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89-837: Far Rockaway is a neighborhood on the eastern part of the Rockaway peninsula in the New York City borough of Queens . It is the easternmost section of the Rockaways. The neighborhood extends from Beach 32nd Street east to the Nassau County line. Its southern boundary is the Atlantic Ocean ; it is one of the neighborhoods along Rockaway Beach . Far Rockaway is located in Queens Community District 14 and its ZIP Codes are 11691 and 11693. It

178-609: A homestead on what is now Central Avenue, near the shore of the Atlantic Ocean . At his death, Cornell was buried in a small family cemetery, Cornell Cemetery . In the late 19th century, the Rockaway Association wanted to build a hotel on the Rockaway Peninsula, as it was increasingly popular as a summer destination. The association, consisting of many wealthy members who had homes in the area, bought most of Cornell's old homestead property. They developed

267-628: A beachfront community with inexpensive summer bungalows, and hotels of varying levels of expense and luxury as well as amusements and boardwalk concessions, and it also attracted a year-round residential community. One grandiose plan for the community included a canal running through the neighborhood, reminiscent of the Amstel canal in Amsterdam , the Netherlands . The canal was never built; its right-of-way became Amstel Boulevard, which, except for

356-482: A city police officer who were fired from their jobs after their participation came to light. They sued the city for wrongful termination, and their claims were upheld in federal district court in 2003. Residents expressed support for and relief at the ruling, hoping that an end to the court battle would help to rehabilitate the image of the town. The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit reversed

445-626: A glass facade and a blue roof that collects rainwater. The building's facade includes the artwork Style Writing by José Parlá , while the second floor has the artwork Feynman Code by Pablo Helguera . During the early and mid-20th century, many Jewish immigrants and their working-class descendants settled in Far Rockaway, sometimes first as summer visitors. They founded numerous synagogues and private schools, including those devoted to all-boys or all-girls institutions for educating Orthodox children. Following World War II, as residential housing

534-749: A lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 74.6% between 1990 and 2018. The precinct reported 6 murders, 26 rapes, 151 robberies, 301 felony assaults, 98 burglaries, 250 grand larcenies, and 31 grand larcenies' auto in 2018. Rockaway is served by these New York City Fire Department (FDNY) fire stations: As of 2018 , preterm births and births to teenage mothers are more common in Rockaway than in other places citywide. In Rockaway, there were 113 preterm births per 1,000 live births (compared to 87 per 1,000 citywide), and 20.9 births to teenage mothers per 1,000 live births (compared to 19.3 per 1,000 citywide). Rockaway has

623-543: A number of smaller, specialized academies that share the building. They can provide more individualized attention to their students. The former Beach Channel High School was similarly closed in 2014 and repurposed to house several smaller, specialized academies; it is in Rockaway Park , near Far Rockaway, and draws some of its students from Far Rockaway. Queens Public Library operates the Far Rockaway branch at 1637 Central Avenue. The library replaced another one that

712-624: A place for "male bonding" and to "scuba dive for sunken ships" via Sheepshead Bay's Jeanne II docks at Pier Five. Today, the area still draws crowds during the summer with well-tended beaches. Jacob Riis Park and Fort Tilden are situated towards the western end of the peninsula, and are part of the Gateway National Recreational Area , which was created in 1972 as one of the first urban national parks. The 5.5 miles (8.9 km) long Rockaway Boardwalk and 170 acres (0.69 km ) of sandy beaches, fully accessible by

801-488: A public high school must apply to high schools. Far Rockaway High School was located in Far Rockaway, but was shut down in 2011 as a stand-alone institution. During the administration of Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2011, many large, underperforming, older traditional high schools were closed in the city. The 1929 building was renovated to operate as the Far Rockaway Educational Campus, home to

890-469: A relatively average population of residents who are uninsured . In 2018, this population of uninsured residents was estimated to be 11%, which is slightly lower than the citywide rate of 12%. The concentration of fine particulate matter , the deadliest type of air pollutant , in Rockaway is 0.006 milligrams per cubic metre (6.0 × 10  oz/cu ft), the lowest of any neighborhood in the city. Sixteen percent of Rockaway residents are smokers , which

979-600: A rezoning plan that limits the size of some buildings was approved by the New York City Council for five communities on the peninsula covering 280 blocks. The communities that were included are Rockaway Park , Rockaway Beach , Somerville , Edgemere , and Far Rockaway . With more and more people moving to the city, the Rockaways become a destination for adventurous day trippers. The area appears in New York Magazine 's 2007 spring travel issue as

