New Rochelle

Dotted with peaceful ponds, tree-lined avenues and a range of homes dating back to the early 1900s to the 1950s, Rochelle Heights was purposely planned as a quiet, green oasis on the city’s edge over 100 years ago. “The neighborhood was one of the first planned developments, where the goal was to create a closed, verdant community filled with greenery, hilly terrain and winding streets, one street is rightly named Serpentine. Even to this today, you can still get lost along the streets,” says Owen Berkowitz, broker with Christie’s International Real Estate New York, who has been a Westchester resident since the early 1990s. Located about 26 miles north of New York City, the neighborhood draws residents seeking peace and serenity in an ever-changing, hectic world. <br><br>Walking along the sidewalks, shadowed by tall maples, a range of architectural styles line the streets. Quintessential Colonial Revivals make up most of the landscape, displaying tidy front yards and welcoming porches, some with details reminiscent of Queen Annes and Victorians. Various Tudors with exposed woodwork, Split-Levels and the occasional Spanish Revival also greet visitors. “Most of the homes are set back from the street with large lawns and beautiful walkways and steps leading to the entrance. It was purposely planned so the neighborhood would never feel crowded,” Berkowitz says. Prospective homebuyers can expect a wide range of prices, including smaller homes listed from $600,000s to the upper $800,000s, while houses on lots close to half an acre from $1 million to $1.9 million. Here, buyers can score a fixer-upper for under $600,000, a three-bed colonial with an attached two-car garage for $700,000 or an elegant Mediterranean home with a heated saltwater pool for $1.8 million. <br><br>The New Rochelle City School District serves the neighborhood, receiving high ratings on Niche. Students here attend William B. Ward Elementary School and Albert Leonard Middle School, both scoring an A-minus ranking. Boasting a B-plus, New Rochelle High School offers a variety of after-school activities and athletic programs, such as the rugby and tennis teams, where students can learn vital skills about camaraderie and sportsmanship. <br><br> It’s common to see morning joggers and evening walkers strolling around the paved paths at Paine and Beechmont Lake or reading a book on the bench. Rochelle Heights is also home to Flowers Park, spanning over 20 acres. The park has three ball fields and a playground where children run around after school. Meandering through the area shouts from Sidney E. Frank Skate Park fill the air, where skateboarders practice their kickflips till they reach perfection and loved ones celebrate under the pavilion. Flowers Park is also home to Monroe College’s Joseph F. Fosina football field and Skidelsky Field for soccer games. “Some of the best taco food trucks hang out around the park,” Berkowitz says. Fitness buffs who prefer an indoor gym can head to CrossFit Result across the street from the park along Plain Avenue. The community is also home to the New Rochelle Tennis Club and Rochelle Heights Racquet Club, boasting two historic clay courts. <br><br>Despite its tranquil ambiance, the neighborhood is a quick drive to convenient shopping hubs. On the neighborhood’s edge along North Avenue, The Mirage Restaurant & Cafe is a local favorite for brunch, while Smokehouse Tailgate Grill is the go-to spot for happy hours after work. On the weekends, locals can fuel up at Starbucks before checking off their grocery list at Shop & Stop, just 1 mile away. For a selection of exquisite wines, Wine Bazaar is just next door off Palmer Avenue, along with Marshalls and HomeGoods for everyday necessities. <br><br>Although the city hosts annual events throughout the year, the New Rochelle Street Fair is within walking distance of the neighborhood along North Avenue. Every fall, locals can enjoy a beer while listening to live music and chatting with neighbors before returning home. Rochelle Heights is also home to Iona University, a private Roman Catholic school, where students and residents can quickly get around town due to the New Rochelle and Larchmont train stops along the Metro-North Railroad. North Avenue is also scattered with bus stops, while Interstate 95 borders the neighborhood, creating seamless connectivity for commuters and locals alike.

