A quiet Long Island community
Bohemia was settled by a small group of expats from what is now the Czech Republic. Legend has it that three married couples left their village, also called Bohemia, to escape autocracy. Once they landed on the Long Island estate of a wealthy land baron, the new arrivals christened it Bohemia after their beloved homeland. Soon, friends and family members followed. Today, Bohemia is a community of a little less than 11,000 folks in the town of Islip. This leafy hamlet sprawls the landlocked north side of Long Island’s South Shore. “I could live anywhere, but I love it here,” says Denis Murphy, a local Realtor with Coldwell Banker American Homes and a proud Bohemia resident. “It’s a slower town; we don’t have all the traffic or craziness as other towns. We have a deli, a pizza place, a library and that’s pretty much it. So, to shop or go out to eat, you’ll head to Sayville or maybe Oakdale. Bohemia’s nice and quiet, the property sizes are big and the school district is definitely sought-after. I’m a graduate of it, myself.” Bohemia has a lot going for it as a quiet suburban community, but it also has another thing going for it: a strong equestrian culture.
Connetquot River State Park Preserve
Nealy 3,500 acres of protected land and water stretch along the west side of Bohemia in Connetquot River State Park Preserve. This state park is a cornerstone of the community and provides locals with ample space to enjoy outdoorsy hobbies, such as fishing, hiking, biking, skiing, camping and horseback riding. The Bohemia Community Equestrian Center can be found on the park’s east side in Bohemia proper, so resident riders have immediate access to the park’s woodsy equestrian trails. “In the spring and summer, you can go over there and watch all the horse shows they have on weekends,” Murphy says. “Some of these riders are really amazing, so it’s always a good time, especially with kids.”
Shopping and dining off Sunshine Highway
A couple of shopping plazas sit on the fringes of Bohemia, but for the most part, this is a residential community. There are fast-casual chains dotting the community’s outskirts, such as Panera Bread, McDonald’s and Starbucks. Stop & Shop is convenient for quick grocery runs on the way to or from home, right off Sunrise Highway. Big Lots has a location on the same strip. Sayville Plaza is another little commercial hub off Sunrise Highway, home to two more convenient retailers: Floor & Decor and Aldi. As for local eats, Bohemia’s Little Bagel Shop has been fresh bagels and rolls with homemade cream cheese for more than a decade. More dining and shopping options are about a 3-mile drive away in Sayville and Oakdale.
Prices are “going up by the day”
Some of Bohemia’s oldest homes date back to the dawn of the twentieth century. Beautifully maintained 1900s farmhouses sit on manicured lawns surrounded by mature trees and landscaping, joined by midcentury ranch-style homes, mid-century bi-level homes and Colonial Revivals. Bohemia is home to a variety of residential real estate options. Bunker/Valley is a community of manufactured homes located on the east side where recently renovated units sell for under $200,000. Outside of this community, the cost of single-family homes climb. “The average price point is in the mid-$600,000s, but it’s going up by the day,” Murphy says. Double garages, driveways and sidewalks to the front porch are common features. Lots typically size around a quarter- or half-acre. A budget of $650,000 could land a four-bedroom, two-bathroom midcentury home in Bohemia on nearly a half-acre. Overall list prices max out around $1.7 million, which could more than afford a four-bedroom, three-bathroom on more than a quarter-acre of land.
From the LIRR to the Long Island MacArthur Airport
While Bohemia’s tree-lined streets might feel disconnected from the rest of the island and the city itself, Bohemia is far enough inland to have proximity to both the Sunrise Highway and the Southern State Parkway. “Those can take you anywhere on Long Island,” Murphy says. “The train station is one town north of us, about 10 minutes. The Long Island Rail Road’s (LIRR) Central Islip station is just over 5 miles from the heart of Bohemia. Due south, Sayville’s LIRR station is a little less than 5 miles away. “They have two express trains every single day,” Murphy says. “They can get you to Manhattan in under an hour.” Murphy recommends a car to get around Long Island, but there are public bus stops on main thoroughfares like Veteran’s Memorial Highway for carless commutes. As for air travel, Bohemia residents are a little spoiled. “We kind of have our own airport,” Murphy says. Long Island MacArthur Airport is just across the highway from Bohemia, less than a mile away.
Connetquot Central School District
Bohemia is served by the Connetquot Central School District. Students can take their first academic steps right in the community at John Pearl Elementary, rated B-plus on Niche, before going to Oakdale-Bohemia Middle, rated A-minus, and graduating from Connetquot High, rated B-plus. “Besides the horse show events at the state park, most of our community events are run through the Connequet school district,” Murphy says. “We recently had a charity basketball game with the Harlem Wizards.”
Crime
The CAP Index puts Bohemia’s crime score at 3 out of 10, less than the national average of 4. Violent crime sits at 2 while property crime rate is at 3.
Moderate flood risk
Bohemia is a Long Island town, so when heavy rains come, flooding along the coast is somewhat expected, leading to road closures and spoiled beach days. That said, Bohemia is inland, lessening its risk of flooding. According to Risk Factor, Bohemia has a moderate risk for flooding in the next 30 years, and in that time frame, 183 properties have a greater than 26% chance of being severely affected.
Photography Contributed By
Anthony Costa
