thinking of moving to Brightwaters (Islip, Babylon: insurance, condos, crime)

[rendog]

I live in West Babylon, grew up in Lindenhurst but always liked Brightwaters. Im selling my house in West Babylon and I am considering Brightwaters. My wife loves it. I have a 2 year old boy. Questions, do the people of Brightwaters send their kids to the Bayshore schools? And I cant find any statistics on crime in the area. A friend of mine told me that a suffolk county cop in the local station told him not to buy in the area. Can anyone help me out here? Thanks

[OvertaxedOnLI]

I lived almost right next to Brightwaters for many years, and still go to the area very often, so here's some info for you.

Brightwaters is in the Bay Shore school district which has a lot more diversity than the neighboring ones (W. Islip, Islip, E. Islip, etc.). If this isn't what you're looking for, then yes you will be more comfortable sending your child to a local private school. For elementary grades only, the nearest is St. Peters By The Sea on Montauk Highway in West Bay Shore. There's also St John the Baptist High School in W. Islip and other schools within a 10 or 15 minute drive.

As you already know, the Village of Brightwaters is very nice. Lots of upscale, older and vintage homes especially surrounding Brightwaters Lake and adjacent Canal ... both very picturesque. There is an area called Brightwaters Farms which is considered slightly less desirable but it is by no means "bad" in the sense of, say, Wyandanch or Brentwood (no offense to those residents!!!).

You've probably seen that downtown Bay Shore itself is going through a very successful renaissance although there are still some rough (as per what the officer said) areas. I would not hesitate to buy a home in Brightwaters because of crime in Bay Shore. However, if I still had a young child I would definitely go with private school rather than public in that district.

Quite a few doctors, dentists, attorneys and other whitecollar professionals who work in the general area, live in Brightwaters.

[GCGuy]

Originally Posted by OvertaxedOnLI

I lived almost right next to Brightwaters for many years, and still go to the area very often, so here's some info for you.

Brightwaters is in the Bay Shore school district which has a lot more diversity than the neighboring ones (W. Islip, Islip, E. Islip, etc.). If this isn't what you're looking for, then yes you will be more comfortable sending your child to a local private school. For elementary grades only, the nearest is St. Peters By The Sea on Montauk Highway in West Bay Shore. There's also St John the Baptist High School in W. Islip and other schools within a 10 or 15 minute drive.

As you already know, the Village of Brightwaters is very nice. Lots of upscale, older and vintage homes especially surrounding Brightwaters Lake and adjacent Canal ... both very picturesque. There is an area called Brightwaters Farms which is considered slightly less desirable but it is by no means "bad" in the sense of, say, Wyandanch or Brentwood (no offense to those residents!!!).

You've probably seen that downtown Bay Shore itself is going through a very successful renaissance although there are still some rough (as per what the officer said) areas. I would not hesitate to buy a home in Brightwaters because of crime in Bay Shore. However, if I still had a young child I would definitely go with private school rather than public in that district.

Quite a few doctors, dentists, attorneys and other whitecollar professionals who work in the general area, live in Brightwaters.

Agreed. I think you could find some schools in Islip SD, but you would have to search. I would not send them to Bayshore. Bayshore is getting very nice again, though, so I wouldn't worry. Brightwaters is very nice, and if you can do it, I would go for it. The Catholic school in the area is supposed to be excellent if that's what you decide. As Bayshore continues to improve (Main St., more and more high-end condos), so will your property values,too. I think it's a good move.

My dad's friend just bought a house there near the water...tore it down and build a huge house. $40K per taxes now, be he loves the area.

[water2moon]

I work in Bay Shore schools, live in Brightwaters. One of my children attends Gardiner Manor school and my oldest attends St Mary's of East Islip. Academically Bay Shore schools are TOP notch. However there is a lot of fighting at the Bay Shore Middle school and no one wants to talk about it. As far as the Catholic school in Bay Shore that was mentioned I'd have to disagree strongly. Recently there was a segment on News 12 about an old Gas Plant that has leaked toxins under many of the buildings on Main Street. St Patricks recently informed families that half of the students will have to leave due to a major clean up under the school. They will only be using one part of the building. Here's part of the article.





"Bay Shore residents angry despite start of KeySpan cleanup


Play the video (02/26/07) BAY SHORE - After months of public outcry, resident dissatisfaction hardly waned as KeySpan started cleaning up an abandoned natural gas production plant in Bay Shore Monday.

Known carcinogens contaminate the land under the old plant, which KeySpan inherited from the Long Island Lighting Company in 1998. Heavy equipment now digs up soil in order to build an 80-foot-deep wall with a filtration system designed to stop contaminants from spreading further. Residents complain the toxins are already in the ground under hundreds of homes stretching to Main Street. They say KeySpan needs to act faster than its 10 to 12-year cleanup plan proposes. Homeowners and businesses joined forces to file a class-action lawsuit.

