Hollis Hills, Queens
Encyclopedia
Hollis Hills is an affluent neighborhood in the north-east section of the borough
of Queens
in New York City
. As with most neighborhoods in New York City its existence is not official nor its boundaries fixed but Springfield Boulevard
is commonly taken at the eastern boundary, Grand Central Parkway
the southern, Hollis Hills Terrace to the west, and Kingsbury Avenue and Richland Avenue the northern. Some prefer to set the northern boundary with Oakland Gardens at Union Turnpike which approximates the border between the former townships of Flushing and Jamaica, and between the modern ZIP codes 11364 and 11427.
Most homes in Hollis Hills are of the Colonial, Tudor, and Ranch styles. Houses here attract predominantly the upper-middle class as some houses in the area can fetch prices of $1,500,000 or higher. This neighborhood, similar to Douglaston, is a quasi-suburb, with detached homes sitting on large tree-lined lots. However, its main attraction is the zoned, elementary school P.S. 188, dubbed one of the best elementary schools in the city. . Surrey Estates, a section of Hollis Hills, is a smaller triangle of architecturally notable homes surrounded by old, large trees and is bound by Union Turnpike
, Springfield Boulevard, and Hartland Avenue within Hollis Hills.
Hollis Hills is physically distinguished from the neighboring areas of Holliswood
and Hollis
by a slight elevation above sea level, thanks to a quirk of a retreating glacier from the last Ice Age. The neighborhood is flanked by Cunningham Park
and Alley Pond Park
, as well as the historic Long Island Motor Parkway
, home of the turn of the century racing competition, the Vanderbilt Cup. The parkway was built by William Kissam Vanderbilt
, a descendant of the family that presided over the New York Central Railroad
and Western Union
. The parkway is now part of the Brooklyn-Queens Greenway
used by bicyclers, joggers and nature trail lovers.
Notable institutions in Hollis Hills are The Chapel of the Redeemer Lutheran, The Hollis Hills Jewish Center (founded in 1948), American Martyrs Catholic Church, the Windsor Park Branch of the Queens Borough Public Library
, the John Hamburg Community Center, Kingsbury Elementary School (P.S. 188), Hollis Hills Civic Association and Surrey Estates Homeowners Association.
Borough (New York City)
New York City, one of the largest cities in the world, is composed of five boroughs. Each borough now has the same boundaries as the county it is in. County governments were dissolved when the city consolidated in 1898, along with all city, town, and village governments within each county...
of Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. As with most neighborhoods in New York City its existence is not official nor its boundaries fixed but Springfield Boulevard
Springfield Boulevard
Springfield Boulevard is a major north/south roadway that runs through the eastern section of Queens, New York. It goes from Northern Boulevard in Bayside, to 147th Ave in Springfield Gardens. Springfield Boulevard runs through Bayside, Oakland Gardens, Queens Village, Cambria Heights, Laurelton,...
is commonly taken at the eastern boundary, Grand Central Parkway
Grand Central Parkway
The Grand Central Parkway is a parkway that stretches from the RFK-Triborough Bridge in New York City to Nassau County on Long Island. At the Queens-Nassau border, it becomes the Northern State Parkway, which runs across the northern part of Long Island through Nassau County and into Suffolk...
the southern, Hollis Hills Terrace to the west, and Kingsbury Avenue and Richland Avenue the northern. Some prefer to set the northern boundary with Oakland Gardens at Union Turnpike which approximates the border between the former townships of Flushing and Jamaica, and between the modern ZIP codes 11364 and 11427.
Most homes in Hollis Hills are of the Colonial, Tudor, and Ranch styles. Houses here attract predominantly the upper-middle class as some houses in the area can fetch prices of $1,500,000 or higher. This neighborhood, similar to Douglaston, is a quasi-suburb, with detached homes sitting on large tree-lined lots. However, its main attraction is the zoned, elementary school P.S. 188, dubbed one of the best elementary schools in the city. . Surrey Estates, a section of Hollis Hills, is a smaller triangle of architecturally notable homes surrounded by old, large trees and is bound by Union Turnpike
Union Turnpike (New York)
Union Turnpike is a thoroughfare stretching across central and eastern Queens in New York City. It runs from Myrtle Avenue in Glendale to Marcus Avenue in North New Hyde Park, about a mile into Nassau County, New York. Initially designed as a toll road, it takes a straight-arrow path from Kew...
, Springfield Boulevard, and Hartland Avenue within Hollis Hills.
Hollis Hills is physically distinguished from the neighboring areas of Holliswood
Holliswood, Queens
Holliswood is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. Holliswood is in east central Queens bounded by the Grand Central Parkway to the north, Francis Lewis Boulevard to the east, Hillside Avenue to the south and 188th Street on the west. The neighborhood is part of Queens Community...
and Hollis
Hollis, Queens
Hollis is a neighborhood within the southeastern section of the New York City borough of Queens. A predominantly African American community, the boundaries are considered to be the Far Rockaway Branch of the Long Island Rail Road to the west, Hillside Avenue to the north, Francis Lewis Boulevard to...
by a slight elevation above sea level, thanks to a quirk of a retreating glacier from the last Ice Age. The neighborhood is flanked by Cunningham Park
Cunningham Park
Cunningham Park is a park in the New York City borough of Queens. The park lies between the Grand Central Parkway to the south and the Long Island Expressway, and is bifurcated by the Clearview Expressway...
and Alley Pond Park
Alley Pond Park
Alley Pond Park is the second-largest public park in Queens, New York. It occupies , most of it acquired and cleared by the city in 1929, as authorized by a resolution of the New York City Board of Estimate in 1927. The park is bordered to the east by Douglaston, to the west by Bayside, to the...
, as well as the historic Long Island Motor Parkway
Long Island Motor Parkway
The Long Island Motor Parkway , also known as the Vanderbilt Parkway and Motor Parkway, was the first roadway designed for automobile use only. It was privately built by William Kissam Vanderbilt with overpasses and bridges to remove intersections...
, home of the turn of the century racing competition, the Vanderbilt Cup. The parkway was built by William Kissam Vanderbilt
William Kissam Vanderbilt
William Kissam Vanderbilt was a member of the prominent American Vanderbilt family. He managed railroads and was a horse breeder.-Biography:...
, a descendant of the family that presided over the New York Central Railroad
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
and Western Union
Western Union
The Western Union Company is a financial services and communications company based in the United States. Its North American headquarters is in Englewood, Colorado. Up until 2006, Western Union was the best-known U.S...
. The parkway is now part of the Brooklyn-Queens Greenway
Brooklyn-Queens Greenway
The Brooklyn-Queens Greenway is a bicycling and pedestrian path connecting parks and roads in the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, connecting Coney Island in the south to Fort Totten in the north, on Long Island Sound...
used by bicyclers, joggers and nature trail lovers.
Notable institutions in Hollis Hills are The Chapel of the Redeemer Lutheran, The Hollis Hills Jewish Center (founded in 1948), American Martyrs Catholic Church, the Windsor Park Branch of the Queens Borough Public Library
Queens Borough Public Library
The Queens Library, also known as the Queens Borough Public Library, is the public library for the Borough of Queens and one of three library systems serving New York City. It was the No. 1 library system in the United States by circulation, having loaned 21 million items in the 2007 fiscal year.It...
, the John Hamburg Community Center, Kingsbury Elementary School (P.S. 188), Hollis Hills Civic Association and Surrey Estates Homeowners Association.