Central Avenue (Five Towns)
Encyclopedia
Central Avenue is a road mainly in Nassau County
on Long Island
, New York
, that spans four of the Five Towns
along the Far Rockaway Branch
of the Long Island Rail Road
, to which it runs parallel. About a third of it is a popular business district that plays a central role in the social life of the communities in which it is located. The remaining residential districts are divided about equally between upscale single-family homes, condominium
s, and downscale housing. Central Avenue is 3.1 miles long and runs from east-to-west through the communities of Woodmere
, Cedarhurst
, Lawrence
, and Inwood
. It begins intersecting Franklin Place in Woodmere and ends intersecting Mott Avenue, in Far Rockaway
, Queens County. However, Beach 20th Street, its continuation from Mott Avenue until the beachfront, was a part of Central Avenue until 1917.
and the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway
High School. It is considered prime real estate territory, with very high store rental rates. As such, every side street along the strip holds many more stores. Because of the large Jewish population (mostly Orthodox
and Charedi), many of the restaurants and food stores are kosher certified. However, several bars and Italian restaurants can also be found there. Because of the vast number of people shopping in preparation for the Jewish Sabbath, traffic on Friday afternoons is virtually at a standstill, while most stores are closed on Saturday. In addition, since 2 high schools (HAFTR and Rambam Mesivta)let out all four of their respective grades, lunchtime during the school year leads to large increases in waiting time at restaurants in the area.
Nassau County, New York
Nassau County is a suburban county on Long Island, east of New York City in the U.S. state of New York, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,339,532...
on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, that spans four of the Five Towns
Five Towns
The Five Towns is an informal grouping of villages and hamlets in Nassau County, New York, United States on the South Shore of western Long Island adjoining the border with Queens County in New York City. Despite the name, none of the communities is a town...
along the Far Rockaway Branch
Far Rockaway Branch
The Far Rockaway Branch is an electrified rail line and service owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. The branch begins at Valley Interlocking, just east of Valley Stream station; the Long Beach Branch also begins there, heading east and south to Long Beach,...
of the Long Island Rail Road
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
, to which it runs parallel. About a third of it is a popular business district that plays a central role in the social life of the communities in which it is located. The remaining residential districts are divided about equally between upscale single-family homes, condominium
Condominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
s, and downscale housing. Central Avenue is 3.1 miles long and runs from east-to-west through the communities of Woodmere
Woodmere, New York
Woodmere is a hamlet in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 17,121 at the 2010 census.Woodmere is one of the Long Island communities known as the Five Towns, which is usually said to comprise the villages of Lawrence and Cedarhurst, the hamlets of Woodmere and Inwood, and...
, Cedarhurst
Cedarhurst, New York
Cedarhurst is a village in Nassau County, on the South Shore of Long Island, New York, in the USA. The population was 6,592 at the 2010 United States Census. The village is named after a grove of trees that once stood at the post office....
, Lawrence
Lawrence, Nassau County, New York
Lawrence is a village in Nassau County, New York in the USA. As of the United States 2010 Census, the village population was 6,483.The Village of Lawrence is in the southwest corner of the Town of Hempstead, adjoining the border with the New York City borough of Queens to the west and near the...
, and Inwood
Inwood, New York
Inwood is a hamlet and census-designated place in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 9,792 at the 2010 census.Inwood is included among the Five Towns, an informal grouping of villages and hamlets in Nassau County on the South Shore of western Long Island adjoining the...
. It begins intersecting Franklin Place in Woodmere and ends intersecting Mott Avenue, in Far Rockaway
Far Rockaway, Queens
Far Rockaway is a neighborhood on the Rockaway Peninsula in the New York City borough of Queens in the United States. It is the easternmost section of the Rockaways. The neighborhood starts at the Nassau County line and extends west to Beach 32nd Street. The neighborhood is part of Queens Community...
, Queens County. However, Beach 20th Street, its continuation from Mott Avenue until the beachfront, was a part of Central Avenue until 1917.
Business district
Using "Central Avenue" colloquially refers to the business district of Central Avenue. This section is just under a mile long and is located mostly in Cedarhurst and Lawrence, with a small section in Woodmere. It has always been an anchor of area life, and is the defining feature of Cedarhurst, a "shopping village". It features a vast number of restaurants and a large number of clothing stores, in addition to supermarkets, barbershops, pharmacies, etc. It also is the location of the Peninsula Public Library, St. Joachim Church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville CentreRoman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre comprises the territory of Nassau and Suffolk counties in New York state, USA. Founded in 1957, this diocese was created from territory that once belonged to the Diocese of Brooklyn...
and the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway
Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway
The Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway, or HAFTR, is a Modern Orthodox Jewish day school on the South Shore of Long Island in New York serving male and female students in preschool through twelfth grade. It is a private school in the Five Towns...
High School. It is considered prime real estate territory, with very high store rental rates. As such, every side street along the strip holds many more stores. Because of the large Jewish population (mostly Orthodox
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
and Charedi), many of the restaurants and food stores are kosher certified. However, several bars and Italian restaurants can also be found there. Because of the vast number of people shopping in preparation for the Jewish Sabbath, traffic on Friday afternoons is virtually at a standstill, while most stores are closed on Saturday. In addition, since 2 high schools (HAFTR and Rambam Mesivta)let out all four of their respective grades, lunchtime during the school year leads to large increases in waiting time at restaurants in the area.