QUEENS BOROUGH (QUEENS COUNTY)
Queens Borough Offices
120-55 Queens Boulevard
Kew Gardens 718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Queens County Offices
8811 Sutphin Boulevard
Jamaica 718-298-0600
New York City Offices
City Hall
New York City 212-NEW-YORK
www.nyc.gov
Chamber of Commerce
75-20 Astoria Boulevard
Jackson Heights 718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
Situated on Long Island, Queens is the most ethnically diverse county in the entire nation and the largest of New York City’s five boroughs.
Services
“Queens” is a term that refers to a borough of New York City, a county jurisdiction with offices in Jamaica, and one of the major population centers on Long Island. In truth, residents of Queens tend to identify with their neighborhood more than the borough or New York City. The postal service divides Queens into the four “towns” of Long Island City, Jamaica, Flushing, and Far Rockaway. However, dozens of neighborhoods have established distinctive personalities of their own. Tourism, industry and trade lead the economy, and Queens is home to two of the busiest airports in the world: John F. Kennedy International Airport and La Guardia Airport. Queens is well-served by highways, expressways, parkways, bridges, subways, buses, and the Long Island Rail Road. Efficient mass transit is a way of life throughout New York City.
Students of ages are able to receive a quality education in Queens, where public and private schools reflect the standards of excellence for which New York City is so revered. Institutions of higher education within the borough include Saint John’s University and York College, the latter housing the Northeast Regional Office of the National Food & Drug Administration and recognized for its health sciences programs. Queensborough Community College provides an affordable start on a four-year degree as well as comprehensive continuing education and career and vocational training programs. Queens College is the crowning glory of the City University of New York system, ranked in the Top 50 universities in the nation that grant master’s degrees. The Times has referred to the college as “world class,” and it received a four-star rating in the New York Times “Selective Guide to Colleges. Queens College also ranked in the first tier of Northern Universities by U.S. News and World Report.
State-of-the-art healthcare services and facilities are available throughout Queens, anchored by a network of strategically located, full-service hospitals. Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, the New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens, the North Shore University Hospital, Queens Hospital Center, St. John’s Episcopal Hospital South Shore, Elmhurst Hospital Center, and Hillside Hospital. Complementing the pediatric and neonatal units that exist in many of these institutions, dedicated facilities for children include St. Mary’s Healthcare System of Children and Schneider Children’s Hospital. Emergency and walk-in centers, family practice clinics, specialty centers and group practices, dentists, chiropractors, and every imaginable practitioner can be found in Queens.
Lifestyle
One of the most striking and appealing features of Queens is the diversity of suburban and urban areas. Neighborhoods in the eastern section are similar to the towns in western Nassau County and have a more suburban look. Those in the western and central sections are close in character to those in northeast Brooklyn. This densely populated borough situated in western Long Island even encompasses a few smaller islands, most of which are in Jamaica Bay and form part of the Gateway National Recreation Area. Many of the neighborhoods within the borough seem more like tiny towns within a larger framework, often providing a close-knit atmosphere for those who share similar cultural ties. Howard Beach and Middle Village, for example, are home to large Italian-American populations. Significant numbers of Irish-Americans live in Rockaway Beach, and Astoria in the northwest has traditionally been home to one of the world’s largest Greek populations outside of Greece itself! Long Island City in the southwest is now a major manufacturing and commercial center. The list could go on and one, but one truth emerges: Queens is unrivaled for cultural richness and diversity.
Queens in general is attracting more film studios, and western Queens is rapidly becoming a hub for artists and celebrated cultural achievements. Notable attractions include the Noguchi Museum, Socrates Sculpture Park, the Museum for African Art, and the American Museum of the Moving Image. Other important venues in Queens include the New York Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows Park and the Queens Museum of Art. Queens even claims a poet laureate: Ishle Yi Park, the first Korean American woman to hold this honor.
