JAMAICA ESTATES, LONG ISLAND

Jamaica Estates, Long Island

Jamaica Estates is a wealthy neighborhood located in the borough of Queens, Long Island, New York. It is part of Queens Community Board 8. The neighborhood is surrounded by Union Turnpike to the north, Hillside Avenue to the south, Utopia Parkway and Homelawn Street to the west and 188th Street to the east. Although technically in the Hollis zip code, many consider the neighborhood bounded by Union Turnpike, 188th Street, Cunningham Park, and the Grand Central Parkway to be part of Jamaica Estates as well. The active participation of people, social and religious organizations and business in administering the area is an important component of Jamaica's overall approach to development. Jamaica Estates is an easy access to New Yorkers from Manhattan taking the IND E and F trains. The 179th Street subway station on Hillside Avenue is the first stop on the lines. Express buses to Manhattan run frequently during rush hours and once every 20 minutes during off-peak hours.

Jamaica Estates was formed at the turn of the century by the Jamaica Estates Company, which urbanized the area's hilly 503 acres, while preserving many of the trees that had occupied the site. In 1904, it was sold by the city to Timothy L. Woodruff, Lieutenant Governor of New York under Theodore Roosevelt. He was once a partner in the Jamaica Estates Company, along with Edward M. Groat, a one- time State Comptroller, and Michael Degnon, a pioneer in the engineering of the city's first subway. It is predominantly Jewish-American and Asian-American settled around the places known today as Jamaica Estates. The neighborhood is considered one of the most expensive and exclusive residential areas in Queens.

Notable people living in Jamaica Estates include Joseph “Run” Simmons (rapper) and Gary Ackerman (congressman). The area is served by the Hillcrest branch library which offers free French and Italian lessons for adults and has frequent guest speakers. It also has special children's programs. The Union Turnpike Merchants Association also contributes in a major way to policy formulation on issues of local importance. It has also an active liaison with the local campus of the St. John's University. The campus is known for combining academics with hands-on professional experience for students enrolled with it. The school spread across the United States and Europe and the alumni that is over 100 thousand strong, includes a number of top achievers from diverse fields. A chapter of Young Israel also operates in Jamaica Estates which has a Synagogue as well. Jamaica Estates is a great place to live because of its geographical advantage of proximity to Manhattan and the extensive mass transit and public transport that serve the area. The neighborhood was believed as an area for wealthy New Yorkers to live in comfort and style, close to their places of work.