Uniondale: Proudly diverse home of museums, malls draws buyers
Cedar Street Park in Uniondale sports ballfields and playgrounds for the community. Credit: Newsday/Howard Schnapp
THE SCOOP A proudly diverse community and home of museums, Hofstra University and the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale nonetheless finds itself waging an underdog battle for proper recognition.
Local officials, acting on behalf of Uniondale residents, in 2015 convinced the U.S Census Bureau to officially remove the disputed name East Garden City that the bureau had declared in 2000 for the northern portion of Uniondale. Despite this, said civic leader Jeannine Maynard, the U.S. Postal Service will not deliver to that area's ZIP codes if the address reads "Uniondale."
"The post office has the final rule on what the flow of mail will be," said Maynard, of the Greater Uniondale Area Action Coalition. Mail to Museum Row must say "Garden City"; mail to the Samanea mall must say "Westbury." "A mostly developer-initiated agenda" is responsible for efforts to bifurcate the community, Maynard believes, since Uniondale statistically has a Black and Hispanic majority in the more residential southern portion. But, she said, "Uniondale stands very unified."
"Uniondale is very much a suburban, family-oriented community," said Town of Hempstead Deputy Supervisor and Senior Councilmember Dorothy L. Goosby, one of Uniondale's two Council representatives, in an email. "Residents are active in their local civic organizations, operate small businesses and organize many fundraisers and other philanthropic efforts to help people less fortunate and help make their community a better place."
Uniondale Avenue, top, and Front Street are home to eateries, shops and other small businesses. Credit: Howard Schnapp
While Uniondale may be best known for such institutions as the Cradle of Aviation Museum, the Long Island Children's Museum and Nassau Coliseum, it also offers a multitude of shopping.
In addition to Roosevelt Field and Samanea, formerly The Mall at The Source, the town's 5.7 square miles includes a Lowe's, a ShopRite, a Trader Joe's and a Walmart.
While the massive Eisenhower Park is also just over the border, Uniondale has the 49-acre Mitchell Athletic Complex, which hosts high school, college and league sports, and has a public track and field stadium and multipurpose ball fields. And Uniondale's Bernard Brown Park, Cedar Street Park and Uniondale Avenue Park each offers a playground and a variety of sports.
"Over the course of the last year, numerous upgrades have been made at Bernard Brown Park," said Goosby, "including new ball fields, resurfacing under the playground and a brand new spray pad. Shortly, work will begin on repaving of the parking lot."
"Uniondale enjoys being a diverse community," said Maynard. "From my experience, it's a friendlier community than many — you have an acceptance of diversity of income and background, and a real interest in having a worldview that is open to learning."
Homes along Lee Road, top, and Laclede Avenue in Uniondale. Credit: Howard Schnapp
SALE PRICES Between April 9, 2024, and April 8, 2025, there were 86 home sales with a median sale price of $625,000, according to OneKey MLS. During that period a year earlier, there were 80 home sales with a median sale price of $577,500.
CONDOS AND CO-OPS There are no condos or co-ops currently on the market.
OTHER STATS
Population 33,637
Median age 35
Median home value $650,000
Monthly LIRR ticket from Hempstead $253
School district, graduation rate Uniondale (88%)
Library Uniondale
Transit NICE Bus Routes 40,41, 43
Sources: 2023 American Community Survey; OneKey MLS via InfoSparks by ShowingTime; LIRR, data.nysed.gov, Nassau Inter-County Express
ON THE MARKET
$969,000
This $969,000 Uniondale home is a new build completed this year. Credit: Realty Trends Corp.
A new construction built this year, this five-bedroom, three-bathroom home of 3,000 square feet has an open-concept kitchen and living room, plus a dedicated dining room. Offering central air-conditioning and Energy Star appliances, the house also has a landscaped backyard. Taxes are estimated at $8,900. Cheryl Rosenthal, Realty Trends Corp., 516-312-3223.
$729,900
This $729,999 Uniondale home has four bedrooms. Credit: Real Broker NY/Gilberto Flores
A 1950 Cape renovated three years ago with updates including a new roof and quartz kitchen counters, this four-bed, three-bath home sits on a nearly quarter-acre lot. It features a one-car garage, a separate outdoor shed and a basement with a separate entrance. Taxes are $9,481. Gilberto Flores, Real Broker NY LLC, 516-840-1030.
RECENTLY SOLD
$830,000
Northgate Court
Style Colonial
Bedrooms 5
Bathrooms 4
Built 1854
Lot size 0.18 acre
Taxes $12,072
+/- List price +$6,000
Days on market 124
$645,000
Waldorf Place
Style Exp. Cape
Bedrooms 4
Bathrooms 2
Built 1949
Lot size 0.23 acre
Taxes $10,500
+/- List price +$46,000
Days on market 48
$470,000
Laclede Avenue
Style Colonial
Bedrooms 2
Bathrooms 1½
Built 1928
Lot size 0.17 acre
Taxes $8,900
+/- List price -$105,000
Days on market 174
ON ONEKEY MLS
Number of listings 12
Price range $479,900 to $969,000
Tax range $3,107 to $10,464
