Quiet and convenient village living
About 13 miles outside of Buffalo, the village of Depew is attracting those looking for more house space and a convenient location. “Depew is one of the second ring areas around the city of Buffalo,” says Trey McDermid, an associate Broker with Gurney Becker & Bourne. “It’s its own little community with more county-operated services, like plowing and trash, and everyone has driveways. Families are generally out in these areas because they’re easier to manage.” Transit Road, the main thoroughfare through the village, divides Depew in half. East of this road is Lancaster County and west is Cheektowaga, linking this town to both communities. “It’s closely tied to Lancaster and Cheektowaga and all the shopping and events happening in those places,” McDermid says. “Depew is more of a residential neighborhood that's not as busy as the surrounding towns, but it’s easy for people who commute.” The Buffalo Depew Station offers easy train commutes, and the Buffalo Niagara International Airport is just 4 miles away.
Established ranch and colonial homes
Sidewalks loop through the subdivisions that make up the residential sections of Depew. Most homes feature driveways and carports or attached garages with quaint, manicured front lawns. “The property sizes are a bit bigger and slightly newer,” McDermid says. “Many were built in the post-World War II era, as opposed to the 1920s.” Cozy Cape Cods and ranch homes that range in size from 1,000 to 1,500 square feet might cost between $160,000 and $260,000. Colonials, some with wide front porches, can reach upwards of 2,000 square feet and range in price from $200,000 and $300,000.
Easy commutes around Erie County
Buffalo is an easy 13-mile commute away thanks to accessibility to Interstate 90. The Buffalo Depew Station offers train services to big cities like Niagara Falls, Boston, New York City and Toronto, and the Amtrak branches out even further. Residents can even catch flights out of the country at Buffalo Niagara International Airport, located a short 4-mile drive north. “The airport is close, but Depew is out of the flight path,” McDermid says. “So, it’s not affected by the noise.”
Practice and play at Firemen’s Park
Firemen’s Park is the most popular park in Depew, offering plenty of athletic spaces and play areas. Youth leagues practice and play on the soccer, football and baseball fields, and swim teams meet at the outdoor pool. There are also athletic courts, an extensive playground and a public-use fitness area with workout equipment. Across the street is the Depew Ice Pavilion, where hockey and ice skating take place. “The ice rink was added about 10 years ago,” McDermid, whose son has played baseball at this park, “It’s a newer facility. And the park is updated pretty well, accessible from a couple of different outlets within the neighborhood.” On the south side of Depew is Broadway Driving Range & Mini Golf. And next door is Green Acres Ice Cream, a local staple that sets up a pumpkin stand in the fall. On the north side of the village, there are soccer fields and athletic courts at Rehm Park. On the other side of the park, Diamond Hawk Golf Course offers an 18-hole fairway and pub to the public.
Surrounded by big-name shops and local eats
Wedged between the larger counties of Lancaster and Cheektowaga, Depew is surrounded by shopping and dining. To the east, 99 Brick Oven and The Yelling Goat are both well-known spots for pizza and bar service. To the south is a retail district that includes Walmart, Wegman’s and Target. On the west side, there’s also Wegman’s and the popular sushi spots, Teton Kitchen and Saika. Just north of the village is Eastern Hills Mall, with department stores and a movie theater. Local diners more centrally located within Depew include Smokin’ Little Diner, a barbeque and burger joint inside a 1950s-style tin car, and Bloomfield’s Pub, known for their appetizers and karaoke nights.
Community ties in Lancaster and Cheektowaga
Because of Depew’s connections in both Lancaster and Cheektowaga, it’s common for residents to share interests and attend community events happening in either county. “These villages have their own summer events and parades,” McDermid says. “And Lancaster has become updated with more walkability and open space. That’s where people in Depew would go for festivals and things.” Students might even attend schools in Lancaster and play on a sports team in Cheektowaga. It’s also typical for residents to live in Depew and quickly commute to either village for work.
Depew public schools
Students living in Depew can begin with an 11-1 student-teacher ratio at Cayuga Heights Elementary School, which Niche grades a C-plus. Depew Middle School, graded a B, also offers an 11-1 student-teacher ratio. Older students can progress to Depew High School, which Niche grades an A-minus and ranks in the top 16% of best high schools for athletes in New York and the top 22% of best public high schools in the state overall.
Written By
Jessica Haddad
Photography Contributed By
Stefan Ludwig