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1068-597: A stub west of Beach 71st Street, was later incorporated into Beach Channel Drive . The first transatlantic flight departed from Neponsit on the Rockaway Peninsula. On May 8, 1919, four United States Navy Curtis-model seaplanes took off from what is now Beach Channel Drive to Newfoundland, Canada , the Azores Islands , and Lisbon , Portugal . Finally, on May 31, 1919, one of the planes, piloted by Lt. Commander Albert C. Read, arrived in Plymouth, England . In

1157-760: Is Daniel Garodnick . In 1976, after the original Greenmarket on 59th Street & 2nd Avenue proved to be successful, the New York City Department of City Planning proposed to the Council on the Environment of New York City opening a second farmers market in Union Square and a third market in Brooklyn . The Union Square farmers market was smaller and considerably less hectic than the 59th Street & 2nd Avenue location. The Brooklyn Market

1246-480: Is "Reckanawahaha", which translates to "the place of laughing waters". Other phrases, such as "lekau" (sand) "lechauwaak" (fork or branch), also referred to the area's geography. In September 1609, Henry Hudson and his crew were the first Europeans recorded as seeing the area of the Rockaways and Jamaica Bay . Hudson was attempting to find the Northwest Passage . On September 11, Hudson sailed into

1335-452: Is 53% in Rockaway, slightly higher than the boroughwide and citywide rates of 53% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, as of 2018 , Rockaway is considered to be high-income relative to the rest of the city and not gentrifying . Rockaway is patrolled by two precincts of the NYPD . The 101st Precinct is located at 16-12 Mott Avenue and serves Far Rockaway, while the 100th Precinct

1424-459: Is a 200-acre (0.81 km ) beach that is also a wildlife breeding area. New York City Planning Commission The City Planning Commission was created under the 1936 New York City Charter . It started functioning in 1938 with seven members, all of whom were appointed by the Mayor and was given responsibility for creating a master plan. The commission currently operates under the terms of

1513-557: Is covered by ZIP Code 11691. The United States Post Office operates the Far Rockaway Station at 18-36 Mott Avenue. The neighborhood, like all of New York City, is served by the New York City Department of Education . Far Rockaway residents are zoned to several different elementary schools: Far Rockaway residents are zoned to M.S. 53 Brian Piccolo. All New York City residents who wish to attend

1602-464: Is greater than that of the city as a whole. The incarceration rate of 824 per 100,000 people is higher than that of the city as a whole. The 100th Precinct has a lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 74.5% between 1990 and 2018. The precinct reported 2 murders, 5 rapes, 38 robberies, 93 felony assaults, 59 burglaries, 161 grand larcenies, and 17 grand larcenies' auto in 2018. The 101st Precinct also has

1691-684: Is higher than the city's average of 87%. In 2018, 75% of residents described their health as "good", "very good", or "excellent", slightly lower than the city's average of 78%. For every supermarket in Rockaway, there are 8 bodegas . The only large hospital on the Rockaway Peninsula is St. John's Episcopal Hospital South Shore . Rockaway is covered by multiple ZIP Codes . From west to east, they are 11697 (Breezy Point), 11694 (Rockaway Park), 11693 (Broad Channel), 11692 (Arverne), and 11691 (Far Rockaway). The United States Post Office operates four locations in Rockaway: The western portion of

1780-469: Is located at 92-24 Rockaway Beach Boulevard and serves the rest of the peninsula. The 100th and 101st Precincts collectively ranked 10th safest out of 69 patrol areas for per-capita crime in 2010. However, the low-income and densely populated 101st Precinct has significantly more crime than the 100th Precinct, which is high-income and more insular. As of 2018 , with a non-fatal assault rate of 71 per 100,000 people, Rockaway's rate of violent crimes per capita

1869-799: Is patrolled by the New York City Police Department 's 101st Precinct. The indigenous inhabitants of the Rockaways were the Canarsie Indians , a band of Mohegan , whose name was associated with the geography. By 1639, the Mohegan tribe sold most of the Rockaways to the Dutch West India Company . In 1664, the English defeated the Dutch colony and took over their lands in present-day New York. In 1685,