Baseball fans will appreciate the fact that Queens is “Mets” territory and the home of the New York Mets major league baseball team. Queens also hosts the U.S. Open tennis tournament and features the Aqueduct Racetrack. Just over the border in Nassau County, Belmont Park Race Track features the Belmont Stakes. Residents can look forward to a stimulating and active lifestyle regardless of the neighborhood they call home. Both Manhattan and Long Island provide everything from world-class culture and shopping to pristine beaches where the cry of a seagull is the loudest sound.
Bayside, Fort Totten
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Community Information
www.baysidequeens.com
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
The Bayside neighborhood was named for its idyllic location on Little Neck Bay. This once sleepy area became firmly established as a commuter suburb with the opening of the Long Island Rail Road tunnel to Manhattan. Today, this suburban neighborhood blends single-family and two-family homes with some apartments. Bell and Northern boulevards serve as the primary commercial districts, and the Long Island Rail Road station is located at 41st Avenue. Historic Fort Totten has served as an Army education center, an anti-aircraft artillery post, a staging facility foreign conflicts, and most recently as an Army Reserve Center. With the federal government planning to close military operations on the site, the community is actively planning for an entirely new chapter.
Briarwood
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
Briarwood was named by the wife of early developer Herbert O’Brian, simply because the woods around the area were so full of briars. Today, this exclusively residential neighborhood offers an attractive selection of single-family homes and duplexes or two-family designs. Apartment buildings are available in the area surrounding Queens Boulevard and Main Street, adding multi-family living options. One of the unique buildings in this neighborhood is Parkway Village, a cooperative garden apartment complex that was originally designed and built with the intention of housing United Nations diplomats. The corridors of Queens Boulevard and Union Turnpike have developed as centers of commerce, providing convenient services and shops.
Cambria Heights
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
The neighborhood of Cambria Heights bears the name of the company that originally owned the property. Developed in the early 1920s, this area claims Linden Boulevard as the primarily commercial corridor and shopping district. Culturally diverse and middle-class in nature, Cambria Heights is situated in southeastern Queens and offers a selection of single-family and two-family homes. The neighborhood follows along the Belt Parkway that divides it from Nassau County. Newcomers to Cambria Heights will be immediate taken with the landmark globe lanterns that adorn the lots of many of the homes.
College Point
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
The neighborhood of College Point claims other historic names like Tew’s Neck, Lawrence’s Neck, and Strattonport. The name College Point came from a ministerial school that only remained a few years. The area also claims industrial roots and was once a center for breweries and day-trip resorts. While some light manufacturing remains, the character of the neighborhood is primarily residential. Most of the shops and services line College Point Boulevard. The Poppenhusen Institute is a proud landmark, named for a German philanthropist who built a rubber factory—and a town. This north Queens community also remembers his good works in the naming of Poppenhusen Avenue, Poppenhusen Library, and Poppenhusen Monument. The institute still serves as a community cultural center, a magnificent five-story Victorian edifice with tall arched windows.
Far Rockaway, Arverne, Bayswater, Edgemere
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
Far Rockaway is one of the original five “towns” in Queens but also one of several neighborhoods nestled on the Rockaway Peninsula adjacent to Nassau County. Other areas include Bayswater, Edgemere, and Arverne. The character of this area blends a core city feeling with an oceanfront district that resembles Asbury Park more than it does New York City. One of the most distant neighborhoods from Manhattan, the area has attracted a diverse population but preserves a strong Irish influence in the western portion. In fact, Rockaway Beach is sometimes called the “Irish Riviera.” New beach houses, waterfront development, and beautification efforts have been on the rise in recent years, heralding a renewed interest in a very unique corner of Queens. Early in the 20th century, Far Rockaway petitioned to become part of Nassau County but the initiative failed.
