Centre Island

Called “the island” by residents, Centre Island is a peninsula almost on a technicality, with only a single, skinny spit of land wide enough for a two-lane road connecting it to the mainland. It’s surrounded by water and has about 200 large homes and estates, making it the second smallest village in Nassau County and giving its residents a private atmosphere. “One of the great things about Centre Island for me, as both an owner and a broker there, is just the peacefulness of it,” says Paul J. Mateyunas, a licensed broker with Douglas Elliman and resident of Centre Island as well as a local North Shore historian and author. “That’s one of the things I really love about it. The peacefulness, the nature and the beautiful Oyster Bay draw people to it.” Its small size and spread-out homes also create a unique atmosphere. “I wouldn’t say everyone knows your name, but it’s a small-knit community, which is kind of nice,” Mateyunas says. “But people respect everyone’s privacy.” This is an especially vital virtue because the island has been home to celebrities like Billy Joel.

According to Mateyunas, people move to a specific side of the island based on their favorite aspect of waterfront living. Boaters gravitate toward the west side’s protected harbor, while those interested in the beach or waterfront views head for the east side. Some even choose based on whether they prefer seeing the sun rise or set over the water. The homes on Centre Island are often large and contain extensive acreage. Three smaller areas have at least half-acre zoning, but most properties fall between 3 acres and 10 acres, with a handful that are even larger. Amenities like private pools and tennis courts are common. Mateyunas says landlocked homes on smaller parcels cost anywhere from $800,000 to $1.5 million, while waterfront estates start at $3 million and go up from there. Musician Billy Joel’s longtime waterfront mansion, which sits on 26 acres, hit the market in 2023 at a cool $49 million. Center Island is a community where people find their forever homes or keep long-term vacation homes, so people don’t sell often. “I would say inventory ebbs and flows,” Mateyunas says. “There’s been periods over the last 20 years where there are zero houses on the market for a while. A lot of the residents I know are usually there long-term, so many homes only turn over when there is some sort of life change.”

The Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District, which Niches gives an A rating, serves the island. Children attend Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School from pre-kindergarten through second grade and James H. Vernon School from third through sixth grade, both of which have A ratings on Niche. They then move to Oyster Bay High School, which has an A-minus on Niche and a student-to-teacher ratio of 9:1. In 2023, a student there became one of only 27 students in the world to earn a perfect score on the Advanced Placement Seminar exam.

Residents spend a lot of time out on the water or the beach—fishing, kayaking, sailing and swimming are commonplace. For those who don’t have a strip of private beach at home or a beach shared among their development, Centre Island Beach is a go-to destination. In addition to a beautiful beachfront, the area is home to a football field and basketball courts. The Seawanhaka Yacht Club is also a major part of life for many residents, offering activities like team racing and junior sailing.

The island is highly residential, but residents don’t have to go far when seeking excitement beyond the water. “You’re surrounded by water and nature on Centre Island, yet you’re still pretty close to Oyster Bay Village, Locust Valley Village, and other neighboring towns like Bayville,” Mateyunas says. “You have three little villages or towns within 10 or 12 minutes of you.” Residents often head to Bayville to Schultzy’s Restaurant & Raw Bar to enjoy local oysters or Wall’s Wharf for lobster rolls and panoramic views of Long Island Sound. At the end of the day, though, they return to their peaceful, scenic homes on Centre Island. “To me, I think it’s one of the special little jewels on the North Shore, being that it’s such a little village,” Mateyunas says. “It’s just a special little jewel box.”

Written By

Christina Norwood

Photography Contributed By

Jeff Rainone

Video By

Andrew Sutton