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1958-599: Is patrolled by the 100th and 101st Precincts of the New York City Police Department . As of 2020, the peninsula's total population is estimated to be 124,185. All ZIP Codes in Rockaway begin with the three digits 116 and the central post office is in Far Rockaway . The name "Rockaway" may have meant "place of sands" in the Munsee language of the Native American Lenape who occupied this area at

2047-412: Is slightly higher than the city average of 14% of residents being smokers. In Rockaway, 32% of residents are obese , 15% are diabetic , and 34% have high blood pressure —compared to the citywide averages of 20%, 14%, and 24% respectively. In addition, 23% of children are obese, compared to the citywide average of 20%. Eighty-nine percent of residents eat some fruits and vegetables every day, which

2136-591: The 2010 United States Census , the population of Far Rockaway was 50,058, a change of 1,714 (3.4%) from the 48,344 counted in 2000 . Covering an area of 1,251 acres (506 ha), the neighborhood had a population density of 40 inhabitants per acre (26,000/sq mi; 9,900/km). The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 25.5% (12,778) White , 44.7% (22,400) African American , 0.3% (175) Native American , 1.9% (931) Asian , 0.1% (44) Pacific Islander , 1% (504) from other races , and 1.7% (860) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 24.7% (12,366) of

2225-636: The 2010 United States Census , the population of the Rockaways, including Broad Channel, was 114,961, a change of 8,261 (7.2%) from the 106,700 counted in 2000 . Covering an area of 4,758.96 acres (1,925.88 ha), the neighborhood had a population density of 24.2 inhabitants per acre (15,500/sq mi; 6,000/km ). The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 35.2% (40,446) White , 38.9% (44,663) African American , 0.3% (309) Native American , 2.2% (2,555) Asian , 0.1% (63) Pacific Islander , 0.8% (877) from other races , and 1.7% (1,950) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 21% (24,098) of

2314-591: The Dominican community in Washington Heights, Manhattan . A temporary memorial was developed at the actual site of the disaster, on Newport Avenue. But after consultation with the families in the Belle Harbor and Washington Heights communities, a public memorial was erected at the south end of Beach 116th Street, a major shopping district and transportation hub in the area. Ceremonies commemorating

2403-580: The Far Rockaway subway station , and the Far Rockaway LIRR station , got its first new store in decades. Phase I of construction was completed in 2011; Phase II was begun in 2006. Elsewhere, along the beach, zoning laws written decades ago for the hotel trade have allowed developers to build high-rises alongside the smaller old and new houses. In response, some communities have approved rezoning plans for their neighborhoods to stop "out of character" development. Opponents also contend that due to

2492-679: The Marine Pavilion on that site, which attracted such guests as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow , Washington Irving , and the Vanderbilt family . The Rockaway Association also built the Rockaway Turnpike . The Marine Hotel burned to the ground in 1864, but more hotels and private residences were built in the area. In the 19th century, people traveled to the Rockaways by horse-drawn carriages or on horseback. A ferry powered by steam sailed from Lower Manhattan to Brooklyn . By

2581-705: The National Register of Historic Places . With its nearby beach, Far Rockaway attracted tourists and vacationers from the other boroughs. Bungalows were the homes of choice for many residents who lived in Far Rockaway. The railroad abandoned the Rockaway Beach Branch in 1950 because of the shift of many people to driving private cars. In addition, this destination had to compete with the many others that people were visiting by car and air travel, which created access to even more distant destinations and heightened competition for travel dollars. As

2670-487: The New York City Council voted to rezone 23 blocks in the center of Far Rockaway, after the New York City Planning Commission approved the rezoning. The rezoning would allow as many as 3,100 residences to be built in the neighborhood, as well as community spaces and retail. Following the rezoning, city officials approved 670 affordable apartments within the area in 2018. Based on data from

2759-576: The Rockaway Beach LIRR branch to the Rockaway subway line also brought an increase to Rockaway's permanent residents. Robert Caro , who wrote The Power Broker : Robert Moses and the Fall of New York , stated "Why did the Rockaways end up with so much government-financed housing? Largely because Robert Moses wanted it there." Although the bridges were intended to improve the Rockaways, Moses' other projects both directly and indirectly hurt

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2848-587: The September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001, including people who worked there and New York City Fire Department firefighters and EMS personnel dispatched to the location. The city later opened Tribute Park on Jamaica Bay north of the Beach 116th Street shopping area in Rockaway Park , dedicating it to their memory. In the center of the park is a piece of twisted steel from the ruins of