Flushing
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
One of the most prominent areas in Queens and one designated by the postal service as an official “town,” Flushing sprawls over the entire northeastern portion of the county. Originally named Vlissengen by Quakers from Holland in 1639, the name was changed to Flushing by the English. The Quakers wanted to escape tyranny and enjoy freedom of religion, an underlying spirit of acceptance that prevails in Flushing today. A vast mix of ethnic and cultural groups call Flushing home. The lush foliage and wide variety of trees in Flushing are the legacy of a strong nursery industry in the 18th and 19th centuries. The “downtown district” of Flushing is centered along the subway terminal at Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue and the industrial sector is concentrated near Flushing Creek. Other areas are strictly residential and offer a more tranquil setting of homes in a wide variety of styles. Highlights in Flushing include a number of historic sites, Queens Botanical Garden, and Queens College. The Voelker Orth Museum, Bird Sanctuary, and Victorian Garden is another jewel.
Forest Hills, Forest Hills Gardens
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
Forest Hills offers a culturally and socially diverse neighborhood that encompasses the upscale enclave of Forest Hills Gardens. Originally patterned after England’s garden community models, Forest Hills Gardens has remained almost strictly residential. Dense commercial districts and streets lined with six-story brick apartment buildings are common throughout the rest of the neighborhood. Metropolitan Avenue showcases many fine antique shops, although the center of commerce is a mile-long stretch of Austin Street. Generational families in Forest Hills are being joined by young professionals in increasing numbers who appreciate the cosmopolitan nature, plentiful shopping, great restaurants, and excellent access to public transportation. Many airline pilots have settled into this area, which offers close proximity to JFK and La Guardia airports.
Fresh Meadows
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
Fresh Meadows in northeastern Queens refers to a neighborhood and a housing development within it. In the 1950s, a developer transformed Fresh Meadows Country Club into a cluster of low and medium-rise apartments. At the time of its construction, the project was praised by community planner Lewis Mumford as “perhaps the most positive and exhilarating example of large-scale community planning in the country.” Three shopping centers provide a convenient lifestyle in Forest Meadows, complete with a local movie theater. Union Turnpike to the south also provides an accessible commercial corridor of stores, services, and restaurants. Highlights include the nearby Kissena and Cunningham parks and the largest Roman Catholic high school in the nation.
Glen Oaks
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Glen Oaks Village
718-347-2337
www.glenoaksvillage.com
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
The area that became home to Glen Oaks Country Club was originally the site of the William K. Vanderbilt estate. After World War II, the surrounding neighborhood filled with affordable apartments for returning military men and their families. Today, Glen Oaks is a self-managed a self-managed, cooperative residential development of nearly 3,000 garden-style apartments. Building styles are varied along curved tree-lined streets, and many apartment homes feature lovely decks and terraces. Recreational amenities include tennis and other racquet courts, playgrounds, and a community center. The neighborhood is situated on the border of Queens and Nassau County, with the Queens County Farm Museum on the opposite side. Outstanding schools, a family-friendly setting, and easy access to public and highway transportation add to the appeal.
Glendale
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
One of the more unique communities in Queens, Glendale was named after a town in Ohio in 1863 and claims more cemetery headstones than living residents. This neighborhood of single-family and two-family homes is bisected by the Long Island Rail Road and surrounded by cemeteries. The German roots of the community can still be found, although the cultural mix has greatly expanded over the passing decades. Glendale is situated in the heart of Queens but is less densely developed than the neighborhoods around it. The border of lush parks and picturesque cemeteries and the relative isolation from the New York City Subway have no doubt contributed to lower-scale development.
Hollis, Hollis Hills
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
Named by an early developer who remembered his hometown in New Hampshire, Hollis was originally farmland that grew a crop of row homes and Victorians. The area has attracted a diverse population to this section of southeast Queens. The main commercial corridors are Jamaica and Hillside avenues. The neighborhood boundaries are Long Island Rail Road to the west, Jamaica Avenue to the north, Francis Lewis Boulevard to the east, and Murdock Avenue to the south. Much of this area actually falls within the St. Albans postal district. Since the rise of hip-hop, the neighborhood has become well-known for its musical talent and genre leadership. Hip-hop icon Russell Simmons is from Hollis, as are former New York governor Mario Cuomo and former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell.
