Queensboro Corporation facts for kids
| Industry | Housing |
|---|---|
| Founded | Queens, New York, United States (August 12, 1909) |
| Founder | Edward A. MacDougall |
| Headquarters |
Queens, New York
,
United States
|
The Queensboro Corporation was a real estate company. It was started by Edward A. MacDougall. This company was very important in building the Jackson Heights area of Queens, New York City.
Contents
How Jackson Heights Began
The Queensboro Corporation was created on August 12, 1909. A group of investors from New York, led by Edward A. MacDougall, formed it. Their goal was to develop an area then known as Trains Meadow.
The company bought its first 128 acres (52 ha) of land in 1910. By 1914, they owned about 350 acres (140 ha). MacDougall decided to rename the area Jackson Heights. He named it after Jackson Avenue, which was a main road nearby. The word "Heights" was added to make the area sound fancy and exclusive.
At first, getting to this area was easiest by ferry from Manhattan. But in 1909, the Queensboro Bridge opened. This made it much simpler to reach Jackson Heights.
Building a Community
The Queensboro Corporation did more than just build houses. They planned the entire community. This included dividing land into blocks and lots. They also built streets, sidewalks, and installed power, water, and sewage systems.
By 1912, they had built 8 miles (13 km) of paved roads. These roads had sidewalks, curbs, and gutters. There were also 5 miles (8.0 km) of sewers.
Transportation improved even more in 1917. The elevated IRT Flushing Line subway reached Jackson Heights. This cut travel time to Manhattan down to just twenty minutes. There were four subway stations in Jackson Heights.
In 1922, the Queensboro Corporation helped start a new bus service. The Fifth Avenue Coach Company began direct double-decker bus trips to Jackson Heights.
Who Lived There?
The Queensboro Corporation wanted middle-class New Yorkers to buy homes in Jackson Heights. These were people who could afford to live in the suburbs.
In 1914, the company's directors visited new housing projects in Europe. They likely saw "garden apartment" projects in Berlin. These European ideas influenced the design of Jackson Heights.
Instead of single-family houses, the company built fancy apartment buildings. These buildings shared beautiful garden spaces. The apartments were high quality. They had nice features like fireplaces and wood floors.
The apartments were sold, not rented. This was first called a "collective ownership plan." Later, it was changed to "cooperative ownership." This new name sounded better and less like socialism.
For many years, the Queensboro Corporation and the Jackson Heights community worked closely. The company helped set up a community board. This board made sure local services and civic groups grew. MacDougall even gave land for churches.
At first, the company had rules about who could live in Jackson Heights. This meant only certain groups of people were allowed to move in. This policy changed later, especially during tough economic times.
Garden Apartments and New Ideas
The Laurel apartment building was the first Queensboro Corporation building in Jackson Heights. It was finished in 1914 and had a small courtyard. The Greystones, completed in 1918, were designed by architect George H. Wells. The Queensboro Corporation called these "garden apartments." This name showed that the apartments were surrounded by green spaces.
The company used all unused land for parks and gardens. They even had a golf course. This was a big selling point at first. Later, much of this land was used for more buildings. In 1919, the company introduced cooperative ownership. This helped create a stronger sense of community among residents.
The First "Infomercial"
On August 28, 1922, the Queensboro Corporation paid a radio station $50. They wanted to broadcast a ten-minute sales talk for their apartments. This might have been the very first "infomercial" ever!
A speaker from the company, Mr. Blackwell, encouraged listeners to:
seek the recreation and the daily comfort of the home removed from the congested part of the city, right at the boundaries of God's great outdoors, and within a few minutes by subway from the business section of Manhattan ... The cry of the heart is for more living room, more chance to unfold, more opportunity to get near Mother Earth, to play, to romp, to plant and to dig ... Let me enjoin upon you as you value your health and your hopes and your home happiness, get away from the solid masses of brick ... where your children grow up starved for a run over a patch of grass and the sight of a tree...
Famous Architects and Designs
The Queensboro Corporation hired a well-known architect named Andrew J. Thomas. He was a big supporter of garden apartments. Thomas designed some of his most important buildings for the company.
One example is the Linden Court complex. Its buildings are arranged around a shared garden. This design lets in lots of light and fresh air. It also helps people feel like they belong to a community. Linden Court was the first development to include parking spaces and garages.
Thomas also designed the Château and Towers projects. These were for wealthier customers. They were sold as cooperatives and had large, airy apartments with elevators. The Château complex was built in a French Renaissance style. Its twelve buildings surround a big common garden.
At first, the gardens were just for looking at. But as the idea of garden apartments grew, the gardens became larger. They started to include paved areas where people could meet or sit. In 1924, the Queensboro Corporation began more projects designed by Thomas. These included Ivy Court, Cedar Court, and Spanish Gardens.
Later Years and Changes
In the mid-1920s, the Queensboro Corporation also built single-family homes. These were attached or semi-detached houses. They had brick fronts in American Colonial or English Tudor styles.
After the Wall Street Crash of 1929, the economy faced a ten-year Depression. The Queensboro Corporation struggled financially. To raise money, the company started building on land that was once open space. This included the golf course, tennis courts, and community gardens.
The company also began building traditional six-story apartment buildings. Dunolly Gardens was the last garden apartment complex Thomas built. It was a modern building finished in 1939. Its corner windows were very new for the 1930s. They made the apartments feel more spacious.
Edward A. MacDougall, the founder, passed away in 1944. His son, A.E. MacDougall, took over as president. In 1947, the New York City Housing Authority tried to build public housing in Jackson Heights. But the local residents did not want it.
In the 1940s, the Queensboro Corporation sold much of its land to other developers. The company finished the Carlton House in 1947. They tried to sell these apartments as cooperatives, but not many people bought them. So, the company started renting them instead. In 1949, the Queensboro Corporation launched the Greenbrier. This was the last cooperative they sold in Jackson Heights.
