Tree-lined streets a welcoming sight in Garden City Village
The Garden City Village Green with gazebo and benches at Stewart Avenue and Hilton Avenue has summer appeal on Aug. 21, 2014. Credit: Newsday / Audrey C. Tiernan
One of America's earliest planned communities, Garden City Village was developed by Alexander Turney Stewart, the wealthy New York merchant who in 1869 purchased thousands of acres of the Hempstead Plains.
Today, the community he created — his vision — is punctuated by wide avenues, steepled churches and tree-lined streets where gracious homes rest on manicured properties.
Seventh Street is the village's Main Street, while Franklin Avenue is host to shops and restaurants. "We have tons of new restaurants," says resident Tara Walsh, an agent with the Donnelly Group.
Friday evenings during the summer, Seventh Avenue closes to traffic and becomes a promenade with shopping and dining alfresco. Live music and face-painting are also part of the scene.
Summer concerts on the green are also well attended. While the village is home to five parks, resident Linda Sambus, an agent at Coach Realtors Fennessy Associates, says the village community pool "rivals any country club." The grounds house three pools, miniature golf and a space for indoor tennis. In addition to programs, movies are shown weekly.
Last month, the Garden City Hotel celebrated its 140th anniversary with actress Susan Lucci center stage. (Lucci, a resident who grew up in the village, waited tables at the hotel's restaurant while in college.)
Condos and co-ops also exist. The new three-story Double Day Court Luxury Condo on Franklin Avenue is sold out, says Steven Krieger, a partner of The Engel Burman Group, noting sales ranged between $670,000 to more than $700,000.
CONDOS AND TOWN HOUSES: Seven listings between $419,000 and $2.1 million
CO-OPS: 19 listings between $159,000 and $239,000
SALES PRICES: In the 11530 ZIP code, which includes unincorporated parts of Garden City and Stewart Manor, there were 297 sales from Aug. 1, 2013, to Aug. 20, 2014. The median price was $772,500 with a low of $230,000 and a high of $2.815 million. During the same time period from 2012 to 2013, there were 295 sales with a median price of $734,000. The low was $280,000 and the high was $3.425 million.
MORE GARDEN CITY VILLAGE STATS
Town: Hempstead
Area: 5.3 square miles
ZIP code: 11530
Population: 22,371
Median age: 42.7
Median household income: $141,239
Median home value: $797,500
LIRR time to NYC: 43 minutes to 50 minutes at peak
Monthly ticket: $242
School district: Garden City
Sources: 2010 census; mlsli.com; LIRR
*Based on sales in the past six months, according to MLSLI
Correction: An earlier version of this story misidentified Seventh Street.
