Ride Entertainment is a firm based in the United States specializing in the construction, sales, service, and operation of amusement rides and attractions.
103-667: Responsible for the sale of amusement rides, attractions and related products. Companies represented or partnered with Ride Entertainment include: This division operates amusement parks and entertainment facilities at locations in North America, including such prominent locations as Forest Park and Fantasy Forest in New York, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway in Boston, and the Seaglass Carousel in New York to name
206-753: 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 Boulevard Line in 1936 and the IND/BMT Archer Avenue lines in 1988,
309-649: A " doughboy " or American infantryman. This memorial is one of a few doughboy statues in New York City. The same intersection contains a bronze flagstaff manufactured by the Gorham Manufacturing Company , which is located atop a 10-foot-tall (3.0 m) pedestal and a 4-foot-tall (1.2 m) granite base. In addition, there is a plaque commemorating Corporal Robert Gray, who died in World War I. Other sculptures are scattered around
412-427: A few. Ride Entertainment is the attraction industry's largest provider of revenue share attractions, working with amusement parks, zoos, water parks and other facilities. This division installs, maintains and rehabilitates amusement rides from manufacturers around the world. The company has worked with many different park groups, including Six Flags, Cedar Fair and OCT. SkyCoaster has over 75 locations worldwide and
515-497: A fourth bridge to carry the road across a ravine, and the Parks Department spent $ 30,000 to convert a former insane asylum next to the park into an inn. J. G. Dettmer, who gave Brooklyn mayor Frederick W. Wurster a tour of the park the same year, observed that the park had "splendid" views but that the roads were still incomplete. There were also proposals to add a 250,000,000-U.S.-gallon (950,000,000 L) reservoir in
618-450: A high school education and 51% are high school graduates or have some college education. By contrast, 39% of Queens residents and 43% of city residents have a college education or higher. The percentage of Jamaica and Hollis students excelling in math rose from 36% in 2000 to 55% in 2011, and reading achievement increased slightly from 44% to 45% during the same time period. Jamaica and Hollis's rate of elementary school student absenteeism
721-508: A large commercial and retail area,though part of the neighborhood is also residential. Jamaica is bordered by Hollis , St.Albans and Cambria Heights to the East. South Jamaica , Rochdale Village (SouthSide), John F.Kennedy International Airport /( JFK ) and Springfield Gardens to the South. Laurelton ,and Rosedale ,to the southeast; Richmond Hill , South Ozone Park ,and Aqueduct Racetrack to
824-492: A low population of residents who are uninsured . In 2018, this population of uninsured residents was estimated to be 5%, lower than the citywide rate of 12%. The concentration of fine particulate matter , the deadliest type of air pollutant , in Jamaica and Hollis is 0.007 milligrams per cubic metre (7.0 × 10 oz/cu ft), less than the city average. Eight percent of Jamaica and Hollis residents are smokers , which
927-804: A lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 86.1% between 1990 and 2018. The precinct reported 5 murders, 28 rapes, 156 robberies, 383 felony assaults, 153 burglaries, 414 grand larcenies, and 138 grand larcenies auto in 2018. Jamaica contains four New York City Fire Department (FDNY) fire stations: Major hospitals in Jamaica include Jamaica Hospital and Queens Hospital Center . As of 2018 , preterm births and births to teenage mothers are more common in Jamaica and Hollis than in other places citywide. In Jamaica and Hollis, there were 100 preterm births per 1,000 live births (compared to 87 per 1,000 citywide), and 21.4 births to teenage mothers per 1,000 live births (compared to 19.3 per 1,000 citywide). Jamaica and Hollis have
1030-716: A neighborhood of mansions north of Jamaica's central business district. The Archer Avenue lines ( E , J , and Z trains) serve Sutphin Boulevard–Archer Avenue–JFK Airport and Jamaica Center–Parsons/Archer stations. The Jamaica Yard , at the south end of Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, abuts Grand Central Parkway and the Van Wyck Expressway. Jamaica's bus network provides extensive service across eastern Queens, as well as to points in Nassau County ,
1133-572: A non-fatal assault rate of 68 per 100,000 people, Jamaica and Hollis's rate of violent crimes per capita is more than that of the city as a whole. The incarceration rate of 789 per 100,000 people is higher than that of the city as a whole. The 103rd Precinct has a lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 80.6% between 1990 and 2018. The precinct reported 5 murders, 31 rapes, 346 robberies, 408 felony assaults, 152 burglaries, 466 grand larcenies, and 79 grand larcenies auto in 2018. The 113th Precinct also has
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#17327935251961236-560: A playground. During the park's centennial celebration in 1995, a hundred trees were planted as a part of Operation Pine Grove, funded by American Forests and the Texaco Global Re-leaf Program. The Forest Park Carousel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. The Forest Park Greenhouse reopened in 2012 after it was renovated at a cost of $ 3.8 million. The same year, some of
