Industry has defined Green Island for centuries
Green Island flourished in the mid-19th century as an industrial hub with a railyard, ironworks and mills at the confluence of the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers, about 8 miles north of Albany. Today, factories and warehouses continue to back the village's economy, thanks to the Green Island Power Authority’s low energy costs. “It’s powered by a public, hydroelectric dam, so utilities are significantly cheaper than other places in the Albany area,” says Pierre-Luc Létourneau Leblond, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Prime Properties who also owns a few properties in the village. “A lot of renters and first-time home buyers end up moving here because of that.” Besides a lower cost of living, Green Island offers a friendly atmosphere, with Heatly School and lively green spaces, like Paine Street Park, all within walking distance. “Everybody here really cares about each other and the community,” Leblond says. “I know people who pick up trash at the park on weekends, and people who have donated to fix the Little League scoreboards, even though they don’t have kids.”
Homes in this renter-heavy village may need renovations
Colonial and Federal Revival-style houses sit compactly along Green Island’s sidewalk-lined streets. Some houses date back to the late 1800s and may need renovations. “It’s the ideal place for people who want an old, charming house that they can give some modern updates,” Leblond says. The area also has several townhouses and multi-family properties, with around 75% of residents renting their homes. Buying prices can range from about $85,000 to around $345,000, depending on a house’s age, size and condition. The median single-family home price is around $270,000, which is less than Albany’s $315,000. Green Island gets heavy amounts of snow and rain, and almost every home in the area is at risk of flooding.
Industrial centers to the north, stores and restaurants to the south
Green Island’s manufacturers and construction warehouses are mainly concentrated in its northern section, known as Island Park. To the south, corner stores, hair salons and restaurants, like the counter-service Latin Grill and Deli, are tucked between houses. Sea Smoke Waterfront Grill is a contemporary seafood spot just east of the mainland on the Hudson River’s Starbuck Island. Across the river, breakfast cafes, breweries and boutiques fill downtown Troy’s Italianate-style breweries. Samaritan Hospital is also in the neighboring town. For groceries, Price Chopper, Hannaford and Walmart Supercenter are all less than five miles away.
Kids can go to Heatly School and Watervliet High
Two different school districts serve Green Island. For prekindergarten through eighth grade, kids can go to Heatly School, which earns a C-minus from Niche and is in the Green Island Union Free School District. Then, students continue to the B-minus-rated Watervliet High, part of the Watervliet City School District. The high school offers college credit courses, including advertising, creative writing and African American Literature. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, about a mile south, educates around 7,000 students, focusing on science, math and engineering.
Green Island’s parks host community events and youth sports
Paine Street Park has a playground, a splash pad and basketball courts. Several events are held at the green space, including a kids’ bike rodeo and a back-to-school celebration with face painters and bounce houses. River Park on the Hudson provides a scenic setting, with benches and picnic tables surrounding a gazebo that becomes the stage for a weekly summer concert series. Veterans Memorial Stadium, locally known as the “Big Field,” has facilities for baseball and soccer. “If you drive past that place over the weekend, it’s usually packed because of youth sports,” Leblond says. Peebles Island State Park, about 4 miles north, offers fishing points, waterfall views and kayak launches on the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers.
Interstate 787 and state Route 7 are easily accessible
Interstate 787, which leads directly to downtown Albany, and state Route 7 intersect on Green Island’s southwestern corner, but traffic tends to stay away from residential streets. “They’re freeways, so it's not like cars are honking and speeding right next to your house,” Jones says. Capital District Transportation Authority provides bus rides around the village and to Albany. The Albany International Airport is less than 7 miles west.
