Tiny Greenvale a magnet for high-end shopping and dining

Greenvale's Wheatley Plaza draws shoppers to its high-end shops and... — Greenvale's Wheatley Plaza draws shoppers to its high-end shops and restaurants. Credit: Danielle Silverman

By Arlene GrossSpecial to NewsdayNovember 30, 2021

THE SCOOP Despite the fact that Greenvale comprises only two dozen streets and lacks governmental autonomy, the hamlet has remained prominent thanks to its commercial district, drawing visitors to its high-end Wheatley Plaza and other shopping and dining destinations around Glen Cove Road and Route 25A. "Unlike the village of East Hills or Roslyn, it doesn’t have its own governing body," says Rich Branciforte, president of the Roslyn Chamber of Commerce, which serves Greenvale and several neighboring communities.

That means it can take longer to go through town government — Greenvale is part of both North Hempstead and Oyster Bay towns — rather than more local channels to get things done, but that doesn’t diminish the enthusiasm for the hamlet.

"Greenvale has a small-town flavor with a rich mix of residences, a sense of community, and an appreciation of academic excellence," says Joan Valenti, owner/broker of Valenti Realty Group.

Homes along Marion Street, one of the two dozen streets... — Homes along Marion Street, one of the two dozen streets in Greenvale. Credit: Danielle Silverman

Home prices range from the mid-$500,000s to several million dollars, with houses that include ranches, Colonials and Mediterranean-style.

Once called Bull’s Head for the eponymous hotel there, the hamlet became a haven for the wealthy at the turn of the 20th century, when the Fricks, Whitneys, Phippses and Vanderbilts moved to the area, earning it the nickname of Key to the Gold Coast.

Today, many residents are the descendants of the Italian and Polish laborers who built those extravagant estates.

Sandwiched between Roslyn and Brookville, Greenvale is home to Roslyn Cemetery, the final resting place of poet/journalist William Cullen Bryant and Frances Hodgson Burnett, author of "The Secret Garden."

Poet/journalist William Cullen Bryant and Frances Hodgson Burnett, author of... — Poet/journalist William Cullen Bryant and Frances Hodgson Burnett, author of "The Secret Garden," are buried in Roslyn Cemetery in Greenvale. Credit: Danielle Silverman

Compared to some other Long Island locales, Greenvale’s businesses weren’t impacted too badly from COVID-19, Branciforte says, adding that "empty storefronts don’t look good. They also have a negative effect on home value."

To help rent out empty shops, the chamber will launch a "shopsteading" program in February, offering seminars and workshops for store owners, real estate brokers and prospective business owners.

CONDOS AND CO-OPS There are no condos or co-ops on the market.

SALE PRICES Between Sept. 30, 2020, and Oct. 31, 2021, there were 18 home sales with a median sale price of $723,500, according to OneKey MLS. The low price for that period was $425,000 and the high was $1.195 million. During that period a year earlier there were six home sales with a median sale price of $609,500. The price range was $410,000 to $999,610.

OTHER STATS

Towns North Hempstead, Oyster Bay

Area 0.2 square miles

ZIP code 11548

Population 1,069

Median age 33.3

Median household income $135,063

Median home value $716,000*

Monthly LIRR ticket from Greenvale $308

School districts, graduation rate Roslyn (99%), North Shore (96%)

Libraries The Bryant Library, North Shore Public Library

Hospitals St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center

Transit NICE Routes 20H, 27

SOURCES: 2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; OneKey MLS; LIRR, data.nysed.gov *Based on 12 sales in the past six months, according to OneKey MLS

NOW ON THE MARKET

$3.5 million

At 6,375 square feet, this five-bedroom, 5½-bath brick, stone and vinyl-sided home has four primary en-suite bedrooms, radiant-heated floors, two great rooms and a finished basement wired for a theater setup. It sits on a little more than 2 acres and has a three-car garage. Taxes are $61,613. Joan Valenti, Valenti Realty Group, 516-343-3468.

$1.336 million

Built in 1950, this open-concept ranch has a Greenvale mailing address but is in Roslyn Harbor, according to tax maps. It has three bedrooms, 2½ baths and 3,290 square feet of living space. A separate cottage on the 0.86-acre property has a living room, eat-in kitchen and two bedrooms. Taxes are $20,639. Shahla Oheb, Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty, 516-626-7600.

$579,000

Marketed as a starter home, this two-bedroom, one-bath ranch has an open floor plan, stainless steel appliances, granite counters and gas cooking in kitchen, and a wood-burning fireplace in the living room. The 1,050-square-foot house, which sits on a 0.14-acre property, needs some updating. Taxes are $8,699. Kwang Hyun Han and John Han, Keller Williams Realty Landmark, 718-475-2700.

RECENTLY SOLD

$905,000

Address Locust St.

Style Colonial

Bedrooms 4

Bathrooms 2 full, 2 half

Built 1986

Lot size 0.11 acre

Taxes $13,900

+/- list price -$44,000

Days on market 157

$725,000