York
“Havana on the Hudson.”
Perched on the Hudson Palisades with a front-row view of the Manhattan skyline, West New York packs a big personality into just one square mile. It's one of the most densely populated towns in America — and one of the most vibrantly Latino.
About the town
West New York sits on the crest of the Hudson Palisades in North Hudson County, directly across the river from Midtown Manhattan. With over 52,000 residents packed into less than a square mile of land, it ranks among the most densely populated municipalities in the United States.
West New York is part of New Jersey’s Gold Coast, along the Hudson.
Our history
1898
West New York was incorporated on July 8, 1898 by the New Jersey Legislature, splitting off from Union Township after a local referendum.
Early 1900s
Swiss immigrants brought Schiffli embroidery machines to town; by 1948 West New York's 183 manufacturers held the largest share of a North Hudson industry that produced 90% of all embroidery made in America.
1960s–today
Cuban exiles arrived by the thousands after the 1959 revolution, reshaping the town's identity. Early arrival Albio Sires became West New York's first Cuban-American mayor — and later its U.S. Congressman.
Signature landmark
Running along the crest of the Hudson Palisades, Boulevard East offers unobstructed, park-lined views of the Hudson River and the Manhattan skyline. The vista was famously captured in Edward Hopper's 1934 painting "East Wind Over Weehawken," just to the south.
Community & culture
Known locally as the "Miracle Mile," Bergenline Avenue is West New York's commercial spine, lined with more than 300 shops, restaurants, and services.
Nearly three-quarters of residents identify as Hispanic or Latino, with deep Cuban roots joined over the decades by Dominican, Colombian, Ecuadorian, and other communities.
The town's early-20th-century embroidery boom, powered by Swiss Schiffli machines, once made this stretch of North Hudson the embroidery capital of the United States.
Hometown notables
Congressman, first Cuban-American mayor
World heavyweight boxing champion
My Chemical Romance singer-songwriter
Co-creator of Friends
The West New York Chapter
The West New York Chapter connects the town’s businesses to the full network of the Gold Coast Chamber of Commerce — hands-on and local, with the marketing, events, and advocacy of the wider regional chamber behind you.
Chapter contact
📍 607 Anderson Ave, Cliffside Park, NJ 07010
Serving West New York businesses. Chapter leadership — Chair, Vice Chair, Events & Outreach Coordinators — to be announced.
Join the West New York Chapter of the Gold Coast Chamber of Commerce and connect your business to the entire Hudson waterfront.
Access your membership profile, directory listing, and event registrations.