Elmhurst occupies the northwest corner of Queens and is elevated 26 feet above sea level. The town is bordered by Roosevelt Avenue to the north in Jackson Heights, the Long Island Expressway to the south in Rego Park, Junction Boulevard to the east in Corona, and the Long Island Rail Road to the west in Maspeth and Woodside. Queens Boulevard splices through 1.2 miles of Elmhurst.
Elmhurst was founded in 1652 as Middleburgh by the English or Dutch and was largely rural farmland until the in the early 20th century when the town assumed the name Elmhurst. During the early 1900s, Germans, Jews, Irish, Scots, and Italians settled in Elmhurst. In 1937, the subway was routed through Elmhurst and brought more residents to the community.
At the close of World War II, veterans began to purchase property outside the city with low-interest federal loans. By the time of the World's Fair in 1964-65, the suburbs were luring Elmhurst's residents with tax incentives and subsidies. At the same time, the United States Immigration and Nationalization Act abolished national origin quotas, and the face of America, Queens and Elmhurst changed to that of a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic society.
Today, Elmhurst’s 11373 ZIP code is the most ethnically diverse in the country, and potentially in the world. Approximately 73% of its 106,000 residents were born in a foreign country, according to the 2000 U.S. Census Bureau. Elmhurst is 45% Hispanic, 40% Asian, 10% white and 5% other. An estimated 140 languages or dialects are spoken within the community. Major religions include Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism, a waning Catholicism, and to a lesser extent, Judaism and Islam.
The 2000 U.S. Census Bureau reports: a median age of 33.4; a median household income of $38,099; an unemployment rate at 8.9%; the gross median rent at $790 per month; and, the median housing value at $228,837. The top 311 issues include quality of life complaints, such as noise, illegal parking and graffiti. A rise in burglaries and grand larceny also pose a concern.
Elmhurst continues to attract new residents with its swift access to Manhattan, affordable housing, employment opportunities, and a generally immigrant-friendly neighborhood. Elmhurst is also home to the U.S.'s highest grossing mall per square foot, the Queens Center Mall, and two hospitals.
However, a booming population, unbridled development of multi-story buildings in place of one- or two-family homes, and illegal housing drain the existing infrastructure and services.
While Elmhurst has grown, its pipes, sewer system and electrical board date back to the early 1900s. As a result of two summer storms and Elmhurst’s already high water table, the sewer system could not pump water out fast enough. FEMA declared Elmhurst—and Queen's County—a disaster area on August 31, 2007.
There is a sense of two (or more) Elmhursts: the “old guard” and the “new immigrants.” Long-time residents complain about improper zoning, the persistent smell of sewage, the mounds of garbage in public receptacles (due to illegal housing), and dangerously overwhelmed hospitals and schools. They feel their quality of life is grossly compromised and Elmhurst’s golden age has eclipsed them.
New immigrants breathe a renewed vitality into an area previously known for gangs, drugs and the Boulevard of Death. They are generally working class people who want to carve out better lives.
The question remains whether Elmhurst can one day resemble that nostalgic community it once was, where neighbors live together and look out for each other. Or, is Elmhurst a collection of several communities where residents—divided by cultural and linguistic barriers—live among each other and simply tolerate differences?
Showing posts with label Profile. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Profile. Show all posts
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Goodbye to Rosie, the Queen of Corona
Corona, Queens, is a neighborhood forever reinventing itself. It was first settled in 1655 when it was little more than farmland and forest. Today it is a bustling, multi-ethnic part of Queens, the sounds of Spanish and the smell of tacos frequently filling the air.
Originally considered part of Newtown, Long Island, Corona grew steadily during the 1800s. The Flushing Railroad, built in 1853, brought more people to the area. The National Race Course operated in Corona between 1854 and 1869, until it was sold at auction in 1874 to make room for the expansion of the railroad track.
Real estate developer Thomas Waite Howard coined the name Corona in 1870 when he called the neighborhood “the crown of Queens County.” By 1900, Corona was made up of immigrants from England, Ireland, Germany, Italy, and Scandinavia.
Corona grew from 2,500 residents in 1898 to 40,000 in the early 1900s. In 1917, the elevated subway line was installed along Roosevelt Avenue, bringing much greater mobility to the area. The Corona Meadows were filled in, and would later be known as Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, the site of the 1939 and 1964 World’s Fairs.
