Hastings vs. Dobbs Ferry? (Yonkers, Huntington: rentals, daycare, townhouse)

[K&F]

I've been following this thread, you helped me on my inquiry about the Yonkers Schools - I had pretty much decided to forget about Yonkers and started really focusing on Hastings. There's a co-op bldg right in the middle of town that has a listing right now which drew my attention to it. It is one block from the schools, and just around the corner from the community center and the little downtown area. I was thinking how nice it would be for my daughter to be right in the middle of a little village with sidewalked streets and a library, community center, and bunches of little businesses (including a little A&P) just around the block.

so now I'm wondering about the isolated streets in Hastings on a Sunday. Is it busier and bustling on weekday afternoons? I want us to live in a town that is alive so I won't end up with a bored middle schooler/high schooler in a few years.

My impression of Hastings is that it is quite an active and alive community. Perhaps it was a bit dead because it's not that warm out yet, etc.?

thanks for continued input (and maybe more info will help ceskykrumlov's husband)

[MomOfToo]

K&F

You are visiting soon right? Hastings and Dobbs are very similar as far as traffic, people hanging out and all that. Your daughter will see other kids from school hanging out so I don't think she will be "alone" or "bored" but she will be alot safer as Hastings is a town not a city. Its actually considered a village.

[jyyanks]

All the schools are on vacation this week which means most of Westchester is on vacation. I drive into NYC every day and normally I'm in traffic, this week there has been none which leads me to believe that timing has a lot to do with it. Additionally, Sunday was Passover so many people who were not away, were probably observing the holiday.

I live in Ardsley, went to school in Dobbs and almost bought a house in Hastings but it fell through. Here's what I think

1) Schools are slightly better in hastings but the difference between the 2 is very small. You really can't go wrong with either school district
2) Towns are almost the same with hastings being a little more artsy
3) Great sense of Community in both
4) Dobbs has that great waterfront Park only for Dobbs Ferry residents

There is a fair going on this weekend in Dobbs - if you come, you will see a BIG difference from last week.

[K&F]

Ok Ok so I'm a southener . . .

I forgot that Sunday was Passover. I'm sure that was a big reason folks weren't out, plus, with schools on vacation this week, lots of people were bound to already be out of town.

Artsy. I like Artsy! I want the sense of community. I think you get that from local merchants as much or more than residents sometimes.

I'll have to check out that waterfront park in Dobbs - only for residents? that sounds promising, but I have to more thoroughly check out the lay of the land in both towns.

I actually hooked up with an educational consultant/therapist who is located in Hastings and have emailed with her. I think I am going to hire her to help me decide alot of the logistics of the schools.

This is a great discussion!

[ceskykrumlov]

jyyanks-

Thanks, that advice is really helpful. We saw the poster for the family fair this weekend and might go back for it to give it another shot.

Another worry is the commute for my husband which now seems like it might be too much...he works in Pt Washington in Long Island. We just haven't found any areas of LI that we like so much and the whole vibe is different there, so we were focusing on lower Westchester. But according to another thread I started the commute will be a real hassle for him. Do you commute into Manhattan by car Jyyanks? Can I ask how long it takes you on a typical day?

[jyyanks]

Hey K&F , when I said only Dobbs Ferry residents, I misspoke. The park is for everyone but only people who have a Dobbs Ferry pass can park there. Otherwise you have to park elsewhere and walk. The police are pretty strict, they patrol the parking lot to make sure that all the cars there are legal.

cesky- I drive to NYC about 4x/week. It's exactly 21 miles door to door from where I work to where I live. On a good day (such as most of this week) it takes me approx 25-30 minutes. On a normal day 50 minutes. On a really bad day (i.e. day after everyone comes back from vacation, accident ect) it can take me 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours. However, most days its about 50 minutes.

If you choose Hastings, you will avoid a lot of traffic on the Saw Mill as the lights stop after Executive Blvd in Yonkers (right after Hastings if you're going south). If you hop on the Saw Mill closer to Dobbs, you will hit some traffic as there is a string of lights between Ardsley and Yonkers which causes a slight back up in the AM.

[K&F]

ok, thanks for clarifying that. we aren't afraid to walk! one reason I want to make the move - more walking! here, everyone lives out of their car, which also creates a real feeling of isolation. I will ask my friend to put the Dobb Ferry park on our list for the tour . . .

also, I like to hear about the police presence. my friend said every time he goes into Hastings he sees a cop or two patrolling the town.

[ceskykrumlov]

thanks, jyyanks! I think my husband is going to try it one day after work & see what happens. That is good to know about Hastings being a bit better than Dobbs in that respect.

[doghead]

Hi-I live on the border of Hastings in N. Yonkers. I take the train from Hastings into Manhattan every day. While Hastings is a beautiful town, on the river, I feel its only appeal is the river itself. Aside from the beautiful Hudson, I feel the stores have very little to offer and the town is very uninteresting and very quiet. There is a nice farmers market in the spring/summer however, but that's it for me. It has a lot of potential but I think the community is busy working very hard 9-5 to afford to live there, with little time for anything else. The library is really great. I feel the same way about Dobbs Ferry--not very interesting--no really great restaurants or stores. Good luck.

[ceskykrumlov]

Hi doghead. Thanks for your candor. I had a feeling that is the case--that both towns are really "bedroom" communities as you describe. I guess we need to weigh our pros and cons and figure out what we should sacrifice. The schools are so important to us, so that will count for a lot.

I'd love to move to Nyack (visited a few weeks ago)--there is a lot going on, it's got a liberal sort of vibe-- but the commute for my husband to LI would be a nightmare...as it is, probably Dobbs or Hastings would be a huge hassle with traffic and tolls. So I guess we are back to square one...