Jamaica, Queens
Encyclopedia
Jamaica is a neighborhood in the borough
of Queens
in New York City
, New York
, United States
. It was settled under Dutch
rule in 1656 in New Netherland
as Rustdorp. Under British rule, the Village of Jamaica became the center of the "Town of Jamaica". Jamaica was the county seat of Queens County from the formation of the county in 1683 until March 7, 1788, when the town was reorganized by the state government and the county seat was moved to Mineola
(now part of Nassau County). When Queens was incorporated into the City of Greater New York
in 1898, both the Town of Jamaica and the Village of Jamaica were dissolved, but the neighborhood of Jamaica regained its role as county seat. The neighborhood is part of Queens Community Board 12
. Jamaica is patrolled by the NYPD's 103rd Precinct.
Previously known as one of the predominantly African American
neighborhoods in the borough of Queens, Jamaica in recent years has been undergoing a sharp influx of other ethnicities. It has a substantial concentration of West Indian immigrants, India
ns, Arabs, Russians
, Puerto Ricans
, Dominicans, Filipinos
as well as many long-established African American families.
The neighborhood of Jamaica is completely unrelated to the Caribbean
nation of Jamaica
(although many residents are immigrants from Jamaica); the name similarity is a coincidence. The Lenape
were the Native Americans
living in the area when the English
took it over in 1664, and named it "Jameco" after a Lenape language word for "beaver".
Jamaica is the location of several government buildings including Queens Civil Court
, the civil branch of the Queens County Supreme Court
, the Queens County Family Court and the Joseph P. Addabbo
Federal Building, home to the Social Security Administration's
Northeastern Program Service Center. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Northeast Regional Laboratory as well as the New York District Office are also located in Jamaica. Jamaica Center, the area around Jamaica Avenue
and 165th Street, is a major commercial center, as well as the home of the Central Library of the Queens Borough Public Library
.
Some locals group Jamaica's surrounding neighborhoods into an unofficial Greater Jamaica, roughly corresponding to the former Town of Jamaica, including Richmond Hill
, Woodhaven
, St. Albans
, Rosedale
, Springfield Gardens
, Hollis
, Laurelton
, Cambria Heights
, Queens Village
, Howard Beach
and Ozone Park
. The New York Racing Association
, based at Aqueduct Racetrack
in South Ozone Park, lists its official address as Jamaica (Central Jamaica once housed NYRA's Jamaica Racetrack, now the massive Rochdale Village
housing development).
was an ancient trail for tribes from as far away as the Ohio River
and the Great Lakes
, coming to trade skins and furs for wampum
. It was in 1655 that the first settlers paid the Native Americans with two guns, a coat, and some powder and lead, for the land lying between the old trail and "Beaver Pond" (later Baisley Pond). Dutch Director-General
Peter Stuyvesant
dubbed the area "Rustdorp" in granting the 1656 land patent
.
The English
took over in 1664, renamed it "Jameco" (or Yamecah) after the name they gave to the local Native Americans that lived in the area, and made it part of the county of Yorkshire
. In 1683, when the British divided the Province of New York
into counties, Jamaica became the county seat of Queens County, one of the original counties of New York.
Colonial Jamaica had a band of 56 Minutemen that played an active part in the Battle of Long Island
, the outcome of which led to the occupation of the New York City area by British troops during most of the American Revolutionary War
. In Jamaica, "George Washington slept here" is indeed true — in 1790, in William Warner's tavern. Rufus King
, a signer of the United States Constitution
, relocated here in 1805. He added to a modest 18th-century farmhouse, creating the manor which stands on the site today. King Manor has recently been restored to its former glory, and now houses King Manor Museum.
By 1776, Jamaica had become a trading post for farmers and their produce. For more than a century, their horse-drawn carts plodded along Jamaica Avenue, then called King's Highway. The Jamaica Post Office opened September 25, 1794, and was the only post office in the present-day Boroughs of Queens or Brooklyn before 1803. Union Hall Academy for boys, and Union Hall Seminary for girls, were chartered in 1787. The Academy eventually attracted students from all over the United States and the West Indies. The public school system was started in 1813 with funds of $125. Jamaica Village, the first village on Long Island, was incorporated in 1814 with its boundaries being from the present-day Van Wyck Expressway (on the west) and Jamaica Avenue (on the north, later Hillside Avenue
) to Farmers Boulevard (on the east) and Linden Boulevard (on the south) in what is now St.Albans
.
By 1834, the Brooklyn and Jamaica Railroad company had completed a line to Jamaica.
In 1850, the former Kings Highway (now Jamaica Avenue) became the Brooklyn and Jamaica Plank Road
, complete with toll gate. In 1866, tracks were laid for a horsecar
line, and 20 years later it was electrified, the first in the state. On January 1, 1898, Queens became part of the City of New York
, and Jamaica became the county seat.
The present Jamaica station of the Long Island Rail Road
was completed in 1913, and the BMT Jamaica Line
arrived in 1918, followed by the IND Queens Blvd. Line in 1936. The 1920s and 1930s saw the building of the Valencia Theatre (now restored by the Tabernacle of Prayer), the "futuristic" Kurtz furniture store and the Roxanne Building.
Jamaica was not always as diverse as it is today. Throughout the 19th to early 20th centuries, Jamaica was mainly populated with whites as new Irish immigrants settled around the places known today as Downtown and Baisley Pond Park. However in the 1950s, what was later called white flight
began and middle-income African Americans started taking their place. After the 1970s, as housing prices began to tumble, many Hispanic and west Indian immigrants moved in. These ethnic groups tended to stay more towards the Jamaica Avenue and South Jamaica areas. Yet it wasn't until the late 1990s and early 2000s that immigration from other countries became widespread. Gentrification
and decrease in crime attracted many families toward Jamaica's safe havens. Hillside Avenue is a complete reflection of this trend. Along 150th to 161st streets, much of the stores and restaurants are of South American and Caribbean culture. Heading farther east is the rapidly growing East Indian community. Mainly spurred on by Jamaica Muslim Center, Bangladeshis have flocked to this area due to easy transit access and the numerous Bangladeshi stores and restaurants lining 167th and 168th streets. Neighborhood analysts have concluded that Bangladeshis are becoming the most rapidly growing group. Other areas where they are known to reside include Merrick Blvd. and Sutphin Blvd. in South Jamaica. Yet heading down this same direction, you will find numerous churches, stores, salons, and hair-braiding shops thriving in the hip-hop and African-American cultures.
moved to suburban areas where business was more profitable. Such retailers included brand name stores, commercial strips and movie theaters that once thrived in Jamaica's busiest areas. Macy's
and the Valencia theater were the last companies to move out in 1969. The 1980s brought in the crack epidemic
which created even more hardship and crime. Prime real estate spaces were filled by hair salons and 99 cents stores. Furthermore, existing zoning patterns and inadequate infrastructure did not anticipate future development.
Since then, the decrease of the crime rate has encouraged entrepreneurs who plan to invest in the area. The Greater Jamaica Development Corporation (GJDC) is a long-standing nonprofit organization that has done an excellent job in promoting development. They have acquired valuable real estate and sold them to national chains in order to expand neighborhood opportunities for advancement. As well they have completed underway proposals by allocating funds and providing loans to potential investors who have already established something in the area. One Jamaica Center is a mixed-use commercial complex that was built in 2002 by The Mattone Group housing Old Navy
, Bally Total Fitness
, Walgreens
, Subway (restaurant)
, Dunkin' Donuts
, a 15-screen multiplex theater and once a Gap. Banking has also made a strong revival as Bank of America
, Sterling National Bank, Chase Bank, and Carver Federal Savings Bank have each created at least one branch along various major streets: Jamaica Avenue, Parsons Boulevard, Merrick Boulevard, and Sutphin Boulevard. A $75 million deal between the developers, The Mattone Group and Ceruzzi Enterprises, and Home Depot cleared the way for a new location at 168th St. and Archer Ave. All approvals were obtained within three months of the application dates.
The most prominent piece of development has been the creation of the Sutphin Boulevard transit hub aka "Jamaica Station" which was fully completed in 2003. It includes the Sutphin Blvd. E, J, and Z subway subway station, LIRR
, and the Airtrain JFK
which provides a 5-7 minute direct ride from Jamaica to John F. Kennedy International Airport
. The Airtrain station remains the central figure for ongoing economic progress. With the growing number of riders each day passing through this station, the city is providing some major changes to the surrounding blocks of this massive hub of transport.
Currently Jamaica has great potential to be a premier business center in New York City following the examples of major redevelopment occurring in Long Island City, Flushing
, and Downtown Brooklyn
. In 2005, the New York City Department of City Planning
drafted a plan that would rezone 368 blocks of Jamaica in order to stimulate new development, relieve traffic congestion
, and shift upscale amenities away from low-density residential neighborhoods. The plan includes up-zoning the immediate areas around Jamaica Station to accommodate passengers traveling through the area. To improve infrastructure the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation has agreed to create more greenery and open spaces to allow pedestrians to enjoy the scenery. At the same time, the city has reserved the right to protect the suburban/residential charm of neighboring areas. Several blocks will be down-zoned to keep up with the existing neighborhood character. On September 10, 2007 the City Council overwhelmingly approved the plan. Structures of up to 28 stories can be built around the main transit hub as well as residential buildings of up to 7 stories can be built on Hillside Ave.