New Rochelle is a city about 16 miles north of upper Manhattan. Affectionately called New Roc City by locals, it’s the seventh-largest city in the state and the second-largest in Westchester County – and thanks to its housing boom, it’s still growing. According to Lohud.com, a website by The Journal News in the lower Hudson Valley, the population of New Rochelle may increase by 8,000 residents over the next few years. For anyone unfamiliar with downstate New York, Westchester is one of the most desirable counties for homebuyers ready to leave NYC behind and get more space for their money. "The community has so much to offer in every respect, be it beach clubs, marinas, parks, restaurants and colleges,” says Gay Rosen, a licensed real estate broker with Julie B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty who has lived in the community for more than four decades. It also offers so much more than just convenience, Rosen says – it offers a true community. "We might be a city, but we live like it’s a village. Residents are friendly to each other and everyone says hello." New Roc City has art galleries, theater companies, and abundant restaurants. When asked which eatery is her favorite, Rosen couldn't pick just one. Alvin & Friends on Memorial Highway serves Southern Caribbean cuisine, hosts live music and displays and sells original artwork. The menu at Dubrovnik on Main Street specializes in seafood and Croatian-inspired home cooking. When they want to enjoy their own home cooking, residents often pick up groceries at Stop & Shop. Downtown New Rochelle offers almost every variety and size of home, from cozy condos and co-ops in renovated warehouses and pre- and post-war Art Deco buildings to suburban colonials and Tudors and urban townhouses. For those with favorite architectural decades, New Rochelle has turn-of-century vintage colonials, traditional colonials and Tudors as well as mid-century ranch-style homes near the waterfront and gated communities built in the 1980s. Some homes even have views of the harbor, while others sport castle-like turrets. Single-family homes range from about $1 million to $2 million. Mansions, estates and houses with harbor views can list for $3 million to $5 million. Condos and co-ops cost anywhere from $130,000 to $500,000. Parks, playgrounds and green spaces are scattered throughout Downtown New Rochelle, ensuring that residents are always close to somewhere they can enjoy the outdoors. Lincoln Park’s colorfully painted basketball court, baseball field and playground, complete with a jungle gym where children can climb out all that extra energy, make it a focal point of the neighborhood. During the summer, residents flock to the 4-acre park to keep cool and have fun at its community pool and splash pad. For a calmer afternoon, Ruby Dee Park at Library Green offers quiet, tree-shaded benches and sun-drenched grass perfect for sitting down to read a book. Venturing beyond downtown provides access to a wide range of huge parks, including the historic 105-acre Glen Island Park, which is connected to the mainland by a drawbridge, and the 20-acre Davenport Park where local children love to sled on snowy days. "New Rochelle has always been known as Queen of the Long Island Sound for its wonderful shoreline," Rosen says. "We have beautiful parks that are truly special." The New Rochelle Public Library is a community meeting place where librarians organize programs for all ages, like Mad Science Mondays, dance workshops and performances, baby song and story hour and a book club for tweens. Every year, the New Rochelle Street Fair draws thousands, featuring live performances, over 200 local vendors, a beer garden, inflatables and more. Niche gives the New Rochelle School District an A-minus. "The district has six elementary schools," Rosen says. "Three are magnet schools, which means that a child can attend the school of their choice." The only enrollment limitations are the district's lottery system and availability based on class size. Students can attend Daniel Webster Elementary School, which has an A rating, Isaac E. Young Middle School, which has an A-minus, and New Rochelle High School. The high school earns a B-plus and offers its students extracurricular activities like photography, robotics and mock trial clubs. Commuting to the office in Midtown Manhattan takes under an hour, as residents simply hop on the train at New Rochelle Station. Interstate 95 and Route 1 run right through the neighborhood, making it easy to hop on the highway to commute by car, and bus stops are scattered throughout Downtown New Rochelle. Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital is less than a mile outside of the neighborhood.