2937-534: The Upper New York Bay , and the following day began a journey up what is now called the Hudson River in his honor. By 1639, the Mohegan tribe sold most of the Rockaways to the Dutch West India Company . In 1664, the English defeated the Dutch colony and took over their lands in present-day New York. In 1685, the band chief, Tackapoucha , and the English governor of the province agreed to sell

3026-520: The Yeshiva of Far Rockaway . Other synagogues (past and present): Other schools (past and present): Far Rockaway is served by the following transportation services: Rockaway, Queens The Rockaway Peninsula , commonly referred to as The Rockaways or Rockaway , is a peninsula at the southern edge of the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island , New York . Relatively isolated from Manhattan and other more urban parts of

3115-600: The 100th Precinct, which is high-income and more insular. The 101st Precinct has a lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 74.6% between 1990 and 2018. The precinct reported 6 murders, 26 rapes, 151 robberies, 301 felony assaults, 98 burglaries, 250 grand larcenies, and 31 grand larcenies auto in 2018. Far Rockaway is served by the New York City Fire Department (FDNY)'s Engine Cos. 264 and 328/Ladder Co. 134, located at 16-15 Central Avenue. Far Rockaway

3204-559: The 1830s, with the first resort being founded at Far Rockaway in 1835. In the 19th century, people traveled to the Rockaways by horse-drawn carriages or on horseback. A ferry powered by steam sailed from Lower Manhattan to Brooklyn . The peninsula's popularity grew in the 1880s with the construction of the Long Island Rail Road 's Rockaway Beach Branch to Long Island City and Flatbush Terminal (now Atlantic Terminal ), which facilitated population growth. In 1878,

3293-525: The 1880s, the Long Island Rail Road 's Rockaway Beach Branch was built to serve Far Rockaway station. The steam railroad went to Long Island City and Flatbush Terminal (now Atlantic Terminal ). When it opened in the 1880s, this connection stimulated population growth on the Rockaway Peninsula. Benjamin Mott gave the LIRR 7 acres (2.8 ha) of land for a railroad depot. Land values increased and businesses in

3382-584: The 1930s, Robert Moses came to power as New York City's Parks Commissioner and his extensive road and transportation projects were both a benefit and a disaster for the neighborhood. As commissioner, Moses ordered the construction of the Marine Parkway Bridge and the Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge . The bridges were completed in 1937 and 1939 respectively. The Marine Parkway Bridge was built farther west on

3471-541: The Belle Harbor Yacht Club, bought property from the company for $ 4,000. The agreement included 200 square feet of land and thirty plots of upland. That same year, the group received corporation status from the State of New York and by 1908 began participating in its first interclub ocean races with some of the city's other yacht clubs. A new street system, based on numbered streets with the prefix "Beach",

3560-538: The Cross Bay Bridge. Many feared that such an extensive project would do more harm to the peninsula than good and pointed to the community displacement that had happened in the South Bronx because of Moses' roadway construction Even though Moses never got to make his highway, he did leave his mark. A piece of the planned parkway that ran west to east in the Rockaway Park and Rockaway Beach neighborhoods

3649-475: The Queens Library Archives in 2008. Far Rockaway is patrolled by the NYPD 's 101st Precinct, located at 16-12 Mott Avenue. The 101st Precinct and the adjoining 100th Precinct, which serves the rest of the Rockaways, collectively ranked 10th safest out of 69 patrol areas for per-capita crime in 2010. However, the low-income and densely populated 101st Precinct has significantly more crime than

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3738-583: The Rockaway Peninsula is located within the Gateway National Recreation Area . The National Park Service operates three sites as part of the area. Jacob Riis Park is located near the western end of the peninsula, covering approximately 262 acres (106 ha) west of Beach 149th Street in Neponsit. Fort Tilden , a group of historic military installations, is located west of Jacob Riis Park. The final part, Breezy Point Tip,

3827-485: The Rockaways began as a neighborhood of summer beach bungalows ; this kind of house became the most popular type of housing during the summer months. Even today, some of these remain, converted to provide modern amenities, although the vast majority were razed in urban renewal during the 1960s. In 1900, a New York State judge ordered that the land west of Rockaway Park be put up for auction. Belle Harbor and adjacent Neponsit were bought by Edward P. Hatch, who sold it to

