Baldwin Harbor: Waterfront homes, athletic facilities draw buyers

Baldwin Park houses a skate park divided into sections for... — Baldwin Park houses a skate park divided into sections for beginner, intermediate and advanced skateboarders. Credit: Jeff Bachner

By Frank LoveceSpecial to NewsdayUpdated December 23, 2024 7:59 am

THE SCOOP A peninsula of waterfront houses and quiet suburban streets running alongside canals, Baldwin Harbor also is home to a 147-acre park with some of the most expansive athletic facilities of any on Long Island.

Baldwin Harbor is neither a village nor a hamlet in itself but, rather, a neighborhood within the hamlet of Baldwin. Comprising the southern end, it sits south of Atlantic Avenue, extending to Parsonage Cove, Middle Bay and Babylon Bay, and is bordered by Millburn Creek and Parsonage Creek.

"There's no separate town. It's one town, one school district, one everything," said Erik C. Mahler, a longtime real estate broker and former president of the Baldwin Chamber of Commerce. But some like to give the area an aura of exclusivity, he suggested. "It's been a fight with Baldwin realtors to get them to say it's all one town."

Still, Baldwin Harbor retains a distinctive ambience. "As you might expect, many residents share a passion for boating, fishing and other water-related activities," observed Hempstead Councilmember Laura A. Ryder, whose 4th District includes Baldwin. "Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of main roadways such as Grand Avenue and Merrick Road," she said, the neighborhood offers "a peaceful quality of life, while being close enough to the [Baldwin] downtown business district for easy access to dining, shopping and other daily tasks."

Eateries and shops line Atlantic Avenue, which is the northernmost... — Eateries and shops line Atlantic Avenue, which is the northernmost line of Baldwin Harbor. Credit: Jeff Bachner

Three finger canals provide many residents direct boating access from their homes. One, Oakwood Canal, running along Bertha Drive, is in a years-long refurbishment project by the Governor's Office of Storm Recovery to replace the bulkheads with a "living shoreline" of plants and rock, designed to calm tidal waters and promote stabilization.

One popular gathering spot is a waterfront bar-restaurant on Milburn Creek with a dock so boaters can walk right in: Sonny's Canal House, established in 1993 in the former Baldwin Harbor Inn building that dates to at least 1921.

Milburn Avenue is dotted with businesses amid residential homes. Credit: Jeff Bachner

But the community's jewel is Baldwin Park. Home to the Long Island Royals Little League, it also houses a skate park divided into sections for beginner, intermediate and advanced skateboarders. It includes quarter pipes with 12-foot walls, bank ramps, a partial pyramid wall and a grind rail. Near it is the Baldwin Park Outdoor Roller Rink for inline skaters. And the park offers facilities for numerous sports, plus a dog run and a spray pool.

The community is part of the Baldwin Union Free School District, which offers universal pre-K. The centrally located Baldwin Long Island Rail Road station is on Atlantic Avenue.

Homes along Bonnie Drive, top, and Washington Place in Baldwin... — Homes along Bonnie Drive, top, and Washington Place in Baldwin Harbor. Credit: Jeff Bachner

SALE PRICES Between Dec. 10, 2023, and Dec. 9, 2024, there were 12 home sales with a median sale price of $632,500, according to OneKey MLS. During that period a year earlier, there were seven home sales with a median sale price of $690,000.

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

OTHER STATS ABOUT BALDWIN

Population 33,776

Median age 41.9

Median home value $677,500

Monthly LIRR ticket from Baldwin $287

School district, graduation rate Baldwin (95.5%)

Library Baldwin

Transit NICE Bus Route 35

Sources: 2022 American Community Survey; OneKey MLS via InfoSparks by ShowingTime; LIRR, data.nysed.gov

ON THE MARKET

$1,525,000

This $1.6 million Baldwin Harbor home has a private boat... — This $1.6 million Baldwin Harbor home has a private boat slip and dock. Credit: Shore Choice Realty LLC

A 1961 splanch, this four-bedroom, 2½-bath waterfront home has central air conditioning, a 72-inch gas fireplace and a two-car attached garage. A kitchen awning window opens to outdoor bar seating at a backyard deck, with a separate patio beside a private boat slip and dock. Annual tTaxes are $16,745. Michael J. Willis, Shore Choice Realty, 516-315-1218.

$949,900

This midcentiury 1,801-square-foot home on a cul-de-sac offers a Bose surround-sound audio system throughout. It has three beds and its 2½ bathrooms have heated marble floors. A three-car driveway leads to a fenced-in backyard with a deck, decorative-brick patio and storage shed with electricity. Taxes are $14,190. Jonathan Minerick, HomeCoin.com, 888-400-2513.

$489,000

This historic two-bedroom, one-bath cottage was built in 1924 and modernized with a Navien heating system, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and a hefty 200-amp electrical service. With an open floorplan and eat-in kitchen, the home opens to a backyard deck and fenced yard. Taxes are $10,277. Kaitlynn McCartney, Compass Greater NY, 516-574-3491.

RECENTLY SOLD

$830,000

Howard Boulevard

Style Splanch

Bedrooms 4

Bathrooms 2½

Built 1964

Lot size 0.21 acre

Taxes $16,778

+/- List price -$55,001

Days on market 136

$795,000