1339-608: A report on possible park sites, Schieren's committee recommended in March 1895 that ten parks be developed, including a "forest park for immediate use" in Richmond Hill, Queens , east of Cypress Hills Cemetery . Only the Kings County government could allocate funds for these parks because of a law that prohibited cities in New York state from issuing large amounts of debt to pay for new parks. In May 1895, Squier submitted
1442-539: A report to the New York Supreme Court , calling for the establishment of four large and six small parks in and around Brooklyn; the largest of these was the 500-acre (200 ha) Forest Park at Richmond Hill. The Forest Park site was selected both because it was near Brooklyn's Eastern District and because it was a forested plateau. At the time, the park's site belonged to either about 60 or more than 100 landowners. One lawyer, Sidney V. Lowell, asked
1545-498: A roadway to be constructed directly across their land. Brooklyn mayor Charles A. Schieren appointed a committee to obtain sites for new parks. At the time, there were more vacant sites available in Queens County than in Kings County. By November 1894, Brooklyn park commissioner Frank Squier had suggested issuing bonds to buy land in Queens County; a public hearing on the site was hosted the next month. Squier claimed that
1648-602: A skate park, and a golf course. The park is operated and maintained by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation . Approximately 20,000 years ago, the terminal moraine of the receding Wisconsin Glacier that formed Long Island , known as the Harbor Hill Moraine , established a string of hills and kettles through the center of Long Island. The site of Forest Park was part of
1751-721: A stone pedestal. It was dedicated in 1997 and is based on a sculpture that Nathan Rapoport created in 1968 for the 20th anniversary of the Israeli Declaration of Independence . Birds common to Forest Park include red-tailed hawks, a variety of woodpeckers, great blue herons, mallards, northern orioles, American kestrels, ruby throated hummingbirds, ring-necked pheasants, northern flickers, eastern wood pewees, tufted titmice, white-breasted nuthatches, wood thrushes, red-eyed vireos, red-winged blackbirds, scarlet tanagers, and several species of sparrow including rufous-sided towhees. A great variety of warblers often pass through in
1854-571: A water-supply structure on three sides. Other parts of the park are up to 0.5 miles (2,600 ft; 800 m) wide. West of the former Rockaway Beach Branch (which runs just east of Woodhaven Boulevard), the northern boundary of the park is at Myrtle Avenue . East of the Rockaway Beach Branch, Myrtle Avenue crosses southeastward into the park, and Union Turnpike is the park's northern boundary. The southern and eastern boundaries of Forest Park are formed by Park Lane South, while
1957-492: Is 56% in Jamaica and Hollis, higher than the boroughwide and citywide rates of 53% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, as of 2018 , Jamaica and Hollis are considered to be high-income relative to the rest of the city and not gentrifying . The borough of Queens is one of the most ethnically diverse counties in the world. Jamaica is large and has a diverse population, predominantly African Americans, Caribbean/West Indians, Hispanics, and Asians/Asian Indians. Jamaica
2060-554: Is a NYC BID Association that focuses on these specific developed stores in Jamaica, Queens. The Federal Aviation Administration Eastern Region has its offices at Rockaway Boulevard in South Jamaica, near JFK Airport. Several businesses are at the nearby John F. Kennedy International Airport. North American Airlines has its headquarters on the property of JFK. Nippon Cargo Airlines maintains its New York City offices there. The Northeastern Program Service Center (NEPSC)
2163-454: Is a central driveway running along the Harbor Hill Moraine (which passes through the park), connecting the western end of the park to the Long Island Rail Road 's Main Line at its eastern end. Forest Park measures 2.5 miles (4.0 km) long from west to east. Its narrowest point is at Woodhaven Boulevard, where it is only 1,000 feet (300 m) wide because the park originally surrounded
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#17327935251962266-531: Is a central transfer point on the LIRR which is headquartered in a building adjoining the station. All of the commuter railroad's passenger branches except for the Port Washington Branch run through the station. The New York City Subway 's IND Queens Boulevard Line ( E , F , and <F> trains) terminate at the 179th Street station, at the foot of Jamaica Estates ,
2369-404: Is a haven for native plants and wildlife in the midst of the city's sprawl. In addition to the park's large full-time bird population, migratory birds pass through in the spring and fall. Several trails are available for area residents and urban day hikers. Other facilities include playgrounds, a carousel , a running track, two dog runs, a pond, tennis courts, basketball courts, baseball fields,
2472-632: Is a major commercial center. The New York Racing Association , based at Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, lists its official address as Jamaica (central Jamaica once housed the Jamaica Racetrack , now the massive Rochdale Village housing development). John F. Kennedy International Airport and the hotels nearby are also located in Jamaica. The neighborhood is located in Queens Community District 12 . It
2575-556: Is also a greenhouse behind the Seuffert Bandshell. Known as the Forest Park Greenhouse, it was built by Lord & Burnham and constructed in either 1905 or 1910. The greenhouse is one of three operated by NYC Parks, and it supplies up to 100,000 plants annually. The current greenhouse is composed of five structures, some of which were relocated from suburban Long Island . It is generally closed to
