Jackson Heights is interesting for many reasons. It is has a reputation of being an around the world food tasters paradise with smells and tastes available from chefs from Tibet to Uruguay.
But it is also one of the first planned communities in the United States. The many garden apartments complexes were designed with plenty of architectural detail and the longer you looks at them, the more secrets you will uncover.
I put together a small sample of what I find interesting. But there's so much I could only provide a sample. Stroll the streets and observe people from around the world, rich and poor, gay and straight, shop, eat, attend school, enjoy the parks and generally just live in peace together.
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| The Post Office |
1. Post Office 38-02 37th Avenue
This Federal building was built in the Neo-Georgian style between 1936-37 as part of the Federal governments economic stimulus program (Historic Jackson HeightsDistrict) The mural on the wall to the left. as you walk in, is by Peppino Mangravite. It is titled,
“”Development of Jackson Heights”.
Commissioned during the Depression as a Work
Project Administration Fine Arts Project, it depicts the transformation of
Jackson Heights from cornfields to Garden Community. Of course central to the mural and the
development of the neighborhood is the construction of the subway featured in the
middle of the mural.More information here
If you are only interested in the multi-cultural food aspect
skip to the red numbers at the end of this section
A Very Short History
Shortly after the opening of the Brooklyn
Bridge, New York City became the city we know , today. Before then, NYC was only Manhattan and parts of the Bronx.
Brooklyn and even Williamsburg for a time, were separate cities.
Queens County which included parts of what is now Nassau County was
mostly farmland with Flushing, Jamaica and Newtown being the largest towns.
In 1898 the city incorporated into the 5 borough city,
In 1909 the Queens Borough Bridge opened, connecting Manhattan to Queens. (and half a century later Paul Simon wrote
Feeling Groovy)
Shortly after the
Queensboro Corporation, lead by Edward A. McDougal was formed. In 1917 the
elevated railway line - IRT Flushing line (today's #7 line)reached the neighborhood and the
Queensboro Corporation’s development of the area took off.
The Garden City
movement, a reaction to the overcrowded tenements and squalid living conditions of inner London, was founded by Ebenezer Howard.
His book, Tomorrow -a Peaceful
Path to Real Reform, written about London, was his solution to the awful
living conditions there. It is little coincidence that August
Belmont, one of the major financiers of the IRT subway was a major propropent
of the Garden City Movement in the United States. Conditions in Manhattan
especially the Lower East Side, were very similar to London and with new and
easy access to the cornfields of Queens Jackson Heights became the first
planned Garden City Community in the United States. Much more about the Garden City movement.
From the steps of the
Post Office you can see a pretty good panorama of Jackson Heights past ,and
present. Across is a white painted brick building which was the second
and last home of the Queensboro Corporation (the first one was on 82 Street
just around the corner) Take a look around before turning left on 37th Avenue.
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| Once the Offices of the Queensboro Corporation |
2. Starbucks: 78-25 37th Avenue- The
white-painted, tudor style brick building was the last home of Queensboro Corporation.
Built in 1947 the commercial strip now houses several businesses.
(Jackson Heights Historic District p.111)
There are far better places to stop for a bite to eat.
3. Arepa Lady-77-17 37th Avenue This is a good
example of Jackson Heights today. Maria Piedad Cano, who was a judge in her
native Colombia, opened a food truck under the #7 tracks after fleeing the
violence in Colombia. This location is her second brick and mortar store
in Jackson Heights. Check inside for
photos and delicious arepas - corn cakes with a variety of toppings.
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| P.S. 69 |
4. PS 69- 77-02 37th Ave. If PS 69, built
between 1922-24 looks like a typical New York City School building it is
because it is a C.B. J. Snyder school. C.B.J. Snyder was superintendent
of NYC school building for more than two decades. He believed that air and light were essential
for education and built schools with large sunlit classrooms to provide optimum
learning environments (and to make it difficult for teachers to open and close
windows- a process that requires a long heavy wooden pole, but that’s my old
life leaking through).
Though not on this tour Newtown High School 48-01 90th Street is another Snyder School nearby. Built in 1921 it is in the
Flemish Renaissance Style. The landmarked building reflects the Dutch
colonial history and the name Newtown is the original name of Elmhurst.
5. Jewish Center of Jackson Heights 77th Street
and the corner of 37th Avenue
At firs,t the Queensboro Corporation perceived
Jackson Heights as a restrictive community - no people of color, no Jews.
