Queens Plaza (Queens) facts for kids
Queens Plaza is a large open space in Long Island City, Queens, New York. It sits at the western end of Queens Boulevard, between 21st Street and Jackson Avenue. The famous Queensboro Bridge begins right in the middle of this plaza.
Queens Plaza is also a busy transportation hub. It has two New York City Subway stations. The Queens Plaza station is underground on the eastern side. The Queensboro Plaza station is above ground on elevated tracks, in the west-central part of the plaza.
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History of Queens Plaza
Long ago, in the 1700s, a village called Dutch Kills was located here. Two large millstones from that time were saved. They are now displayed in a green park area.
The plaza itself was built to connect the new Queensboro Bridge to Queens Boulevard. It opened in 1909 with a big party. Important people like the mayor of New York City and the governor of New York were there. About 50,000 people came to celebrate.
A street called Jane Street was made much wider. It was then renamed Bridge Plaza North and South. The plaza had grassy areas in the middle, with trees and flowers. One special display was a 75-foot "crescent" shape with a Japanese cherry tree. At first, the plaza was very open, with only a few buildings and one tall flagpole in the center.
Growth and Development
By 1915, the Queensboro Bridge was very busy with cars. So, subway tracks were built above the plaza. From the 1920s until World War II, many factories and warehouses were built here. Some of these buildings later became offices.
For example, the Brewster Building was a factory on the plaza. It made horse-drawn carriages and fancy cars like Rolls-Royces. During World War II, it even made Brewster F2A Buffalo fighter planes! Other important buildings like the Long Island Savings Bank and the Silvercup Bakery were also built. By 1928, about 86,000 cars crossed the Queensboro Bridge and drove through Queens Plaza every day.
Modern Updates and Parks
In the early 2000s, Long Island City started to change a lot. Many new buildings were constructed, especially around Queens Plaza. In 2001, the city made new rules for building in the area. This led to thousands of new apartments being built or planned near the plaza.
City leaders decided to improve Queens Plaza. In 2005, the U.S. Congress agreed to turn a city parking lot into a new park. In 2009, $75 million was set aside to clean up and update the area. The actual renovation cost $45 million.
This renovation created a new public park in the plaza. It was designed to be a peaceful "urban oasis" where people could meet. Another new park, called Dutch Kills Green, was also built. It has 500 trees, wetlands, and special pavers to help with storm drainage.
New buildings have also come to the area. Two new hotels, the Hilton Garden Inn and a Marriott, are right next to Dutch Kills Green. Even though one company moved its employees away from the Brewster Building in 2006, other companies like JetBlue and Publicis later moved into the same building.
However, Queens Plaza is not really a neighborhood where many people live. In 2000, only about 1,000 people lived right on the plaza.
Notable Places in Queens Plaza
The New York City Traffic Control Center is located at 28-11 Queens Plaza North. This center helps manage all the traffic lights in New York City.
The Chase Manhattan Bank Building is a very important building. In 2015, it was named a New York City designated landmark. This means it is a special building that needs to be protected. It was built in 1927 and was one of the most famous buildings on Queens Plaza at that time. It is located at 29-27 41st Avenue, with one side facing Queens Plaza North.
See also
In Spanish: Queens Plaza para niños
