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Remodeling, that is interesting that you say not to move north of Croton if you're a NYC commuter. I almost moved to Cold Spring recently, but decided not to mainly for financial reasons. Other people cautioned me about the commute but I didn't believe them.
Peekskill is your typical upstate ny town. Dumpy but surrounded by nature. So thats one pro and one con. Aside from a couple of nice eating places downtown, a gallery, a coffee shop, and the Paramount theatre, i wouldnt go walking around at night. The "waterfront" is not much better. But hey, you always have indian point nuclear plant right there....
I've heard the sentiment that you shouldn't "walk around at night" repeated several times. As someone who has walked around at night both near the train station and in town, I really do not get this. As far as living near Indian Point, if there was to be an accident, anyone within a 50 mile radius (which includes not only the "nicer" areas of Westchester but also most of NYC) is likely to suffer the effects.
My fiance and I actually just looked for places up in the Mahopac/Mount Kisco/Yorktown areas. My office is at the very bottom of Manhattan, and right now I take a train on the Harlem line. What's the ride to the Croton-Harmon station like? I take a 530 train out of the Crestwood station every morning, so I'd be traveling that early, and even earlier with this commute. I think I'm just freaking out b/c my commute now is just over an hour b/w driving to the station, the train, and the subway.
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Originally Posted by Remodeling
Hello- I have lived in the area my whole life. I can answer this question 100% accurately. To be clear- I grew up in Cortlandt Manor (which way back when, about 10 years ago, had the address as Peekskill. They literally to this day use the same post office. Then the people in Cortlandt Manor decided they wanted their own address because their school district was better. So, the Peekskill Post Office is now 1/2 Peekskill and 1/2 Cortlandt Manor.)
Anyway- as a married man with 2 children I would NEVER send my children to the Peekskill School District. It is horrible. Many of our friends drive their kids to St. Augustines in Ossining instead of attending Peekskill School District.
As a person who commutes to New York City every day for the past 19 years, I don't recomend moving anywhere further north than Croton On Hudson (which is where I live now). I finally moved this past March and my commute is sooo much better. Because of all the express trains into Croton it's better. I tried the Peekskill thing and the Cortlandt Manor thing, but the Croton Train Station rocks- so I ended up driving from Cortlant Manor House to the Croton Harmon Station for the past 10 years. The difference is when sitting at your desk and commuting to Croton, you can just get up and catch a train- there is always a train within 15 minutes of getting to Grand Central. Cortlandt and Peekskill- you have to watch the clock- only 1 every 1/2 hour.
Peekskill is run down. There are beautiful streets. But, there is a run down street 1 block away from every nice street. It is very inner-city. Mod cut: hate speech
The crime is not bad, but it is run down and making beautiful renovations to your house don't do you any good if the house is run down next door.
I have lived in Cortlandt Manor my whole life until March. It's nice and my 12 year old flurished in the school district, but you have to drive everywhere and the commute sucks to manhattan.
By the way- Lake Peekskill is 100% well water and the commute sucks. They always loose electricity in the winter. Mod cut: offensive it is a little bit hickey with people that never want to go into manhattan- like seeing a broadway show is not a cultral event but a hard ship.
The train to Croton-Harmon is 43 to 55 minutes. The train to Peekskill is 58 to 65 minutes. The Train to Mt Kisco is 56 to 65 minutes. Check the schedules: mta.info | Metro-North Railroad
The exact length of the commute will depend on exactly where you live. I live in Yorktown Heights and drive aprox 10 minutes to the Croton station. From my house to Grand Central usually takes me 60 minutes (sometimes a bit longer if I don't get an express). It then takes me another 15 to get to my office at Penn station. Some parts of Yorktown will be a longer drive to Croton, and some parts will be much closer to the Mt Kisco station. From Mahopac you're probably driving to the Purdy's station, which is a 65 to 75 minute train. You need to test the drive to different stations from different areas and calculate the length of the drive plus the train.
I am shocked at what people consider safe or unsafe. We just moved to Peekskill just under a year ago and I would walk buck naked down any street in Peekskill with a wad of $100 bills in my hand and feel perfectly safe.
Peekskill is a town mixed with Hispanics, African Americans, and plain ole white folk. If you feel more comfortable in an all white community where every home is raised ranch and the best restaurant in town is an Olive Garden, then Peekskill is not for you. But, if you can appreciate architecture, an artistic vibe, and a range of different places to eat, then you'll love it. I can't tell you how great it is to be able to walk down to the coffee shop, or catch a movie at the Paramount on a Sunday afternoon.
The town is obviously trying to shed the negative image of the past and looks like they are winning the battle. I have walked all over Depew Park and downtown and have never tripped over a hypodermic needle or cut myself on a broken crack pipe.
We moved here from Montclair, NJ last year. If you aren't familiar with Montclair, it's a very desirable community in Essex county with fantastic schools, affluent people, multi-million dollar homes, and a small army for a police force. It's very safe. We hated it and never felt comfortable there, but we love Peekskill. It's really a matter of different strokes for different folks.
The one thing I would like is if the Hispanic influence made it's way into some of the local restaurants. We have no good Mexican food here. Ruben's is ok if you're dying for a burrito, but it's not great.
Peekskill is your typical upstate ny town. Dumpy but surrounded by nature. So thats one pro and one con. Aside from a couple of nice eating places downtown, a gallery, a coffee shop, and the Paramount theatre, i wouldnt go walking around at night. The "waterfront" is not much better. But hey, you always have indian point nuclear plant right there....
I will happily don a cape and be a crusader for my hometown anytime. So here goes. First of all, Peekskill is not upstate. Plattsburgh (the other town that was a target of a recent, poorly-executed SNL joke) is upstate. I have lived in both Peekskill and a tiny town in Rensselaer County and, trust me, they're like different worlds. Where I lived upstate was very sleepy and white-bred, literally in the middle of nowhere. Albany was the closest city and the nearest place that held any sort of culture. Peekskill is chock-full of culture, a breeding ground for the arts. I, too, love the coffee house, the Paramount, the brewery, the farmer's market, the parks and the waterfront. Sure, it's more "urban" and "gritty," but if "diversity" scares you, stay in the suburbs. Peekskill is a small city, and a really historic, creative, funky one.
And you know what? I currently reside in Plymouth, MA, America's hometown, nestled on the shore between Boston and Cape Cod. It's gorgeous here, but often I'm bored to tears. I like that I can hang out at the beach or escape to the city, but I miss Peekskill and its proximity to both NYC and nature. To me, the Hudson River Valley is a little slice of paradise. I would move back there in a heartbeat.
The one thing I would like is if the Hispanic influence made it's way into some of the local restaurants.
I much agree.
That comment makes me think of the quote from Calvin Trillin, who often writes about food: "I have to say that some serious eaters think of the Immigration Act of 1965 as their very own Emancipation Proclamation."
The one thing I would like is if the Hispanic influence made it's way into some of the local restaurants. We have no good Mexican food here. Ruben's is ok if you're dying for a burrito, but it's not great.
I've never been, but a few people on Chowhound have given very positive reviews to El Cisne, on South street just off of Division, which serves "tasty authentic Ecuadorian food."
If you want a good burrito, drive down to Croton to Mex-to-Go. Excellent burritos--and other things, too.
The people who love it, live there! Former city dwellers moved there because it is cheaper than LI, lower Westchester, and Jersey. They are wannabee yuppies who can't afford to raise a family in real artistic towns such as Bronxville, Mammaroneck, Irvington, or Cold Spring. So they make excuses for Bank St, the Saturday fruit market thing, and Paramount theatre.
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question regarding commute
