Old Brookville

Driving through Old Brookville takes you through tree-shaded streets, alongside fields and past pastures full of horses, giving the village a distinctly rural, secluded air. This privacy is only added to by the village’s large homes and gated estates, which are often set back from the street on large properties and partially obscured from view with carefully maintained landscaping. “Old Brookville real estate is estate living, luxury living,” says John Langone, a broker and owner at Richard B. Arnold, which has been in business in the area for over 50 years. “There’s privacy. It’s so different from other parts of the country. Anywhere else, you come out of your development onto a main road. That’s not the case here. You have to drive to a main road from here.” This main road still isn’t too far, as Northern Boulevard forms Old Brookville’s southern border. This makes it relatively easy to venture outside of the village whenever you want. Commuters also find that they don’t have to go too far to begin their journey to New York City. Traveling along Old Brookville’s country roads brings you to Glen Head Station in less than 2 miles, and its train reaches Pennsylvania Station in about an hour.

The luxurious homes, sprawling properties and the privacy afforded to residents are often why people choose to move to Old Brookville. Depending on what part of the village you choose to live in, the land may be zoned for at least 1 acre, 2 acres or 3 acres. Homes can be located on much more than this, with the acreage of a few properties hitting the double-digits. These homes start at $1.5 million and go up from there. According to Langone, the number of large estates in the village makes it difficult to estimate an upper price limit, but some in the past have sold for around $10 million. “It depends what comes on the market. The sky’s the limit,” Langone says. Despite these high prices, Old Brookville’s privacy and secluded, peaceful air make it a popular place to live, leading to quite a bit of competition for local homes. “The luxury market is still going strong, we haven’t seen a big dip in it,” Langone says. “Still low inventory, and the low inventory is keeping the market strong. Because people still want to move and they still have the ability to move, and people who are selling in the city are still getting big dollars.”

Another major draw to the neighborhood is the North Shore Central School District, which Niche gives an A-plus rating and lists among the top 25 districts in New York. Children attend Glen Head Elementary School, North Shore Middle School and North Shore High School, the latter of which is a Blue Ribbon school. Students have the chance to earn a Seal of Biliteracy or Seal of Civic Readiness with their high school diplomas.

As would be expected of the chosen retirement spot of the late John Nerud, a pioneer in thoroughbred horse racing, Old Brokville is dotted with horse stables and riding centers. Brookville Country Club provides its members with access to its 18-hole golf course and swimming pool. Following the village’s country roads will take you to its one commercial area, where you can pick up groceries at Holiday Farms Supermarket, withdraw funds at Citi Bank or pick up a sandwich at Brookville Deli & Caterers. When you want to enjoy a nice dinner out, drive less than 2 miles to Glen Head, where you can eat at a restaurant like Heirloom Tavern, known for its traditional pub fare and flourless chocolate cake for dessert. Or spend a day on the sand or in the water at Tappen Beach just 3 miles away. Residents enjoy having these elements relatively close to home when they want them, but they enjoy the secluded privacy and peace that makes Old Brookville feel like an escape and a home all at once. “There’s privacy, and it’s very luxurious,” Langone says. “People don’t mind coming out here and getting a little slice of heaven.”

Written By

Christina Norwood

Photography Contributed By

Franklin Abreu

Video By

Antoine Allen