RE: (erielack) Ramsey, Mahwah NIMBY

["Gripp, William [NCSUS]" <WGRIPP_@_NCSUS.JNJ.COM>]

> What Alan says is true. I lived in Little Neck NY, on the 
> Port Washington
> branch, about two blocks from the station. My mom, who still 
> lives in that
> house, says property there is going in the $250,000 range, 
> even for the
> small houses. These command a somewhat higher price than a 
> house farther
> away.

I don't know that this is (as) true in NJ.  I think on LI, a greater
proportion of the pop is interested in commuting into NYC (via the LIRR)
hence the desirability of being close to the RR.  And with the LIRR you can
go to either Penn or Flatbush Ave, either of which have easy access to the
NY subways which get you just about anywhere in the city.

In NJ, the move has been away from NYC and more toward the sprawl of the
variuos business spread around the state, many of which left NYC some years
ago for lower taxes and more space in NJ.  This tends to make NJ commuters
less likely to take the train and more likely to use their own car, hence
the mentality of the property near the station is not worth as much.  And
the folk in Ramsey/Mahway who might commute to NY have to go to Hoboken,
then via PATH or ferry.  And if that doesn't get you close enough, city
subway/bus or taxi.  A bit rougher that what those coming from LI have to
endure.

I think these factors make the NJ side a bit less amicable to NJT than the
LI side to the LIRR.
 

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