Manhattan Beach: A Unique Hidden Gem On The Magothy

Massive trees line quiet streets of Manhattan Beach and lead to relaxing beaches. This coveted waterfront community occupies the entire peninsula between Dividing Creek, Cypress Creek and the Magothy River in Severna Park, and includes multiple water access areas. The community features a boat ramp along with three beaches, two marinas and a newly renovated clubhouse with a new playground. Dwellings include original 1930s cottages, new construction colonials, ranchers and split-levels from the 1950s to the present.

Manhattan Beach boasts wonderful amenities and a unique sense of community involvement. With 618 homes, Manhattan Beach offers a robust and diverse community without feeling overcrowded. The homes are all unique, interspersed with lots of foliage and green space, which sets the neighborhood apart from many modern developments of cookie-cutter houses on tiny lots.

Throughout the past five years, Manhattan Beach has experienced a boom of young families settling in the neighborhood. Jones Elementary is a Blue Ribbon school, the community is engaged and welcoming, and the geographic location makes commuting to either Washington, D.C. or Baltimore a breeze.

The Manhattan Beach Civic Association hosts an event just about every month of the year. There is a great mix of family and adults-only events with regular happy hours at the Manhattan Beach Clubhouse on the first Friday of the month in the spring and summer, an annual chili cook-off, a cornhole tournament in the fall, breakfast with Santa, an ugly Christmas sweater party, trunk-or-treat, breakfast with the Easter Bunny and an Easter egg hunt. The MBCA also teams up with the Jones PTA to host a fundraiser and silent auction.

Meet The Neighbors

Brandon Twentymon
Resident for two years

Brandon Twentymon moved to Manhattan Beach from Federal Hill in July 2015. He and his family fell in love with the community so quickly that he took on the role of Manhattan Beach Civic Association president after just two years.

“We first chose Severna Park because of the great schools and overall community feel in the area,” said Twentymon. “When we were driving through the neighborhood to look at our house for the first time, almost every neighbor we passed waived at us, and that still happens almost every day. Our residents are truly some of the friendliest people we’ve ever met.”

Twentymon has two children at Jones Elementary School. “Jones boasts small class sizes, some of the most engaged, motivated and highly proficient teachers in the business, and a competent and responsive administration,” he said. “We strongly recommend Jones.”

Twentymon and his wife feel that moving to Manhattan Beach has been the best decision of their adult lives.

“Our neighbors all have young children about the same age as our two,” said Twentymon. “Our favorite part of living in Manhattan Beach has been watching our kids make so many new friends.”

Nina McCarthy
Resident for four years
Second generation of McCarthys

Nina McCarthy’s in-laws, Barbara and Jim McCarthy, moved to Manhattan Beach in 1975. They had both grown up in Baltimore and started their family in Glen Burnie but outgrew that house. Nina’s husband, Tom McCarthy, is one of seven children who all grew up on Community Road.

“About six years ago, my in-laws wanted to downsize and started to look for a smaller place in surrounding communities,” said Nina McCarthy. “After searching for a bit, they came to the conclusion that neither one wanted to actually leave Manhattan Beach! They took one-fourth of an acre of their property and built a one-level rancher on it and we bought the larger house from them in 2013.”

Nina’s brother-in-law, Shawn McCarthy, raised his family four doors down on Community Road, and his daughter and her husband recently bought the house next door to Nina and Tom.

In addition to raising her daughters in the house their father grew up in, Nina liked the uniqueness of each home’s architecture. “There is a sense of diversity and a sense of history here,” she said. “Plus, we are completely surrounded by water.

“We walk down the street and wave at the neighbors who have been waving at my husband since he was a year old,” she added. “We can walk a block to the marina and go on a boat ride or launch our kayak from the Dividing Road beach and go over to the Point. And I loved that Jones was such a small, close-knit school.”

Tivy Binnix
Resident for 24 years

Tivy and her husband, Mike Binnix, moved to Manhattan Beach in January 1994. Mike was raised in Annapolis and was eager to return to the area after completing his naval service in San Diego and Bremerton, Washington. The young couple stayed with Mike’s parents while house hunting.

“We were searching for homes in Severna Park or Arnold because they had the best schools for our two young children,” said Tivy Binnix. “We loved the family-friendly neighborhood of Manhattan Beach, its proximity to Annapolis, and the location of the house at the end of a street with very little traffic. I love the eclectic character of this neighborhood.”

After moving to Severna Park, the Binnix family added four more children. “I’m so thankful that all six of my children had the opportunity to attend such a fantastic elementary school,” she said referring to Jones.

“Having been raised in a big city (Phoenix, Arizona), I treasure the small-town feel of Severna Park,” added Binnix. “Folks here are always running into friends wherever they go, whether it’s grocery shopping, back-to-school nights, Green Hornets sporting activities, or visiting the library.”