Several projects are in progress. The New York City Economic Development Corporation
has issued an RFP for redevelopment of a 45000 sq ft (4,180.6 m²). abandoned garage located at 168th St. and 93rd Ave. Plans are underway to convert this space into retail and parking spots. "TechnoMart Queens" has been the first ever declared approved project. Located at Sutphin Blvd. and 94th Ave., Korean Based Prime Construction Corp., Greater Jamaica Development Corporation, and several other partners have signed a deal to create a 13-story Mega-mall. 9 floors will be dedicated towards wholesale electronics, 3 floors to retail space for shopping, and it is estimated to contain parking for up to 800 cars. Groundbreaking on this site will initiate in late 2008 and is slated for completion by mid-2011. The GJDC has announced in their newsletter that another site adjacent to the mall will be converted into a hotel for Airtrain passengers. Official groundbreaking information has not been released nor declared yet its completion is set for 2010.
North American Airlines
has its corporate headquarters in Building 141 on the grounds of John F. Kennedy International Airport
.
Grupo TACA
operates a Jamaica-area TACA Satellite at 149-16 Jamaica Avenue.
When Tower Air
existed, its headquarters were in Hangar 17 on the grounds of Kennedy Airport.
Jamaica Station
is a central transfer point on the Long Island Rail Road
(LIRR), which is headquartered in a building adjoining the station; all but one of the commuter railroad's lines (the exception being the Port Washington Branch
) run through Jamaica.
The New York City Subway
's IND Queens Boulevard Line
( trains) terminates at 179th Street station, at the foot of Jamaica Estates, a neighborhood of mansions east of Jamaica's central business district. The Archer Avenue Line
, which opened in 1988 ( trains), terminates at Jamaica Center – Parsons/Archer station. Jamaica Center is not just a transit hub; it is also the name of a business and government center that includes a federal office building, and a shopping mall and theater multiplex (One Jamaica Center), and is adjacent to various other businesses and agencies, such as the main forensic laboratory facility for the New York City Police Department
.
Jamaica's bus network provides extensive service across eastern Queens, as well as to destinations as distant as Hicksville
in Nassau County
, the Bronx
, the Rockaways
, and Midtown Manhattan
. Nearly all bus lines serving Jamaica terminate there; most do so at the 165th Street Bus Terminal
or the Jamaica Center subway station.
Jamaica, a large, sprawling neighborhood, is also home to John F. Kennedy International Airport
—one of the busiest international airports in the United States and the world— public transportation passengers are connected to airline terminals by AirTrain JFK
, which operates as both an airport terminal circulator and rail connection to central Jamaica at the integrated LIRR and bi-level subway station located at Sutphin Blvd and Archer Avenue.
Major streets include Archer Avenue, Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue, Liberty Avenue, Merrick Boulevard
, Parsons Boulevard, Guy R. Brewer Boulevard (formerly known as New York Boulevard), and Sutphin Boulevard, as well as the Van Wyck Expressway (I-678)
and the Grand Central Parkway
.
Neighboring areas are Jamaica Estates
, Jamaica Hills
, Briarwood
, Cambria Heights, St. Albans
, Hollis
, Queens Village
, South Ozone Park
, Kew Gardens
, Richmond Hill
, Laurelton
, Rosedale
, Brookville
, Rochdale
, South Jamaica
, Springfield Gardens
, Hillcrest
, Kew Gardens Hills, Fresh Meadows. South Flushing, and Woodhaven
.
Jamaica Avenue
or sometimes known as the "Ave" is Jamaica's busiest thoroughfare. The route actually begins at Broadway Junction
in Brooklyn, near the boundary of the East New York neighborhood. The Avenue enters Jamaica east of the Van Wyck Expressway, and it brings the traveler to the Joseph Addabbo
Social Security Administration Building, courthouses and the main building of the Queens Library, along with many discount stores offering a variety of goods. Jamaica Avenue also sets the tone for historical and cultural amenities. The 200-year-old King Manor Museum
, once home to Rufus King
, a founding father of America, is located at the corner of 153rd St. and Jamaica Ave. It includes a 2-story museum with over an acre of land and a public park. Directly across from the Museum is the Jamaica Performing Arts Center, part of the JCAL, represents a long sought adaptive reuse
of the landmark, 150 year old former Dutch Reformed Church. It was completed in 2007.
Hillside Avenue is located along the northern boundary of Jamaica. It is served by the , which runs all the way from Sutphin Boulevard
to 179th Street, where it terminates. Hillside Avenue starts off in the Richmond Hill
area and runs east bypassing Ozone Park, running throughout Jamaica, and into Queens Village and Long Island. It consists of a wide 6 lane street with numerous commercial activities. The Q43 Bus runs its entire length starting off in Sutphin Boulevard. Today, Hillside Avenue is actually the line that separates Jamaica from Jamaica Hills, Jamaica Estates and Briarwood on the southern boundary and Union Turnpike from Flushing on the northern boundary. ". The enormous cultural diversity is well foreseeable in this region. Within every couple or so blocks, there is a unique transition of one ethnic group to another. From 148th Street to 150th Street, one will find numerous wholesale and merchandise shops with a well amount of family oriented restaurants of South American descent. From 151st Street and into 164th Street, there is an unprecedented amount of groceries and restaurants pertaining to the West Indies. Mainly of Guyanese and Trinidadian origin, these stores serve their respective population living in and around the Jamaica Center area. Lastly, advancing east from 167th Street to 171st Street, there is an enormous amount of East Indian shops. Mainly invested by the ever growing Bangladeshi population, hundreds of South Asians come here to shop for Eastern goods not found anywhere else in Queens. Also restaurants such as "Sagar" and "Ghoroa" countless more resemble the Bangladeshi stronghold here. Some people actually refer to this area as being another "Little South Asia" similar to that of Jackson Heights
.
Sutphin Boulevard is Jamaica's second busiest thoroughfare. It is home to the , , and trains, the LIRR
, AirTrain JFK
, and two Queens Courthouses. It begins at Hillside Avenue and 147th Place in the north and works its way downward connecting with Jamaica Avenue, Archer Avenue, Liberty Avenue, South Road, Linden Boulevard, and finally terminates at Rockaway Boulevard. At first it is a small four-lane street, but when reaching the downtown area it curves into a complete six-lane passageway. At 95th Avenue, it reemerges from the LIRR underpass and becomes a four-lane street once more until its endpoint.
.
Public high schools in Jamaica include:
Public Elementary and Intermediate (Junior High) Schools in Jamaica include:
I.S. 8
J.H.S. 72, Catherine and Count Basie
United Nations International School, a private school in Jamaica estate
The Catholic schools are administered by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn
.
, the nation's highest circulation public library system, is in Jamaica. The Baisley Park Branch and the South Jamaica Branch are also located in Jamaica.
Notable current and former residents of Jamaica include:
Arts
Music
Sports
Other
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...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was settled under Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
rule in 1656 in New Netherland
New Netherland
New Netherland, or Nieuw-Nederland in Dutch, was the 17th-century colonial province of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands on the East Coast of North America. The claimed territories were the lands from the Delmarva Peninsula to extreme southwestern Cape Cod...
as Rustdorp. Under British rule, the Village of Jamaica became the center of the "Town of Jamaica". Jamaica was the county seat of Queens County from the formation of the county in 1683 until March 7, 1788, when the town was reorganized by the state government and the county seat was moved to Mineola
Mineola, New York
Mineola is a village in Nassau County, New York, USA. The population was 18,799 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from a Native American word meaning a "pleasant place"....
(now part of Nassau County). When Queens was incorporated into the City of Greater New York
City of Greater New York
The City of Greater New York was a term commonly used originally to refer to the expanded city created on January 1, 1898 by the incorporation into the city of Richmond County, Kings County, Queens County, and the eastern part of what is now called The Bronx...
in 1898, both the Town of Jamaica and the Village of Jamaica were dissolved, but the neighborhood of Jamaica regained its role as county seat. The neighborhood is part of Queens Community Board 12
Queens Community Board 12
The Queens Community Board 12 is a local government in the New York City borough of Queens, encompassing the neighborhoods of Jamaica, Hollis, St. Albans, Springfield Gardens, Baisley Park, Rochdale Village, South Jamaica...
. Jamaica is patrolled by the NYPD's 103rd Precinct.
Previously known as one of the predominantly African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
neighborhoods in the borough of Queens, Jamaica in recent years has been undergoing a sharp influx of other ethnicities. It has a substantial concentration of West Indian immigrants, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
ns, Arabs, Russians
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
, Puerto Ricans
Puerto Ricans in the United States
Stateside Puerto Ricans are American citizens of Puerto Rican origin, including those who migrated from Puerto Rico to the United States and those who were born outside of Puerto Rico in the United States...
