But last December, when Goldman Sachs decided to build a 45-story tower on 2.4 million square feet in Newport, many saw the firm's announcement as the bombshell that would forever change the state's destiny. Well-heeled investment bankers, brokers and top execs are holding on tightly to their 212 area code, and the big kahunas of the financial world adamantly maintain that they have no current plans to uproot themselves from the Street. So while New Jersey may be growing, it still hasn't shed its stepsister image or created a business culture that garners respect. It's not until you get up close that you realize it's memorializing Polish citizens, not making a bad Jersey joke. Step outside and luxury high-rises come into view, reminiscent of suburban Dallas or Phoenix.
Corporate towers line a four-block expanse, boasting stunning views of Manhattan.
A distant dilapidated warehouse is one of the only reminders of the old, grungy Jersey City. But judging from the bulldozers and cleared land, you get a sense that even that holdout will be replaced by another shiny masterpiece. One of the only happening after-work spots is the Iron Monkey, a surprisingly stylish bistro. Jersey City's younger set tends to rush back to Manhattan for happy hour. A young, slick-haired Merrill Lynch analyst was indignant when asked where one could get a drink in Jersey City.