3916-563: The Rockaways to a Captain Palmer for 31 pounds sterling. The Rockaway Peninsula was originally designated as part of the Town of Hempstead , then a part of Queens County. Palmer and the Town of Hempstead disputed over who owned Rockaway, so in 1687 he sold the land to Richard Cornell , an iron master from Flushing . Cornell and his family lived on a homestead on what is now Central Avenue, near

4005-470: The Rockaways. In October 2012, Rockaway was devastated by Hurricane Sandy . Many homes, especially in Breezy Point, were damaged or destroyed by high water, or by fires that raged beyond the capability of first responders to contain them. Residents lost everything in their basements, and hundreds of vehicles were ruined. One car caught fire when someone tried to start their vehicle, but residents put

4094-542: The West Rockaway Land Company in 1907. Residential lots in Belle Harbor were auctioned off in 1915. Belle Harbor was named by the president of the West Rockaway Land Company, Frederick J. Lancaster , who had earlier developed the Rockaway neighborhood of Edgemere . In 1905, before Lancaster acquired the land, a group of men wishing to form a yacht club entered into a grant agreement with the West Rockaway Land Company. The group, which had named itself

4183-567: The advent of inexpensive travel, air-conditioning, John F. Kennedy International Airport , and the Interstate Highway system, Rockaway lost its luster as a recreation area, and development transformed much of it into residential communities. In 1960, Breezy Point was sold to the Atlantic Improvement State Corporation for $ 17 million; the residents of the 3,500-home community purchased half of

4272-505: The area grew, and by 1888, Far Rockaway was a relatively large village. It incorporated as a village on September 19 of that year. In 1898, the area was incorporated into the City of Greater New York and became part of Queens. The neighborhoods of Far Rockaway, Hammels , and Arverne in Queens tried to secede from the city several times. In 1915 and 1917, a bill approving secession passed in

4361-603: The area was greatly hampered by flooding. It destroyed 126 homes and damaged 22 more. Thousands of other houses were damaged by the flooding. Fires also wreaked havoc along several blocks of Beach 130th Street in Belle Harbor, and among storefronts along Rockaway Beach Blvd. near Beach 114th Street in Rockaway Park. Large portions of the Rockaway Boardwalk were swept away by the floodwaters, leaving only its supporting piers. The FDNY found 130 homes burned to

4450-451: The attractions on the Rockaway Peninsula in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. On August 24, 1893, an intense storm, later classified as a hurricane , destroyed Hog Island , a mile-long island off the Rockaway coast that supported bath houses, restaurants and other leisure-time venues. On January 3, 1914, a violent storm devastated the peninsula, and swept the 1,200-seat Arverne Pier Theater away to sea. On June 15, 1922, much of Arverne

4539-444: The band chief, Tackapoucha , and the English governor of the province agreed to sell the Rockaways to a Captain Palmer for 31 pounds sterling. The Rockaway Peninsula was originally designated as part of the Town of Hempstead , then a part of Queens County. Palmer and the Town of Hempstead disputed over who owned Rockaway, so in 1687 he sold the land to Richard Cornell , an iron master from Flushing . Cornell and his family lived on

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4628-619: The beach. The peninsula was dubbed " Williamsburg on the Rockaways" because some surfers from there began to spend whole summers out in the Rockaways. A number of businesses that cater to them have become popular among these down for the day tourists. There is even a summer shuttle bus which transports people from Williamsburg to the Rockaways. In February 2016, the Rockaway Peninsula was one of four neighborhoods featured in an article in The New York Times about "New York's Next Hot Neighborhoods". Storms and fires damaged many of

4717-631: The beachfront. The park was grand for its time. One of its most popular attractions, the Atom Smasher roller coaster, would be featured at the beginning of This is Cinerama , a pre- IMAX type movie, in 1952. An Olympic-size swimming pool and a million-dollar midway also were built within the amusement park; they would serve the community for more than 80 years. It was a popular place for New York families until 1985, when insurance costs and competition from major regional parks made it impossible to continue operations. Arverne became well known as

4806-593: The city constructed the Hammel Houses in Rockaway Beach , one of the many urban renewal efforts that dominated the community and much of its eastern neighbors in the last half of the 20th century. The New York City Housing Authority purchased the land in 1952 on the north side of the elevated track. In 1964, the Authority decided to demolish and rebuild the entire area and turn it into a park. With