Jackson Heights, East Elmhurst
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
Scrabble fans will be interested to know that the game was created by a Jackson Heights resident and perfected at one of the local churches. The original developer in the area was the innovator of “garden apartments,” and Jackson Heights also boasts the first coop apartments in the nation. These two apartment styles, along with a scattering of private homes, make up the historic “garden community” of Jackson Heights. Nowhere else in America will you find more private parks or “gardens” within walking distance of each other, and the density of trees along the sidewalks is the highest in New York City. The commercial corridors along 37th Avenue, 82nd Street, Roosevelt Avenue, and Junction Boulevard provide the best reflection of the diverse cultures and nationalities that have settled into the area. Transportation efficiencies are outstanding. East Elmhurst, the area immediately to the north—from Northern Boulevard to the Grand Central Parkway—is somewhat different in character but often regarded as part of the neighborhood.
Jamaica, Jamaica Estates
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Chamber of Commerce
718-526-8700
www.go2ccj.org
The Queens county seat of Jamaica is also one of the borough’s five official towns and postal designations. This historically rich area was home to the first church built in Queens in 1662, which is also the oldest Presbyterian church in the nation. Although the county offices are headquartered in Jamaica, the borough hall and related offices are located in Kew Gardens. Transportation has always played a major role in this area, beginning with a toll road between Hempstead and the ferry in Brooklyn—now Jamaica Avenue—that emerged as a center of commerce. The Long Island Rail Road attracted more industry to the area, and John F. Kennedy International Airport is located within its boundaries. Today’s downtown district is undergoing revitalization as shopping center and hub of governmental offices. Home of St. John’s University, Jamaica Estates offers an exclusive community of single-family homes along winding streets. Apartments line the periphery, and shopping is available along Union Turnpike and Hillside Avenue.
Kew Gardens
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
Home to the Queens Borough government offices, Kew Gardens borders Forest Park on the west. Queens Boulevard, the Jackie Robinson Parkway, Kew Gardens Road, and Myrtle Avenue are other neighborhood borders. The name Kew Gardens was derived after a well-known botanical gardens center in England, and the first architects favored English and neo-Tudor styling. Many elegant single-family homes spring up in the 1920s, along with apartment buildings. Affordable subway transportation into Manhattan heralded the end of available land and a boom of large apartment buildings and high-rises. The pinnacle of Queens’ diversity can be seen in Kew Gardens, and restaurants feature every imaginable cuisine in this densely populated neighborhood.
Laurelton, Springfield Gardens
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
The neighborhoods of Springfield Gardens and Laurelton share a location in southeastern Queens. Springfield Gardens is also bordered by St. Albans to the north and John F. Kennedy International Airport to the west. Laurelton was named after an early developer and features both single-family and two-family homes that are predominately Spanish and English Tudor in styling. Both of these neighborhoods offer a station of the Long Island Rail Road for easy commutes. In fact, it was the advent of the railroad in the 1920s that spurred the residential development boom in this area. Even today, many streets preserve the original low-rise suburban appearance.
Little Neck
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
Called Little Neck to distinguish the area from the Great Neck peninsula to the east in Nassau County, this neighborhood preserves its proud clamming heritage in the natural surroundings of Udall’s Cove Wildlife Preserve. Residential areas are dominated by single-family homes along tree-shaded streets, complemented by the commercial corridor along Northern Boulevard. This northeast corner of Queens borders the Long Island Sound and is one of the most suburban of all the borough’s neighborhoods. Interestingly, Littleneck clams still live in the sound but were not named for the Little Neck area. Former CIA director George Tenet is one of Little Neck’s famous native sons.