, Dominicans, Filipinos
Filipino American
Filipino Americans are Americans of Filipino ancestry. Filipino Americans, often shortened to "Fil-Ams", or "Pinoy",Filipinos in what is now the United States were first documented in the 16th century, with small settlements beginning in the 18th century...
as well as many long-established African American families.
The neighborhood of Jamaica is completely unrelated to the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
nation of Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
(although many residents are immigrants from Jamaica); the name similarity is a coincidence. The Lenape
Lenape
The Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...
were the Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
living in the area when the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
took it over in 1664, and named it "Jameco" after a Lenape language word for "beaver".
Jamaica is the location of several government buildings including Queens Civil Court
New York City Civil Court
The New York City Civil Court is a court hearing civil cases within New York City. By volume, it is the largest civil jurisdiction court in the United States, and handles about 25% of the total filings of the entire New York state court system.-Jurisdiction:...
, the civil branch of the Queens County Supreme Court
New York Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in thestate court system of New York, United States. There is a supreme court in each of New York State's 62 counties, although some smaller counties share judges with neighboring counties...
, the Queens County Family Court and the Joseph P. Addabbo
Joseph Patrick Addabbo
Joseph Patrick Addabbo was a New York City politician who served as a Democrat in the United States House of Representatives from 1961 to 1986...
Federal Building, home to the Social Security Administration's
Social Security Administration
The United States Social Security Administration is an independent agency of the United States federal government that administers Social Security, a social insurance program consisting of retirement, disability, and survivors' benefits...
Northeastern Program Service Center. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Northeast Regional Laboratory as well as the New York District Office are also located in Jamaica. Jamaica Center, the area around Jamaica Avenue
Jamaica Avenue
Jamaica Avenue is a major avenue in the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens in New York City, New York, in the United States. Jamaica Avenue starts at Broadway and Fulton Street in the East New York neighborhood in Brooklyn, and goes to the city line in Bellerose, Queens, where it becomes Jericho...
and 165th Street, is a major commercial center, as well as the home of the Central Library 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...
.
Some locals group Jamaica's surrounding neighborhoods into an unofficial Greater Jamaica, roughly corresponding to the former Town of Jamaica, including Richmond Hill
Richmond Hill, Queens
Richmond Hill is a neighborhood in central-southern Queens, New York City, USA. It is bordered by Kew Gardens to the north, Woodhaven and Ozone Park to the west, South Ozone Park to the south and South Jamaica to the east...
, Woodhaven
Woodhaven, Queens
Woodhaven is a middle-class neighborhood located in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York, United States.Woodhaven is bordered on the north by a public park, Forest Park, and Park Lane South. Woodhaven also borders Richmond Hill to the east, and Ozone Park to the south at Atlantic Avenue...
, St. Albans
St. Albans, Queens
St. Albans is a middle class community in the New York City borough of Queens around the intersection of Linden Boulevard and Farmers Boulevard, about two miles north of JFK Airport. It is southeast of Jamaica, west of Cambria Heights and north of Springfield Gardens and Laurelton.The neighborhood...
, Rosedale
Rosedale, Queens
Rosedale is a suburban neighborhood in Queens. The neighborhood is on the Nassau County, New York - Queens border and is part of Queens Community Board 13.- History :...
, Springfield Gardens
Springfield Gardens, Queens
Springfield Gardens is a neighborhood in the southeastern area of the New York City borough of Queens, bounded to the north by St. Albans, to the east by Laurelton & Rosedale, to the south by John F. Kennedy International Airport, and to the west by Farmers Boulevard...
, 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...
, Laurelton
Laurelton, Queens
Laurelton is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. It is now a largely middle class neighborhood. In the 1930s through 1970s and beyond, the neighborhood was populated by many Jewish Americans, but succeeding generations have been made up of new migrants. The neighborhood is part...
, Cambria Heights
Cambria Heights, Queens
Cambria Heights is a middle-class neighborhood in the southeastern portion of the New York City borough of Queens. It is bounded by Springfield Boulevard and Francis Lewis Boulevard to the west, the Elmont, Nassau County border on the east, Queens Village to the north, St. Albans to the west, and...
, Queens Village
Queens Village, Queens
Queens Village is mostly a residential neighborhood in the eastern part of the New York City borough of Queens.The Queens Village Post Office serves the ZIP codes of 11427 , 11428 , and 11429...
, Howard Beach
Howard Beach, Queens
Howard Beach is a suburban neighborhood in the southwestern portion of the borough of Queens in New York City. It is bordered in the north by the Belt Parkway and South Conduit Avenue in Ozone Park, the south by Jamaica Bay in Broad Channel, the east by 102nd-104th streets, and the west by 78th...
and Ozone Park
Ozone Park, Queens
Ozone Park is a working class neighborhood located in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Queens bordering Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park, Howard Beach, and City Line, Brooklyn....
. The New York Racing Association
New York Racing Association
The New York Racing Association, Inc. is the not-for-profit corporation that operates the three largest thoroughbred horse-racing tracks in the state of New York. It runs Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, Queens, Belmont Park in Elmont, Long Island , and Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga...
, based at Aqueduct Racetrack
Aqueduct Racetrack
Aqueduct Racetrack is a thoroughbred horse-racing facility and racino in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. Its racing meets usually are from late October/early November through April.-History:...
in South Ozone Park, lists its official address as Jamaica (Central Jamaica once housed NYRA's Jamaica Racetrack, now the massive Rochdale Village
Rochdale, Queens
Rochdale is a neighborhood in the southeastern corner of the borough of Queens in New York City. Located in Community Board 12, Rochdale, along with other neighborhood areas are grouped as part of Greater Jamaica, corresponding to the former Town of Jamaica...
housing development).
History
Jamaica AvenueJamaica Avenue
Jamaica Avenue is a major avenue in the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens in New York City, New York, in the United States. Jamaica Avenue starts at Broadway and Fulton Street in the East New York neighborhood in Brooklyn, and goes to the city line in Bellerose, Queens, where it becomes Jericho...
was an ancient trail for tribes from as far away as the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
and the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
, coming to trade skins and furs for wampum
Wampum
Wampum are traditional, sacred shell beads of the Eastern Woodlands tribes of the indigenous people of North America. Wampum include the white shell beads fashioned from the North Atlantic channeled whelk shell; and the white and purple beads made from the quahog, or Western North Atlantic...
. It was in 1655 that the first settlers paid the Native Americans with two guns, a coat, and some powder and lead, for the land lying between the old trail and "Beaver Pond" (later Baisley Pond). Dutch Director-General
Director-General of New Netherland
This is a list of Directors, appointed by the Dutch West India Company, of the 17th century Dutch province of New Netherland in North America...
Peter Stuyvesant
Peter Stuyvesant
Peter Stuyvesant , served as the last Dutch Director-General of the colony of New Netherland from 1647 until it was ceded provisionally to the English in 1664, after which it was renamed New York...
dubbed the area "Rustdorp" in granting the 1656 land patent
Land patent
A land patent is a land grant made patent by the sovereign lord over the land in question. To make a such a grant “patent”, such a sovereign lord must document the land grant, securely sign and seal the document and openly publish the same to the public for all to see...
.
The English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
took over in 1664, renamed it "Jameco" (or Yamecah) after the name they gave to the local Native Americans that lived in the area, and made it part of the county of Yorkshire
Yorkshire County, Province of New York
The Shire of York , was the first large governmental unit organized in the English Province of New York soon after English control of the area was established in 1664.- History :...
. In 1683, when the British divided the Province of New York
Province of New York
The Province of New York was an English and later British crown territory that originally included all of the present U.S. states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Vermont, along with inland portions of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine, as well as eastern Pennsylvania...
into counties, Jamaica became the county seat of Queens County, one of the original counties of New York.
Battle of Long Island
The Battle of Long Island, also known as the Battle of Brooklyn or the Battle of Brooklyn Heights, fought on August 27, 1776, was the first major battle in the American Revolutionary War following the United States Declaration of Independence, the largest battle of the entire conflict, and the...
, the outcome of which led to the occupation of the New York City area by British troops during most of the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. In Jamaica, "George Washington slept here" is indeed true — in 1790, in William Warner's tavern. Rufus King
Rufus King
Rufus King was an American lawyer, politician, and diplomat. He was a delegate for Massachusetts to the Continental Congress. He also attended the Constitutional Convention and was one of the signers of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
, a signer of the United States Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
, relocated here in 1805. He added to a modest 18th-century farmhouse, creating the manor which stands on the site today. King Manor has recently been restored to its former glory, and now houses King Manor Museum.
By 1776, Jamaica had become a trading post for farmers and their produce. For more than a century, their horse-drawn carts plodded along Jamaica Avenue, then called King's Highway. The Jamaica Post Office opened September 25, 1794, and was the only post office in the present-day Boroughs of Queens or Brooklyn before 1803. Union Hall Academy for boys, and Union Hall Seminary for girls, were chartered in 1787. The Academy eventually attracted students from all over the United States and the West Indies. The public school system was started in 1813 with funds of $125. Jamaica Village, the first village on Long Island, was incorporated in 1814 with its boundaries being from the present-day Van Wyck Expressway (on the west) and Jamaica Avenue (on the north, later Hillside Avenue
New York State Route 25B
New York State Route 25B is a 7.25 mile long east–west state highway located on Long Island in the U.S. state of New York. The western terminus of the route is at NY 25 in Queens. The eastern terminus is at an interchange with NY 25 in Westbury...
