West Hempstead High School (New York, Union: middle-class, real estate, apartments)

[Wes927]

Hello all.

The stats are good as far as test scores and discipline. But I hear some bad stories.


Can anyone provide me some input?


Thanks!

[lilibrarian]

When we were looking to buy a house a lot of folks warned us away from WH because of the schools. My mom and dad live there now, and I think it's lovely. With the excetion of Hemstead Tke. of course, but what are you going to do. It's an increasingly diverse neighborhood, and I would imagine that's what usets folks. (i'm sorry one of my keys just broke off, hence the missellings). I haven't heard of any violence, though. My folks live off of Hemstead Ave. and there are the usual white m/c folks, orthodox jews and black/hisanic families. The houses are well-ket. The orthodox folks are olite but kee to themselves. I'm not sure if it's an issue with the schools as it is in the 5 towns. I'm also not sure what effect the bussing in of the Island Ark students have. My understanding is that the elementary schools are good it's ms/hs that are sketchy. Which is also what they tell me about VS, Malverne, Farmingdale. But with the current economic situation, I know families who are choosing ublic school rather than St. Thomas (great school, my mom teaches there). So the more active, concerned families in the systems the better. I guess it deends on how quickly you need HS. I wish I was more hel, I'll ask around and get back to you. But if WH suits your needs in other ways It's worth investigating, b/c though I've been warned away, I've never heard anything secific. Now I must go to Best Buy to get this key fixed.

[smellythongs]

I go to Hofstra University and it's like straight up in the ghetto of Hempstead. It's really not a great area. WH I know is a little different but yaaa haha Hempstead is just run down and dangerous.

[lilibrarian]

WH and Hempstead are two different communities, with two different school districts. Hempstead school district is definitely to be avoided. If you've got even a little bit extra, you send your kids to private school. However, given the atmosphere on these boards, I feel compelled to defend Hempstead to an extent. Perhaps in memory of my Grandfather, who taught at Hempstead High School for 30 years. Or because of the genuinely nice people I met while working at the HPL. At one time, Hempstead was a vibrant, active community with a (gasp!) integrated Black/White middle class population. Ask Nassau residents who lived here in the fifties and sixties, it's true. It's a horror what has happened to it (and other LI communities). There are some beautiful houses on the Garden City border, which go for 600s and up. There is also a good number of black middle-class and upper middle class, educated families, many of whom live in nice houses (there are some nicer areas around Uniondale). Black sorority, Jack and Jill club types.

I'm not sure where you're from or what your needs are, and I would avoid Hempstead if I can help it. I think the black m/c who stays there do it b/c of familiarity and history--they've always lived there or whatever. And the white folks on the GC border are Catholic school folks who can live the GC lifestyle without the bill. I'm just sick of people who know nothing about an area making sweeping, clueless statements and presenting it as fact.

If you are interested in West Hempstead investigate, definitely avoid Hempstead. But it's not all gang bangers and criminals.

[onrway2clt]

School Profile - West Hempstead High School, West Hempstead Union Free School District - School Data - New York - NCEA/Just for the Kids

[GCGuy]

Originally Posted by lilibrarian

WH and Hempstead are two different communities, with two different school districts. Hempstead school district is definitely to be avoided. If you've got even a little bit extra, you send your kids to private school. However, given the atmosphere on these boards, I feel compelled to defend Hempstead to an extent. Perhaps in memory of my Grandfather, who taught at Hempstead High School for 30 years. Or because of the genuinely nice people I met while working at the HPL. At one time, Hempstead was a vibrant, active community with a (gasp!) integrated Black/White middle class population. Ask Nassau residents who lived here in the fifties and sixties, it's true. It's a horror what has happened to it (and other LI communities). There are some beautiful houses on the Garden City border, which go for 600s and up. There is also a good number of black middle-class and upper middle class, educated families, many of whom live in nice houses (there are some nicer areas around Uniondale). Black sorority, Jack and Jill club types.

I'm not sure where you're from or what your needs are, and I would avoid Hempstead if I can help it. I think the black m/c who stays there do it b/c of familiarity and history--they've always lived there or whatever. And the white folks on the GC border are Catholic school folks who can live the GC lifestyle without the bill. I'm just sick of people who know nothing about an area making sweeping, clueless statements and presenting it as fact.

If you are interested in West Hempstead investigate, definitely avoid Hempstead. But it's not all gang bangers and criminals.

The nice part of Hempstead is Cathedral Gardens and is actually West Hempstead, I think. Cathedral Gardens looks as though it could be GC, but you get much more house for the money (not GC schools, etc.). Nice area, to be sure.

