About the Jackson Heights, Woodside and East Elmhurst, New York Area 

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Jackson Heights, Queens

A typical residential street in Jackson Heights.

Jackson Heights is a neighborhood in north-western portion of the borough of Queens in New York City, USA. The neighborhood is part of Queens Community Board 3.

Jackson Heights is an urban melting pot with many ethnic populations, but mainly consists of Latin Americans, multi-generational European, and Asian Americans. The Hispanic American population consists of a various mix of Latinos from many Latin American countries, mainly Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, Mexico, Argentina and Uruguay who followed the Cuban initial immigrants. There is also an older population of Europeans of multi-generational Italian, Jewish, Polish, and Irish descent that have remained in the area. The surging Asian American community includes immigrants from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Korea, and the Philippines. An additional surge is also coming from newly arriving Eastern European nations and the former Soviet Union countries. There is a commercial section of Jackson Heights known as "Little India" that is located between 37th Avenue and Broadway primarily on 73rd and 74th Streets.

Geography and Transportation

Jackson Heights

Jackson Heights is also where the IRT Flushing Line (7 <7>) train meets the IND Queens Boulevard Line (E F G R V) and numerous bus routes at the 74th Street-Broadway transportation hub, which has recently received a $100+ million renovation by the MTA.  It includes one of the first green buildings by the MTA, the new "Victor Moore A. Bus Terminal" that is partially powered by solar panels built into the roof. It is the largest subway stop in Queens with six lines(E,F,V,R,7,G) and four buses (Q33, Q19B, Q45 and Q47). The Q33 bus goes to LaGuardia Airport's main terminals and operates 24 hours a day. The Q47 bus goes to the Marine Air Terminal. The Long Island Rail Road Woodside station is nearby on 61th Street and Roosevelt Avenue, which is two stops on #7 train.

The community is bounded by Northern Boulevard to the north, the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway to the west, Roosevelt Avenue to the south, and Junction Boulevard to the east. East Elmhurst, the area immediately to the north, from Northern Boulevard to the Grand Central Parkway, though not part of the original development, is sometimes regarded as a northward extension of the neighborhood. The Jackson Heights name comes from Jackson Avenue, the former name for Northern Boulevard (the Jackson Avenue name is retained by this major road in a short stretch between Queensboro Plaza and the Queens Midtown Tunnel approaches, in the Long Island City neighborhood).

History

Most of the neighborhood is a National Register Historic District and about half is a designated New York City Historic District by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. It comprises large Garden apartment buildings (the term was invented for buildings in Jackson Heights) and many groupings of private homes. It was a planned development laid out by Edward A. MacDougall's Queensboro Corporation beginning about 1917, and following the arrival of the No. 7 elevated line between Manhattan and Flushing. The community was initially planned as a place for middle to upper-middle income workers from Manhattan to raise their families. The Jackson Heights New York State and National Register Districts range from parts of 87st Street through part of 76th Street. A former golf course located between 76th and 78th Streets and 34th and 37th Avenues was built upon during the 1940s.

Jackson Heights is among the first garden city communities built in the United States, as part of the international Garden city movement at the turn of the last century. There are many private parks (historically called gardens by the residents) within walking distance of each other. They are tucked in the mid-blocks, mostly hidden from view by the buildings surrounding them. Several approach the size of Gramercy Park in Manhattan, and one is slightly larger. Unless given an invitation, entry is restricted to those who own a co-op around its perimeter. The basis for the private ownership of the parks of Jackson Heights is derived from its founding principle; as a privately-owned little garden city, built largely under the oversight of one person. The historic section of Jackson Heights is the more affluent part of the neighborhood.

Education

Students attend P.S. 69 or P.S. 212 or several other primary schools. Middle schools in the neighborhood include I.S. 145 and I.S. 230. There is also a public Charter School (The Renaissance Charter School) as well as various private schools such as the preparatory The Garden School and parochial schools such as St Joan of Arc, Our Lady of Fatima, and Blessed Sacrament School. Hebrew School is also offered at The Jewish Center of Jackson Heights.

Aside from grades 9-12 at The Renaissance School, there are no public high schools in Jackson Heights; residents attend high schools located throughout New York City. There are no private high schools either, although Archbishop Molloy High School, technically in adjacent East Elmhurst, is in an area traditionally considered part of Jackson Heights.

