New City, NY (Ramapo, Haverstraw, Spring Valley: rental market, houses, neighborhood)

[ghguy]

We have been considering the different areas of Rockland, primarily Pearl River, Orangeburg, and Nanuet, but are now considering New City because we hear the Clarkstown schools are the best in the county. Can anyone fill me in on what it might be like to live in this town? What are the people like? Is there a difference between the Clarkstown North and South high schools? Do these schools offer all the "extras", i.e. computers, art, music, after-school programs, etc. Does the town offer good recreational programs?

We've driven through town a few times and the village seems to have more to offer than the other areas we've been looking at. Hopefully, someone out there can give us the inside scoop.

Thanks Alot!

[cpiseco]

Pearl River, Nanuet, Tappan Zee (Orangeburg) and New City are practically the same school-wise. I happen to love Pearl River, but you'll know what's best for you. Last year, the students in Clarkstown North had a sit-down strike because of the rodent problem there, heh. But I heard North has always been a little more rebellious than South.

All of the schools in all the towns you listed offer all the "extras" you asked about and more. I'm partial to the hamlet of Pearl River and it's school district, but you really can't go wrong with any of those schools. In my own order for schools, here's how I'd rank them:
1) Pearl River
2) Clarkstown South
3) Nanuet
4) Clarkstown North
5) Tappan Zee

[ghguy]

Thanks for the reply.

I know SAT scores aren't the be-all, end-all, but I found this yesterday (2007 SAT score):

1) Pearl River 1,613
2) Clarkstown South 1,603
3) Nanuet 1,555
4) Clarkstown North 1,648
5) Tappan Zee 1,582

[tarrat]

Pearl River schools are arguably the best in the county.
Clarkstown schools (Nanuet and Clarkstown - South and North)- as well as Orangetown ( Tappan Zee HS) , of which Pearl River is technically a part( though they have seperate schools) are also excellent though.

The areas?

Pearl River is a vastly majoritally white Irish Catholic blue collar town , some Italian, Polish etc (think cops, firemen, contractors etc.)
Clarkstown is majoritally Jewish, some areas exclusively. (Think New Square, though technically Ramapo, it is the largest Hasidic community outside Brooklyn and Israel).
Orangetown's other areas, Tappan, Blauvelt etc etc is a mix though majoritally white, Christian and Jewish, with some Asian (mostly Korean).
These areas are all concerned with the arts.

Though I've never understood why "diversity" is such a desirable term (o lord protect me here from the slings and arrows), you won't find much in Rockland.
You can weigh the whole but then look at the distibution to see the truth of the matter.
Spring Valley is black. Parts of Nyack , half so, and Haverstaraw are too.
There simply are no black peoople in Pearl River. Or nanuet. Or piermont or Tappan.
Deal with it,.


The various villages of Orangetown are nice. Orangeburg, Tappan, Sparkill, & Pearl River representing a mostly upper middle class mix of people.
The River towns of Palisades, Piermont, Grandview, Upper Grandview and Nyack mostly a mix of Chrsitian/Asian/Jewish - more upper class.
Be aware - Taxes are extraordinary in some communities.
For example, Pearl River has a large tax ratable in the Wyeth plant ,as well as a municipal golf course, so they have some restraint.
In PR , a 4 BR , 2 Ba, on 1/2 acre may cost you 6K in taxes .
In the rest of Orangetown , and many areas of Clarkstown (new city et al), think 10K +. Some areas (Nyack, Grandview etc, think 15+ possibly).
I know couples who have 40 thousand dollar+ tax burdens here. 2 Acres on the River should do that easily.
If you can afford it , you can afford it, that simple.
The reality is that it keeps the rental market pretty close to zero in many of these towns, or at least in the areas targeted, and not that there's anything wrong with that. It is what it is.

Orangetown schools- keep in mind this district differs in that it works on the Princeton Plan.
K-1 in one school. 1st & 2nd in a different school, 3rd & 4th another school etc. Google it. You will find as many fans as detractors. The general arguments being over the virtues of children meeting kids from all over the town/region at an early age, as opposed to waiting until MiddleSchool/ High School versus the benfits of getting to know classmates in the immediate geographical area first, and then moving on etc.
It's a touchy topic for good reasons.

As concerns the arts and sciences, computer literacy, music, art and culture in the curriculum etc - I think you will find that the entire county of Rockland is on a par with Westchester and indeed with almost any region in the country.
It is not taken lightly here.