Glenwood Lake reservoir is the heart of this small New Rochelle neighborhood. The community also borders the historic village of Pelham, Westchester County’s oldest town. “This neighborhood is a very special place to live. It’s friendly and community oriented, with an active neighborhood association. Its biggest appeals are its schools and its proximity to Glenwood reservoir,” says Glorianne Mattesi, an associate broker with Douglas Elliman Realty. It’s a neighborhood where kids ride their bikes in the streets and dog walkers stop and chat with one another. <br><br>The streets in Glenwood are tree-lined, and most have sidewalks. Here you will find established homes with landscaped yards, trim hedges and garages. “The predominant home styles in Glenwood Lake are Tudors and colonials built in the 1920s and ’30s. There are also some mid-century moderns built in the 1960s. Most of the homes have been updated and renovated,” explains Mattesi. Home prices range from $460,000 for a cozy 2-bedroom brick bungalow to around $1.4 million for a 5-bedroom cedar shake cottage with heated floors.<br><br>Glenwood Lake is within walking distance of both New Rochelle and Pelham train stations. It’s 20 miles from Manhattan and 15 miles from La Guardia Airport. The Hutchinson Parkway and Interstate 95 are easily accessible from the neighborhood. Westchester’s Bee-Line bus service offers transportation in and around the county. <br><br>“Families with school-age children are fortunate to live here because of Daniel Webster Elementary. It’s a magnet school and families outside of the area have to participate in a lottery for their students to attend,” says Mattesi. Many kids in Glenwood Lake ride bikes or walk to the elementary school. The school has a student-teacher ratio of 14-1 and an A rating from Niche. Isaac E. Young Middle School has a student-teacher ratio of 12-to-1 and an A-minus rating. New Rochelle High School has a student-teacher ratio of 16-to-1 and a B-plus rating. <br><br>Glenwood Lake Reservoir is the focal point of the neighborhood. Covering an area of 6 acres, its wooded walking paths and benches offer visitors opportunities for physical conditioning and mental contemplation. The lake also has a boat launch for anglers hoping to reel in a northern pike, bass or catfish. Less than a half mile from the neighborhood is Lincoln Park and Pool. It has a large children’s playground, lighted basketball courts, a stage area, and a youth baseball field. There is also a small outdoor swimming pool with water slide and wading pool. Julianne’s Playground in Pelham has swings, slides and climbing structures for kids. It also has tennis courts and benches. The park is named after an 8-year-old girl who passed away from cancer. A statue of Julianne sits at the center of the playground with a plaque reminding all to “play, laugh and remember the courage and spirit of a girl who brought out the best in us." Ruby Dee Park in New Rochelle serves as the front lawn of the New Rochelle Public Library. The green space offers walkways and seating. Take a walk around the city and enjoy the colorful murals and meaningful sculptures. Don’t miss the city’s annual “Spark the Sound” July 4 extravaganza. The evening fireworks show is produced and sponsored by the world-renowned Grucci family. <br><br>When it comes to shopping, residents of Glenwood Lake have some of the best options at their fingertips. Pelham village is home to several one-of-a-kind shops such as Centre Stage Dance Boutique which sells dance attire, ballet shoes and an array of fascinating gifts. New Rochelle also offers plenty of shopping venues, including Costco and Walmart. When it comes to groceries, locals also have their choice of ShopRite grocery stores in both areas. <br><br>When hunger strikes, stop in New Rochelle’s R Patisserie and enjoy a cappuccino and a warm pastry. End the day with a plate of Linguini alle Vongole at Sergios Ristorante. In 2022, the establishment was named the best restaurant in Westchester County.

The Isle of San Souci, translated to island without a care, owes its founding to the ambitious spirit of the French Huguenots seeking refuge in the New World. These early settlers left a distinct mark that today imbues the area with its French influence, with various street names and amenities reflecting its founding amongst the breathtaking views of the Long Island Sound. “The largest draw to the neighborhood is the proximity to the sound. When you want, you can look out your window and see the expansive blue waters all around. It just takes you away,” says Owen Berkowitz, Realtor with Christie’s International Real Estate New York, who has been a Westchester resident since the early 1990s. The homes here are as varied as they are picturesque, ranging from stately waterfront residences to charming ranchers and classic brick condominium buildings. <br><br>“New Rochelle has always had its residents in mind when developing this area. Instead of industrial developments, they zoned the waterfront for residential life, and that’s remarkable,” Berkowitz says. The neighborhood isn’t just a place to live. The community offers an immersive lifestyle with various communities scattered throughout. Wandering through the streets, you can find a one-bed condominium a bit more inland from the $150,000s to the mid $300,000s, depending on interior updates, or a $2.3 million luxury condominium on the waterfront in the Watermark Point community. The highly sought-after Isle of San Souci community comprises around 125 single-family homes with a mix of colonials, Tudors, and Mediterranean-style homes ranging from the mid $700,000s for a modest rancher to a $3 million waterfront property. <br><br>The neighborhood is home to above-average schools with high ratings on Niche, such as Trinity Elementary, with a B rating and Issac E Young Middle School, scoring an A-minus. Boasting a B-plus, New Rochelle High School offers a range of afterschool activities and athletic programs. Here, students can spend the cold New York state winters immersed in the ice hockey or varsity skiing teams. <br><br>“New Rochelle, dubbed the