Look around and see how well that worked out. In the 1950s and 60s Jackson Heights was home
to a large Jewish Community. The Jewish Center of Jackson Heights served
that community- but like so many of the city’s Jewish communities it saw its
population drop precipitously. In order to keep its door opens the center
rented space to various LGBT organizations, and may have been instrumental in
Jackson Heights becoming a LGBT friendly community. Here is an interesting video from PBS.
6. Queens Pride House- 76-11 37th Avenue
For a variety of reasons, one was the reaction
to the tragic murder (sign on 78th St and 37th Avenue) of Julio Rivera, another is
the the proximity to the Theater district on the #7 train and third being the
willingness of the Jewish Center to rent space to LGBT groups- Jackson Heights
is a community with strong ties to the LGBT Community. The first weekend in
June it hosts the Gay Pride Parade, the largest area parade outside of
Manhattan.
Turn left again and head south on 77th Avenue
towards Roosevelt Avenue.
7. Club Evolution 76-11 Roosevelt
This dance club has Rainbow flag awning.
Walk east towards 79th Avenue.
8. La Optica 79-02 Roosevelt Avenue
In front of La Optica,
an eyeglass store, if the weather is good you can usually spot a vendor of Native
American Crafts. In front of his display hang two long feathered Native
American headdresses. If you want to take a photo, do so from
across Roosevelt Avenue-the proprietor doesn’t allow close ups. For that
matter when I point out the stand I do so from the north side of the Avenue
because I have already been told that it is not a tourist attraction. But he is happy to have you browse his wares
Just to the north of Roosevelt (make a left on
80th Street is a little coffee shop.
9. 969 NYC Coffee- 37-61 80 Street. It is
a coffee shop, and a tiny Japanese grocery and it has the best onigiri- which
are essentially rice balls wrapped around a protein- I like the cooked
salmon. If the owner is there he is
happy to talk to you about his NY experience.
Continue east on Roosevelt to 83
Street. Make a left and head north.
(back towards 37th Avenue)
10. Row Houses and Spanish Gardens
The Row Houses:
These were built in 1911. Originally there were ten, but only eight remain. These attached two story, single family houses were the original concept for Jackson Height
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| Original Row Houses |
These were built in 1911. Originally there were ten, but only eight remain. These attached two story, single family houses were the original concept for Jackson Height
The Spanish Gardens -Eastside of the block
between Roosevelt and 37th Avenue
"The Spanish Gardens , built in 1924-26 and
designed by Andree J. Thomas is one of the characteristic garden apartment
projects in Jackson Heights. Occupying most of the block, the complex of
six freestanding H-shaped buildings is planned with three buildings along each
blockfront joined by a common landscaped garden at the interior of the block.
The passageways between the buildings are spanned at the street front by
brick walls and entrance gages. Each
building also has a front garden. Each of the brick building has a broad,
recessed five-story section and projecting end section of four stories, this
plan creates an entrance court at the front. The side faces also have
shallow and wide light courts. Each
building has a central entryway in a projecting stone porch flanked at each
side by secondary entrances in arched stoe enframents.
In 1925, the Jackson Heights News sponsored a
contest to select the name for the complex. The “Spanish Gardens” was
chosen because it appropriately reflected the Spanish flavor of the building's
architectural feature. Among the Spanish Renaissance-inspired details are the
entrance porches with engaged pilasters supporting red tile roof, surmounted by
terra-cotta escudo (shields) flanked by griffons; the corbled balconette
flanked by Moorish style pilasters in the central stairhall bay and the tiled
roof parapets” (Jackson Heights
Historic District, page 174)
Note - The Jackson Heights Historic DistrictDocument clearly details all the structures in the historic district. I
quoted the paragraphs for the Spanish Gardens to give a feel for what the
details are like. The are over two
hundred pages of these details in the document and going block by block quoting
them is beyond the ambition of this entry.
Places to Eat along the route
Places to Eat along the route
Places to eat in Jackson Heights are too
numerous to begin to address. In this area- I note the following only
because they represent a variety of tastes- and because- I like them. And we pass them on the walk. There are hundreds that may be equally good or better but I just haven't
made it in them.
11. Papa's Kitchen 37-07 83 Street. Real
Filipino food.
Turn Right on 37th Avenue
12. Jahn's-81-04 37th Avenue. The awning
says founded in 1897. Once it was a chain with many stores. This is
the only remaining one. But it is a one
of the few classic ice cream parlors left.
13. Linden Court Garden between Roosevelt Ave
and 37th Ave, between 84th and 85th Streets.
