Buying in Bethpage: Central location, amenities, Black Course are draws

Bethpage grew after Grumman arrived in 1936, with employees building the historic Apollo lunar module and waves of wartime fighter jets like the Hellcat.

When Grumman shuttered in 1994, almost all the work moved off Long Island. The grounds are now the Bethpage Business Park, which touts two movie companies, Gold Coast Studios and Grumman Studios. Amazon had two facilities in Bethpage, but moved most of these operations to Syosset within the past year.

Bethpage State Park has hiking and biking trails, sledding and skiing. Among its five golf courses, Black Course is notoriously difficult and has seen the likes of Tiger Woods play championship games. In 2025, it will host the Ryder Cup.

Homebuyers enjoy the proximity to Westbury and Hicksville shopping hubs, and find taxes are "pretty decent," said Navjit Sandhu, a real estate agent at Realty Connect.

"It's close to the highways and a little more affordable than the towns around it," Sandhu said.

Locals are proud of the many families who have lived in Bethpage for generations.

"A lot of these every day people that you see around town shopping and patronizing local business have a family legacy," said Lisa Moffa, president of the Bethpage Chamber of Commerce.

Bethpage was named by a Quaker, Thomas Powell, who purchased the land from Native Americans in 1695. In 1857, speculators got the name changed to Central Park, hoping to attract more residents. The name reverted to Bethpage in 1936.

Bethpage has had a noted glass factory, pickle factory and also Beau Sejour, a restaurant that opened in 1908 and served notables like the Kennedys, said Len Mulqueen, president of the Central Park Historical Society.

Bethpage Community Park boasts an indoor skating rink and a pool, but baseball fields have been cordoned off for years, awaiting a full cleanup after Grumman dumped hazardous waste there.

Residents are frustrated at the pace of cleanup — a process that state officials said would take until at least 2025 — but authorities give regular updates and results of well-water tests, Moffa said. Recently, the community celebrated the Bethpage Water District's 100th birthday and trust its new state-of-the-art water filtration system, she said.

Many families are still loyal to the Grumman name and Bethpage, because they prospered there when the company came to town, Moffa said: "There's a lot of pride in the community. It's because they feel like they're all connected. They look out for each other."

This 2,150-square-foot expanded ranch has three bedrooms, two baths, leased solar panels and a three-car garage on a quarter-acre lot. A vaulted ceiling rises above the eat-in kitchen and formal dining room. The yard has a dining area, inground sprinklers and a heated, inground saltwater pool with a 2-year-old liner and new motor. Taxes are $13,629. Navjit K Sandhu, Realty Connect USA 347-605-2056

This Colonial-style home was built in 1923, but underwent a major renovation in 2019. The four-bedroom, 2½-bath house has an open floor plan, cathedral ceiling, a family room or den, a pantry and a long window seat in the dining and kitchen area. The fenced-in backyard features a brick patio bordering a grassy yard. The basement is partially finished. Taxes are $15,687. Jennifer Tucker, EXP Realty 516-361-2568

This 1950 ranch has three bedrooms, one bath, central air and a 1½-car garage. An updated gourmet kitchen contains stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, a bi-level center island and French doors. The fenced-in yard features paver stones and a shed. Taxes are $10,730. Nina Nieves, Realty Advisors, 516-410-3026

Romscho St.

Park Ave.

Cheshire Rd.