As far as schools, I would say look to see if you can get WH house w/ Franklin Square schools. My wife's cousin did this and they are very happy about it.

[lilibrarian]

Part of Cathedral Gardens is Hemp., part WH. Gorgeous, but even in that case I'd go with WH sd, rather than Hemp., for resale value, even though a lot of folks in that area do St. Joe's or St. Thomas'. My parents looked at a couple of gorgeous homes Cath. Gardens that were Hempstead SD, until they realized how silly it was for 'downsizing.' The people were all trading up to GC.

[saturnfan]

We live in NC now but grew up in Nassau in the 50's and 60's. Wife from Island Park, I'm from Oceanside.

Hempstead was known as "the hub" back then. You could transfer at the bus terminal or even walk a block to the LIRR. There was a supermarket and bowling alley in the bus terminal.

Hempstead really went downhill after Roosevelt Field and Green Acres sucked the retail trade out to the malls. Great stores like The Empire and Arnold Constable closed.

We moved to Hempstead in the 1970's living a block or so from the bus terminal at 150 Washington St. The building was OK, but the area was alive with prostitutes and drugs centered in a bar at the right corner of the bus terminal.

Hempstead tried to revitalize building a plaza running across to the old TSS store. It has brick sidewalks and retro street lights. Alas, retail stayed in the malls, leaving Hempstead a very depressed area.

Looks like it hasn't changed too much, eh.

[GCGuy]

A real estate company has propsed a $2.5 billion development around Main and Franklin just south of GC. It is to include 2500 market rate apartments/condos, tons of retail, a performing arts center, etc. I think the mayor of the Village of Hempstead is all for it. Mostly vacant crap, some buying would be required. Man, I hope this happnens.

Originally Posted by saturnfan

We live in NC now but grew up in Nassau in the 50's and 60's. Wife from Island Park, I'm from Oceanside.

Hempstead was known as "the hub" back then. You could transfer at the bus terminal or even walk a block to the LIRR. There was a supermarket and bowling alley in the bus terminal.

Hempstead really went downhill after Roosevelt Field and Green Acres sucked the retail trade out to the malls. Great stores like The Empire and Arnold Constable closed.

We moved to Hempstead in the 1970's living a block or so from the bus terminal at 150 Washington St. The building was OK, but the area was alive with prostitutes and drugs centered in a bar at the right corner of the bus terminal.

Hempstead tried to revitalize building a plaza running across to the old TSS store. It has brick sidewalks and retro street lights. Alas, retail stayed in the malls, leaving Hempstead a very depressed area.

Looks like it hasn't changed too much, eh.

[Mobilemoll]

Originally Posted by lilibrarian

WH and Hempstead are two different communities, with two different school districts. Hempstead school district is definitely to be avoided. If you've got even a little bit extra, you send your kids to private school. However, given the atmosphere on these boards, I feel compelled to defend Hempstead to an extent. Perhaps in memory of my Grandfather, who taught at Hempstead High School for 30 years. Or because of the genuinely nice people I met while working at the HPL. At one time, Hempstead was a vibrant, active community with a (gasp!) integrated Black/White middle class population. Ask Nassau residents who lived here in the fifties and sixties, it's true. It's a horror what has happened to it (and other LI communities). There are some beautiful houses on the Garden City border, which go for 600s and up. There is also a good number of black middle-class and upper middle class, educated families, many of whom live in nice houses (there are some nicer areas around Uniondale). Black sorority, Jack and Jill club types.

I'm not sure where you're from or what your needs are, and I would avoid Hempstead if I can help it. I think the black m/c who stays there do it b/c of familiarity and history--they've always lived there or whatever. And the white folks on the GC border are Catholic school folks who can live the GC lifestyle without the bill. I'm just sick of people who know nothing about an area making sweeping, clueless statements and presenting it as fact.

If you are interested in West Hempstead investigate, definitely avoid Hempstead. But it's not all gang bangers and criminals.

I just want to applaud this post! I enjoy reading the informative views about neighborhoods rather than the stock This town is a nightmare!!! comments. Folks familiar with Hempstead (I have a couple of cousins who live there near Terrace ) especially during the late 70's onward know how sad the village is and truth be told I am in the majority of people who don't want to live there and have my child attend school there. However, it's good to read more about the history of a village before things changed for the worse.

Believe me, my family lived (briefly) in Roosevelt near Freeport border when I was a toddler in the '70s and the albiet slim memories I have from that time were not filled with gunshots and horror