) to Farmers Boulevard (on the east) and Linden Boulevard (on the south) in what is now St.Albans
St. Albans, Queens
St. Albans is a middle class community in the New York City borough of Queens around the intersection of Linden Boulevard and Farmers Boulevard, about two miles north of JFK Airport. It is southeast of Jamaica, west of Cambria Heights and north of Springfield Gardens and Laurelton.The neighborhood...
.
By 1834, the Brooklyn and Jamaica Railroad company had completed a line to Jamaica.
Plank road
A plank road or puncheon is a dirt path or road covered with a series of planks, similar to the wooden sidewalks one would see in a Western movie. Plank roads were very popular in Ontario, the U.S. Northeast and U.S. Midwest in the first half of the 19th century...
, complete with toll gate. In 1866, tracks were laid for a horsecar
Horsecar
A horsecar or horse-drawn tram is an animal-powered streetcar or tram.These early forms of public transport developed out of industrial haulage routes that had long been in existence, and from the omnibus routes that first ran on public streets in the 1820s, using the newly improved iron or steel...
line, and 20 years later it was electrified, the first in the state. On January 1, 1898, Queens became part of the City of New York
City of Greater New York
The City of Greater New York was a term commonly used originally to refer to the expanded city created on January 1, 1898 by the incorporation into the city of Richmond County, Kings County, Queens County, and the eastern part of what is now called The Bronx...
, and Jamaica became the county seat.
The present Jamaica station 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...
was completed in 1913, and the BMT Jamaica Line
BMT Jamaica Line
The Jamaica Line is an elevated rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway, in Brooklyn and Queens, New York City, United States. It runs from the Williamsburg Bridge southeast over Broadway to East New York, Brooklyn, and then east over Fulton Street and Jamaica Avenue to...
arrived in 1918, followed by the IND Queens Blvd. Line in 1936. The 1920s and 1930s saw the building of the Valencia Theatre (now restored by the Tabernacle of Prayer), the "futuristic" Kurtz furniture store and the Roxanne Building.
Demographics and neighborhoods
Jamaica is large and has a diverse population. It is mostly African American, with sizable Hispanic, Asian and White populations. While the corresponding figures represent a certain portion of Jamaica, official statistics differ by the area's numerous zip codes such as 11411,11432, 11433, 11434, 11435, and 11436. The total population of Jamaica is estimated to be a bit over 200,000 with all neighborhoods taken into consideration.Jamaica was not always as diverse as it is today. Throughout the 19th to early 20th centuries, Jamaica was mainly populated with whites as new Irish immigrants settled around the places known today as Downtown and Baisley Pond Park. However in the 1950s, what was later called white flight
White flight
White flight has been a term that originated in the United States, starting in the mid-20th century, and applied to the large-scale migration of whites of various European ancestries from racially mixed urban regions to more racially homogeneous suburban or exurban regions. It was first seen as...
began and middle-income African Americans started taking their place. After the 1970s, as housing prices began to tumble, many Hispanic and west Indian immigrants moved in. These ethnic groups tended to stay more towards the Jamaica Avenue and South Jamaica areas. Yet it wasn't until the late 1990s and early 2000s that immigration from other countries became widespread. Gentrification
Gentrification
Gentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
and decrease in crime attracted many families toward Jamaica's safe havens. Hillside Avenue is a complete reflection of this trend. Along 150th to 161st streets, much of the stores and restaurants are of South American and Caribbean culture. Heading farther east is the rapidly growing East Indian community. Mainly spurred on by Jamaica Muslim Center, Bangladeshis have flocked to this area due to easy transit access and the numerous Bangladeshi stores and restaurants lining 167th and 168th streets. Neighborhood analysts have concluded that Bangladeshis are becoming the most rapidly growing group. Other areas where they are known to reside include Merrick Blvd. and Sutphin Blvd. in South Jamaica. Yet heading down this same direction, you will find numerous churches, stores, salons, and hair-braiding shops thriving in the hip-hop and African-American cultures.
Economy
Economic development was long neglected. In the 1960s and 1970s, many big box retailersBig-box store
A big-box store is a physically large retail establishment, usually part of a chain. The term sometimes also refers, by extension, to the company that operates the store...
moved to suburban areas where business was more profitable. Such retailers included brand name stores, commercial strips and movie theaters that once thrived in Jamaica's busiest areas. Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
and the Valencia theater were the last companies to move out in 1969. The 1980s brought in the crack epidemic
Crack Epidemic
The United States crack epidemic refers to the surge of crack houses and crack cocaine use in major cities in the United States between 1984 and 1990...
which created even more hardship and crime. Prime real estate spaces were filled by hair salons and 99 cents stores. Furthermore, existing zoning patterns and inadequate infrastructure did not anticipate future development.
Since then, the decrease of the crime rate has encouraged entrepreneurs who plan to invest in the area. The Greater Jamaica Development Corporation (GJDC) is a long-standing nonprofit organization that has done an excellent job in promoting development. They have acquired valuable real estate and sold them to national chains in order to expand neighborhood opportunities for advancement. As well they have completed underway proposals by allocating funds and providing loans to potential investors who have already established something in the area. One Jamaica Center is a mixed-use commercial complex that was built in 2002 by The Mattone Group housing Old Navy
Old Navy
Old Navy is an American clothing brand as well as a chain of stores owned by Gap, Inc., with corporate operations in San Francisco and San Bruno, California. It is one of the first major corporations to house headquarters in the new Mission Bay district of San Francisco.Gap, Inc. was run by...
, Bally Total Fitness
Bally Total Fitness
Bally Total Fitness is an American fitness club chain which operates 100 gyms, in several U.S. states. In November of 2011, competitor L.A. Fitness took over operation of 171 former Bally locations...
, Walgreens
Walgreens
Walgreen Co. , doing business as Walgreens , is the largest drugstore chain in the United States of America. As of August 31st, the company operates 8,210 locations across all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1901, and has since expanded...
, Subway (restaurant)
Subway (restaurant)
Subway is an American restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with 35,519 restaurants in 98 countries and territories as of October 25th, 2011...
, Dunkin' Donuts
Dunkin' Donuts
Dunkin' Donuts is an international doughnut and coffee retailer founded in 1950 by William Rosenberg in Quincy, Massachusetts; it is now headquartered in Canton...
, a 15-screen multiplex theater and once a Gap. Banking has also made a strong revival as Bank of America
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
, Sterling National Bank, Chase Bank, and Carver Federal Savings Bank have each created at least one branch along various major streets: Jamaica Avenue, Parsons Boulevard, Merrick Boulevard, and Sutphin Boulevard. A $75 million deal between the developers, The Mattone Group and Ceruzzi Enterprises, and Home Depot cleared the way for a new location at 168th St. and Archer Ave. All approvals were obtained within three months of the application dates.
The most prominent piece of development has been the creation of the Sutphin Boulevard transit hub aka "Jamaica Station" which was fully completed in 2003. It includes the Sutphin Blvd. E, J, and Z subway subway station, LIRR
Lirr
Lirr or LIRR may refer to:*Long Island Rail Road, a commuter railroad in Long Island, New York, USA*Lapeer Industrial Railroad, in Lapeer, Michigan*Leeds Inner Ring Road, a motorway and A-road circling Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
, and the Airtrain JFK
AirTrain JFK
AirTrain JFK is a 3-line, -long people mover system and elevated railway in New York City providing service to John F. Kennedy International Airport...
which provides a 5-7 minute direct ride from Jamaica to John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
. The Airtrain station remains the central figure for ongoing economic progress. With the growing number of riders each day passing through this station, the city is providing some major changes to the surrounding blocks of this massive hub of transport.
Flushing, Queens
Flushing, founded in 1645, is a neighborhood in the north central part of the City of New York borough of Queens, east of Manhattan.Flushing was one of the first Dutch settlements on Long Island. Today, it is one of the largest and most diverse neighborhoods in New York City...
, and Downtown Brooklyn
Downtown Brooklyn
Downtown Brooklyn is the third largest central business district in New York City , and is located in the northwestern section of the borough of Brooklyn...
. In 2005, the New York City Department of City Planning
New York City Department of City Planning
The Department of City Planning is a governmental agency of New York City responsible for setting the framework of city's physical and socioeconomic planning...
drafted a plan that would rezone 368 blocks of Jamaica in order to stimulate new development, relieve traffic congestion
Traffic congestion
Traffic congestion is a condition on road networks that occurs as use increases, and is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. The most common example is the physical use of roads by vehicles. When traffic demand is great enough that the interaction...
