$1,750,123Average Value$589Average Price per Sq Ft12Homes For Sale
Quiet, private neighborhoods near Great Neck entertainment
Canopied by mature maple trees and boasting large private homes, University Gardens and Russell Gardens offer sophisticated suburban living just 20 miles away from Manhattan. Russell Gardens is one of Great Neck’s nine villages, while University Gardens is an unincorporated hamlet. Each area has its own homeowners association, but they share the same quiet vibe. “I wouldn’t say it’s unfriendly, but everybody keeps to their own. That’s what people are looking for, privacy, and you have it,” says Phil Raices, a licensed real estate broker at Turn Key Real Estate and a journalist at Blank Slate Media who has written just shy of 480 articles about real estate over the last nine and a half years. He’s lived in the Great Neck area for 69 years. Despite this quiet, entertainment is always within reach. “I’ve never lived in an area that offers so much — there’s so much to do for adults and children that it is kind of a staycation just to live there,” Raices says.
Maple trees tower over the spacious homes in University Gardens-Russell Gardens.
About 1,000 residents call the quiet community of University Gardens-Russell Gardens home.
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Most single-family homes cost over $1 million
Russell Gardens and University Gardens are both established neighborhoods. With streets and yards shaded by mature trees, its homes are often architectural beauties. “There’s a lot of old Tudors from 1920 and 1930,” Raices says. “You can’t get a new house built like the older houses, which are all plaster walls. Sheetrock doesn’t come close to plaster. Plaster houses are much more soundproof.” Although Tudors are the most common style, colonials are still a frequent sight. There’s also an occasional Cape Cod and ranch-style home, particularly in University Gardens. Spacious, manicured yards offer privacy and outdoor entertainment space while winding, tree-shaded sidewalks make daily walks or runs that much more pleasant. Home prices vary greatly, with a three-bedroom in need of serious renovations starting at around $890,000 and a fully updated seven-bedroom home maxing out around $5.7 million. The handful of co-ops in the neighborhoods start at about $180,000 and climb as high as $800,000 for a larger, newly renovated unit. The CAP Index crime score is 2 out of 10. The national average is 4.
Tudor style homes feature impressive brick architecture in University Gardens-Russell Gardens.
Colonial style homes in University Gardens-Russell Gardens often feature expansive yards.
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Robotics at Great Neck South High
Raices and Edna Mashaal, the broker and owner of Edna Mashaal Realty with over 25 years of experience in real estate, agree that the school district is another major reason people move to the Great Neck area. Great Neck Public Schools have an A-plus from Niche, and the site lists the district as the third best in the state. Children can attend Lakeville Elementary School, Great Neck South Middle School and Great Neck South High School, all of which have A-pluses. Niche also ranks the high school as the best public high school in Nassau County. Great Neck’s competitive robotics team has competed in and won various national competitions.
Lakeville Elementary School is a Blue Ribbon School in GNPS.
Great Neck South High School is one of the top high schools in the state.
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Private Great Neck parks, swimming pools
“Great Neck is one of the few park districts in New York State. We have 21 active and passive parks,” Raices says. Russell Gardens is part of the park district, while University Gardens isn’t. Living in the park district comes with an added park district tax, but Raices says it’s worth it because residents gain access to Great Neck’s private parks and their yearly events. “For the concerts we get, it’s worth thousands,” he says. The Parkwood Sports Complex is one of these private areas, offering a pool with a little lazy river alongside tennis courts, baseball and soccer fields and an indoor ice rink. Just 4 miles away, the waterfront Steppingstone Park is perhaps the most well-known private park. “The concerts that Great Neck is known for are at Steppingstone Park,” Raices says. “You can also learn how to sail; we have a sailing club there. We have an area where you can dock your boat, you can keep your sailboat on the beach for a minimal cost. There’s a dock for fishing, in case you want to catch your dinner, and there’s a launch that will take you out to your boat so you don’t have to swim out there. They have a pool there, they have a spray park.” Closer to home, Cutter Mill Park, on the edge of Russell Gardens, is filled with children running around the sand-filled playground or cooling off at the spray pad on hot summer days.
For University Gardens residents, park options are a little more limited. Great Neck Terrace Pool Club is a popular place to cool off and have fun during the summer, and Admiral Playground offers a large playground and a basketball court. Fresh Meadow Country Club is one of the three golf courses nearby. The Great Neck Public Library System has also undergone renovations to a few locations over the last few years. “We have 3D printers that you can use in the library for free,” Raices says.
Cool off in the pool at The Parkwood Sports Complex in nearby Great Neck.
Relax with friends and family at Cutter Mill Park, featuring a shaded playground for all ages.
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Shopping and dining at The Gardens At Great Neck
A few local businesses stretch along Northern Boulevard, which is also where Peter Luger Steak House sits, serving prime steak and grilled Atlantic salmon in an upscale atmosphere. Less than a mile away, The Gardens At Great Neck offers abundant dining options alongside clothing shops and salons. Wild Ginger is a popular Asian fusion spot known for its Wednesday night entertainment. “There’s a gentleman by the name of Drew Hill who’s absolutely a virtuoso,” Raices says. “He plays his synthesizer, and he sings like a nightingale.” Great Neck Diner offers pancakes and other breakfast options, and Rosa’s Pizzeria is a local favorite. “They give you a double slice cheaper than what the other pizza places charge you for a single slice,” Raices says. “They give you great food, great value and the portions are really decent.” H Mart and North Shore Farms offer groceries close to home.
Find everything you're looking for from coffee to dinner at The Gardens At Great Neck.
Honey Gramz carries just about everything related to honey products.
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Nearby LIRR, Northern Boulevard, I-495
“The neighborhoods are both within walking distance of the Long Island Railroad,” Mashaal says, which includes two different train stations, Little Neck and Great Neck. From there, express trains take less than 30 minutes to reach New York City. Bus stops are scattered along Northern Boulevard and Interstate 495 is just a few minutes away. North Hempstead Beach Park and Bar Beach are about 7 miles away and Jones Beach is 23 miles from home.
Sailing off into the sunset is just a short ride away for University Gardens-Russell Gardens.
The Great Neck LIRR station offers easy access to NYC from University Gardens-Russell Gardens.
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Live music, Lights and Ice in Village Green Park
Village Green Park hosts the annual Music Festival and Street Fair every June, a two-day event where the sound of live music and the scent of freshly grilled food fill the air. During winter, the park is home to Lights and Ice, where locals enjoy a temporary ice-skating rink and cozy up to loved ones beside fire pits with a warm drink. Steppingstone Park is also known for its huge yearly events. “We’re going to have events from the beginning of July through September in Steppingstone Park,” Raices says. “We had Ne-Yo last year, we had Flo Rida. Ne-Yo was incredible, it was like a Michael Jackson concert. We had Billy Joel’s piano man, Mike DelGuidice.”
An 1870s lighthouse is visible from Steppingstone Park in Kings Point.
The Village Green Park in nearby Great Neck offers a challenging obstacle course for kids.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
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Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
University Gardens-Russell Gardens
US
Homicide
3
4
Sexual Assault
3
4
Assault with Weapon
3
4
Robbery
2
4
Burglary
4
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
3
4
Larceny
2
4
Crime Score
2
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
University Gardens-Russell Gardens Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in University Gardens-Russell Gardens, University Gardens sell after 59 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in University Gardens-Russell Gardens, University Gardens over the last 12 months is $728,680, up 71% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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