New Cassel: Affordable homes, revitalizing efforts draw buyers
Prospect Avenue in New Cassel is one of multiple areas that have been revitalized over the past decades. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
THE SCOOP Transformed within the last 20 years thanks to a vision plan adopted by North Hempstead, the hamlet of New Cassel draws buyers with its affordability, proximity to major parkways and amenities and a rich history as one of Long Island's most enduring African American communities.
"Property and school taxes have both gone down in the past five years," said Town of North Hempstead Councilmember Robert Troiano Jr., whose District 1 includes New Cassel.
One reason is the industrial tax base in the community of about 14,400 residents. With Union Avenue/Brush Hollow Road as New Cassel's northern boundary and Old Country Road as the southern, the hamlet's Railroad Avenue divides the primarily residential north and the primarily industrial south.
Martin "Bunky" Reid Park and Yes We Can Community Center are among community staples in New Cassel. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
There you will find car dealerships, auto-body shops, the nutritional-supplement manufacturer Tishon, the concrete and masonry supplier Rock Crush Recycling and other firms including Westbury Paper Stock — a name that highlights a postal anomaly.
"A lot of locations have Westbury addresses but are not in Westbury," said Troiano. "It just signifies which post office delivers their mail.
Westbury and New Cassel are "closely aligned," Troiano said. "It's not uncommon for someone who lives in New Cassel to say 'Westbury,' not just because that's their mailing address but because we're are all mixed together."
New Cassel has its own distinct history, however, having been founded by former enslaved people freed by a group of Quakers in the mid-1700s. But its location — close to three major parkways and to Westbury's Long Island Rail Road station — and its affordability have since made it a magnet for a variety of home-buyers.
Prospect Avenue was renamed to honor Bishop Lionel Harvey, who created a nonprofit to help revitalize the area. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
Revitalization efforts in New Cassel began after decades of neglect, Newsday reported. A visioning process started in 2002 and led to the construction of the "Yes We Can" Community Center, followed by the 2010 rehabilitation of residential homes.
Bishop Lionel Harvey, of First Baptist Cathedral of Westbury, created the nonprofit Unified New Cassel Community Revitalization Corp. In September, the once-neglected Prospect Street in New Cassel was renamed in his honor.
Pet photographer Richie Schwartz, 73, bought a New Cassel condo apartment in a senior community there three years ago, he said: "This was the first place that checked every single box: the price range, the neighborhood was quiet, it was centrally located" and in a building teeming with amenities.
Homes along Rushmore Street, top, and Whittier Street in New Cassel. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
Plus, the 930-acre Eisenhower Park is just over the border in East Meadow. "Once in a while I hop on a bike and ride over through there. And they have noontime concerts in the summer." Schwartz said, adding that New Cassel boasts two supermarkets in its 1.5 square miles: Ideal Food Basket and Fine Fare.
Other popular features included Martin "Bunky" Reid Park, with numerous sports facilities, and North Hempstead's 60,000-square-foot Yes We Can Community Center, with a multitude of arts, fitness, education and other programs for ages from youths to seniors.
SALE PRICES (for Westbury) Between June 13, 2024, and June 12, 2025, there were 298 home sales with a median sale price of $755,000, according to OneKey MLS. During that period a year earlier, there were 310 home sales with a median sale price of $700,000.
CONDOS AND CO-OPS There are four condos, priced between $329,000 and $650,000, currently on the market.
OTHER STATS
Population 14,414
Median age 33.9
Median home value $770,000 (Westbury)
School district, graduation rate Westbury (83%)
Library Westbury
Transit NICE Routes 22, 44
Sources: 2023 American Community Survey; OneKey MLS via InfoSparks by ShowingTime; LIRR; data.nysed.gov; Nassau Inter-County Express
ON THE MARKET
$749,990
This $749,990 New Cassel home is 2,171 square feet. Credit: Sell Fast Realty
With gas heat and central air conditioning, this 1960 high-ranch has four bedrooms and two full bathrooms. The kitchen features stainless-steel appliances, an island and an undermount sink. The 2,171-square-foot abode includes garage and finished basement. Taxes are $13,102. Angela Prince, Sell Fast Realty, 631-252-9539.
$649,000
This $649,000 New Cassel home has four bedrooms. Credit: Promise Realty/Young Ho Kim
Set on a roughly ¼-acre lot, this Cape comes with four bedrooms and two full baths. A fireplace adorns the living room and there is gas heat and an unattached two-car garage. Taxes are $8,803. Young Ho Kim, Promise Realty, 917-886-4005.
RECENTLY SOLD
$765,000
Bond Street
Style Cape Cod
Bedrooms 4
Bathrooms 4
Built 1933
Lot size 0.17 acre
Taxes $11,719
+/- List price +$66,000
Days on market 43
$575,000
Maplewood Drive
Style Cape Cod
Bedrooms 4
Bathrooms 1
Built 1948
Lot size 0.14 acre
Taxes $8,266
+/- List price Sold for asking
Days on market 14
$575,000
Catherine Street
Style Hi ranch
Bedrooms 4
Bathrooms 2
Built 1961
Lot size 0.11 acre
Taxes $13,102
+/- List price Sold for asking
Days on market 50