, and shift upscale amenities away from low-density residential neighborhoods. The plan includes up-zoning the immediate areas around Jamaica Station to accommodate passengers traveling through the area. To improve infrastructure the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation has agreed to create more greenery and open spaces to allow pedestrians to enjoy the scenery. At the same time, the city has reserved the right to protect the suburban/residential charm of neighboring areas. Several blocks will be down-zoned to keep up with the existing neighborhood character. On September 10, 2007 the City Council overwhelmingly approved the plan. Structures of up to 28 stories can be built around the main transit hub as well as residential buildings of up to 7 stories can be built on Hillside Ave.
Several projects are in progress. The New York City Economic Development Corporation
New York City Economic Development Corporation
New York City Economic Development Corporation is a non-profit local development corporation that promotes economic growth across New York City's five boroughs. It is the City's official Economic development corporation, charged with using the City's assets to drive growth, create jobs, and...
has issued an RFP for redevelopment of a 45000 sq ft (4,180.6 m²). abandoned garage located at 168th St. and 93rd Ave. Plans are underway to convert this space into retail and parking spots. "TechnoMart Queens" has been the first ever declared approved project. Located at Sutphin Blvd. and 94th Ave., Korean Based Prime Construction Corp., Greater Jamaica Development Corporation, and several other partners have signed a deal to create a 13-story Mega-mall. 9 floors will be dedicated towards wholesale electronics, 3 floors to retail space for shopping, and it is estimated to contain parking for up to 800 cars. Groundbreaking on this site will initiate in late 2008 and is slated for completion by mid-2011. The GJDC has announced in their newsletter that another site adjacent to the mall will be converted into a hotel for Airtrain passengers. Official groundbreaking information has not been released nor declared yet its completion is set for 2010.
North American Airlines
North American Airlines
North American Airlines, Inc. is an American airline with its headquarters in Building 141 on the grounds of John F. Kennedy International Airport in Jamaica, Queens, New York City, USA. Prior to May 2008, it operated scheduled international services from the USA to Africa and Guyana. Today, it...
has its corporate headquarters in Building 141 on the grounds of John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
.
Grupo TACA
Grupo TACA
TACA is the trade name "brand" comprising a group of five independently IATA-coded and -owned Central American airlines, whose operations are combined to function as one and a number of other independently owned and IATA-coded regional airlines which code-share and feed the TACA brand system...
operates a Jamaica-area TACA Satellite at 149-16 Jamaica Avenue.
When Tower Air
Tower Air
Tower Air was a certificated FAR 121 schedule and charter U.S. airline that operated from 1983 until 2000, when the company declared bankruptcy and was liquidated. Scheduled flights were initially offered over a New York - Brussels - Tel Aviv route in addition to charter flights to Athens,...
existed, its headquarters were in Hangar 17 on the grounds of Kennedy Airport.
Transportation
Jamaica (LIRR station)
Jamaica is a major hub station of the Long Island Rail Road, and is located in Jamaica, Queens, New York City. It is the largest transit hub on Long Island and is one of the busiest railroad stations in the country with over 200,000 daily passengers...
is a central transfer point on 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...
(LIRR), which is headquartered in a building adjoining the station; all but one of the commuter railroad's lines (the exception being the Port Washington Branch
Port Washington Branch
The Port Washington Branch is an electrified two-track rail line and service owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York...
) run through Jamaica.
The New York City Subway
New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
's IND Queens Boulevard Line
IND Queens Boulevard Line
The Queens Boulevard Line is a fully underground line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in Manhattan and Queens, New York City, United States. The line provides crosstown service across Manhattan under 53rd Street and east through Queens to Jamaica...
( trains) terminates at 179th Street station, at the foot of Jamaica Estates, a neighborhood of mansions east of Jamaica's central business district. The Archer Avenue Line
Archer Avenue Line
-BMT Archer Avenue Line :-IND Archer Avenue Line :-References:...
, which opened in 1988 ( trains), terminates at Jamaica Center – Parsons/Archer station. Jamaica Center is not just a transit hub; it is also the name of a business and government center that includes a federal office building, and a shopping mall and theater multiplex (One Jamaica Center), and is adjacent to various other businesses and agencies, such as the main forensic laboratory facility for the New York City Police Department
New York City Police Department
The New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...
.
Jamaica's bus network provides extensive service across eastern Queens, as well as to destinations as distant as Hicksville
Hicksville, New York
Hicksville is a hamlet and census-designated place located within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population of the CDP was 41,547 at the 2010 census...
in Nassau County
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...
, the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, the Rockaways
Rockaway, Queens
The Rockaway Peninsula, informally The Rockaways, is the name of a peninsula of Long Island, all of which is located within the New York City borough of Queens. A popular summer resort area since the 1830s, Rockaway has become a mixture of lower, middle, and upper-class neighborhoods...
, and Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...
. Nearly all bus lines serving Jamaica terminate there; most do so at the 165th Street Bus Terminal
165th Street Bus Terminal
The 165th Street Bus Terminal, also known as Jamaica Bus Terminal or simply 165th Street Terminal, is a major bus terminal in Jamaica, Queens, owned by MTA Regional Bus. It is located at 89th Avenue and Merrick Boulevard, near the Queens Library. Most buses that pass through Jamaica serve either...
or the Jamaica Center subway station.
Jamaica, a large, sprawling neighborhood, is also home to John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
—one of the busiest international airports in the United States and the world— public transportation passengers are connected to airline terminals by AirTrain JFK
AirTrain JFK
AirTrain JFK is a 3-line, -long people mover system and elevated railway in New York City providing service to John F. Kennedy International Airport...
, which operates as both an airport terminal circulator and rail connection to central Jamaica at the integrated LIRR and bi-level subway station located at Sutphin Blvd and Archer Avenue.
Major streets include Archer Avenue, Hillside Avenue, Jamaica Avenue, Liberty Avenue, Merrick Boulevard
Merrick Road
Merrick Road, named Merrick Boulevard inside New York City, is a road running from Jamaica, Queens, New York east through Merrick, New York to the line between Nassau and Suffolk Counties, where it becomes Montauk Highway. A bit of it at the east end is signed and maintained by the New York State...
, Parsons Boulevard, Guy R. Brewer Boulevard (formerly known as New York Boulevard), and Sutphin Boulevard, as well as the Van Wyck Expressway (I-678)
Interstate 678
Interstate 678 is a north–south auxiliary Interstate Highway that extends for through two boroughs of New York City. The route begins at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Jamaica Bay and travels north through Queens and across the East River to the Bronx, where it ends at...
and the 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...
.
Neighboring areas are Jamaica Estates
Jamaica Estates, Queens
Jamaica Estates is a neighborhood located in the New York City borough of Queens. Within Queens Community District 8, Jamaica Estates is served by Queens Community Board 8 It is bounded by Union Turnpike to the north, Hillside Avenue to the south, Utopia Parkway and Homelawn Street to the west...
, Jamaica Hills
Jamaica Hills
Jamaica Hills is a small neighborhood in central Queens in New York City, USA. The neighborhood is surrounded by the Grand Central Parkway , Jamaica Estates , Jamaica , and Briarwood . It is centered on the terminal moraine which runs the length of Long Island...
, Briarwood
Briarwood, Queens
Briarwood is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. It is located northwest of Jamaica and roughly bounded by Queens Boulevard, Parsons Boulevard, Union Turnpike, and Hillside Avenue. The neighborhood is part of Queens Community Board 8. It is serviced by the IND Queens Boulevard...
, Cambria Heights, St. Albans
St. Albans, Queens
St. Albans is a middle class community in the New York City borough of Queens around the intersection of Linden Boulevard and Farmers Boulevard, about two miles north of JFK Airport. It is southeast of Jamaica, west of Cambria Heights and north of Springfield Gardens and Laurelton.The neighborhood...
, 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...
, Queens Village
Queens Village, Queens
Queens Village is mostly a residential neighborhood in the eastern part of the New York City borough of Queens.The Queens Village Post Office serves the ZIP codes of 11427 , 11428 , and 11429...
, South Ozone Park
South Ozone Park, Queens
South Ozone Park is a neighborhood in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Queens. It was originally developed as low-cost housing in the early 1900s. Adjacently north of JFK Airport, its boundaries extend from the Aqueduct Racetrack westward to the Van Wyck Expressway.Its main...
, Kew Gardens
Kew Gardens, Queens
Kew Gardens is a triangular-shaped neighborhood in central Queens bounded to the north by the Jackie Robinson Parkway , to the east by Van Wyck Expressway and 131st Street, to the south by Hillside Avenue, and to the west by Park Lane, Abingdon Road and 118th Street...
, Richmond Hill
Richmond Hill, Queens
Richmond Hill is a neighborhood in central-southern Queens, New York City, USA. It is bordered by Kew Gardens to the north, Woodhaven and Ozone Park to the west, South Ozone Park to the south and South Jamaica to the east...
, Laurelton
Laurelton, Queens
Laurelton is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. It is now a largely middle class neighborhood. In the 1930s through 1970s and beyond, the neighborhood was populated by many Jewish Americans, but succeeding generations have been made up of new migrants. The neighborhood is part...
