New GRA expanded out from the original colonial quarter as Port Harcourt's oil-boom population and wealth grew beyond what Old GRA could accommodate. It is an upper-middle-class neighbourhood of large residential compounds, gated streets, and well-maintained roads — at least by Port Harcourt standards. Many of the city's oil-company expats and senior Nigerian executives live here.
The neighbourhood has a concentration of upmarket hotels, restaurants, and bars that cater to the international business community. It is generally safe to walk around during daylight hours, though most residents move by car. Several of the city's better-regarded restaurants are clustered along the main arterial roads, and the neighbourhood also has a few good supermarkets that stock imported goods unavailable elsewhere in the city.