As far as a downtown?
Yes , all towns technically have one, but Pearl River is the only one that would be considered a town of any community meaning that I can see ( other than the river towns of Piermont and Nyack.)
Clarkstown is dominated by Rte 59 , the mother of all suburban strip mall stretches.
It can literally take you you over an hour to drive the length of this disaster on a Saturday, from it's origins in W Nyack the 12 miles or so up (due West) to suffern.
Ugly as sin imo too.
Nanuet may have a downtown, but almost nobody goes there to stroll around and enjoy the town I'd say.
New City, as the county government seat , has the requisite fast food and fast shopping , and though it's not an ugly-ass area, it's not what I would consider quaint by any means.
Nobody really considers New City as a 'town' per se. In other words, unlike Nyack , people will not say , "I'm going for a stroll and to do some window shopping up main St in New City".
Not like PR or Nyack anyway. It's an area. A geographical definition. New City is sprawling and very different from one end to the other. Much more so than many other smaller hamlets and locales of Rockalnd.

Keep in mind that Palisades Center, one of the largest and ugliest Mass Malls in America is on the East end of 59 in West Nyack (Clarkstown).
Convenient? Yeah I guess.
Depressing? Definitely.

Clarkstown is much more congensted generally than Orangetown, but both are high volume suburbs. This sure as heck ain't the country.

Youve only touched the southern end of Rockland here, as there is much to the north and west, from Spring Valley up to Suffern in the west, to Congers up through Haverstraw and Stony Point in the East. These are areas that may interst you even more. Don't rule them out til you learn about them and/or visit.


You can DM with questions if you have any.

[antonchigurh]

Tarrat, how do you know so much about all the towns?

What is the princeton plan anyway? And how does it affect us today?

I live in Orangetown. Are you sure its wise to offer all that info that you did?

You know the less people know, the better off we may be.

[VA Yankee]

Tarrat I like your descriptions although I believe New Square is legally in Ramapo not Clarkstown. I also feel you were too generous with the astetic qualities of New City. If a shopping district looked like that here the stores would be empty in a year. Growing up in New CIty in the 60's/70's I can truly say Rt 59 has always been as ugly as it is now and I remember when Palisades Mall was a flood prone swamp.

[tarrat]

Anton. I was born, grew up , worked and lived in Rockland for over 40 years . Specifically the southern part of the county. I may not be the local historian, but generally speaking I know as much about the area as anyone. Is it wise? What , speaking my mind? Telling the truth? Risking the ire of PC types? Inviting discussion? Dunno, but I'm not a realtor so I'm allowed to be honest and forthcoming, both here and in real life. Imagine that!
I'm trying to be as honest and helpful as possible to someone who has an important, all-encompassing , life-long decision on their hands. I hope people here would do likewise with me in such matters. Is there something I posted that you disagree with?
The Princeton Plan is pretty simple and I hinted at its most obvious outwardly visible characteristic (and some might argue , it's least desirable) - all kids in a certain grade are bused to a certain school. There is a school for K & 1st, a seperate school for 2nd & 3rd grades, another for 4th & 5th etc. There are no "neighboorhood" schools, as there are in Pearl River (Evans Park ES for Nauraushaun, Lincoln ES for the Magnolia area, etc.), and most school districts across the nation -- which usually see the children meeting the most geographically-proximate peers first, in smaller schools and for longer durations (neighborhood K-5 type structure), before moving up, together, into more geographically enlarged, regional middle school/junior high and then High Schools.
You must not have school age children to live there and be unaware of it.
I don't understand what you mean by asking how it affects us today?
It is in implementation today , and thus if you have school age kids it affects you. There is much discussion as to the educational as well as social ramifications of Princeton districts. Google around. Some love the idea, others not. Like anything else I guess.
VA Yankee , yes Monsey/New Square is technically in Ramapo as I noted, though there is some overlap in school districts as well as Police departments if I recall correctly.
PS , are you a Yank now living in Va? If so, whereabouts and how do you like it? TIA.

[VA Yankee]

Tarrott you got it right with my name. Currently outside of Richmond 10 years and @18 in Va Beach/ Norfolk before that. I think the area is great jobs are good and home ownership is feasable. I would have to say the goverment I live under is one of the best i've ever seen.

I like the way you write, it sounds like we grew up during the same time and you know that New City is old & ragged. For me I could'nt have afforded to move back even if I wanted to.

[houseshopping]

I looked at some houses in the New City area (North HS Area) and like the area. Its only 34 miles to my job in manhattan. How is the commute? What do most people do? Drive? Train? Bus? If so, where and how long to 34th street and west side?

[cpiseco]

Over an hour going in to Manhattan and even longer going home. If you can afford it, I suggest driving down into Weehawken, taking the NY Waterway ferry at Port Imperial to Midtown. That'll drop you off on the West Side around 38th street.