, Rosedale
Rosedale, Queens
Rosedale is a suburban neighborhood in Queens. The neighborhood is on the Nassau County, New York - Queens border and is part of Queens Community Board 13.- History :...
, Brookville
Brookville, Queens
Brookville is a suburban neighborhood in Queens. The neighborhood is bordered by Springfield Gardens to the West, Rosedale to the East, and Laurelton to the North. The neighborhood is a part of the Queens Community Board 13. The zip code of Brookville is 11413....
, Rochdale
Rochdale, Queens
Rochdale is a neighborhood in the southeastern corner of the borough of Queens in New York City. Located in Community Board 12, Rochdale, along with other neighborhood areas are grouped as part of Greater Jamaica, corresponding to the former Town of Jamaica...
, South Jamaica
South Jamaica, Queens
South Jamaica, known colloquially as Southside & Southside Jamaica Queens, is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens, located south of downtown Jamaica, the Long Island Rail Road tracks Jamaica Avenue and Liberty Avenue. The western border is the Van Wyck Expressway, and it...
, Springfield Gardens
Springfield Gardens, Queens
Springfield Gardens is a neighborhood in the southeastern area of the New York City borough of Queens, bounded to the north by St. Albans, to the east by Laurelton & Rosedale, to the south by John F. Kennedy International Airport, and to the west by Farmers Boulevard...
, Hillcrest
Hillcrest, Queens
Hillcrest is a small residential neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. The neighborhood is located between Flushing and Jamaica. Its name derives from its location on the hills between Jamaica and Flushing. The neighborhood runs from Grand Central Parkway to 73rd Ave., between...
, Kew Gardens Hills, Fresh Meadows. South Flushing, and Woodhaven
Woodhaven, Queens
Woodhaven is a middle-class neighborhood located in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York, United States.Woodhaven is bordered on the north by a public park, Forest Park, and Park Lane South. Woodhaven also borders Richmond Hill to the east, and Ozone Park to the south at Atlantic Avenue...
.
Jamaica Avenue
Jamaica Avenue
Jamaica Avenue is a major avenue in the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens in New York City, New York, in the United States. Jamaica Avenue starts at Broadway and Fulton Street in the East New York neighborhood in Brooklyn, and goes to the city line in Bellerose, Queens, where it becomes Jericho...
or sometimes known as the "Ave" is Jamaica's busiest thoroughfare. The route actually begins at Broadway Junction
Broadway Junction (Brooklyn)
Broadway Junction is a multi-use neighborhood in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, defined by Broadway to the north, Atlantic Avenue to the south, Rockaway Avenue to the west, and Van Sinderen Avenue to the east....
in Brooklyn, near the boundary of the East New York neighborhood. The Avenue enters Jamaica east of the Van Wyck Expressway, and it brings the traveler to the Joseph Addabbo
Joseph Patrick Addabbo
Joseph Patrick Addabbo was a New York City politician who served as a Democrat in the United States House of Representatives from 1961 to 1986...
Social Security Administration Building, courthouses and the main building of the Queens Library, along with many discount stores offering a variety of goods. Jamaica Avenue also sets the tone for historical and cultural amenities. The 200-year-old King Manor Museum
King Manor
King Manor, also known as the Rufus King House, is in Jamaica, Queens. It was the home of Rufus King, a signer of the United States Constitution, a Senator from New York, and Ambassador to Great Britain immediately after the American Revolution...
, once home to Rufus King
Rufus King
Rufus King was an American lawyer, politician, and diplomat. He was a delegate for Massachusetts to the Continental Congress. He also attended the Constitutional Convention and was one of the signers of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
, a founding father of America, is located at the corner of 153rd St. and Jamaica Ave. It includes a 2-story museum with over an acre of land and a public park. Directly across from the Museum is the Jamaica Performing Arts Center, part of the JCAL, represents a long sought adaptive reuse
Adaptive reuse
Adaptive reuse refers to the process of reusing an old site or building for a purpose other than which it was built or designed for. Along with brownfield reclamation, adaptive reuse is seen by many as a key factor in land conservation and the reduction of urban sprawl...
of the landmark, 150 year old former Dutch Reformed Church. It was completed in 2007.
Hillside Avenue
Sutphin Boulevard (IND Queens Boulevard Line)
Sutphin Boulevard is a local station on the IND Queens Boulevard Line of the New York City Subway. Located at Sutphin Boulevard and Hillside Avenue in Jamaica, Queens, it is served by the F train at all times....
to 179th Street, where it terminates. Hillside Avenue starts off in the Richmond Hill
Richmond Hill, Queens
Richmond Hill is a neighborhood in central-southern Queens, New York City, USA. It is bordered by Kew Gardens to the north, Woodhaven and Ozone Park to the west, South Ozone Park to the south and South Jamaica to the east...
area and runs east bypassing Ozone Park, running throughout Jamaica, and into Queens Village and Long Island. It consists of a wide 6 lane street with numerous commercial activities. The Q43 Bus runs its entire length starting off in Sutphin Boulevard. Today, Hillside Avenue is actually the line that separates Jamaica from Jamaica Hills, Jamaica Estates and Briarwood on the southern boundary and Union Turnpike from Flushing on the northern boundary. ". The enormous cultural diversity is well foreseeable in this region. Within every couple or so blocks, there is a unique transition of one ethnic group to another. From 148th Street to 150th Street, one will find numerous wholesale and merchandise shops with a well amount of family oriented restaurants of South American descent. From 151st Street and into 164th Street, there is an unprecedented amount of groceries and restaurants pertaining to the West Indies. Mainly of Guyanese and Trinidadian origin, these stores serve their respective population living in and around the Jamaica Center area. Lastly, advancing east from 167th Street to 171st Street, there is an enormous amount of East Indian shops. Mainly invested by the ever growing Bangladeshi population, hundreds of South Asians come here to shop for Eastern goods not found anywhere else in Queens. Also restaurants such as "Sagar" and "Ghoroa" countless more resemble the Bangladeshi stronghold here. Some people actually refer to this area as being another "Little South Asia" similar to that of Jackson Heights
Jackson Heights, Queens
Jackson Heights is a neighborhood in the Northwestern portion of the borough of Queens in New York, New York, United States. The neighborhood is part of Queens Community Board 3...
.
Sutphin Boulevard
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...
, AirTrain JFK
AirTrain JFK
AirTrain JFK is a 3-line, -long people mover system and elevated railway in New York City providing service to John F. Kennedy International Airport...
, and two Queens Courthouses. It begins at Hillside Avenue and 147th Place in the north and works its way downward connecting with Jamaica Avenue, Archer Avenue, Liberty Avenue, South Road, Linden Boulevard, and finally terminates at Rockaway Boulevard. At first it is a small four-lane street, but when reaching the downtown area it curves into a complete six-lane passageway. At 95th Avenue, it reemerges from the LIRR underpass and becomes a four-lane street once more until its endpoint.
Colleges and universities
Several colleges and universities make their home in Jamaica proper or in its close vicinity, most notably:- York College, a Senior College of the City University of New YorkCity University of New YorkThe City University of New York is the public university system of New York City, with its administrative offices in Yorkville in Manhattan. It is the largest urban university in the United States, consisting of 23 institutions: 11 senior colleges, six community colleges, the William E...
- St. John's UniversitySt. John's University (New York City)St. John's University is a private, Roman Catholic, coeducational university located in New York City, United States. Founded by the Congregation of the Mission in 1870, the school was originally located in the borough of Brooklyn in the neighborhood of Bedford–Stuyvesant...
(Queens Campus), A private, Roman Catholic University founded by the Vincentian Fathers (LazaristsLazaristsCongregation of the Mission is a vowed order of priests and brothers associated with the Vincentian Family, a loose federation of organizations who claim St. Vincent de Paul as their founder or Patron...
)
Public schools
Jamaica's public schools are operated by the New York City Department of EducationNew York City Department of Education
The New York City Department of Education is the branch of municipal government in New York City that manages the city's public school system. It is the largest school system in the United States, with over 1.1 million students taught in more than 1,700 separate schools...
.
Public high schools in Jamaica include:
- August Martin High School (Formerly Woodrow Wilson HS pre 1971)
- Thomas A. Edison Vocational and Technical High SchoolThomas A. Edison High School (New York City)Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Education High School is a public secondary school in Queens's Jamaica community in New York City. It is one of the few public high schools in New York City to offer vocational training programs as well as traditional college preparatory tracks and well known...
- Hillcrest High SchoolHillcrest High School (New York City)Hillcrest High School is a four-year public high school located in Jamaica, in the New York City borough of Queens. The school is operated by the New York City Department of Education.The mascot is the hawk and the school colors are violet and white....
- Jamaica High SchoolJamaica High School (New York City)Jamaica High School is a four-year public high school in Queens, New York. The school is administered by the New York City Department of Education.-History:...