KeySpan says insurance will pick up most of the $70 million tab for the first, 2-year phase that began Monday. Company officials say the rest of the cost will likely be paid by ratepayers, who are unhappy to do so. Meanwhile, more than a dozen other plants KeySpan took over from the Long Island Lighting Company are contaminated.

Related Information:
KeySpan sets cleanup date for Bay Shore gas plant mess
LILCO turned blind eye to toxic tar leak in Bay Shore, lawsuit alleges "

Now as far as Brightwaters goes, it is beautiful. you're 10 minutes away from Robert Moses and there's lots of great shopping. But for what you pay in Village taxes we should have our own school. This is why we're moving.

[OvertaxedOnLI]

water2moon, is that the spot on Union Blvd that has been fenced off with "Hazardous Materials/Keep Out" woven chainlink fence for as far back as I can remember? Just off the northwest corner of Union and... is it Fifth Avenue or just before it?

I often drive along that road because I have relatives in W. Islip and we usually get lunch at either Tullulah's or the Milk & Sugar. (btw, IMHO there's no contest: Tullulah's has far better food, despite being mainly takeout with only a few tables .... Milk & Sugar food isn't always good, and the service ranges from decent to abysmal depending on your luck). In fact I drove past there just this last weekend and didn't notice any activity but your article was dated on Monday so apparantly that's when the "big dig" started.

If it's the place I'm thinking of, the excavation must be causing all sorts of traffic "fun" on Union Blvd. I'd better take Montauk Hwy from now on, instead!!

[knowitall]

water2moon is way off. The Catholic school in Bay Shore is far superior to the Public School System. The contaminants and the story they are referring to is bogus. The school is not closing down and there are no toxins under the school. I live in the community directly to the south and am very familiar with the testing and results.

There is an attorney in town who is trying to scare people about the "plume".

Brightwaters is ok, just dont send your kids to the public school. The homecoming king and 2 players on the basketball team were just convicted of rape and got 78 years between them.

[bayshoremom]

I live 3 streets away from Brightwaters in Bay Shore. My neighborhood community is beautiful large homes south of Montauk Highway. My children are in the Bay Shore schools, 1 in Middle School and 1 in High School. I have found the education they are receiving to be far superior to the private schools in the area and the advanced programs (22 Advanced Placement courses beginning in 10th grade), rich cultural arts (music/jazz band, dance, chorus, drama), sports (girls track and softball always top in the state) including Sailing and Crew, and Moot Court, Debate Team, Model UN and so much more....

Yes we have diversity! I think that's a good thing. We celebrate our diversity and all shades go on to top colleges and universities like Harvard, Brown, Duke, Yale, UVa, Dartmouth, and Georgetown to name a few. We are proud of our diversity and our history. Bay Shore will celebrate its 300th birthday in 2008 and our downtown has undergone a dramatic turnaround in the last 10 years. People in Bay Shore get involved in their community and make things change for the better. Too bad so many of you on this blog can't or won't see us for what we are today.

Remember, all schools have bad kids.....but they are dealt with quickly and strongly. Our school superintendant isn't afraid to throw out those who do not follow the rules. Don't let misinformation define Bay Shore/Brightwaters. If you want a GOOD private school send your children to Friends Academy..a great school if you don't want your kids to have friends down the street.

[natschultz]

I have lived in Brightwaters my whole life; it is a beautiful village.
I graduated from Bay Shore in 1994. Here is my humble opinion: From what I have seen BS schools are still top-notch academically, BUT if I had children I would not send them there. Honestly, I wouldn't send my children to any public school, so my opinion is rather skewed. Here is the thing with Bay Shore SD: it is EXTREMELY diverse (much more so than when I grew up there), but, the academics and athletics and music/theatre departments are great.
The reason the school district is still top-notch is because the wealthy families from the nicer areas play an extremely active role within the schools. So, what you will notice is that you have a small percentage of high-achievers who are well behaved and well-educated, and as far as the rest of the student body goes, I'm way too afraid to ask.

Taxes: Brightwaters has long carried the brunt of paying for Bay Shore Schools, but in actuality the taxes on any Bay Shore home are very high now. The extra $1,000-3,000 extra Village taxes are well worth it if you ask me: they pay for keeping the village safe and beautiful (we have our own security as well as a Suffolk County police officer whom we pay to patrol the Village). And, honestly, the residents here will hoot and hollar the second any shenanigans happen, quickly nipping any problems in the bud. Plus, those taxes give you access to the beaches, parks (tennis) and docking rights in the canal.

I do not have children, but more and more families with children have moved into the Village over the past 10 years, replacing the retirement age residents. Most residents are active Catholics, so St. Patricks is a popular school, but I knew kids who attended St. Mary's and even St. Peter's By the Sea (Episcopalian), all Elementaries within 5-15 minutes away. A lot of parents send their kids to BS and then St. John's or St. Anthony's for High School (or St. Joseph's Academy for Girls or Chaminade for boys).