Long Island City, Hunter’s Point
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
One of the five original “towns” in Queens, Long Island City was formerly an independent municipality before Queens became part of New York City in 1898. A location at the terminus of the Queensboro Bridge and rapid transit lines brought throngs of factories to the area, leaving few residential pockets. However, the past three decades have seen a reversal of that trend. Many manufacturing operations have moved out, leaving loft-sized housing possibilities that have drawn artists and others seeking reasonable rent close to Manhattan. Two former bakeries now house the Northeast’s largest television commercial production facility and LaGuardia Community College. Long Island City has become home to back-office operations for many Manhattan firms, although some vintage operations remain including the nation’s largest fortune cookie company. The New York City waterfront project at Hunter’s Point, a mixed-use community within Long Island City, will position the area for accelerated revitalization.
Malba
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
Offering “country living in the big city,” the unique and desirable neighborhood of Malta was named using the surname initials of its four founders. Formerly gated, this residential enclave of 400 lovely homes with meticulous landscaping creates a tranquil, green oasis. The area borders Francis Lewis Park with its 17-acre riverfront and fishing opportunities. Large, detached homes are complemented by woodland and waterfront living that includes first-rate recreational facilities. Some of Malta’s residents own more than one home in this stable and well-established area that lacks commercial development or multi-family housing. Others have upgraded their homes, tearing down older models and building handsome new houses with significant architectural appeal. The lush surroundings give Malba an almost utopian beauty in the spring and autumn seasons.
Maspeth
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
Water contributed to the development of the Maspeth area, with Newtown and Maspeth creeks attracting industry. At one time, Newtown Creek carried as much traffic as the mighty Mississippi River. The neighborhood has retained much of its early industrial character, blending it with considerable residential and commercial development in the inland areas. Grand Avenue provides the major shopping corridor. Maspeth has a reputation for being a “community of togetherness.” In the early 19th century, it was the summer home of New York Governor DeWitt Clinton. Cemeteries consume large tracts of land, and most of the homes in Maspeth are single-family models with a few coop apartment buildings along Maurice Avenue.
Middle Village
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
Named for its centralized location along the turnpike between Jamaica and Williamsburg, Middle Village is another area where several large cemeteries were placed after they were banned from Manhattan in 1851. Many of the early businesses sprang up to serve cemetery businesses and their visitors. The sweeping oasis of Juniper Park creates a centerpiece for the neighborhood, built on former swampland. Very few apartment buildings are available in Middle Village, and the commercial corridors are Fresh Pond Road and Metropolitan Avenue. St. John’s Cemetery is especially notable for preserving the graves of a number of famous people, from mobsters to fitness guru Charles Atlas and photographer Robert Mapplethorpe.
Oakland Gardens
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
The centerpiece of Oakland Gardens is the campus of Queensborough Community College. This area within the postal designation of Bayside provides a rich quality of life, enhanced by the significant cultural assets of the college. Among the highlights are several outstanding performing arts series, visual art displays, and the Holocaust Research Center. The neighborhood grew from a farm called “the Oaks” that later became a golf course and was eventually developed into residential housing and the college campus. Homes in Oakland Gardens tend to be low-rise garden apartment buildings that are interspersed by single-family homes and two-family models along tree-shaded streets.
Ozone Park, South Ozone Park
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
Planned in 1880 by a New York music publisher, this area was named for the bay and ocean air that traditionally swept into this area of Queens. Today, these breezes are largely blocked by development in Howard Beach. Strongly Italian in its early settlement, the area has welcomed a diverse population including Germans, Irish, and Latin Americans over the decades. Atlantic Avenue and 101st Avenue provide the major commercial and shopping corridors. Ozone Park was once home to two prominent racetracks, a tradition of thoroughbred racing that “The Big A” or Aqueduct Racetrack proudly continues. South Ozone Park offers a delightful enclave of primarily single-family homes.