- The New York City Landmarks Preservation CommissionNew York City Landmarks Preservation CommissionThe New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission is the New York City agency charged with administering the city's Landmarks Preservation Law. The Commission was created in April 1965 by Mayor Robert F. Wagner following the destruction of Pennsylvania Station the previous year to make way for...
designated the building an official landmark on March 24, 2009 - Queens High School for the SciencesQueens High School for the SciencesThe Queens High School for the Sciences at York College , a New York City public high school that specializes in mathematics and science, admits students based on their scores on the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test....
at York College - Queens Gateway for the Health Sciences High School
- High School for Law Enforcement and Public Safety
- York Early College Academy
Public Elementary and Intermediate (Junior High) Schools in Jamaica include:
- P.S. 50 Talfourd Lawn Elementary School
- P.S. 86
- P.S. 131 Abigail Adams Elementary School
- P.S. 160
- P.S. 182 Samantha Smith
- I.S. 238 Susan B Anthony
- P.S. 48 William Wordsworth
I.S. 8
J.H.S. 72, Catherine and Count Basie
Private schools
Private schools in Jamaica include:- Al-Iman SchoolAl-Iman SchoolThe Al-Iman School is an islamic school catering for muslim students. The school, located in Jamaica, Queens, New York, USA, was established in September 1990. Its main benefactor was Grand Ayatollah Abul-Qassim Khoei. Within four years the school became the first Pre-K through 12 Islamic school in...
, an IslamIslamIslam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic PK-12 school. - Archbishop Molloy High SchoolArchbishop Molloy High SchoolArchbishop Molloy High School is a co-educational, college preparatory, Catholic school for grades 9-12, located on in the Briarwood section of Queens in New York City, thirty minutes east of Manhattan. Molloy currently has an endowment of about $6,000,000 . The school's current principal is Br...
. Formerly an all-boys Catholic high school, now co-ed. - Immaculate Conception SchoolImmaculate Conception School-in Canada:*Immaculate Conception School , Delta, British Columbia-in the Philippines:*Immaculate Conception School of Malolos, Malolos City, Bulacan*Immaculate Conception School for Boys, Malolos City, Bulacan-in the United States:...
, a co-ed Catholic school from pre-K to 8th grade. The school is a local landmark located on the property of Immaculate Conception Church and Monastery, run by The Passionist Congregation of Priests. - St. Nicholas of Tolentine a co-ed Catholic school from pre-K to 8th grade, run by The Sisters of Charity
- The Mary Louis AcademyThe Mary Louis AcademyThe Mary Louis Academy, also known as TMLA, is a private Catholic college preparatory academy, restricting admission solely to young women. The Mary Louis Academy is located in the affluent community of Jamaica Estates, Queens, New York City...
, a private, Catholic, girls' high school run by the Sisters of St. JosephSisters of St. JosephThe title Sisters of St. Joseph applies to several Roman Catholic religious congregations of women. The largest and oldest of these was founded in Le Puy-en-Velay, France...
.
United Nations International School, a private school in Jamaica estate
The Catholic schools are administered by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn
Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, which includes territory that was previously part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, was established as a separate diocese in 1853 when the City of Brooklyn was separate from New York City....
.
Libraries
The Central Library of the Queens Borough Public LibraryQueens 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 nation's highest circulation public library system, is in Jamaica. The Baisley Park Branch and the South Jamaica Branch are also located in Jamaica.
Notable residents
Arts
- Cecily AdamsCecily AdamsCecily April Adams was born in Jamaica, Queens, New York, the daughter of comic actor Don Adams and singer Adelaide Efantis, and the sister of actress/TV executive Stacey Adams...
, actress - Paul BowlesPaul BowlesPaul Frederic Bowles was an American expatriate composer, author, and translator.Following a cultured middle-class upbringing in New York City, during which he displayed a talent for music and writing, Bowles pursued his education at the University of Virginia before making various trips to Paris...
, writer and composer - Nelson DeMilleNelson DeMilleNelson Richard DeMille is an American author of thriller novels. His works include Word of Honor , The Charm School, The Gold Coast, Plum Island, and The General's Daughter .DeMille has also written under the pen names Jack Cannon, Kurt...
(1943-), author - Alan DuganAlan DuganAlan Dugan was an American poet.His first volume Poems published in 1961 was a chosen by the Yale Series of Younger Poets and went on to win the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry....
, poet - Ann FloodAnn FloodAnn Flood is an American actress.She is most known for her work as journalist/author Nancy Pollock Karr on the soap opera The Edge of Night, a role she played from 1962 to 1984...
, actress - James P. JohnsonJames P. JohnsonJames P. Johnson was an American pianist and composer...
, pianist and composer - Crad KilodneyCrad KilodneyCrad Kilodney is a Canadian writer who lives in Toronto, Ontario.Kilodney obtained a degree in astronomy, but instead of working in that field he took a job at Exposition Press, a vanity publishing company...
, writer - Debi MazarDebi MazarDeborah "Debi" Mazar is an American actress, perhaps best known for her Jersey Girl-type roles; as sharp-tongued women in independent films; and for her recurring role as press agent Shauna Roberts on the HBO series Entourage.-Early life:...
, actress - Blanche Sloan, Jamaica Iland, NY Vaudeville actress and trapeze artist for Barnum and Bailey Circus, sister of Tod Sloan, jockey
Music
- 50 Cent50 CentCurtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
(Curtis James Jackson III), rapper from South Jamaica - A Tribe Called QuestA Tribe Called QuestA Tribe Called Quest is an American hip hop group, formed in 1985, and is composed of rapper/producer Q-Tip , rapper Phife Dawg , and DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad. A fourth member, rapper Jarobi White, left the group after their first album but rejoined in 2006...
, hip-hop group - Ja RuleJa RuleJeffrey Atkins , better known by his stage name Ja Rule, is an American rapper, singer, and actor.Born in Hollis, Queens, he began his career in the group Cash Money Click and debuted in 1999 with Venni Vetti Vecci and its single "Holla Holla"...
, rapper - D.GiFT, Artist/Actor South Jamaica @DdotGdot
- Ali VegasAli VegasOllie Williams , better known by his stage name, Ali Vegas is an American underground rapper from Queens and founder of the record labels Council Recordings and Rich Soil Entertainment. After two failed deals with major record labels, Vegas frequently performed on underground mixtapes and...
, Rapper from South Jamaica & South Ozone Park - Lloyd BanksLloyd BanksChristopher Charles Lloyd , better known by his stage name Lloyd Banks, is an American rapper and member of the rap group G-Unit. Raised in South Jamaica, Queens, he dropped out of high school in 1998. G-Unit released two albums, Beg for Mercy in 2003 and T.O.S. in 2008...
, rapper from South Jamaica - Yummy BinghamYummy BinghamElizabeth T. Wyce Bingham a.k.a. Yummy is an American R&B/hip hop singer, songwriter. She sings soprano with a 4 octave range.-Biography:Elizabeth "Yummy" Bingham was born on January 7, 1986 to Dinky Bingham and Patricia Wyce...
, singer from South Jamaica - Phife DawgPhife DawgMalik Isaac Taylor , better known by his stage name Phife Dawg, is an American rapper of Trinidadian descent, and a member of the acclaimed group A Tribe Called Quest with high school classmates Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad...
, rapper and member of A Tribe Called QuestA Tribe Called QuestA Tribe Called Quest is an American hip hop group, formed in 1985, and is composed of rapper/producer Q-Tip , rapper Phife Dawg , and DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad. A fourth member, rapper Jarobi White, left the group after their first album but rejoined in 2006... - GrafhGrafhGrafh, born Philip Bernard, hails from Jamaica, Queens, New York. He made a name for himself on the mixtape circuit, where he garnered early support from influential mix-show DJ’s in New York. His skill, charisma, honesty, and determination were so obvious that he generated a buzz nationwide and...
, rapper - Milford GravesMilford GravesMilford Graves is an American jazz drummer and percussionist, most noteworthy for his early avant-garde contributions in the early 1960s with Paul Bley and the New York Art Quartet...
, free-jazz drummer - Jam Master Jay (deceased), former DJ for Run DMC, shot in his studio in Queens who came from HollisHollis, QueensHollis 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...
- Darryl McDanielsDarryl McDaniels-Video game appearances:*The Warriors - Scopes*Guitar Hero: Aerosmith - Himself- External links :* * * * * http://articles.latimes.com/2009/dec/12/entertainment/la-et-people-speak12-2009dec12...
, rapper and former member of Run DMC, also known as DMCDMC-Computer Science or IT:*Diffusion Monte Carlo, a method that utilizes a Green function to solve the Schrödinger equation*Dynamic Markov Compression, a general purpose statistical data compression algorithm...
from HollisHollis, QueensHollis 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... - Talib KweliTalib KweliTalib Kweli Greene , better known as Talib Kweli, is an American hip-hop artist and poet from Brooklyn, New York. His first name in Arabic means "student" or "seeker" ; his in Swahili means "true"...
, rapper from South Jamaica, born in the neighborhood - Nicki MinajNicki MinajOnika Tanya Maraj , better known by her stage name Nicki Minaj; ), is a Trinidadian-born American recording artist...
, Rapper & Singer from South Jamaica - Mr. CheeksMr. CheeksMr. Cheeks is a Grammy Award winning rapper best known for his work with the musical group Lost Boyz, and his career as a solo artist.-Biography:...
