Northport

Still bearing the rails for a long-defunct streetcar down a walkable main street lined with historic Victorian buildings, Northport’s quaint businesses and art galleries don signs tinted with vintage charm. The village, with its historic charm and salty ocean breeze, has a peaceful, relaxed atmosphere. It might feel a little like stepping back in time if not for the modern cars parked along the street. “It’s a quaint seaside village,” says Janet Pushee, an associate broker at Coldwell Banker Real Estate and a 50-year resident of the little village. “Main Street goes right to the water. It’s kind of peaceful, that’s why people gravitate toward it. The water is the drawing factor and with the quaint shops and restaurants, it’s a destination. It’s a great place to walk, too.”

Northport has an abundance of historic homes radiating out from its heart, from Victorians built in the 1800s to a few Colonial-era homes that date back even further, built in the late 1700s and lovingly maintained and renovated through the generations. “We have an architectural review board to protect and keep the continuity intact so that Northport keeps its charm, which is nice,” Pushee says. “I was part of that in the mid-80s.” For those who aren’t interested in owning a historic home, Northport also has newer homes, many of them colonial-style or Cape Cods. According to Pushee, home prices in Northport start out at around $600,000 but can soar as high as $4 million, meaning that there’s a price point in the village for almost everyone. Regardless of your budget, securing a home in the village is easier said than done. “The housing market is on fire. Super low inventory and high demand,” Pushee says, noting that it’s a seller’s market, with rising interest rates doing nothing to deter homebuyers. “You put a house on the market on Wednesday, you do an open house on Saturday and Sunday, and it’s gone by Monday. Very, very fast. And I’m talking about all price points, too. Not just the starter homes. The houses into $1.5 million even to $2 million are moving very, very quickly.” As a result, potential homebuyers should come to the table ready to face a bidding war and pay over the asking price to secure their home. “I sold one last week, they listed for $899,000 and they sold it for $999,000, a whole $100,000 over,” Pushee says.

As Main Street reaches the shore, it’s flanked by Northport’s two main parks, Northport Park and Cow Harbor Park. Residents love taking their children to play on the parks’ playgrounds and launching their boats or kayaks from their piers and docking stations. According to Pushee, there are concerts in Northport Park’s gazebo about three times a week during the summer months. Steer’s Beach is a favorite destination when residents want to swim, relax on the sand or bring their children to play in the surf. The beach is small, but open only to village residents, keeping it relatively quiet and private. Children in Northport attend schools like the highly rated Ocean Avenue School. Niche lists it as one of the top elementary schools in Suffolk County. Ocean Avenue balances teacher-directed and child-initiated learning, along with reading and writing workshops, to foster a love of learning and reading that they hope will last a lifetime.

When residents aren’t working or going to school, the village provides plenty of entertainment despite its small size. Its quaint downtown is full of little shops and art galleries. Nestled between them is The John W. Engeman Theater, a year-round professional theater where locals enjoy seeing plays or musicals like The Scarlet Pimpernel and Beauty and the Beast. The theater’s actors come directly from Broadway, and since it opened in 2007, it has put on 80 main-stage productions from Broadway. It’s more than enough to make the little downtown area a focal point for locals. “People are just very attracted to it,” Pushee says. “And with all the things the Chamber of Commerce offers, activities during the year, it’s a great place to go for families, for singles, for dating people, for older people to find peace and tranquility, a place to play a chess game down in the park.” And when residents have worked up an appetite, there are more than enough restaurants in Northport to satisfy any craving. “In Downtown Northport you have your choice of probably 10 or 15 restaurants to go to,” Pushee says. “And there’s a lot of outdoor dining in the summertime. So there’s plenty of places to go here, which is wonderful.” Tim’s Shipwreck Diner, which is located in an old railroad car settled between buildings on Main Street, churns out a breakfast menu delicious enough to make it a go-to spot among locals. Northport Sweet Shop has been a favorite for generations, serving homemade ice cream and sundaes alongside burgers since 1929.

Northport is truly special, and the residents who call it home love its quaint but endlessly entertaining downtown, access to waterfront activities and the small, tight-knit community that ties it all together enough to stay for generations. “It’s very special. I wouldn’t live anywhere else,” Pushee says. “I’ve lived there since 1973. I’m very entrenched in Northport and I’m going to be here until my last breath.”

Photography Contributed By

Jeff Rainone

Video By

Robert Edmonds