Community Corner
Times Tackles Living in Commack
The New York Times takes a look at how Commack's developed over time and what it's like living in the suburbs.
Commack has come a long way from its humble beginnings as a village made of farms, two hotels, a few shops, a pair of churches and a school, as recently outlined in a town profile by The New York Times.
The New York Times article points out Hoyt Farm Nature Preserve, a top-notch school district and an active community as the gems of Commack, while also acknowledging the sometimes complicated issues that arise when living between two townships: Smithtown and Huntington.
As William Tarantola, a local real estate agent in the Smithtown office of Coach Realtors, points out in the article, many residents in Commack have moved in due to its highly esteemed school district. Commack High School earned the highest rating in Suffolk County (and No. 95 in the nation) in a 2012 U.S. News and World Report ranking of public high schools.
In the article, Commack is described as a quiet residential neighborhood with pockets of busy business districts including shopping areas on Jericho Turnpike and Veterans Memorial Highway.
When Bruce Ettenberg, president of the Commack Community Association, and his wife, Debra purchased their four-bedroom colonial home on half an acre home 40 years ago, they bought it for $40,000, which was still a heavy price tag for the couple back then. In 2012, the average home price in Commack rose to $550,000, Tarantola said in the piece.
The article also mentions current issues community members are dealing with including heavy truck traffic along Townline Road and an ongoing litigation concerning Carll farm, which was given to the school district in 1969, but is not in use.
While growth and traffic have made Commack a busier place, it hasn’t lost its charm. Playful street names, including Peppermint Road and Marshmallow Drive hint at the area’s charisma. The section dedicated to the classic film, “Gone With the Wind” featuring Scarlett Drive, Rhett Court and Ashley Circle are all a part of Commack’s magnetism.
Click here to read New York Times article about living in Commack and the town's history.
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