Greenvale

Greenvale, a small hamlet with 1,100 residents, is located in the Town of North Hempstead, Nassau County. Though it’s primarily more middle-class than its neighboring towns, it’s still considered part of Long Island’s “Gold Coast” area. The hamlet is very small, occupying less than half a square mile, and has no school district, churches or synagogues.

Northern Boulevard and Glen Cove Road, two of the county’s major roads, intersect in Greenvale. Several bus routes use these roads, providing residents with easy access to public transportation. Residents will find ample shopping along these two roads as well, including Wheatley Plaza, a popular shopping destination for northern Nassau. Wheatley Hills has numerous stores and boutiques and a large Pathmark grocery store. It offers a personal shopping service as well.

Two excellent school districts serve the hamlet. Students in the eastern part of Greenvale attend the North Shore School District’s schools, while students in the western part attend Roslyn’s public schools. The North Shore district educates approximately 3,000 students who also hail from Glenwood Landing, Glen Head, and Sea Cliff. The district has been recognized locally and nationally for its outstanding results, with North Shore High School being ranked 263 in the nation by Newsweek magazine in 2008. Roslyn’s district is slightly larger, with 3,500 students. Harbor Hill School, located on Glen Cove Road in Greenvale, educates students through grade six and has very high passing rates on state standardized exams. Two institutes of higher education, New York Institute of Technology and Long Island University’s C.W. Post campus, are located adjacent to Greenvale’s borders.

Greenvale is home to Roslyn Cemetery, which is the final resting place for Frances Hodgson Burnett, author of The Secret Garden, and the writers Christopher Morley and William Cullen Bryant. The Roslyn East Toll Gate is also located within the cemetery’s borders, a remainder from the days when tolls were collected along North Hempstead Turnpike, which is now called Northern Boulevard. The roadway was moved many years ago, putting the toll house within the cemetery’s borders. The toll house, built in 1864, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

The very small size of Greenvale means the housing inventory is also small and limited to single-family homes. At present, home prices begin in the mid-$300k range, making the area relatively affordable by Long Island standards.