Transit-oriented housing boosts Mineola

THE SCOOP The village of Mineola’s master plan, first put in place 20 years ago, is coming to fruition, says Mayor Scott Strauss. 

The primary objectives of the plan were to revitalize Mineola’s downtown and capitalize on the area’s convenient commute to New York City.  With two transit-oriented housing developments now constructed and occupied and two more slated for completion in 2019, the village has done just that, he says.  

By drawing people to the area and local businesses, the projects have had "a hugely positive impact on the neighborhoods financially,” says Strauss, who describes Mineola as a single-family suburban setting with a strong school district and low and stable tax base, adding, "They bring in people to our area, and the downtown is being revitalized.”

One Third Avenue and The Allure Mineola, two luxury apartment buildings, were recently built on Old Country Road around the block from the Mineola train station.  The Village Green, a U-shaped apartment building with 266 units and a central lawn and event space, is being constructed just north of the train tracks along Second Street. A 192-unit  development  is slated for the former site of Corpus Christi Elementary School on Searing Avenue.

Mineola will also add a pair of parking garages that will create 900 spaces, with construction of the first garage on First Street and Third Avenue slated to begin in September.  The second garage will be on Second Street between Willis Avenue and Main Street. 

As part of a standardized storefront facade program, shops in the downtown Mineola area are being redone to look similar to one another and create a cohesive aesthetic, with Franwin Pharmacy on Mineola Boulevard being the first to receive a new facade about 10 months ago, Strauss says.  “It gives the area that quaint, hometown feel,” he adds.

In April, Mineola was ranked the healthiest housing market on Long Island, and ninth in New York State, by SmartAsset, a Manhattan-based financial technology company.  The ranking was based on the average number of years residents stay in their home (18.1 years in Mineola), home values (only 3.4 percent of Mineola homes saw a decrease in value), and ease of sales (average of just under 53 days on the market in Mineola).

The most prominent housing styles in Mineola are Colonials and Capes, along with a handful of ranches and high-ranches, says Mike Fink of Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International, who was a teacher in the Mineola School District for 32 years.  Starter houses typically have an asking price about $500,000 and newly constructed homes command as much as $1 million, he adds.

The addition of the luxury apartment buildings has led to an increase in the value of the co-op and condos in the area, Fink says.  “And when they go up,” he adds, “the houses go up.”

Mineola is home to NYU Winthrop Hospital. The village also includes Wilson Park, the Mineola Village Swimming Pool for residents only, and Memorial Park, which is next to the library and features various memorials, tennis courts, a playground and a recently built amphitheater that hosts free concerts and events.  

CONDOS AND TOWNHOUSES
There are six co-ops on the market, ranging in price from $155,000 to $338,000. 

SALES PRICES
Between July 1, 2017, and Aug. 10, 2018, there were 119 home sales, with a median sale price of $585,000, according to the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island. The low price for that period was $370,000 and the high was $930,000. During that period a year earlier, there were 132 home sales with a median sale price of $539,500. The price range was $335,000 to $940,000.

SCHOOLS
Most students attend Mineola High School.  Chaminade High School is also in Mineola. 

OTHER STATS

Town: North Hempstead

Area:  1.9 square miles

ZIP code: 11501

Population: 18,799

Median age: 40.3

Median household income: $89,706

Median home value: $600,000*

LIRR to NYC:  32 to 43 minutes at peak

Monthly ticket: $261

School district: Mineola

SOURCES: 2010 Census; mlslI.com; LIRR; *Based on sales  in the past six months, according to MLSLI

RECENTLY SOLD

$460,000

Latham Rd.

Style: Cape

Bedrooms: 4 

Bathrooms: 2

Built: 1950

Lot size: 50x100

Taxes: $8,272

Reduced: $109,000

Days on the market: 72

$585,000

Juniper Ave.

Style: Colonial

Bedrooms: 3

Bathrooms: 1 full, 1 half

Built: 1927

Lot size: 39x100

Taxes: $11,904

Reduced: $14,000

Days on the market: 88

$650,000

Sheridan Blvd.

Style: Cape

Bedrooms: 4 

Bathrooms: 3

Built: 1955

Lot size: 40x100

Taxes: $12,092

Increased: $1,000

Days on the market: 121

NOW ON THE MARKET

$565,000

This Colonial, with three bedrooms and 1-1/2 bathrooms, has a living room, formal dining room, eat-in kitchen and a full basement.  The 40-by-100-foot property, which includes a detached two-car garage, has property taxes of $9,521. Carol Mahoney, Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty, 516-359-0072 

$679,000

This six-bedroom, two-bathroom high-ranch features a living room, formal dining room, eat-in kitchen and a bedroom with a balcony leading out to the backyard.  The approximate 50-by-112-foot property, with taxes of $10,461, also includes a basement and an attached one-car garage.  Vasco Pereira, Douglas Elliman Real Estate, 917-480-6781 

$749,000

This four-bedroom, three-bathroom Colonial includes a living room, dining/family room, and eat-in kitchen with Quartz countertops, a double oven and new cabinetry.  The house, on a 50-by-100-foot property, also has a full attic, finished basement and detached two-car garage.  The taxes are $11,906.  Mike Fink, Berkshire Hathaway Laffey International, 516-647-3737 

On Multiple Listings
Number of houses 38
Price range $529,000-$1.199 million
Tax range $7,490-$15,327