Riverfront Oakdale set amid canals, historic architecture, shopping and dining

THE SCOOP The Gilded Age South Shore mansions that the heirs to railroad, sugar and sewing machine fortunes erected in Oakdale have long since been repurposed — for example, the William K. Vanderbilt mansion at Idle Hour became the now-defunct Dowling College campus. "There are a lot of canals built by Vanderbilt, so if you’re a boater and like to get on the water, this is a great place to live," says listing agent Rose Mary Bruno of Realty Connect USA.

A waterfront community at the mouth of the Connetquot River that connects to the Great South Bay, Oakdale offers plenty of shopping and dining along Montauk Highway, and has many areas that have retained their original charm, such as the brick Long Island Rail Road station built under Vanderbilt in 1895. The community also has the third oldest church on Long Island, Saint John’s Episcopal Church, a wood-shingled structure built in 1765, according to Steve Birkeland, historian at the Oakdale Historical Society.

Birkeland says the Oakdale community has struggled to handle vandalism at the former Dowling College campus, which was sold to a private company in 2020 and has been shuttered since the bankrupt college closed in 2016. The Friends of Idle Hour neighborhood watch is patrolling it nightly.

Of particular note architecturally is the historic Artist Colony area, with narrow streets and two-bedroom canal-facing houses that were converted in 1926 from their original use as pigpens, stables and chicken coops on Vanderbilt’s Idle Hour estate. The Town of Islip named it a protected Islip Town Historical District in 1976. Today, "the Artist Colony attracts people who are historically minded, artistic and charmed by the close-knit family feel of the complex," says Maryann Almes, president of the Oakdale Historical Society.

Home styles in Oakdale include Colonials, ranches, high ranches and Capes, with some Tudors. Prices start at around $500,000 and reach more than $1 million for property along the river and canals. "In Oakdale, you can still get waterfront property without breaking the bank," Bruno says.

Oakdale is flat, making it ideal for cycling, and has many natural preserves and sites to enjoy. The Pepperidge Hall Marsh Tidal Wetlands Area attracts bird-watchers. The 3,500-acre Connetquot River State Park Preserve stretches from Oakdale to Bohemia, Islip Terrace and Ronkonkoma, encompassing part of the Long Island Greenbelt Trail. Byron Lake Park has a pool, playground and picnic areas. The Idle Hour Taxpayers Association Beach Club is a waterfront facility that locals can join. For culture, the CM Performing Arts Center has theater performances for all ages.

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

SALE PRICES Between Oct. 31, 2020, and Nov. 30, 2021, there were 126 home sales with a median sale price of $577,500, according to OneKey MLS. The low price for that period was $180,000 and the high was $1.275 million. During that period a year earlier there were 100 home sales with a median sale price of $509,000. The price range was $187,000 to $1 million.

OTHER STATS

Town Islip

Area 3.3 square miles

ZIP code 11769

Population 7,430

Median age 49.8

Median household income $102,250

Median home value $615,000*

Monthly LIRR ticket from Oakdale $405

School district, graduation rate Connetquot Central School District (95%)

Parks Byron Lake Park, Robert Duggan Park

Library Connetquot

Hospitals South Shore University Hospital, Long Island Community Hospital

Transit Suffolk County Transit Route 40

SOURCES: 2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; OneKey MLS; LIRR, data.nysed.gov *Based on 72 sales in the past six months, according to OneKey MLS

NOW ON THE MARKET

$1.595 million

This 3,500-square-foot waterfront Colonial built in 1967 on the Connetquot River has four bedrooms, including a first-floor primary, 2½ baths, a winding staircase, formal dining room and living room and great room with a fireplace that opens to an eat-in-kitchen. It’s on 0.37 acre with a 160-foot bulkhead and cut-in boat slip and sunset views. It also has a paved patio and two-car garage. Taxes are $28,488. David Sanders, Eric G. Ramsay Jr. Assoc., 631-665-1500.

$649,000

Built in 1984 on a 0.27-acre lot on a cul-de-sac, this four-bedroom, 2½-bath Colonial has a fenced-in yard with a large deck. The house has an open floor plan with cathedral ceilings, an updated eat-in-kitchen, den, formal dining room and two-car garage. The primary bedroom has walk-in closets and an en-suite bathroom. Taxes are $16,667. Rose Mary Bruno, Realty Connect USA LI, 631-881-5160.

$499,000

Located in the historic Idle Hour Artist Colony, this 1,800-square-foot brick carriage house on 0.06 acre was built in 1877 and restored in 1977. It has 10-foot-high ceilings, exposed beams and interior brick walls. The six rooms include two bedrooms, 1½ baths and a living room with a fireplace, a formal dining room and eat-in-kitchen. There’s also a laundry/utility room and an open staircase that leads to a loft family room. Taxes are $13,605. Kevin Leatherman, Leatherman Homes, 516-766-1400.

RECENTLY SOLD

$1,275,000

Address Forest Ave.

Style Colonial

Bedrooms 4

Bathrooms 3

Built 2021

Lot size 0.35 acre

Taxes $11,053

+/- list price -$75,000

Days on market 178

$650,000

Address Cross Rd.

Style High Ranch

Bedrooms 4

Bathrooms 3

Built 1988

Lot size 0.25 acre

Taxes $14,801

+/- list price +$21,000

Days on market 102

$380,000

Address Montauk Hwy.

Style Ranch

Bedrooms 2

Bathrooms 1

Built 1970

Lot size 0.13 acre

Taxes $8,800

+/- list price +$30,100

Days on market 97

ON ONEKEY MLS

Number of listings 16

Price range $429,000 to $3.325 million

Tax range $3,757 $44,869