4895-422: The city, Rockaway became a popular summer retreat in the 1830s. It has since become a mixture of lower, middle, and upper-class neighborhoods. In the 2010s, it became one of the city's most quickly gentrifying areas. The peninsula is divided into nine neighborhoods or sections, with Riis Park in between two of such sections. From east to west, they are: The peninsula is part of Queens Community District 14 and

4984-721: The community. One such failed project was the planned construction of the Shore Front Parkway in the 1950s and 1960s. Wanting to connect Staten Island to the Hamptons , Moses focused on making a highway through the Rockaway Peninsula. His idea was to connect the Marine Parkway Bridge with the Atlantic Beach Bridge , which connected the Rockaway Peninsula to Nassau County . The plan would also provide an extension midway through to include

5073-506: The designation of a 302-acre (122 ha) Arverne renewal area in 1964. However, for thirty years, the area went mostly undeveloped. In 1998, Broad Channel's Labor Day parade included a float that parodied the racially motivated dragging death of an African American man, James Byrd Jr. Entitled "Black to the Future - Broad Channel in 2098", the float carried white men wearing blackface and Afro wigs, including two city firefighters and

5162-404: The disaster are held at the memorial every November 12, including a reading of the names of all of those killed in the crash. In 2001, a resident told The Guardian : "It's impossible to understand unless you live here ... Father Michael Geraghty, a priest quoted in the same article, said that it was common for people to live in the houses that their parents lived in and that many families lived in

5251-490: The early 1900s, a new railroad station opened up the community and the rest of the peninsula to a broad range of the population. The wealthy no longer had a monopoly on the peninsula, and various amusement parks, stores, and resort hotels attracted people from all over the city to spend a day or a whole summer there. Much of the area was developed by James S. Remsen and William Wainwright . In this era, it became known as "New York's Playground". Around this time, Breezy Point in

5340-416: The eastern community of Bayswater was laid out. One of Bayswater's early developers was William Trist Bailey , who had purchased the property. In 1893, much of Hog Island , a small sandbar island off the coast of Far Rockaway washed away in a hurricane. The remainder of the island eroded by 1902. Plates, along with older artifacts, still wash up along the shore of Rockaway Beach. The Rockaway Peninsula

5429-516: The fire out before official help arrived. On August 4, 2013, Senator Charles Schumer announced that the first phase of reconstruction on the beach, completed, would lay the groundwork for a second contract awarded later during the summer of 2013, totally paid for by the federal government through the Hurricane Sandy relief bill . During the storm, a fire spread between the closely spaced houses of Breezy Point, while firefighters' access to

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5518-554: The ground. Nearby, another 50 homes were damaged by the fire. According to an official report in December, rising seawater caused the fire by contacting a house's electrical wires. "Whalemina," a large, brightly colored statue of a smiling whale that had been a beloved iconic symbol of Rockaway since the 1990s, disappeared from Beach 94th Street near the Boardwalk and was presumed to have been swept out to sea. Based on data from

5607-571: The land for about $ 11 million and formed the Breezy Point Cooperative. The construction of apartment buildings commenced in the late 1960s and was halted by City ordinance. At the same time, much of the housing in the area was converted into year-round housing for low-income residents, and some of the bungalows were used as public housing. In Arverne, the New York City Planning Commission approved

5696-585: The legislature but was vetoed by the New York City mayor John Purroy Mitchel . The area saw economic decline in World War I and again during the Great Depression . New apartment complexes were built in the neighborhood following World War II, but the construction of public housing and medical institutions again caused the reputation of Far Rockaway to decline in the 1960s. In September 2017,

5785-420: The neighborhood as well. These more modern recreational facilities lured tourists and beachgoers away from the peninsula. With fewer customers, businesses and hotels closed, and by the 1950s, the area had fallen into economic decline. The transition from a summer vacationing area to a full-time residential neighborhood had taken its toll. After World War II , several large public housing projects were built in

5874-400: The neighborhood's heyday as a resort community declined in the 1950s, the city built substantial numbers of public housing developments to try to replace substandard housing after World War II. Bungalows and other residential housing were converted to year-round use for low-income residents. Some bungalows were used as public housing. The 1970s New York City budget crisis had a negative effect on

