Croton Harmon Parking (Cortland: house, buying, closing)

[LeavingNYCfast]

Since these questions come up a lot I figured I would share my experience for anybody who may search the forum in the future. I moved to Croton last year but bought a house just outside the village limits. If you are in the Village there is no waiting list for a parking permit and the permit is only $200 per quarter. Non-Resident is $300 per quarter and a Preferred permit is $450 per quarter. There is also a ton of daily, metered parking available for $10/day. Since the permits are sold on a quarterly basis you may have to wait on your permit longer depending on when you move/apply.

If you are a non-resident here is my tip. You can apply for a Non-Resident Permit and the Preferred Permit at the same time. The Non-Resident is a 1 year wait. I applied some time in February last year (before I had even closed on my house) and only found out today that I am off the waitlist and can get the $300 permit. However there is space in the Preferred lot. I think I just missed the cutoff applying late in February but I got the Preferred Permit last June. So I really only had to wait 1 quarterly cycle to get a parking pass. Yes it is more expensive but it is much cheaper than $10/day for the meters and much much closer to the train.

Long-story short; if you want to use the Croton Harmon train station, apply for a Preferred Permit while you wait for the normal one. You will save money and get spoiled having a great parking spot every day.

[dr.strangelove]

Originally Posted by LeavingNYCfast

Since these questions come up a lot I figured I would share my experience for anybody who may search the forum in the future. I moved to Croton last year but bought a house just outside the village limits. If you are in the Village there is no waiting list for a parking permit and the permit is only $200 per quarter. Non-Resident is $300 per quarter and a Preferred permit is $450 per quarter. There is also a ton of daily, metered parking available for $10/day. Since the permits are sold on a quarterly basis you may have to wait on your permit longer depending on when you move/apply.

If you are a non-resident here is my tip. You can apply for a Non-Resident Permit and the Preferred Permit at the same time. The Non-Resident is a 1 year wait. I applied some time in February last year (before I had even closed on my house) and only found out today that I am off the waitlist and can get the $300 permit. However there is space in the Preferred lot. I think I just missed the cutoff applying late in February but I got the Preferred Permit last June. So I really only had to wait 1 quarterly cycle to get a parking pass. Yes it is more expensive but it is much cheaper than $10/day for the meters and much much closer to the train.

Long-story short; if you want to use the Croton Harmon train station, apply for a Preferred Permit while you wait for the normal one. You will save money and get spoiled having a great parking spot every day.

Also, Apply even if you are considering a move to Croton. My neighbors applied when they started their search in the area. They wound up buying in Cortlandt. After finding a house, closing, moving, he was only on the non-resident waitlist for one quarter by the time he moved in.

On the preferred v. standard non-resident permit, the preferred are only much closer to the train if you take a daily train after the 6:45ish trains. I usually get the 6:07 or the 6:29, but even the 6:55 has open spots in the lot in-between the preferred lot and the station. I usually am less the 75 feet from the station in one of the first 10 or 15 spots on the 6:07.

[GadgetBoy]

Depending on where you live, you may want to consider the Cortlandt train station. 3 month is $115 and it's way easier to get out of the parking lot during rush hour. You'll pay a little more for the train ticket, which I think breaks even with the cheaper parking. Definitely fewer train options at this station too (probably every half hour or so).

My wife tried Croton Harmon station and quickly changed to Cortlandt.

Just my 2 cents.

[dr.strangelove]

Originally Posted by GadgetBoy

Depending on where you live, you may want to consider the Cortlandt train station. 3 month is $115 and it's way easier to get out of the parking lot during rush hour. You'll pay a little more for the train ticket, which I think breaks even with the cheaper parking. Definitely fewer train options at this station too (probably every half hour or so).

My wife tried Croton Harmon station and quickly changed to Cortlandt.

Just my 2 cents.

Absolutely fair points. Another added consideration for Cortlandt is the distance of the station from Route 9. When I head north out of the croton station I usually pass the Cortlandt Station (you can see it out of the side of the road), before the train I just got off of arrives at the station. For example, the 5:32 pm north bound train is scheduled to arrive at Croton at 6:17, and its usually right on time. It is scheduled to arrive at Cortland at 6:25, some 8 minutes later. Again, it is usually right on time. However, the ride north on Route 9 past the train station from Croton is less than 4 - 5 minutes. In the spring I often make this trip to get my kids from various sports practices and I am always driving past the Cortlandt Station before the train even arrives. The train goes through some residential and commercial areas and its goes much slower, causing the time delay. In addition to the longer train ride, because the station is a ways off of route 9 (and depending on the lights), it can be a 4-5 minute ride to get back to route 9, if that is the way you are going. For me, it could be 15 minutes a day longer commute on the train and driving to Route 9.

The train fare increase is currently $58 per month more to park at cortlandt. The non-resident parking at croton is currently $61 more per month. So its a $3 net increase to park at Croton per month, but its 15 minutes a day more time on the train and in the car. So that nets out to a little over 5 hours more a month to commute for $3 per month. That is what made up my mind, plus the multiple train options per hour. I choose the parking at Croton, paying $3 per month for 5 extra hours not commuting and train options.

Of course the time depends on how fast you drive, if you get to your car quickly at croton, which direction you drive and on which roads, and other factors. Everyone should consider Cortlandt and Croton and see which is best for you. Just some more information for everyone interested in this to consider.