Queens Village
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
Distinguished as one of the oldest settlements on Long Island, historic Queens Village was originally called Little Plains then Brushville after a local blacksmith. By the mid 1800s, the community was named Queens for the county in which it was located. The word “village” was added in the early 1900s to create a distinction between the borough of Queens and this historic enclave. People from a wide cross-section of cultures, religions, and nationalities have made the neighborhood their home over the decades. Homes in Queens Village are primarily a mix of single-family and two-family models. Shopping and services are available along Jamaica, Hillside and Braddock avenues and Springfield Boulevard.
Ridgewood
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
The neighborhood known today as Ridgewood was first settled by German immigrants who created breweries and beer gardens. While the German influence remains, many of today’s diverse population have generational roots in Italy, Yugoslavia, and Central and South America. The housing selection consists of multi-family homes with no cooperatives or condominiums. Major shopping corridors include Forest Avenue, Fresh Pond Road, and Myrtle Avenue. A number of films were set in Ridgewood, including The French Connection, Brighton Beach Memoirs, and A Stranger Among Us. Located in close proximity to Brooklyn neighborhoods, both Ridgewood and Glendale once used a Brooklyn postal designation but requested a change to Queens in 1979.
Rosedale
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
Originally known as Fosters Meadows, the neighborhood of Rosedale is located in the southwestern corner of the mainland portion of Queens. The housing selection is dominated by single-family and two-family homes that include duplexes and townhouses. Although the neighborhood is culturally diverse, significant populations of residents with Italian, Jewish, and Latin American backgrounds call Rosedale home. The area is bordered to the north by Cambria Heights, to the east by Valley Stream in Nassau County, to the west by Laurelton and Brookville, and on the south by the bustling John F. Kennedy International Airport. Rosedale is actually situated at the very eastern edge of New York City adjacent to Nassau County.
Saint Albans
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
Claiming many famous native sons—including Brook Benton, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Lewis, Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, and the singer James Brown—St. Albans is an attractive residential suburb. Detached single-family and two-family homes line the shady streets, and Linden Boulevard serves as the retail corridor. The area is southeast of Jamaica and northeast of Springfield Gardens and Laurelton. Many famous jazz musicians once lived in the large homes in St. Albans, particularly in the western section of Addisleigh Park. Although yesterday’s premier sports facility of St. Albans Golf Course drew rich and famous athletes to the area, the property later became the site of a military healthcare center.
Whitestone, Beechhurst
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
Settled before the Revolutionary War, Whitestone was reportedly named for a large white rock near the shoreline. This historic area was the home of Francis Lewis, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. In the mid 1800s, the arrival of a tinware factory turned the village into a thriving manufacturing center with waterfront pavilions that provided entertainment. The industrial days are gone and the pavilions went by the wayside during Prohibition, but tree-lined streets lined by single-family homes remain. Small apartment buildings are interspersed with a few large apartment complexes to add multi-family lifestyle options. The Beechhurst enclave in Whitestone was named for its fine beech trees. Whitestone Shopping Center combines with the retail districts along 14th Avenue and 150th Street to offer a convenient lifestyle.
Woodhaven
Queens Borough Offices
718-286-3000
www.queensbp.org
Chamber of Commerce
718-898-8500
www.queenschamber.org
Claiming famous residents from yesterday and today like Oscar-winning Adrien Brody and Mae West, Woodhaven is bisected by Jamaica Avenue. Along with Woodhaven Boulevard and Atlantic Avenue, this major transportation artery also provides an excellent location for many small shops and locally owned businesses. Boundaries include the public green space of Forest Park on the north and Ozone Park on the south. This densely populated Queens neighborhood is the epitome of cultural diversity, and local residents are quick to point with pride to the “melting pot” characteristics of their home. One landmark that lingers from the 1800s is a clocktower that was once attached to a cutlery factory. Most homes are colonial, both attached and unattached, blending with some single-family Victorians. Some cooperative apartments have sprung up along Woodhaven Boulevard and Park Lane South.