queen city of the sound, attracts sun worshippers, boaters and swimmers,” Berkowitz says. The exclusive San Souci Beach Club serves as a social and recreational hub. Here, you’ll find beachgoers sunbathing on their private beach, neighbors playing tennis or swimming laps in the pool, while the laughs from the boccie ball court echo through the air. With panoramic views of the sound with golf courses abound, nature’s allure is never far away. However, those seeking green spaces can head to Davenport Park, a 20 acre park with winding sidewalks and grassy fields great for an evening picnic where one can watch the setting sun over the sound. Another popular spot, Hudson Park and Beach offers sandy public beaches and a small playground where children run around. <br><br>Hudson Park also hosts the annual New Rochelle Summer Sounds Series, where live music and laughter echo through the air. The city also hosts several events throughout the year, including the New Rochelle Street Fair, where 200 local vendors line the streets of North Avenue, where one can listen to live music while sipping on a cold brew in the beer garden. <br><br>Though some spots can feel like a private oasis, major retailers such as Costco Wholesale, The Home Depot and PXG Westchester golf shop are just under 2 miles away across the New Rochelle Harbor. On a rainy day, Regal New Roc is a great spot to watch the latest movie release, while Pasty’s Pizza offers a cozy ambiance for a slice of pie. Loupino’s Italian Deli is a local favorite, where you can score fresh wraps and paninis, while Agostino’s Italian Ristorante is perfect for a romantic date night. With its prime location, the area offers seamless connectivity to New York City, about 20 miles south. The New Rochelle train station allows for an easy commute or a spontaneous trip to enjoy the endless entertainment in the city that never sleeps. At the same time, Interstate 95 is nearby for those who prefer to drive.

Residence Park is one of the first planned garden cities in the country, an urban residential community combining the natural beauty of the countryside with the conveniences of urban living. The neighborhood offers residents easy access to the natural attractions and city centers that define New Rochelle. “New Rochelle is a great area and a wonderful investment opportunity for people who want to be close to the city and the water,” says Rachel Jones, a Realtor with Keller Williams Realty who has been selling homes in New York for eight years. “There’s something that would suit any lifestyle.” Located along the New Rochelle Bay and the Long Island Sound, residents can watch the sunset over the water from their yards while enjoying easy access to the city center of Downtown Rochelle. The neighborhood’s narrow city sidewalks are shaded by oak trees and lined by residential properties standing shoulder-to-shoulder on narrow lots. Residence Park is primarily made up of high-rise rental apartments or condo complexes. Homebuyers can purchase a two-bedroom condo on the harbor for around $250,000. For those looking for more living space, Residence Park has a mix of larger traditional homes, including Queen Annes, colonial revivals and Tudors built in the early 1900s. In this neighborhood, homebuyers can get a five-bedroom colonial revival home with a modest lawn for $585,000 to $650,000. A six-bedroom colonial revival home with bay windows and a columned front porch ranges from $825,000 to $925,000. “There’s a lot of flexibility here. Homes are priced right and give you your own space,” says Jones. Most homes here are on quarter-acre lots and feature fenced-in yards with room for a small garden or patio area. Residents are about a mile away from greenspaces like D’Onofrio Park, a 22-acre recreational area with two baseball fields, a playground and an outdoor pavilion. There are picnic tables, benches and grills, that help make the pavilion a popular spot for community events and summer barbecues. Other options for play include Eddie Foy Park, which features a playground and sandbox, and A-Game Sports, an indoor sports complex with youth programs in sports like basketball, football, lacrosse and more. Locals also enjoy easy access to the shorelines of the New Rochelle Harbor, where boats cruise to ports along the Long Island Sound from New York City to the southern shoreline of Connecticut. Glen Island Beach, just two miles away, has a small stretch of sand and many opportunities for swimming, sunbathing and windsurfing. Students attend the New Rochelle City School District, which earned an A-minus from Niche and has an average student-teacher ratio of 14 to 1. Younger children attend Trinity Elementary School, which earned a B-minus from Niche, before moving on to Isaac E. Young Middle School, which earned an A-minus from Niche. Teens attend New Rochelle High School, which earned a B-plus from Niche and offers students the opportunity to enroll in Advanced Placement and dual-enrollment courses to earn college credit. The school also boasts the Museum of Arts & Culture, an on-site museum displaying artwork from students and members of the community. Homes are within minutes of shops, restaurants and markets along the harbor, including Foodtown of New Rochelle for groceries. Next door, Mamma Francesca serves homestyle Italian dishes and brick-oven pizzas, complete with views of the water from the restaurant’s sunroom. Downtown New Rochelle is less than a mile away and is a growing community center offering residents easy access to stores like Costco and Home Depot. “Downtown is revitalizing, and the community is thriving. They’ve seen a lot of changes recently and a lot of great businesses on Main Street,” says Jones. Local favorites along Main Street include The New Rochelle Diner, a retro diner featuring 1950s décor and classic American dishes served from sunup to sundown. With a mix of residential and commercial properties along the shoreline, Residence Park offers residents walkability among nature. If New York City calls, residents are less than a mile away from the New Rochelle Train Station and major thoroughfares like I-95.