Students wishing to continue higher education in Jackson Heights have the opportunity to attend Plaza College, located on 37th Avenue and 75th Street. Plaza College is accredited by the Commission on higher education of the Middle States Association of schools and colleges, and offers a wide variety of programs to students who want to pursue careers in the business or medical fields.

Community

Many residents commute to nearby Manhattan, ten to fifteen minutes to 51st Street and Lexington Avenue via the express E train or 63rd Street and Lexington via the F train. The main retail thoroughfare is located on 37th Avenue from 72nd Street to Junction Boulevard, with more retail on 82nd,73rd and 74th Streets on the blocks between 37th and Roosevelt Avenues. Roosevelt Avenue is also lined with various mainly Hispanic retail stores. The majority of 35th and 34th Avenues and most side streets between 37th Avenue and Northern Boulevard are residential.

The community is home to various houses of worship from a wide array of religions. Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Church is located between 82nd and 83rd Street on 35th Avenue. The Jackson Heights Jewish Center is located on the corner of 77th Street and 37th Avenue.

Jackson Heights is mainly composed of private homes, co-op buildings, and rentals, with a small number of condominiums.

There is a greenmarket every Sunday morning during summer at Travers Park, as well as various family-oriented spring & summer concerts. Additionally, you will find sidewalk flea-markets on 34th Avenue and 80-81st Streets during the spring and summer.

The first and only gallery is named Y Gallery located on 85th st and Northern Blvd, the space was created by community activist, Agusto Yayiko.

Colombian broadcaster RCN TV has its US-American headquarters in the neighborhood, reflecting the sizable Colombian population in the area.

The Jackson Heights Beautification Group is a community-based 501(C)3 nonprofit group with about 500 members. There is no paid staff. Volunteers organize concerts in Travers Park and an annual children's Halloween parade, clean graffiti, plant flowers all along 37th Avenue, and otherwise work to continue to improve the community.

The Western Jackson Heights Alliance is a newer organization focusing on community issues west of 82nd Street. Traffic congestion, noise, sanitation and overdevelopment concerns prompted residents to form the group in 2006. The group aims at drawing attention to the lack of city planning and the absence of local leadership in dealing with these urgent 'quality of life' issues. The Alliance is committed to bringing city agencies, business interests, non-profit organizations and elected officials together to form and enact a coherent plan for Jackson Heights' future survival.

Jackson Heights has followed the general patterns of New York City when it comes to crime. After spikes in the 1980s into the 1990s, crime has declined significantly. According to New York City CompStat statistics, measured crime has declined more than 79% in the last 15 years (1993 to 2008). As of January 2008, the murder rate is down over 82% and grand larcery auto down is down 90% from 1990.

Youth Recreation Sites

With the great diversity of this neighborhood, the young people in Jackson Heights come from a wide array of backgrounds. Travers Park is the main local playground. It has a wide variety of sports, including basketball, tennis, baseball, and handball. Prior to expansion, the P.S. 69 School Yard was a popular play area offering Baseball fields, a handball court and three tennis courts. Con Edison sponsored several summer tennis camps at P.S. 69's school yard from 1982-1992. In 1998, P.S. 69 decided to build an annex to compensate for the booming population of children in Jackson Heights and the public access to the school yard was removed.

Notable residents

• Reflective of the tremendous diversity of the neighborhood, actors John Leguizamo, Charlie Chaplin,Susan Sarandon, Kevin Dobson, and Carroll O'Connor grew up in Jackson Heights, as did film critic Jami Bernard, playwright John Guare.
• Alfred Mosher Butts invented Scrabble in 1938, and perfected it at Community Methodist Church. (A commemorative street sign at the corner of 35th Ave and 81st St, where the church still stands, was erected by the city in 2004.)
• Chester Carlson invented Xerox copy machine in his Jackson Heights kitchen.
• Alfred Eisenstaedt, photographer, lived in Jackson Heights for many year.
• Lucy Liu (1968-), actress.
• Joe Quesada, Editor-In-Chief, Marvel Comics
• Tommy Rettig (1941-1996), actor who appeared on Lassie (1954 TV series).
• Don Rickles, comedian.
• Robert Tripp Ross (1903-1981), former assistant secretary of defense (1954-1957)
• Gene Simmons of the rock group Kiss.
• TV and Radio personality Howard Stern was born in Jackson Heights
• Johnny Thunders of The New York Dolls grew up in Jackson Heights.
• Colombian born, musician, and artist Evil Lucy (1982) was also brought up in Jackson Heights before moving to San Diego, California in late 2007

