Greenvale: 'Key to the Gold Coast' draws young families with suburban charm, bustling shopping
Greenvale packs bustling commerical areas, suburban charm and access to the LIRR into a tiny place. Credit: Howard Simmons
THE SCOOP Sandwiched between Roslyn and Brookville and comprising only a couple dozen streets, Greenvale packs a punch despite its diminutive size.
The community, which sits in both the towns of North Hempstead and Oyster Bay, boasts a renowned university (LIU Post), lots of shops and restaurants and is close to the Miracle Mile, said Town of North Hempstead Councilman Edward Scott.
"Greenvale is a very, very nice, quiet and beautiful hamlet," Scott said. "It's got a very strong civic association. It's got a mix of historical mansions. It's got that suburban charm."
The hamlet has remained perennially prominent due to its commercial district which, for the most part, centers around Glen Cove Road and Route 25A, a magnet for Long Island day trippers.
Homes along Maple Street, one of only a couple dozen in the small community. Credit: Howard Simmons
Trying to strike a balance between serene suburban streets and the surrounding busy thoroughfares presents a perpetual challenge, said John Fabio, president of the Greenvale Civic Association, who has lived in the hamlet for over 50 years.
"We have grown considerably over these past many years, but we are still a close-knit community," said Fabio, noting that many other residents have lived there for decades. "More recently, we have seen a turnover: We have many young families with children moving into the area. It invigorates the neighborhood."
Calling it, "a hidden gem," Richard Fusco, an agent with South Shore Marketing, said Greenvale is, "a tight-knit, picturesque neighborhood where tree-lined streets, classic architecture and everyday convenience come together in perfect harmony."
Poet/journalist William Cullen Bryant and Frances Hodgson Burnett, author of "The Secret Garden," are buried in Roslyn Cemetery in Greenvale. Credit: Danielle Silverman
Once called Bull's Head, for the eponymous hotel at Glen Cove Road and 25A, Greenvale became known at the turn of the 20th century as the "Key to the Gold Coast," for its ultra-rich homeowners, which included the Fricks, Whitneys, Phipps and Vanderbilts. Today, many of the descendants of the Italian and Polish laborers who built those extravagant homes call Greenvale home.
The hamlet is known for Wheatley Plaza, a high-end shopping and dining complex, and Roslyn Cemetery, the final resting place of poet/journalist William Cullen Bryant and author of "The Secret Garden," Frances Hodgson Burnett.
SALE PRICES Between Jan. 29, 2025, and Jan. 28, 2026, there were 10 home sales with a median sale price of $989,000, according to OneKey MLS. During that period a year earlier, there were 6 home sales with a median sale price of $820,000.
CONDOS AND CO-OPS There are no condos or co-ops on the market.
OTHER STATS
Population 1,095
Median age 49.7
Median home value $880,000
Monthly LIRR ticket from Greenvale $300
School districts, graduation rates North Shore (96%), Roslyn (98%)
Libraries The Bryant Library, Gold Coast Public Library
Transit NICE Bus Route 20H, 27
Sources: 2023 American Community Survey; OneKey MLS via InfoSparks by ShowingTime; LIRR; data.nysed.gov; Nassau Inter-County Express
ON THE MARKET
$1.2 million
This $1.2 million Greenvale home has five bedrooms. Credit: South Shore Marketing
This 3,264-square-foot Dutch Colonial home has five bedrooms and three bathrooms. It features an expansive wraparound porch, hardwood floors and a partial, unfinished basement. The 0.26-acre property includes a wooden deck. Taxes are $16,143. Richard Fusco, South Shore Marketing, 631-455-4969.
$999,000
This $999,000 Greenvale home is a legal two-family. Credit: Goldilocks Real Estate
This legal two-family home has a large front porch and side-by-side apartments with a total of five bedrooms and two baths. Each unit, which is currently occupied, has basement access, private laundry, their own burner, hot water heater and electric panel. The 0.1-acre property includes a detached one-car garage. An offer is pending. Taxes are $11,702. Sandi Polinsky, Goldilocks Real Estate, 516-874-3033.
RECENTLY SOLD
$1.36 million
Locust Street
Style Colonial
Bedrooms 4
Bathrooms 2½
Built 1996
Lot size 0.11 acre
Taxes $15,984
+/- List price +$15,000
Days on market 80
$880,000
Elm Street
Style Colonial
Bedrooms 4
Bathrooms 3
Built 1986
Lot size 0.1 acre
Taxes $13,033
+/- List price +$91,000
Days on market 56
$565,000
Wellington Road
Style Ranch
Bedrooms 3
Bathrooms 1
Built 1947
Lot size 0.17 acre
Taxes $9,940
+/- List price -$160,000
Days on market 42
ON ONEKEY MLS
Number of listings 4
Price range $899,000 to $1.2 million
Tax range $10,864 to $16,143