5963-440: The new borough of Queens, which was consolidated into Greater New York City in 1898 (the remainder of Hempstead Town, plus the two other eastern Queens townships of North Hempstead and Oyster Bay did not become part of the borough and ultimately split from Queens with the formation of neighboring Nassau County in 1899). The village of Rockaway Park became incorporated into the City of Greater New York on January 1, 1898. In

6052-433: The peninsula between Jacob Riis Park and Breezy Point linking the isolated communities to Brooklyn. The Cross Bay Bridge landed in the middle of the neighborhood of Rockaway Beach. The construction of the two bridges started to transform the neighborhood and the rest of the peninsula into a more year-round residential area or commuter town , as people had a more convenient way to travel to and from work. The conversion of

6141-497: The population. The entirety of Community Board 14, which comprises the Rockaways and Broad Channel, had 114,390 inhabitants as of NYC Health 's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 76.5 years. This is lower than the median life expectancy of 81.2 for all New York City neighborhoods. Most inhabitants are middle-aged adults and youth: 26% are between the ages of 0–17, 25% between 25–44, and 26% between 45–64. The ratio of college-aged and elderly residents

6230-455: The population. Far Rockaway is a diverse neighborhood with many immigrants from Jamaica , Guyana , and Guatemala , as well as Russia and Ukraine . It also is home to a significant number of Orthodox Jews . The Far Rockaway Beach Bungalow Historic District recognizes an area with a distinct character. This and individual properties, such as the Russell Sage Memorial Church , Trinity Chapel , and United States Post Office are listed on

6319-417: The provision of social services, and problems of poverty, unemployment and drug use increased in this area. In September 1984, residents founded the Beachside Bungalow Preservation Association to "improve the quality of the Far Rockaway community through preservation, education, and cultural programs". The organization donated a collection of materials highlighting its history, correspondence, and activities to

6408-446: The rapidly growing population, the current infrastructure is inadequate and that there are environmental issues to consider. Those in favor of the development, however, contend that the development will help spur economic development and that the infrastructure cannot be upgraded until the population has reached a more noticeable level. Furthermore, some developers have questioned the legality of "down zoning". On August 14, 2008, however,

6497-411: The region as part of Moses' overall citywide neighborhood redevelopment plans, but these eventually became hotbeds of crime and related social pathologies. This provoked a backlash from some of the peninsula's more established residents (many of whom are of Irish Catholic heritage). A strong Jewish community (most of whose members are Ashkenazi Jews ) also exists in and around Far Rockaway. For example,

6586-535: The revised 1989 Charter, with 13 members. The board consists of a chair, who serves at the Mayor's pleasure, and 12 other members who serve terms in office of five years on a staggered basis. The Mayor appoints the chair, who serves ex officio as the Director of City Planning, and six other members. Each Borough President appoints one member. The New York City Public Advocate appoints one member. The current chair

6675-589: The ruling in 2006, holding that the firings could stand. After decades of grand redevelopment plans that fell through — for casinos, sports arenas, and other projects — planning began in 2002 for a large vacant section between Rockaway Beach and Arverne. By 2004, people were moving into the first completed buildings of the Arverne-By-the-Sea development. By 2012, the development included some 2,300 homes. That sparked nearby retail development. Far Rockaway Shopping Center, in downtown Far Rockaway between

6764-533: The same houses for generations. The neighborhood suffered heavy losses from the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks ." The impact of the 9/11 attacks and Flight 587 on the community was the subject of the book Braving the Waves: Rockaway Rises, and Rises Again by Kevin Boyle. The book contained many personal accounts of Rockaway residents and is interspersed with descriptions of other disasters in

6853-414: The shore of the Atlantic Ocean . At his death, Cornell was buried in a small family cemetery, Cornell Cemetery . The Cornell property was split into 46 lots in 1808 following a partition lawsuit. Several wealthy New Yorkers created the Rockaway Association, which brought many of the lots and started developing resorts in the area in 1833. Rockaway became a popular area for seaside hotels starting in

6942-506: The subway, make this a popular summer day trip for New York City residents. Toward the western end of the boardwalk, several portions of the beach are fenced off to preserve the nesting habitat for several species of terns and plovers , making for a unique urban birdwatching locale. After 2010, there was a major resurgence in the Rockaways' popularity. Various media began reporting on artists such as Andrew VanWyngarden , co-founder of popular psychedelic rock band MGMT , purchasing homes on