Sun Haven/Homestead Park in New Rochelle, New York, is becoming a popular destination for homebuyers. Realtor Joan Capaldi of Julia B Fee Sotheby’s International Realty says New Rochelle is amid an exciting evolution. “This is not a daunting suburb,” she explains. “This neighborhood has the best of both worlds. To attract new locals, New Rochelle is getting a facelift. New structures are being added as the city prepares for an influx of new residents." Associate broker Michele Fox with Julia B Fee Sotheby's International Realty echoes Capaldi’s comments about New Rochelle. As the area continues to improve its infrastructure, more homebuyers will be drawn to the area. “New Rochelle has been in redevelopment, and it is going to be a lot more vibrant,” she says. Fox adds that the community’s proximity to New Rochelle (2 miles), Larchmont (2 miles) and White Plains (15 miles) is another draw for the area. Calling the housing eclectic, Capaldi says there’s a healthy mix of turn-of-the-century Victorians, 1970s split levels and colonial revival homes. Housing prices in the community range from $128,000 to $2.8 million and the average home value is $842,000. The average home size in the area is 1,372 square feet; the average lot size is 8,700 square feet. Some lots, as Capaldi says, may be smaller. “Residents don’t need big lots because everything is walkable.” She adds that the most distinctive attribute of the neighborhood is its walkability. “It’s unique to walk to New Rochelle and Larchmont,” she explains. Fox adds that there are some ranch-style homes sprinkled in the area that were built in the 1920s and 1930s. The community is close to the Long Island Sound and residents regularly walk to the water. The CAP Index crime score is a 3 out of 10, which is lower than the national rate. Students in the neighborhood will attend schools in the New Rochelle City School District, an A-minus-rated district by Niche. William B. Ward Elementary School is the first stop for students. The school has an A-minus grade. Albert Leonard Middle School is also an A-minus-rated school. New Rochelle High School, situated on a lakeshore, has a working clock tower, planetarium and television station. The structure is a French-Gothic-style facility. Niche rates the school a B-plus. Iona University is also local to Sun Haven/Homestead Park. Capaldi says one of the biggest draws to the community is the spectacular parks. Linked to New Rochelle by a drawbridge built in the 1920s is Glen Island Park. Initially, the 105-acre park consisted of a zoo, museum and beach. The site is also home to Glen Island Castle, which served as a beer garden between 1880 and 1890. Sightseers get great Long Island and New York City views from the park. The wooden pedestrian bridges connect the islands associated with Joe Curtis Five Islands Park. The park is a popular fishing hole for locals. Clifford Island features hiking trails, lush greenery and a picnic area. Foodies in the community gather at Maria, which earned Michelin awards in 2020, 2021 and 2022. “It’s the best Italian food you will ever have,” Capaldi says. Harpoon Hanna’s is a nautically themed coffee shop with stunningly bright murals in the dining area. Locals flock to Chickens Gone Wild, which serves several chicken dishes and comfort food. Home chefs will find all the meal ingredients at the ShopRite of New Rochelle, located off Palmer Avenue. The best place to retail shop is in White Plains, Fox says. Besides being walkable, the neighborhood is local to mass transit. New Rochelle and Larchmont commuter rail stations are a short walk or a five-minute drive and are part of the Metro-North New Haven line. The New Rochelle station is a hub that connects travelers to Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and Boston. Residents who want to brave the 25-mile drive to New York City can expect to spend 60 minutes in their cars (or 30 minutes on the train). The event scene in New Rochelle is very vibrant. Whether it is the annual Mac and Cheese Festival or the Margarita Rumble, to the yearly EarthFest, residents will find lots to do in their spare time. A favorite event for visitors and residents alike is visiting the Huguenot Burial Ground at Trinity-St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. There are tombstones in the cemetery that date back to 1750 and some stones are inscribed in French.