These apartments were built in 1922. They
were the first through-block design, first enclosed private park, first garages,
first detached buildings and first co-op plan ownership. Designed in Neo Geo-Georgian style they where constructed in 1922. The Olmsted Brother’s
firm Of Central Park fame) designed the parks.(Where is Jackson Heights)
14.Sac's Place- 86-14 37th Avenue An
authentic Italian Pizza place complete with red and white checkered
tablecloths.
15. La Nueva-86-10 37th Avenue. I love the
alfijores- hard to describe-but my best try is dulce de leche filling surrounded
by two short bread cookies Great pastries, great breads, non-stop soccer
games on their large screened TVs. Its a Uruguayan bakery.
Turn left on 87th Street
16. English style private homes 87 Street between 37th Avenue and 35 Avenue
Groups of semi-detached and attached houses
built in the 1920s and 1930's by the Queensboro Corporation. These clusters of
houses are arranged in symmetrical pattern.
From the Jackson Heights Historic District text:
“The design of the houses is derived largely
from the neo-Georgian style. Elements typical of that style include the
red brick facing with white trim, the steeply pitched slate roofs with
prominent gable and shed dormer, and the wood shutters at the window.“ (Jackson Heights Historic District p.213)
17. The Salvation Army Queens Temple Corp
Center 86-07 35th Avenue
There are two structures on this block.
The one closest to 87th Street is one story high and today owned and
operated by the Salvation Army. It was once the beginning of a grand
Christian Scientist Church that never made it past the first floor. The
structure on the 86th Street side encloses a rotunda. It was built 25 years after the first one was
started. I don’t think it has anything to do with the Christian Science
Church today.
18. The Belvedere 84th Street between 34th and
35th Street
Some of the later buildings in the community.
They were built in Neo-Georgian style between 1939-1940.
19. Saint Joan of Arc Roman Catholic Church
82-00 35th Avenue
Like the Christian Science Church the plans for
this site were more ambitious than the result. In 1927 there were plans
to build a cathedral here, named after the newly canonized Saint. Permission to build the cathedral was never
granted and the church was built instead. Check out the bell tower.
20. The Community United Methodist Church
81-10 35th Avenue
The first House of Worship to be completed in
the new community, the cornerstone is dated 1920 and construction was completed
in 1923. There is a wonderful garden in the back of the church with an
entrance on 82 Street though it is not always open. On the corner of 81st Street and 35th Ave the
letters have numbered subscripts- the value of the letters in the Game of
Scrabble. In the 1930s, 35-26 79th Street was the home of Alfred Butts the
inventor of the game. He brought it to the church hall for testing.
21.The Chateau 80-81 Street between 34th Ave
and 35th Avenue.
Okay I said I wouldn't put in any more quotes
directly from the historic district document, but I wasn’t capable of capturing
the essence of this one so I broke my own rule.
“The style of the Chateau derived from French
Renaissance architecture, has been described as “reminiscent of the
architecture of Henri IV of France” Particularly suggestive of this
inspiration are the imposing slate mansard roofs with dormers and finials:the
Flemish bond brick facing and the decorative banding: the diaperwork patterning
on the towers of the “A” buildings, the brick chimneys with decorative tops:
and the stone entry portals, flanked by decorative colonnets and capped by
doods. The segmental-arched door
openings contain glass doors, with decorative iron grilles. All of the original doors survive. Almost all of the original four-over four
double -hung wood sash windows survive, as do most of the multi-pane wood
casement windows in the towers of the “A” buildings.” (Jackson Heights
Historic District, p.138)
22.The Towers 80-81 Street, Northern
Boulevard to 34th Street
These buildings were built in 1922 in the
Neo-French Renaissance style.. They were advertised as comparable to Park
Avenue apartments. Large gardens open to
the street on 34th Street. And the griffins guarding the garden gate on
81 Street have become somewhat of a symbol for Jackson Heights.
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| Garden behind Community Church |
23. St Mark Episcopal Church on 34th
Avenue between 81st and 82nd Street
A pretty stone church built in 1927 in the
Modern Gothic style.
24. Travers Park- between 77th and 78th Street
with the South Border on 34th Avenue
Newly renovated New York City Department of
Parks playground and park space
From Travers Park turn back South towards Roosevelt Avenue. Head towards 74th Street between 37th Avenue and Roosevelt. There you can experience Jackson Heights thriving multi-cultural community.
Following is a list of some interesting food places.
