Oyster Bay — sending out vacation vibes
Andrew Iannarelli enjoys the weekday quiet at Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park in Oyster Bay, where he lives. Credit: Chris Ware
THE SCOOP
For years the waters of Oyster Bay were teeming with oysters. But over time, their numbers were depleted from overharvesting.
Today, the Town of Oyster Bay’s hatchery aims to improve water quality and recreate a thriving shellfish economy by repopulating the harbor with millions of oysters and clams, says Town of Oyster Bay Councilwoman Michele Johnson.
Passengers board on the WaterFront Center's oyster sloop Christeen for the sunset cruise in Oyster Bay in 2016. Credit: Marisol Diaz
"People refer to the harbor as the ‘Pearl of Oyster Bay,’ " says Johnson, who grew up there.
Fame came to Oyster Bay in the early 1900s when Theodore Roosevelt called Sagamore Hill his "Summer White House" during his two-term presidency. Artist and designer Louis Comfort Tiffany, industrialist Henry W. DeForest and Mary Mallon, better known as Typhoid Mary, were also notable denizens of the hamlet.
Houses along Maxwell Avenue in Oyster Bay.
From Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park on the harbor to The WaterFront Center, where you can learn how to sail, Planting Fields Arboretum, Shu Swamp Preserve in nearby Mill Neck, the Railroad Museum and Raynham Hall Museum, Oyster Bay is a place where you feel like you’re on vacation, says Johnson.
Sampling beer at Oyster Bay Brewing Co. Credit: Reece T. Williams
The hamlet is small, with strong schools, and one of the few places on the North Shore where you’ll find legal two-family homes, says Mara Navaretta, a real estate agent and owner of Homes by Mara. There’s also a large stock of Victorians and Colonials, and developments with split-levels.
From left, Jit Kim, Hwa Y Choi, Juun Jung, and Jihoon Jur, of Flushing, sample the goods at Oyster Bay's 2019 Oyster Festival. Credit: Newsday/Steve Pfost
The hamlet, which hosts the popular Oyster Festival each fall and Tuesday Cruise Nights for classic cars, has a small-town charm you don’t find in other places, says Rohit Chetal, a real estate agent with Property Professionals Realty. (The festival has been canceled this year because of the pandemic.)
Chetal said he and his family have felt a strong connection to Oyster Bay since moving there in 2008. "We will never find this love and feeling in any other town," he said.
Anna Milione of Oyster Bay enjoys a rainbow ice at Bonanza's in Oyster Bay in 2020. Credit: Raychel Brightman
Visitors and residents alike frequent Bonanza’s, the iconic ices and hot dog stand that’s stood in the heart of the hamlet since 1897.
"As a kid, you go to the hot dog stand; you walk across the street; you sit in the bandstand; you sit on the cannons," says Johnson. "It’s just the place that you feel comfortable and safe, and it has that small-community feeling."
CONDOS AND COOPS There is 1 coop currently on the market. It is listed at $245,000.
SALE PRICES Between June 30, 2020, and July 31, 2021, there were 74 home sales with a median sale price of $675,000, according to OneKey MLS. The low price for that period was $415,000 and the high was $1.55 million. During that period a year earlier there were 51 home sales with a median sale price of $680,000. The price range was from $399,000 to $1.84 million.
OTHER STATS
Town Oyster Bay
Area 1.2 square miles
ZIP code 11771
Population 5,836
Median Age 46.2
Median household income $96,187
Median home value $782,000*
Monthly LIRR ticket from Oyster Bay $308
School district Oyster Bay-East Norwich
Graduation rate 94.9%
Parks Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park, Western Waterfront Waterway, Roosevelt Beach, Planting Fields Arboretum
Library Oyster-Bay East Norwich Public Library
Hospitals Syosset Hospital, Huntington Hospital
SOURCES: 2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; OneKey MLS; LIRR, data.nysed.gov
*Based on 26 sales in the past six months, according to OneKey MLS
NOW ON THE MARKET
Listed for $1.499 million, this four-bedroom, 3½ bath Colonial on Harbor View Road in Oyster Bay has seasonal water views, a two-story entry and cathedral ceilings. Credit: Image Habitat/Al Bello
$1.499 million
This four-bedroom, 3½ bath Colonial boasts seasonal water views, a two-story entry, cathedral ceilings, chef’s kitchen, mahogany balcony from the master suite, and a large basement with 11-foot ceilings. Taxes are $25,208; beach and mooring rights come with an annual $2,346 HOA fee. Mara Navaretta, Homes by Mara, 516-364-2500.
On the market for $895,000, this four-bedroom, three-bath split-level on Wood Drive in Oyster Bay has hardwood floors, built-ins in the living room, and radiant-heated floors in the primary bedroom. Credit: Compass Greater NY/Samantha Lordi
$895,000
Located next to a cul-de-sac, this four-bedroom, three-bath split-level has hardwood floors, crown and wall moldings, built-ins in the living room, and radiant-heated floors in the master bedroom. The fenced-in 0.21 acre property has a hot tub, custom firepit and upper deck. Taxes are $9,910. Samantha Lordi, Compass Greater NY, 516-500-8271.
This three-bedroom, two-bath expanded Cape on Summers Street in Oyster Bay, with a recently updated kitchen, is on the market for $589,100. Credit: VHT Studios
$589,100
This expanded 1936 Cape was recently updated with a new kitchen with stainless steel appliances. The three-bedroom, two-bath home has hardwood floors, gas heat and a private, fenced-in yard. Taxes are $8,916. Rohit Chetal and Harpreet Singh, Property Professionals Realty, 516-605-2700.
RECENTLY SOLD
$1,550,000
Address Sherwood Gate
Style Colonial
Bedrooms 6
Bathrooms 4½
Built 1985
Lot size 2.01 acres
Taxes $21,918
+/- list price +$52,000
Days on market 135
$1,025,000
Address Fieldstone Ln.
Style Postmodern
Bedrooms 3
Bathrooms 3.5
Built 1996
Lot size 0.2 acres
Taxes $20,481
+/- list price -$25,000
Days on market 372
$685,000
Address Orchard St.
Style Colonial
Bedrooms 4
Bathrooms 2
Built 1903
Lot size 0.27 acres
Taxes $11,894
+/- list price -$44,000
Days on market 169
ON ONEKEY MLS
Number of listings 20
Price range $245,000 to $2.925 million
Tax range $8,954 to $38,259