Use as a film location

• Major portions of the Academy Award nominated¹ film 'Maria Full of Grace' (2004) were filmed on location in Jackson Heights. Minor portions of the movie Random Hearts (1999) were filmed in Jackson Heights on 35th avenue between 76th and 77th street. A brief part of The Usual Suspects was filmed in Jackson Heights around 34th avenue and 82nd street.
• Much of the Alfred Hitchcock film, The Wrong Man, takes place within a few blocks of the intersection of Broadway and 74th Street. The former Victor Moore Arcade and the connecting subway station, were prominently featured in the movie. The arcade was demolished and rebuilt from 1998 to 2005 and is now known as the Victor A. Moore Bus Terminal. It was named after Jackson Heights resident, Victor Moore, who was a famous Broadway and film actor from the era of silent film to the 1950s.

Trivia

• Colombian broadcaster RCN has its American headquarters there.

• Jackson Heights is the site of the annual Queens Gay Pride Parade, which is held on 37th Avenue, (a lavender line is painted down the center of the avenue for the event,) on the first Sunday in June of every year. There is a street festival held on 37th Road, off Roosevelt Avenue, following the parade and lasts all day.
• General Howe set up tent at corner of 73rd Street and 37th Ave during the Revolutionary War
• Jackson Heights had an air field(Holmes)at Bulova site up to Northern Blvd
• Jackson Heights is geographical center of NYC at Broadway and Roosevelt Ave. This is also where Woodside, Elmhurst and Jackson Heights meet
• The first radio commercial was for a Jackson Heights Coop. It was by the Queensboro Corp for Hawthorne Court August 22, 1922
• In early February Jackson Heights will have it's first Starbucks location.
• The Bulova clock was the first on original NBC broadcast screens. Bulova is based in Jackson Heights and had a watchmaking school in Woodside
• Fresh Direct currently delivers to the Historic Jackson Heights area.
• The TV show Ugly Betty is set in Jackson Heights. The pilot was filmed on location at Jackson Heights but all other episodes were filmed in Los Angeles using a greenscreen background for Jackson Heights. The fictional title character played by America Ferrera currently resides at Jackson Heights, Queens.
• The theme song to the 1960s sitcom Car 54, Where Are You? mentions Jackson Heights in the lyrics.
  
  

Woodside, Queens

Woodside is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. It is bordered on the south by Maspeth, on the north by Astoria, on the west by Sunnyside and on the east by Elmhurst and Jackson Heights. Its ZIP code is 11377. Some areas are widely residential and very quiet, while others (especially closer to Roosevelt Avenue) are more urban. The neighborhood is located in Queens Community Board 1 and Queens Community Board 2.

In the 19th century the area was part of the Town of Newtown (now Elmhurst). The adjacent area of Winfield was largely incorporated into the post office serving Woodside and as a consequence Winfield lost much of its identity distinct from Woodside.

Throughout its history, Woodside has been the largest Irish American community in Queens, and has a large number of Irish expatriates. In the early 1930s, the area was approximately 80% Irish. Woodside has served as the primary destination for more recent immigrants from Ireland as well, with many arriving in the mid-eighties searching for economic opportunities in New York City. Even as the neighborhood has seen growth in ethnic diversity today, the area still retains a strong Irish American presence with many Irish, although the growth in the Irish economy since the mid-1990s has slowed the arrival of new Irish. There are Irish pubs/restaurants scattered in Woodside.

In the late 1990s, many Asian American families moved into the area, particularly east of the 61st Street station. Woodside's population is now 30% Asian American. Woodside has a large population of Korean Americans, Chinese Americans and Filipino Americans (see Koreatown, Chinatown, and Filipinotown), each with their own respective ethnic enclaves. There are also South Asian Americans, particularly Indian Americans, Bangladeshi Americans, and Pakistani Americans, as well as a large Latino population, mostly immigrants from Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic.

Little Manila on Roosevelt Avenue, Woodside, Queens, New York.

Reflecting its longtime Irish flavor, the neighborhood is filled with Irish pubs, many catering to natives of particular cities and regions in Ireland. It is also home to some of the city's most popular Thai, Filipino, Colombian, and Ecuadorian eateries. A rather unofficial Little Manila stretches from 65th-71st Streets at the strip of Roosevelt Avenue, where many Filipino businesses have flocked to serve Woodside's large Filipino American community.