1. Lhasa Fast food 37-50 74th Street
Ok you reach the above address and there seems to be a mini-mall filled with electronic stores. Yes you are in the right place. Go in. Walk around the staircase and in the back is aTibetan Restaurant
2. Jackson Diner 37-47 74th Street
The quintessential Indian Restaurant - it's the one in all the guide books
3. Patel Brothers Grocery- all manner of South Asian food, produce, nuts, beans, spices
And things I can’t identify
And of course check out all the Sari and jewelry shops on the block. If you are lucky there may be people doing the henna hand painting on the street.
4. Sammy’s Halal Food Trucks 73 and Broadway
The Epitome of Halal food card food, chicken and rice, lamb and rice, falafel and rice etc
5. Diversity Plaza 73-19 37 Road. Right where you get off the train at either the 74th Street Station on the #7 line or the Roosevelt Avenue station on the E, F or R line, there is a little triangular pedestrian area. There is a movie marquee, that has long ceased serving as a theater. It says Ittadi Gardens. Check out the Momo trucks surrounding it for Northern Asian Dumplings. Also there are the Indian Sweet shops on the plaza though I prefer Rajbhog Sweets (#7)
5. Diversity Plaza 73-19 37 Road. Right where you get off the train at either the 74th Street Station on the #7 line or the Roosevelt Avenue station on the E, F or R line, there is a little triangular pedestrian area. There is a movie marquee, that has long ceased serving as a theater. It says Ittadi Gardens. Check out the Momo trucks surrounding it for Northern Asian Dumplings. Also there are the Indian Sweet shops on the plaza though I prefer Rajbhog Sweets (#7)
6. Phayul 37-65 74th Street -second floor
Another option for Tibetan food
7. Rajbhog Sweets 72-27 37th Avenue
Delicious Indian Sweets
8. La Boina Roja Steakhouse 80-22 37th Avenue
A step up in atmosphere and service. A good steak house with Colombian Food
9. El Chivito de Oro 84 02 37th Avenue
An Uruguayan Restaurant with steak and very popular empanadas. Can get very crowded.
10. Lety's Bakery and Cafe-77-07 37th Avenue
11. Cositas Ricas79-19Roosevelt Avenue.ColombiaBakery
11. Cositas Ricas79-19Roosevelt Avenue.ColombiaBakery
12. El Abuelo Gozon- 79-03 Roosevelt Ave.Cuban
Sports Bar
Sports Bar
13. Don Alex- 84 -10 37th Avenue Peruvian Food
14. Oceanic Boil -84-20 37th Avenue. Cajun Style Seafood
15. Tibetan- Japanese Restaurant 75-26 37th Avenue
16.. Sompong Thai 37-09 83 Street- a cozy Thai place
17. Copacabana- 80-26 Roosevelt Ave. ABrazillian Grill- Buffet Style
18. Farine Bakery 74-24 37th Avenue- A famous Manhattan pastry chef, Michael Mignano, opens a French patisserie selling Halal food. Only in Jackson Height
17. Copacabana- 80-26 Roosevelt Ave. ABrazillian Grill- Buffet Style
18. Farine Bakery 74-24 37th Avenue- A famous Manhattan pastry chef, Michael Mignano, opens a French patisserie selling Halal food. Only in Jackson Height
Walking along Roosevelt Avenue there is plenty of culinary experiences right on the street. Check out:
- the many food trucks
- the home made Mexican ice cream sold from coolers, in plastic cups stuck on a popsicle stick
- fruit, fruit,fruit- cut up and whole -sold from carts on the street
- horchata- a drink made with the jicaro seeds ground with rice and spices such as ground cocoa, cinnamon, sesame seeds, nutmeg, tiger nuts and vanilla.
- blended fruit drinks- sold from store front window- you get to choose the fruits and vegetables to blend
The following sources were invaluable for information in putting this post together
Jackson Heights Historic District, Landmark Preservation Commission: http://s-media.nyc.gov/agencies/lpc/1831lp/.pdf
Jackson Heights Parks/ Jackson Heights Gardens: www.mpcproperties.com/jacksonheightstour.php
Nevius, The Transformation of Jackson Heights, Curibed New York. https://ny.curbed.com/2017/4/19/15328342/jackson-heights-queens-history
An actual book
Karatzas, Daniel. Jackson Heights a Garden City, 1990
(its out of print but available by request from the Queensboro Library)
Fathom, The Homeboy's Hot List for Jackson Heights. https://fathomaway.com/best-restaurants-jackson-heights-queens-nyc/
PBS passport holders can watch the Frederick Wiseman Documentary In Jackson Heights, Everyone else can check out clips here.
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