Merrick and East Meadow are two neighboring towns, which can be seen as central points of Long Island. Merrick Avenue, a main street which runs between both towns, is an example of just how unique the neighborhood is. The street is lined with everything from a tiny shoe repair store the size of a bathroom, to a huge Waldbaums where everyone gets their groceries. Through my research, I’ve found that businesses like these are hot topics in the neighborhoods and I’d like to further explore the way these businesses both fail and succeed. In addition, I’ve heard a lot about issues with public schools in the area, including lack of resources and drug-related problems.
Demographics
To help with my research, I found some statistics on the demographics of my neighborhoods. According to neighborhoodlink, the total population of Merrick is 35,606. The majority is the white population, which makes up 33,692 people. The average annual household income in Merrick is $102,566. East Meadow, which is closely linked to Merrick, has similar demographics, with a white population of 31,946 and a total population of 37,458. The average annual household income in East Meadow is $81,392, slightly less than Merrick. In both neighborhoods, the population primarily consists of married couples. Both neighborhoods also have a large amount of businesses. Merrick has 1,051 businesses and East Meadow has 873 businesses.
Local Businesses
It seems that several small businesses which have been around for years are thriving, because they have developed faithful customers. However, there are some other businesses that are being pushed out by their competition. I think that location also has a lot to do with the success or failure of businesses in this area. I’ve noticed that in some cases, a business will close down and an entirely different business will take its place, but also close down a few months later. Sometimes the same location might have two or three businesses open and close in the same year.
Real Estate
According to city-data, in East Meadow, the estimated median house or condo value in 2008 was $441,788. For Merrick, the estimated median house or condo value in 2008 was $593,168. These statistics are significant, because for both neighborhoods, the median house values were above state average.
Schools
There are several schools in the area including Barnum Woods School, Mcvey Elementary School, Meadowbrook Elementary School, Parkway School,Woodland Middle School, East Meadow High School, Birch School, Camp Avenue School, Chatterton School, Harold D. Fayette School, Norman J. Levy Lakeside School, Old Mill Road School, Park Avenue School, Merrick Avenue Middle School, Sanford H. Calhoun High School. There is a lot of conflict surrounding certain schools in the area. Through my research, I have found that drugs are a main concern among parents whose children attend some of these schools. According to an article in LI Herald, “There were a total of 374 heroin-related arrests in the county in 2009. Eight of this year’s arrests have been in East Meadow. Eight were recorded in Merrick, and five in Bellmore. More than half of the arrests so far this year have involved people in their late teens and 20s”.
Additional Links:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/30/realestate/30livi.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1
http://www.eastmeadowcommunity.com/
http://merrick.patch.com/articles/commuters-question-construction-of-mta-police-facility