Vails Gate is a lower-cost alternative to Newburgh, Beacon
Just 5 miles from Newburgh, Vails Gate is half suburb, half commercial district full of shops and restaurants. “I think it’s probably the proximity to everything — major highways, public transportation,” says Nicole Gold, a real estate agent at RE/MAX Benchmark Realty Group who has sold homes in the area for seven years, about why people choose to move to the hamlet. She adds that Vails Gate’s proximity to Newburgh and Beacon is also a major factor, providing a lower-cost alternative close to the features people love about the two sought-after communities. “Vails Gate is like the center, and you can shoot out each ... way and be somewhere,” Gold says.
Restaurants and groceries along Windsor Highway, more in Newburgh
Despite its small size, Vails Gate is home to over two dozen restaurants. The New Windsor Coach Diner is known for its breakfast menu, desserts like cheesecake and late hours. Citrus Restaurant, which serves a blend of Indian and Thai food, offers a popular Sunday buffet, while Chapala Grill is known for its margaritas. Shopping centers full of stores like Tractor Supply Company and Pet Supplies Plus line Windsor Highway, providing plenty of options when it comes to the essentials. There are also several banks, a post office and UPS. For groceries, residents can choose from ShopRite, Hannaford and Price Chopper. Newburgh offers a mall and even more restaurants, including several popular waterfront spots like Billy Joe’s Ribworks, about 5 miles away, so Gold says the nearby community is a frequent stop for Vails Gate residents.
Single-family homes, condos and townhouses
Vails Gate’s quiet residential streets feel worlds away from the hamlet’s commercial sector. Its colonials, hi-ranches and split-levels typically have about a third of an acre and cost between $370,000 and $520,000. Condominiums and townhouses are also common in Vails Gate, and tend to cost less than single-family houses. Condos are more common and generally cost between $210,000 and $390,000. Townhouses can drop to $160,000 if they need major renovations, but most cost between $260,000 and $320,000. Gold says these prices are lower than they are in Newburgh and Beacon. Newburgh has a higher upper range than Vails Gate, but Beacon is particularly expensive; homes there max out at around $1.7 million.
Traffic along Windsor Highway, nearby hospital and airport
Windsor Highway, also known as state Route 32, is the major thoroughfare in this car-dependent hamlet. It meets with four other major roads — a spot locals call Five Corners — and traffic can get a little backed up, but Gold says that doesn’t impact residential streets. Vails Gate also has easy access to Interstate 87, which runs along its southwestern edge. Saint Luke’s Cornwall Hospital is less than 3 miles away, and it’s only 5 miles to Stewart International Airport.
Celebrating New Windsor Community Day
In many ways, Gold says, Vails Gate is part of New Windsor, so celebrating New Windsor Community Day is big annual event. People converge on a park less than 2 miles away to enjoy local vendors, food trucks, live music, bouncy houses for the kids and fireworks in the evening. “Everyone comes — from Newburg, from Cornwall, from Washingtonville, from wherever,” Gold says. “It draws a very big crowd.”
Planet Fitness, driving to Kristi Babcock Memorial Park
Vails Gate has a Planet Fitness for daily workouts, but reaching a park requires a short drive out of the hamlet. Kristi Babcock Memorial Park is about 2 miles away, has a playground and hosts many local baseball, soccer and lacrosse games. Just a mile away, the New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site commemorates George Washington’s last Revolutionary War encampment. Staff there wear historical dress and re-enact life in the camp, with several bigger events each year on holidays like the Fourth of July. There are walking paths throughout the park, and the welcome center has a small museum.
Graduating from Newburgh Free Academy with a college degree
The Newburgh City School District earns a C-plus from Niche. Children in Vails Gate can attend New Windsor School, which has a B, and Heritage Middle School, which has a C-plus, before moving on to Newburgh Free Academy. The high school has three campuses and earns a B-minus. The school’s P-TECH program allows enrolled students to graduate high school with a college degree at no extra cost. Specifically, students can study networking or cybersecurity to earn an associate of applied science in computer information technology. The school’s career and technical education program also prepares students for careers in fields like criminal justice, cosmetology and graphic arts.
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Written By
Christina Norwood
