What's wrong with Armonk? (White Plains, Rye: hotel, house, to buy)
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We're considering a move to northern Westchester county before the school year, and Armonk is on top of our list - top schools, easy commute to Stamford and not so bad commute to the city if driving to White Plains, relatively low taxes, but some negative comments about Armonk have started to concern me. Aside from a large Jewish population it seems just to have some other common issues typical to a lot of wealthy towns. I'm not a Jewish. Would I have a tough time fitting in? Can someone who's actually lived there give me an insight on how it's like there? Thanks!
I have a Pleasantville PO, but zoned in Mount Pleasant, which is in the Armonk school district, so I'm "near" Armonk.
To be honest, I really haven't heard anything negative about Armonk.
As for commute, I drive down 120, to 22, all the way into White Plains. During Spring and Summer, driving along Lake Kensico is a beautiful drive. I actually enjoy my daily commute. At night, the route is dark and there are no street lights. Occasionally there accidents on the road, since it's very curvy, but it's usually attributed to people driving WAY too fast. If you're driving 80mph on a 50mph road, at night, on a very curvy road, you're asking for trouble.
Thank you for your reply. How is the traffic to White Plains in the morning rush hours? I'll be taking metro north, do you know the parking situation at White Plains station?
Thank you for your reply. How is the traffic to White Plains in the morning rush hours? I'll be taking metro north, do you know the parking situation at White Plains station?
Traffic? Very little. The shot down 22 has a few cars on the road and I'm rarely behind more than one car. Some blow past me, some I pass... literally, the route into WP isn't bad at all. If I leave for work between 8 and 8:30a, there's more traffic on 120, and they're usually heading for I684. If I leave between 9a and 9:30a, there's usually me and three other cars.
Coming home is another story. There is traffic, but only in the sense that there is volume. The pain is just getting OUT of WP because the city of White Plains recently reorganized the traffic pattern at the I287 overpass and that screws with people. It goes from three lanes to two, plus a turning lane, and once you get past the overpass, it goes back to three lanes, but it changes from three to two RIGHT at the overpass. Again, freaks people out, having to merge...
Parking at the White Plains station? Why would you be driving to WP and then parking at the train station? There are a number of lots. A very tiny one right in front of the station, and a larger one to the side, across Hamilton Avenue. Then there are three more on the other side of the tracks, by the Westchester County Center. I couldn't tell you how packed they are, and whether or not they're all permit or metered. I've never parked there.
No clue. My wife read up on the schools, while we were shopping for homes, and said that they were good. Some of her friends also confirmed it, but I don't know if that's because they went as kids or if they also "heard". I have a one month-old, so I won't know about the schools, for sure, for a few more years.
I have heard nothing bad about armonk..even for a wealthy town...I havent heard anything snooty or anything. love the location, straight on the 684..close to major shopping (white plains)..good schools...sort of a downtown..(the bagel place is pretty good!).
Its just expensive and the taxes are high....maybe their are better options out there(surrounding towns?)
We rented in Armonk for a while after we sold our house in lower Westchester hoping to buy a house there for all the positive reason mentioned in this thread. However, after living there for one year, we decided to buy somewhere else for sure. It's very inconvenient for grocery shopping. You have to go either Mt Kisco or North White Plains - either way is 20 minutes out one way. I work in the city, and the commute to North White Plain train station is not good. It's a curvy drive on Rt 22 if you want to make it in 20 minutes. I normally set aside 25 minutes to make sure not miss the train. Due to light traffic in rush hour, people drive fast on curvy road with just two yellow lines between opposite directions and no shoulder at all. I saw several severe accidents. The positive side of that commute is the parking is not as crowded as Chappaqua or Scarsdale, and it has more frequent express trains. Also my son did not like the schools, even if academically he did ok during that year (lots of home schooling). He made much more friends in our current town (Ardsley) than in Armonk. In general, people there are not open / welcome new comers. No matter in the park, school, or town center, I feel they all know each other from long ago and new comers stick out. I know somebody who was living in a relatively closely arranged community (vs. our place where you cannot even see your neighbor much) and she is very unhappy and she felt she is so isolated even if she had been living there for five years. She ended up upsizing her house to Rye at the same time as us moving out to Ardsley. I am a stay home mom and she has a full time job. Also, most places (except that town house community built by Toll Brothers) use well water and septic tanks. In winter, the woody town will lose its electricity a lot due to down trees on the electric wire and you end up losing all electricity heat and water for days or even weeks. Plan to stay in a relatives or hotel for a few days every winter.
Also my son did not like the schools, even if academically he did ok during that year (lots of home schooling).
In terms of the academic program and classroom instruction, what was your personal observation about the Armonk schools? Is it any better than what's offered in other Westchester public schools? Are their subjects more challenging, especially in the elementary level?
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