The Lefrak housing development was built in the mid-1960s for working and middle-class families. The twenty-building, 40-acre complex houses over 14,000 people. The area was traditionally home to a large Jewish community, although the area has come to house many African Americans as well as immigrants from the former Soviet Union.
Although Corona had a large Italian population until the 1980s, it has since decreased, and a greater number of Hispanics have moved into the neighborhood. Today, Corona is home to many Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Ecuadorians, Colombians, and other South American groups, as well as Asian Americans, African Americans, and a few remaining Italian Americans. As of 2000, two-thirds of Corona’s population of 85,730 was Hispanic.
A walk around Corona reveals many of the area’s trends: over-development and not enough supporting infrastructure. While several parks throughout the neighborhood are well tended, they contrast markedly with many residential areas, particularly those that lie off the main thoroughfares. There is scarcely a block lacking some sign of construction or development. Single-family homes are being replaced by larger buildings meant to house more families, as housing prices increase, according to District Manager Richard Italiano.
Another community concern, perhaps reflecting population growth and the rapid turnover of residents, is litter. It lines gutters, yards, and sidewalks. Trashcans are hard to find. Lawns are frequently untended, giving the neighborhood a haggard look. The 110th Precinct Chief, Deputy Inspector Thomas Pilkington, said the turnover rate for many Corona residents is roughly 3-4 years before they move out of the neighborhood. Investment in the area’s appearance may therefore not be a priority for some resident. At a recent Community Board 4 meeting, most of the board members, who are older community residents, voiced concern about the widespread presence of graffiti in the neighborhood.
The northern part of Corona is very predominantly Latino. Most shop owners presuppose knowledge of Spanish, and it is by far the language heard most frequently on the street. As one approaches Lefrak City in the southwest corner of Corona, however, there is a greater African-American and Eastern European presence, including many Russians.
Originally considered part of Newtown, Long Island, Corona grew steadily during the 1800s. The Flushing Railroad, built in 1853, brought more people to the area. The National Race Course operated in Corona between 1854 and 1869, until it was sold at auction in 1874 to make room for the expansion of the railroad track.
Real estate developer Thomas Waite Howard coined the name Corona in 1870 when he called the neighborhood “the crown of Queens County.” By 1900, Corona was made up of immigrants from England, Ireland, Germany, Italy, and Scandinavia.
Corona grew from 2,500 residents in 1898 to 40,000 in the early 1900s. In 1917, the elevated subway line was installed along Roosevelt Avenue, bringing much greater mobility to the area. The Corona Meadows were filled in, and would later be known as Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, the site of the 1939 and 1964 World’s Fairs.
The Lefrak housing development was built in the mid-1960s for working and middle-class families. The twenty-building, 40-acre complex houses over 14,000 people. The area was traditionally home to a large Jewish community, although the area has come to house many African Americans as well as immigrants from the former Soviet Union.
Although Corona had a large Italian population until the 1980s, it has since decreased, and a greater number of Hispanics have moved into the neighborhood. Today, Corona is home to many Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Ecuadorians, Colombians, and other South American groups, as well as Asian Americans, African Americans, and a few remaining Italian Americans. As of 2000, two-thirds of Corona’s population of 85,730 was Hispanic.
A walk around Corona reveals many of the area’s trends: over-development and not enough supporting infrastructure. While several parks throughout the neighborhood are well tended, they contrast markedly with many residential areas, particularly those that lie off the main thoroughfares. There is scarcely a block lacking some sign of construction or development. Single-family homes are being replaced by larger buildings meant to house more families, as housing prices increase, according to District Manager Richard Italiano.
Another community concern, perhaps reflecting population growth and the rapid turnover of residents, is litter. It lines gutters, yards, and sidewalks. Trashcans are hard to find. Lawns are frequently untended, giving the neighborhood a haggard look. The 110th Precinct Chief, Deputy Inspector Thomas Pilkington, said the turnover rate for many Corona residents is roughly 3-4 years before they move out of the neighborhood. Investment in the area’s appearance may therefore not be a priority for some resident. At a recent Community Board 4 meeting, most of the board members, who are older community residents, voiced concern about the widespread presence of graffiti in the neighborhood.
The northern part of Corona is very predominantly Latino. Most shop owners presuppose knowledge of Spanish, and it is by far the language heard most frequently on the street. As one approaches Lefrak City in the southwest corner of Corona, however, there is a greater African-American and Eastern European presence, including many Russians.
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