Jamaica Estates, Queens facts for kids
Jamaica Estates is a lovely neighborhood in Queens, one of the five main areas, or boroughs, that make up New York City. It's located in the northern part of Jamaica. The neighborhood has clear borders: Union Turnpike to the north, Hillside Avenue to the south, Utopia Parkway and Homelawn Street to the west, and 188th Street to the east. The main road that runs through Jamaica Estates is Midland Parkway.
Jamaica Estates is surrounded by other neighborhoods like Jamaica Hills to the west, Hollis to the southeast, and Fresh Meadows to the north.
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What's it Like in Jamaica Estates?
This neighborhood is known for its beautiful, often large homes and lots of green trees. Midland Parkway, a wide road with a landscaped area in the middle called a median strip, is a key street here. Most people living in Jamaica Estates are from the upper-middle class. The houses are usually single-family detached homes, meaning they stand alone, and come in different styles like Tudor or Mediterranean.
Jamaica Estates is a very diverse place, with many people from different countries. About 45% of its residents were born outside the United States. You'll find many people from places like Bangladesh, the Philippines, Haiti, and Russia living here. There's also a large community of Bukharan Jews. The neighborhood has many Modern Orthodox Jewish American and South Asian American residents. Most of the homes are single-family houses, but you can find some apartments and multi-family buildings near Hillside Avenue. For shopping, people go to areas along Hillside Avenue and Union Turnpike.
A Look Back in Time
Jamaica Estates was created in 1907 by a company called the Jamaica Estates Corporation. They developed a large area of land, about 503 acres, making sure to keep many of the original trees. The company was started by Ernestus Gulick and Felix Isman from Philadelphia.
In 2007, a historic building called the Gatehouse was repaired and made beautiful again after being damaged by a hurricane. The Jamaica Estates Association, which started in 1929, is still an active group that helps the community. In 2010, a special plaque was placed on the Midland Mall to mark the neighborhood's history.
Learning and Schools
The New York City Department of Education runs public schools in the area:
- Holliswood School (PS 178)
- Abigail Adams School (PS 131)
There are also several private schools:
- The Mary Louis Academy is a Catholic high school for girls.
- Immaculate Conception Catholic Academy is a school located on Midland Parkway.
- The Summit School has its high school campus in Jamaica Estates.
- Yeshiva University High School for Girls is nearby in Holliswood.
- The United Nations International School has a campus in Queens for younger students. It was originally for children of UN workers but is now open to everyone.
Getting Around
Jamaica Estates is well-connected by public transportation. The New York City Subway's IND Queens Boulevard Line has stations at Jamaica–179th Street and 169th Street. Many local buses also serve the neighborhood, including the Q1, Q2, Q3, Q36, Q43, Q76, Q77 on Hillside Avenue and the Q46 on Union Turnpike. There are also express buses like the QM1, QM5, QM6 that go directly to Manhattan.
Unlike many parts of Queens, the streets in Jamaica Estates don't always form a perfect grid. They often follow the natural hills and land. Midland Parkway is a good example of this. Many streets have names from the United Kingdom, such as Aberdeen and Chelsea. Even though the streets are winding, the house numbering system still follows the typical Queens style, using a hyphen to show the closest cross-street.
Famous Faces
Many interesting people have lived in Jamaica Estates:
- Gretel Bergmann (1914–2017) was a German high jump champion who later became a United States champion.
- Lou Carnesecca (born 1925) is a famous retired college basketball coach from St. John's University. He was even elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame.
- Joseph "Run" Simmons (born 1964) is known as "Run" from the famous music group Run-D.M.C..
- Lennie Tristano (1919–1978) was a blind jazz pianist and teacher.
- Donald Trump (born 1946), who later became the 45th President of the United States, was born and lived in Jamaica Estates.
- Fred Trump (1905–1999), a real estate developer and Donald Trump's father, built and lived in two houses in the neighborhood.