Woodside's diversity lends itself to a number of festivals and street fairs. It commemorates Saint Patrick's Day with a parade prior to the famous celebration in Manhattan. The parade in Woodside is known for being an all-inclusive event, embracing many ethnic and cultural groups, notably including LGBTQ contingents excluded from the larger Manhattan St. Patrick's Day Parade. Woodside also hosts several events in the summer, including an Independence Day street fair.

The neighborhood has many places of worship, as well as many schools (including PS 11, PS 12, PS 151, PS 152, PS 229, IS 125, Corpus Christi Elementary School, and Saint Sebastian's Elementary School). The parks in the area include Windmueller Park, Big Bush Park, and Laurel Hill Park.

Doughboy Park

Doughboy Park is located at the intersection of Woodside Avenue and Skillman Avenue and is maintained by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Although the park received its name by local law in 1971, its eponymous monument has stood on the site since 1923. During the first World War British soldiers referred to their American counterparts as doughboys because of the large round buttons on the American uniforms; these buttons reminded the British soldiers of the cakes or biscuits known as doughboys. Statues of American infantry soldiers are similarly called doughboys, and there are bronze doughboys in each of the five boroughs of New York City. The sculptor of the Woodside Doughboy also created a doughboy for the Flanders Field Memorial in De Witt Clinton Park in Manhattan.

The Woodside Doughboy was erected by the Woodside Community Council in remembrance of the local men and women who served in World War I. Funded by public subscription, the statue was dedicated on Memorial Day, May 30, 1923. The ceremony included music by St. Marys Military Band, a rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner" by the children of P.S. 11, the doughboy's unveiling by Gold Star Relatives, and blessings by ministers from St. Paul's and St. Sebastian's Churches.

The sculptor, Burt W. Johnson of Flushing, was a student and brother-in-law of renowned artist Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Johnson portrayed a somber World War I soldier holding his helmet in front and his gun to the side. The sculptor's health was failing as the piece was being completed, and he supervised the final work from his wheelchair. The bronze statue stands upon a granite pedestal designed by architect C.N. Kent and inscribed "LEST WE FORGET 1917 1918." Although the work was originally titled "The Returning Soldier," it is popularly known as the Woodside Doughboy.

Woodside residents remember that even before the statue was erected, local soldiers gathered here at the "mustering ground" before departing to fight in World War I. Ten men who left from this site did not return as they made the supreme sacrifice and gave their lives for their nation. Since the dedication event in 1923, community members have gathered at the monument every Memorial Day for patriotic ceremonies. In 1928 the American Federation of Arts selected the Woodside Doughboy as the best war memorial of its kind in this century.

The City of New York acquired this land in 1893 as a play area for P.S. 11. The land was eventually deemed too steep and overgrown for children's use; it was assigned to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation in 1957. The site was transformed from a children's play area to a sitting area for adults, in keeping with the dignity of the statue. Improvements included the addition of drinking fountains, macadam walks, shade trees, and maintenance facilities.

Reconstruction of the park in 1988 provided a new path in the western portion of the park, and additional work in 1995 added new plantings. A 1998 requirements contract replaced fencing in the park. In 1990 the beloved Woodside Doughboy received an extensive conservation treatment which included cleaning, repainting, and treating with a protective wax coating^[4].

In 2006, on the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks upon the United States a memorial plaque in the park was dedicated which reads:

On September 11, 2001, the following who lived or worked in Woodside died in the World Trade Center attack. Their lives touched our hearts, their sacrifice changed us forever.

We remember them with love and honor.

(34 names follow)

East Elmhurst, Queens

Astoria Boulevard in East Elmhurst, Queens NY

East Elmhurst is a culturally diverse area in New York City, in the northwest of the borough of Queens. It is located north of Jackson Heights and Corona. It comprises largely of moderate-income families, but also has some low-income and impoverished areas. It is also compromised of Trainsmeadow, which is the western section of East Elmhurst. It is patrolled by the New York Police Department's 115th Precinct. The neighborhood is part of Queens Community Board 3.

Despite crime declines versus peaks during the crack epidmeic, violent crime continues to be a problem in East Elmhurst This area also includes the middle school named after Louis Armstrong The exact borders are somewhat arguable. The neighborhood is often thought to include the entire area north of Northern Boulevard to LaGuardia Airport, between the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and Shea Stadium.

Education

Schools in the neighborhood include Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School, an all-boys catholic school for grades 9-12

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents include:

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