Brightwaters is definitely the best place on Long Island to live if you want a small community with lots of character within easy access to the LIRR and all kinds of shopping, from Main Street Bay Shore to the Malls and everything else within 5-10 minutes drive. And, you can walk to the lakes or the canal / bay within 5 minutes or drive to Robert Moses within 7 minutes or the Fire Island Ferries in less than 5 minutes.
If water is your thing, Brightwaters is your place!

My favorite thing about Brightwaters is the character: most homes are 50-100 years old; most are in great condition with more land than any of the subdivisions that have taken over every last parcel of land on this part of Long Island. And, there are very few plots left to build on. And, with rare exceptions (such as the tear-down cited (I was distraught when they tore that Craftsman house down, but they spent over a million rebuilding it to look exactly the same just 2x the size)), the village no longer allows tear-downs of historic homes (someone wanted to tear down a beautiful Tudor, but the Village said "no").

So, if schools are your biggest concern, one of the Islips may be a better fit. But, drive through West Islip and you have to admit that it lacks the character of Brightwaters or even old Bay Shore.
But, if you are an active parent then Brightwaters should be fine because honestly, your kids will mostly associate with other kids from the area (seriously - I looked through my yearbook and didn't even realize just how diverse my class was until after I graduated because all the kids I knew were from the Brightwaters / West Bay Shore area).

I believe the reason the taxes are so high is because the wealthy families are willing to bite the bullet to make sure the schools don't go to Hell. The major problem is that the less desirable population keeps increasing, but truthfully that is happening across the whole county (read Suffolk Life or the Islip Bulletin and the costs of illegals are killing eveyone!).
I agree that Brightwaters should have it's own school, but the problem is that that would cost so much in infrastructure alone, nevermind teacher salaries. The real problem is that we have paid so much to BS that we would lose everything, so it is just easier to make sure BS stays in top condition for our kids, even if most of the money doesn't end up going to our kids. The benefits of a big school district mostly come in the form of the extra-curricular activities: all the sports teams and music programs. Brightwaters has a total population of just over 3,000 (I would guess about 300 of those are school-age students). Also, where would the school be built?

I would suggest talking to some active Bay Shore School parents; not just from Brightwaters, but from the nice areas (O'Connee, Lawrence Farms, West Bay Shore). You can probably call the district and find out when they hold meetings/ budget votes/ PTA. Also, the Chamber of Commerce might know some active parents. Or, join St. Pat's RC Church (seriously - they seem very active in the schools).

As far as Bay Shore neighborhoods go, the area known as "Brightwaters Farms" has no relation to Brightwaters itself. BF is north of Sunrise Highway, below Southern State (north of Bay Shore Rd.) It was originally built as beach bungalows for the working class, but that didn't work out, so the homes were converted to year-round homes back in the 1950's or something.

Lawrence Farms is a really nice area that looks just like Brightwaters (older homes) right over the eastern border of Brightwaters starting with Sunset Rd. (Forum Diner corner) between Main Street (Montauk Hwy.) and Union Blvd. it goes until a couple blocks before St. Pat's.
It's nice because just like that section of Brightwaters the streets do not connect to any other neighborhood - you have to go to Main St. or Union to get out.

O'Connee is very nice on the water - south of Main St. with the brick column entrance between Friendly's and YMCA (look for St. Lukes).
The streets going down to the water around the ferries have gorgeous old Victorians, but during the 1970's-1990's the area was not so good, but I think it may be a lot better now.
Penataquit is a really nice area on the water too (south of Main, take the street next to the bank across from the hospital); also one of those areas where the streets don't connect to any other neighborhoods.

West Bay Shore is a good area (between Union and Main directly opposite SoHo country club from Brightwaters). The only problem I have with the area is the lack of character - classic 1950's-60's split levels and the western side has a lot of 1970's neo-Georgian homes. But most of those homes are on really big lots.

My best advice for anyone looking at Bay Shore is do NOT go north of Sunrise Highway! Also, avoid the areas between Union Blvd. and Sunrise that are east of Fifth Avenue (near the train station, High School, Brook Avenue). Pretty much avoid 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Avenues altogether, even between Main and Union (OK during the day, but I wouldn't venture there at night).
VERY BAAAAAAADDDDDDD!!!!!!!

[41Willys]

I grew up in Bayshore on Potters Blvd rite next to the S. state parkway! I didnt have the luxury of going to Bayshore schools. I had to go to Brentwood schools.

My father was a cop in the 3rd prec. and patrolled Brightwaters. And as kids we would go there every winter when the lake froze over to play hockey!! It is "VERY" nice in Brightwaters! VERY NICE!!!!

Unfortunetly its so very small! Yes ANYTHING south of montauk highway is nice, but be prepared to pay over a million for a house! The part between sunrise and montauk is out of place, its such a beautiful setting it doesnt really belong next too Bayshore! Private schools are a must!!

Without kids I would move there in a heart beat! With kids? Theres too many surrounding bad influences! If you have the money for Brightwaters you will be happer elsewhere because money shouldnt be too much of an issue.

[clamboy]

My favorite town on the South Shore.