New zoning could transform Inwood, Hempstead Town council member says

THE SCOOP

With the recent approval for rezoning, Inwood could soon feature a "village-like atmosphere" with new apartments and shopping opportunities, says Town of Hempstead Council member Bruce Blakeman.

"Boutiques, restaurants, pharmacies, dry cleaners, everything oriented toward getting people out of their cars and walking around,” Blakeman says.

The rezoning of the industrial and commercial areas north of the Inwood train station could revitalize the area and provide affordable rental apartments for young people and seniors, he adds. The new code allows for buildings up to five stories and 60 units per acre near the train station, decreasing in size and density further from the hub. Ten to 20 percent of the units will be classified as "affordable.''

Blakeman says the rezoned area is currently a mix of industrial, commercial, residential and some blighted areas. The development will be particularly attractive, he adds, for seniors looking to downsize and transition to a walkable community and for young people commuting to Manhattan.

As one of the westernmost points of Nassau County, the South Shore hamlet offers quick access to the city and Kennedy Airport. Inwood Park has athletic fields, basketball and tennis courts, a playground and a walking trail on Jamaica Bay. Inwood — part of Five Towns, along with Lawrence, Cedarhurst, Woodmere and Hewlett — is also home to the Inwood Marina and the Inwood Country Club, which offers an 18-hole golf course, tennis and access to a private oceanfront beach club in Atlantic Beach.           

Housing prices in Inwood typically range from around $350,000 to $750,000, with common styles in the hamlet including split-levels, high-ranches, ranches and Capes, says resident Peter Heskiel of Pin It Realty LLC. 

Calling the hamlet a neighborly and welcoming community, Heskiel says, “It will take 15 minutes to get down your street in Inwood because you are saying hi to all of your neighbors.”

CONDOS AND CO-OPS

There are no condos or co-ops on the market.

SALES PRICES

Between April 1, 2018, and May 16, 2019, there were 29 home sales with a median sale price of $384,000, according to the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island. The low price for that period was $150,000 and the high was $620,000. During that period a year earlier, there were 31 home sales with a median sale price of $450,000. The price range was $181,000 to $675,000.

OTHER STATS

Town: Hempstead

Area: 1.6 square miles

ZIP code: 11096

Population: 9,792

Median age: 34.7

Median household income: $54,575

Median home value: $405,000*

LIRR to NYC: 49 to 57 minutes at peak

Monthly ticket: $270

School district: Lawrence

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

RECENTLY SOLD

$351,000

Cedar Road

Style: Cape

Bedrooms: 2

Bathrooms: 1

Built: 1929

Lot size: 35 x100

Taxes: $6,483

Increased: $11,010

Days on the market: 69

$452,000

Westcott Street

Style: Cape

Bedrooms: 4

Bathrooms: 1

Built: 1952

Lot size: 40x112

Taxes: $4,790

Reduced: $13,000

Days on the market: 117

$560,000

Brafmans Road

Style: Split-level

Bedrooms: 3

Bathrooms: 2

Built: 1955

Lot size: 53 x101

Taxes: $7,629

Reduced: $65,000

Days on the market: 140

NOW ON THE MARKET

$349,990

This ranch, with two bedrooms and one bathroom, includes a living room, formal dining room and eat-in kitchen. The 37-by-90-foot property also has a detached one-car garage. Taxes: $4,604. Jennifer Tucker and Carl Morrison, Exit Realty United, 516-361-2568, 516-405-0661

$419,000

The main level of this three-bedroom, one-bathroom Colonial has a living room, dining room and eat-in kitchen. The 41-by-160-foot property also has a detached one-car garage. Taxes: $6,700. Peter Heskiel, Pin It Realty LLC, 347-628-8113

$625,000

This split-level, on a 60-by-100-foot property, includes four bedrooms and two bathrooms. It features a living room with cathedral ceilings, a dining room that leads out to a deck and a lower-level den. Taxes: $10,065. Rachel Hersh, Five Towns Miller Realty, 917-902-3661

On Multiple Listings

Number of houses: 11

Price range: $239,000-$1.39 million

Tax range: $4,604-$10,268