Shelter Island — A short ferry ride but a world away

THE SCOOP Shelter Island today is much like what the rest of Long Island was back in the 1950s, says Shelter Island Councilman James Colligan. “You get on a bicycle and go ride around the streets, go play in the playgrounds, walk in the woods,” Colligan says.

It draws residents for its beauty, nature and the fact that it is separate from the mainland, reachable only by boat or ferry from Greenport on the North Fork or North Haven on the South Fork. “Since the only way to come to the island is by ferry, it keeps the traffic to a minimum,” says Debra Von Brook-Binder, an agent with Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty. “It really makes it a special enclave.”

Visitors will find neither traffic lights nor high density developments on the island, though two new projects — one with rentals, the other for purchase — are in the planning stages and aim to address the issue of younger people leaving the island.

And homeowners will find that real estate taxes on the approximately 3,400 land parcels in Shelter Island are lower than on the mainland. That's because while taxes go toward the police department, library and sole school in the town, there is no municipal trash or leaf pickup, according to town assessor Judith Lechmanski.

Though remote, Shelter Island is a full-service locale, with a supermarket in the town center and about a dozen eateries scattered throughout, including a craft brewery and ice cream shop and restaurants in hotels and inns. For the active set, bicycles and kayaks are available to rent. The 8,000-acre island has two hamlets: Shelter Island Heights to the north and Shelter Island to the south.

Founded in 1652 by British expats Grisell and Nathaniel Sylvester, Shelter Island probably took its name from the Manhanset Indians, who had called it Ahaquatawamok, meaning an island sheltered by islands. It became a town in 1730 when farmers settled there and saw growth in the 1870s when developers started buying large tracts of land and opening hotels.

In the 1930s, residents rejected proposals to build bridges to connect the island to the north and south. A half-century later, nearly one-third of the island was acquired by the Nature Conservancy to be preserved as the 2,039-acre Mashomack Preserve. It has tidal creeks, freshwater marshes and hiking trails. Today, ridding the bays and ground of nitrogen is perpetually issue number one on the island.

The island is home to year-rounders, those who divide their time between the island and homes in warmer climes, and vacationers.

Housing stock varies, with shingle-style, farmhouse and contemporary homes, and prices starting at $800,000 for a two-bedroom cottage in Shelter Island Heights to $15 million for a multi-acre waterfront compound.

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

SALE PRICES Between June 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022, there were 17 home sales with a median sale price of $1.475 million, according to OneKey MLS. The low price for that period was $675,000 and the high was $4.7 million. During that period a year earlier there were 32 home sales with a median sale price of $962,500. The price range was $435,000 to $7.5 million.

OTHER STATS

Town Shelter Island

Area 6.7 square miles

ZIP code 11964

Population 1,602

Median age 43.0

Median household income $97,447

Monthly LIRR ticket from Greenport $450

School district, graduation rate, Shelter Island, 96%

Parks Mashomack Preserve, Wades Beach

Library Shelter Island

Hospital Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital

Transit North Ferry, South Ferry

SOURCES: 2020 Census; 2019 American Community Survey; OneKey MLS; LIRR, data.nysed.gov

NOW ON THE MARKET

$2.92 million

This 2,649-square-foot contemporary overlooking Menantic Creek has three bedrooms, four baths, a large front porch, hand-pegged solid oak floors, great room with vaulted ceiling and second-floor balcony, updated kitchen with oak cabinets, home office and wet bar. The 0.47-acre property has multilevel decks, a deepwater dock, swimming pool, tea house pergola and Japanese garden. Taxes are $9,802. Richard Weiss and Diana Spampinato, OAM.com, 516-738-0000.

$2.45 million

Overlooking Shelter Island Sound, this approximately 2,370-square-foot contemporary features four bedrooms, all with water views, two baths, hardwood floors, a stone fireplace and built-ins in the family room, wood-slatted kitchen and family room, and primary suite with sliding glass doors to a balcony. The 1.4-acre property has a deck, outdoor shower and 275 feet of beachfront. Taxes are $11,480. Seth Madore, Corcoran Group, 631-769-2216.

$1.975 million

Set on 5½ rolling acres, this 1,800-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bath barn includes a first-floor artist’s studio with many windows and an apartment above with wide-plank wood floors. The property, which is close to Wades Beach and Mashomack Preserve, has a swimming pool, stocked pond and perennial and vegetable gardens. Taxes are $6,390. Linda McCarthy and Debra Von Brook-Binder, Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty, 631-749-1155.

RECENTLY SOLD

$4.7 million

Wheeler Rd. 

Style Colonial 

Bedrooms 6 

Bathrooms 5½

Built 1962 

Lot size 2.8 acres 

Taxes $22,134 

+/- List price -$295,000 

Days on market 182

$1.475 million

S. Midway Rd. 

Style Cottage 

Bedrooms 3 

Bathrooms 1 

Built 1955 

Lot size 1.8 acres

Taxes $4,200 

+/- List price +$225,000 

Days on market 100 

$899,000 

Brander Pkwy.

Style Ranch 

Bedrooms 3 

Bathrooms 1 

Built 1959 

Lot size 0.87 acre 

Taxes $3,500 

+/- List price -$48,000 

Days on market 201

ON ONEKEY MLS

Number of listings 15

Price range $999,000 to $13.75 million

Tax range $3,103 to $18,096