FRESH MEADOWS, LONG ISLAND

Fresh Meadows, Long Island

Fresh Meadows is a neighborhood in northeastern portion located in the borough of Queens, Long Island, New York. It is part of Queens Community Board 8. The neighborhood is mainly residential which is surrounded to the east by Francis Lewis Boulevard and Cunningham Park, to the south by Union Turnpike, to the north by Kissena Park, and to the west by parts of Parsons Boulevard.

Fresh Meadows is served by the 107th Precinct of the New York City Police Department (NYPD). Two zip codes compose Fresh Meadows: 11365 and 11366. The latitude of Fresh Meadows is 40.735N. The longitude is -73.793W. It is in the Eastern Standard time zone. Elevation is 36 feet.

In 1940s, Fresh Meadows was developed as a model community by the New York Life Insurance Company and was intended for lower middle & middle class residents. It is also the name of a housing development within the neighborhood, centered along 188th Street. The neighborhood has been home to one of New York City's most thriving Jewish, with the Jewish population at one time comprising a 90% of all people who live in Fresh Meadows. In recent time, the estimate places the percentage at around 60%, with an increasing number of younger, Asian African families moving into the area.

St. Francis Preparatory School is known as the largest Catholic high school in the United States which can be found in Fresh Meadows. There are also other notable schools within its precincts such as Francis Lewis High School, Rufus King School, and George J. Ryan Middle School. The neighborhood branch of the Queens Public Library has become a popular haunt for young people with modern digital resources and computers to go with a huge collection of printed material. Fresh Meadows has a number of great restaurants throughout the area. They are worth a visit even for people who live in Queens and the surrounding area, apart from those people who reside within the boundaries of Fresh Meadows itself. Some of the eateries have been around for ages. Sheer and sustained excellence has enabled them to thrive in changing times. They are as popular and busy today as they were when they first opened their doors. The Fillmore's on 65th Avenue is among the best restaurants in town. Newcomers can ask for the blackened steak without bothering with the menu. The exotic ingredients that go in to the memorable flavors of this signature entree are available for diners to buy. It is also safe to become a regular here for there are daily specials and entertainment to go with every evening meal. The Long Island Expressway runs through the neighborhood. Fresh Meadows primary streets include 188th Street, Horace Harding Expressway, 73rd Avenue, Utopia Parkway, and Fresh Meadow Lane. It is home to many hard working, lower middle to middle class families of several different ethnicities.