, Rapper, member of the Lost Boyz from South Jamaica - Nuttin' But StringzNuttin' But StringzNuttin' But Stringz, also known as N.B.S., consists of brothers Damien and Tourie Escobar who both play violin. The musicians from Jamaica, Queens play a blend of classical music, hip-hop, jazz and R&B.-Biography:...
, brothers Damien and Tourie Escobar who play violin - NyceNYCEThe New York Currency Exchange is an interbank network connecting the ATMs of various financial institutions in the United States and Canada. NYCE also serves as an EFTPOS network for NYCE-linked ATM cards....
, rapper - O.C. (rapper)O.C. (rapper)Omar Credle , known by his stage name, O.C., is an American rapper who has been involved with several renowned underground hip-hop groups and also released many solo albums.-Recording career:...
- Q-TipQ-Tip (rapper)Kamaal Ibn John Fareed , better known by his stage name Q-Tip, is an American hip hop artist, producer, singer, and actor from St. Albans, Queens, New York, part of the critically acclaimed group A Tribe Called Quest...
, rapper, producer, and founder of Hip-Hip group A Tribe Called QuestA Tribe Called QuestA Tribe Called Quest is an American hip hop group, formed in 1985, and is composed of rapper/producer Q-Tip , rapper Phife Dawg , and DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad. A fourth member, rapper Jarobi White, left the group after their first album but rejoined in 2006... - Rev Run, rapper and founder of Run DMC from HollisHollis, QueensHollis 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...
- Viva Ruiz, vocalist for DFA recording artists The Crystal Ark, creator of indie telenovelas ROSA NEGRA, MONJA SATANICA, IMMIGRANTULA
- Superstar Jay, Hip Hop mixtape DJ
- The Lost BoyzThe Lost BoyzThe Lost Boyz is a hip hop group from South Jamaica, Queens, New York. The original group members were lead MC Mr. Cheeks, backup MC and promoter Freaky Tah , DJ Spigg Nice and Pretty Lou.-Recording career:...
, rap group from South Jamaica - Tony YayoTony YayoMarvin Bernard , better known by his stage name Tony Yayo, is a Haitian American rapper and member of the hip hop group G-Unit...
, rapper from South Jamaica - MetallicaMetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
briefly lived here in April 1983 before recording their debut Kill 'Em AllKill 'Em AllKill 'Em All is the debut studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on July 25, 1983. Since its release, it has been certified 3x platinum by the RIAA, having sold over 3 million copies in the United States alone.-Music:... - Waka Flocka FlameWaka Flocka FlameJuaquin Malphurs , better known by his stage name Waka Flocka Flame, is an American rapper signed to 1017 Brick Squad and Warner Bros. He is a Southern hip hop artist best known for his singles "O Let's Do It", "Hard in da Paint" & "No Hands", along with his debut album, Flockaveli...
, Rapper, So Icey Entertainment, 1017 Brick Squad who came from South JamaicaSouth Jamaica, QueensSouth Jamaica, known colloquially as Southside & Southside Jamaica Queens, is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens, located south of downtown Jamaica, the Long Island Rail Road tracks Jamaica Avenue and Liberty Avenue. The western border is the Van Wyck Expressway, and it...
born in the neighbourhood but later move to Atlanta - L'vel Maraj, Rapper & Singer from South Jamaica
- Caddillac Tah, rapper
- MathematicsMathematics (producer)Mathematics, also known as Allah Mathematics, is a hip hop producer and DJ for the Wu-Tang Clan. As well as producing many tracks for the Wu-Tang Clan and for its solo and affiliate projects, Math has released two solo albums.-Biography:Born and raised in Jamaica, Queens, New York Mathematics was...
, Wu-Tang ClanWu-Tang ClanThe Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group from Staten Island that consists of RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi member of the group...
affiliated producer
Sports
- Rafer AlstonRafer AlstonRafer Jamel Alston is an American former professional basketball player who last played with Zhejiang Guangsha of the Chinese Basketball Association. He previously played for six NBA teams...
, basketball player - Ron ArtestRon ArtestMetta World Peace is an American professional basketball player and rapper who is currently with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. World Peace gained a reputation as one of the league's premier defenders as he won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2004...
, basketball player - Bob BeamonBob BeamonRobert "Bob" Beamon is an American former track and field athlete, best known for his world record in the long jump at the Mexico Olympics in 1968, which remained the world record for almost 23 years until it was broken in 1991 by Mike Powell. This is the second longest holding of this record, as...
, Olympic gold medalist - Mike Bruhert, New York Mets pitcher in the late 1970s
- Marc IavaroniMarc IavaroniMarcus John Iavaroni is a retired American professional basketball player, current assistant coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, and former head coach of the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies....
, basketball player, former head coach of the Memphis GrizzliesMemphis GrizzliesThe Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's... - Lamar OdomLamar OdomLamar Joseph Odom is an American professional basketball forward with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association.-Early life:...
, basketball player from Queensbridge & South Jamaica - Heathcliff SlocumbHeathcliff SlocumbHeath "Heathcliff" Slocumb is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He batted and threw right-handed....
, former pitcher
Other
- Jimmy BreslinJimmy BreslinJimmy Breslin is an American journalist and author. He currently writes a column for the New York Daily News' Sunday edition. He has written numerous novels, and columns of his have appeared regularly in various newspapers in his hometown of New York City...
, author and columnist - Sri ChinmoySri ChinmoyChinmoy Kumar Ghose, also known as Sri Chinmoy was an Indian spiritual teacher, poet, artist and athlete who immigrated to the U.S. in 1964., the founder of the religious organization "Sri Chinmoy Centre Church, Inc." better known as "Sri Chinmoy Centre"...
, philosopher and spiritual teacher - Mario CuomoMario CuomoMario Matthew Cuomo served as the 52nd Governor of New York from 1983 to 1994, and is the father of Andrew Cuomo, the current governor of New York.-Early life:...
, former governor of New York 1983-1995 - Rocco DiSpiritoRocco DiSpiritoRocco DiSpirito is an Italian American chef based in New York City.-Life and career:DiSpirito was born in Queens, New York City, New York. He graduated in 1986 from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, and in 1990 from Boston University with a bachelor's degree in business...
, chef - Ashrita FurmanAshrita FurmanAshrita Furman has set more than 300 Guinness records since 1979 and currently holds131 Guinness records. He has set records on all seven continents and in more than 30 different countries...
, most Guinness World RecordsGuinness World RecordsGuinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
holder (88 Guinness World Records) - William T. KaneWilliam T. KaneWilliam T. Kane was a physicist for Corning Incorporated, formerly Corning Glass Works, Inc., in Corning, New York, who held patents in crystallography and heat-sensing technology—developments which contributed to the early processing and manufacture of fiber optics...
, physicist; born in Jamaica in 1932 - Rufus KingRufus KingRufus King was an American lawyer, politician, and diplomat. He was a delegate for Massachusetts to the Continental Congress. He also attended the Constitutional Convention and was one of the signers of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
, signer of the United States ConstitutionUnited States ConstitutionThe Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three... - Gerald S. LesserGerald S. LesserGerald Samuel Lesser was an American psychologist who served on the faculty of Harvard University and was one of the chief advisers to the Children's Television Workshop in the development and content of the educational programming included in Sesame Street, with the goal of making the material...
(1926–2010), psychologist who played a major role in developing the educational programming included in Sesame StreetSesame StreetSesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
. - Kenneth McGriffKenneth McGriffKenneth "Supreme" McGriff is a convicted American drug trafficker and organized crime figure.McGriff came to prominence in the early 1980s when he formed his own crack distributing organization which he called the Supreme Team based in the South Jamaica section of Queens, New York...
, gangster from South Jamaica - Letty Cottin PogrebinLetty Cottin PogrebinLetty Cottin Pogrebin is an American writer and journalist. She graduated from Brandeis University and became a writer and feminist advocate in the early 1970s. In 1971, she was one of the founding editors of Ms...
, writer/journalist - Freddie RomanFreddie RomanFreddie Roman is a Jewish-American stand-up comedian, best known for his frequent appearances at "Borscht Belt" hotels. Dubbed "king of one liners", he is currently the Dean of the New York Friars' Club....
, comedian - Donald TrumpDonald TrumpDonald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...
, real estate developer - Marinus WillettMarinus WillettMarinus Willett was an American soldier and political leader from New York. He was characterized by historian Mark M. Boatner as "one of the truly outstanding American leaders of the Revolution."...
, mayor of New York 1807-08
External links
- Greater Jamaica Development Corporation (the source of much of the historical information in this article)
- The Cultural Collaboration of Jamaica JAMS sponsor
- York College Web Site
- King Manor Museum, home of anti-slavery Founding Father Rufus King
- A Road Not Taken, Much NY Times City Section, April 15, 2007
- Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning
- Queens Library
- Map of Queens neighborhoods
- 1873 map of Village of Jamaica
- 1873 map of Town of Jamaica
- History of Queens County: Jamaica] New York: W.W. Munsell & Co.; 1882. pp. 193-257.