Breezy Point, Queens facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Breezy Point
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Neighborhood of Queens
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Breezy Point Shopping Center
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| Nicknames:
Irish Riviera, Cois Farraige
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  New York |
| City |  New York City |
| County/Borough |  Queens |
| Community District | Queens 14 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.78 sq mi (2.0 km2) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 4,079 |
| Ethnicity | |
| • White | 98.2% |
| • Black | 0.1% |
| • Hispanic | 1.2% |
| • Asian | 0.6% |
| • Other | 0.1% |
| Economics | |
| • Median income | $86,941 |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Code |
11697
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| Area codes | 718, 347, 929, and 917 |
Breezy Point is a special neighborhood in Queens, one of New York City's five boroughs. It sits on the far western tip of the Rockaway peninsula. This unique community is surrounded by water, with Rockaway Inlet and Jamaica Bay to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south.
What makes Breezy Point different is that it's run by the Breezy Point Cooperative. This means all residents work together to pay for things like maintenance, security, and other community costs. The cooperative actually owns the entire 500-acre community. People who live here own their homes, but they also own shares in the cooperative.
The New York Times once described Breezy Point as having "three small neighborhoods." These are Rockaway Point, Roxbury, and the main Breezy Point. A road called Rockaway Point Boulevard connects these sections. Unlike many parts of New York City, Breezy Point feels less like a big city and more like a quiet town. It's part of Queens Community District 14 and has its own police patrol from the 100th Precinct of the New York City Police Department. Its ZIP Code is 11697.
Contents
Exploring Breezy Point's Geography
Breezy Point is made up of three distinct areas:
- Breezy Point, which is the westernmost part, close to the tip of the peninsula.
- Rockaway Point, located between Ocean Avenue and Beach 201st Street.
- Roxbury, found about a mile east, near the bridge that leads to Brooklyn, called the Marine Parkway Bridge.
Breezy Point Tip: A Natural Wonder
The very end of the peninsula, known as Breezy Point Tip, is a special natural area. It's part of the Gateway National Recreation Area, which is managed by the National Park Service. This isolated area covers about 200 acres. It features a beach facing the ocean, a shoreline along Jamaica Bay, sandy dunes, and marshy wetlands. It's a very important place for many types of birds to breed and raise their young. These include the piping plover, least tern, black skimmer, American oystercatcher, and common tern.
Who Lives in Breezy Point?
In 2010, the combined area of Breezy Point and nearby neighborhoods had a population of about 28,018 people. Breezy Point is known for having a very high percentage of Irish-American residents. In fact, its ZIP Code (11697) is about 98.2% white. It has the second-highest number of Irish-Americans in the entire country, with 60.3% of its residents having Irish heritage. Because of this, Breezy Point is often called the "Irish Riviera."
How People Become Residents
The Breezy Point Cooperative has a unique rule about who can buy a house there. Before someone can purchase a home, they need to be recommended by three current members of the Cooperative. Then, the Cooperative's board of directors must approve them. This rule helps keep the community's special character.
Many people use Breezy Point as a summer getaway. While about 4,337 people live there year-round, the population can swell to around 12,000 during the summer months. Since the mid-1990s, some Italian and Jewish families have also moved into Breezy Point.
Breezy Point's Past
Breezy Point started out in the early 1900s as a place with summer beach bungalows. In 1960, the land was sold for $17 million. The people living there decided to buy half of the land themselves for about $11 million. This is how the Breezy Point Cooperative was formed. Today, there are about 3,500 homes in the community. There were plans to build apartment buildings in the late 1960s, but the city stopped these projects.
Community Safety and Services
Breezy Point has its own private security force. This force controls who can enter the community, allowing only owners, renters, and their guests. The neighborhood is also home to three of New York City's nine remaining volunteer fire departments. These brave volunteers help keep the community safe.
Natural Disasters
On September 8, 2012, a tornado hit Breezy Point. It started as a waterspout over the Atlantic Ocean and came ashore near the Breezy Point Surf Club.
Just a month later, on October 29, 2012, Breezy Point was severely impacted by Hurricane Sandy. Both Jamaica Bay and the Atlantic Ocean flooded the land. Many homes were damaged or destroyed by the high water, and basements and cars were ruined. That night, a large fire broke out at 173 Ocean Avenue. Volunteer firefighters were stuck for hours because of the flooding. Once the water went down, the Rockaway Point Fire Department rescued over 41 people. Other fire departments found that 130 homes had burned to the ground, and another 50 homes were damaged by the fire. An official report later said that rising seawater caused the fire by touching electrical wires in a house.
Protecting Nature in Breezy Point
According to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the beaches on the Breezy Point peninsula are very important for breeding shorebirds. It's one of the most diverse areas for these birds in the entire New York Metropolitan area.
Important Bird Species
Some of the shorebirds that breed here include:
- The piping plover, which is a federally protected species.
- The American oystercatcher, protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
- The black skimmer, a species of special concern in New York State.
- The common tern, which is considered threatened in New York State.
- The least tern, also considered threatened in New York State.
The beaches at Breezy Point Tip are owned by the federal government. They are protected areas where building is very limited to help preserve nature. The beaches within the main Breezy Point community are owned by the Breezy Point Cooperative.
Education for Kids
Children living in Breezy Point attend schools run by the New York City Department of Education. For students in kindergarten through eighth grade, the local school is PS/MS 114 Belle Harbor School.
Famous People from Breezy Point
Many interesting people have lived in Breezy Point. Here are a few:
- Hugh Carey (1919–2011), who was the 51st Governor of New York.
- Charles Hynes (1935–2019), who served as the district attorney for Kings County (Brooklyn) for many years.
- Brian McNamee (born c. 1967), a former strength and conditioning coach for famous baseball teams like the New York Yankees.
- Jimmy Ring (1895–1965), a professional baseball player.
- Bob Turner (born 1941), a businessman and politician who was a United States Representative.
