What do George Pataki and Mel Gibson have in common? Peekskill, NY. Gibson was born here, and Pataki was once the mayor.
I have blogged about Peekskill's market activity previously. We are talking about a historic river town with a lot of charm for those who dig pre war architecture. The place is teeming with activity and forward movement. Many of the old buildings have been restored, and the once dreary downtown is an eclectic mix of Bohemia and commerce. One thing that struck me when I was taking photos the other day was how many people and cars got in the way of my getting a clear snapshot. Then it struck me. That is the picture.
The history goes back to the pre colonial era when the place was a valuable riverfront trading spot. Named for Jan Peeck's Creek, ("kil" is dutch for stream), Both Washington and Lincoln spent time here. While the colonial army was here before moving to West Point, Lincoln's time was brief; just a short train stop which was memorialized by a half-forgotten statue about a block from the current train station. I only mean half- it is maintained, but fenced off and hard to get a good look without a zoom lens.
Being a river town, the view of the river is breathtaking whether you are up the hill or down by the station. It was an apt setting for the 9-11 memorial. That day did not leave the city unscathed.
The architecture of the place is especially attractive if you like classic old buildings. I happen to love them.
OK- so I guess you sort of get that I like the photos I took of the place.
Here's the snapshot of 2009 market activity.
In all, 65 single family homes sold in the city this past year. The median price was $305,000, down from the peak of $368,000 in 2005. That year, 137 homes were sold. That represents an 18% decline in prices from the height of the market, which is in line with the region. This makes Peekskill, on top of everything else I've gushed about, something else- affordable.
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I've been through you lovely little town, just love the quaint country village and the accompanying scenery of the Hudson River...great place to live!