7031-596: The time of European contact in the early 17th century. Other spellings include Requarkie, Rechouwakie, Rechaweygh, Rechquaakie and Reckowacky, transliterated in Dutch and English by early colonists. The indigenous inhabitants of the Rockaways were the Canarsie Native Americans, a band of Lenape , whose name was associated with the geography. The name Reckowacky was used to distinguish the Rockaway village from other Mohegan villages; "Reckowacky" means "lonely place", or "place of waters bright". This area

7120-453: The trade center's Twin Towers. Solemn ceremonies are held at the park every September 11, including a reading of the names of all the locals who perished on that day. Almost exactly two months after 9/11, on November 12, 2001, American Airlines Flight 587 crashed in Belle Harbor, killing 265 people: 260 aboard the aircraft and five on the ground. Many of the passengers on the plane were from

7209-518: Was also located on Central Avenue. In 2013, New York magazine reported that the city planned to construct a public library in the neighborhood, to be designed by the internationally known architectural firm Snøhetta . Construction started in November 2018, and the new library opened in July 2024 at a cost of $ 39 million. The current building is 18,000 square feet (1,700 m) across two stories, with

7298-464: Was built in 1901 and quickly became a major attraction for people around the region. With its growing popularity, concern over swimming etiquette became a problem and early in 1904, the Captain of the NYPD , Louis Kreuscher, issued rules for those using the beach, censoring the bathing suits to be worn, where photographs could be taken, and specifying that women in bathing suits were not allowed to leave

7387-533: Was constructed and opened in 1939. Houses were cut in half to build the four-lane street. Some of these houses are still standing today. The existing, still unfinished street is locally known as the "road from nowhere to nowhere" because it does not have any relevant connections to any other area or highway. Robert Moses' construction of other recreational areas and facilities, such as the New York Aquarium and Jones Beach State Park , indirectly affected

7476-653: Was developed in Nassau and later Suffolk counties, many Jewish families left the Rockaways for newer housing. According to The New York Times , Far Rockaway had "flourished in the 1940s but withered...1960s" until "a few Jewish families...started the Hebrew Free Loan Society for new home buyers." Synagogues include Congregation Kneseth Israel in Far Rockaway (The White Shul) , which was founded in 1922. Schools include Sh'or Yoshuv Institute of Jewish Studies/Sh'or Yoshuv Yeshiva , Yeshiva Darchei Torah and

7565-485: Was laid out for the Rockaways in 1912 to help development. The central-peninsula neighborhood of Hammels , along with the eastern communities of Arverne and Far Rockaway , tried to secede from the city several times, complaining that consolidation had brought high taxes and poor services. In 1915 and 1917, a bill approving the secession passed in the legislature but was vetoed by then-Mayor John Purroy Mitchel . Rockaway's famous amusement park, Rockaways' Playland ,

7654-465: Was leveled by a fire that left about 10,000 people homeless, although the neighborhood was quick to rebuild. On June 6, 1993, a ship called the Golden Venture beached near Fort Tilden on the western half of the Rockaway Peninsula. The ship contained 296 Chinese illegal immigrants, including 13 crew members. Ten people drowned trying to reach shore. Over 70 Rockaway residents were killed in

7743-498: Was lower, at 8% and 14% respectively. As of 2017, the median household income in Community Board 14 was $ 54,012. In 2018, an estimated 18% of Rockaway residents lived impoverished, compared to 19% in all of Queens and 20% in all of New York City. One in eleven residents (9%) were unemployed, compared to 8% in Queens and 9% in New York City. Rent burden, or the percentage of residents who have difficulty paying their rent,

7832-550: Was mistakenly documented as occupied by a band of Mohawk people in a 1934 source; this Iroquoian-speaking tribe primarily occupied the Mohawk River valley in central New York, north and west of the Hudson River and Long Island. Other interpretations of the peninsula's indigenous name have also been proposed. One possible interpretation is "Reckonwacky", which translates to "the place of our own people", while another

7921-472: Was originally part of the Town of Hempstead , then a part of Queens County. In 1897, the central peninsular towns of Hammels (named after a local landowner, Louis Hammels) and Hollands merged, and were incorporated as the Village of Rockaway Beach . Rockaway split from the Town of Hempstead and along with the three western Queens townships of Jamaica , Flushing and Newtown plus Long Island City , formed

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