2678-661: Is also an African-American commercial area. Many Sri Lankans live in the area for similar reasons as the Bangladeshi community, reflected by the numerous food and grocery establishments along Hillside Avenue catering to the community. Significant Filipino and African communities thrive in Jamaica, along with the neighboring Filipino community in Queens Village and the historic, well established African-American community residing in Jamaica. From 151st Street to 164th Street, many groceries and restaurants are representative of
2781-416: Is another South Asian ethnic enclave in New York City, as South Asian immigration and the city's South Asian population has grown rapidly. Economic development was long neglected. In the 1960s and 1970s, many big box retailers moved to suburban areas where business was more profitable. Departing retailers included brand name stores and movie theaters that once thrived in Jamaica's busiest areas. Macy's and
2884-466: Is located in the Joseph P. Addabbo Federal Building at Parsons Boulevard and Jamaica Avenue. The NEPSC serves approximately 8.6 million retirement, survivor, and disability insurance beneficiaries, whose Social Security numbers (SSN) begin with 001 through 134, 729, and 805 through 808. The NEPSC also processes disability claims for beneficiaries age 54 and over for the same SSN series. Constructed in 1989,
2987-410: Is lower than the city average of 14% of residents being smokers. In Jamaica and Hollis, 30% of residents are obese , 16% are diabetic , and 37% have high blood pressure —compared to the citywide averages of 22%, 8%, and 23% respectively. In addition, 23% of children are obese, compared to the citywide average of 20%. Eighty-six percent of residents eat some fruits and vegetables every day, which
3090-588: Is more than the rest of New York City. In Jamaica and Hollis, 22% of elementary school students missed twenty or more days per school year , higher than the citywide average of 20%. Additionally, 74% of high school students in Jamaica and Hollis graduate on time, about the same as the citywide average of 75%. Jamaica's public schools are operated by the New York City Department of Education . Public high schools in Jamaica include: Public elementary and middle schools in Jamaica include: Private schools in Jamaica include: The Catholic schools are administered by
3193-422: Is part of three ZIP Codes: 11432 north of Jamaica Avenue , 11433 between Jamaica Avenue and Linden Boulevard, and 11434 south of Linden Boulevard. The United States Post Office operates four post offices nearby: Jamaica and Hollis possess a lower rate of college-educated residents than the rest of the city as of 2018 . While 29% of residents age 25 and older have a college education or higher, 19% have less than
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3296-678: Is patrolled by the New York City Police Department 's 103rd and 113th Precincts. The neighborhood was named Yameco , a corruption of the word yamecah , meaning " beaver ", in the language spoken by the Lenape , the Native Americans who lived in the area at the time of first European contact. The semivowel "y" sound of English is spelled with a "j" in Dutch, the language of the first people to write about
3399-450: Is patrolled by two precincts of the NYPD . The 103rd Precinct is located at 168-02 91st Avenue and serves downtown Jamaica and Hollis, while the 113th Precinct is located at 167-02 Baisley Boulevard and serves St. Albans and South Jamaica. The 103rd Precinct ranked 51st safest out of 69 patrol areas for per-capita crime in 2010, while the 113th Precinct ranked 55th safest. As of 2018 , with
3502-515: Is slightly less than the city's average of 87%. In 2018, 82% of residents described their health as "good", "very good", or "excellent", higher than the city's average of 78%. For every supermarket in Jamaica and Hollis, there are 20 bodegas . Jamaica is covered by multiple ZIP Codes . West of Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica falls under ZIP Codes 11435 north of Linden Boulevard and 11436 south of Linden Boulevard. East of Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica
3605-506: 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 " (now filled in; what is now Tuckerton Street north of Liberty Avenue runs through the site of the old pond, and Beaver Road was named for its western edge). Dutch Director-General Peter Stuyvesant dubbed
3708-589: The Jamaica station from 2001 to 2006. The station, which served the Long Island Rail Road , was expanded with a transfer to the AirTrain JFK to John F. Kennedy International Airport . A further capacity increase included a platform at Jamaica station. Efforts have been made to follow the examples of major redevelopment occurring in Astoria , Long Island City , Flushing , and Downtown Brooklyn . In 2005,
3811-597: The New York City borough of Queens . Spanning 543 acres (220 ha), it is the tenth-largest park in New York City and the third-largest in Queens. Acquired between 1895 and 1898, it was originally referred to as Brooklyn Forest Park, since the original owner was the then-independent city of Brooklyn . The park contains a 165-acre (67 ha) forest. It sits on hills left behind by the Wisconsin glacier and
3914-533: The New York City Department of City Planning drafted a plan that would rezone 368 blocks of Jamaica in order to stimulate 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
4017-703: The Q55 bus is straddled by the park along Myrtle Avenue. Two lines of the Long Island Rail Road , the Montauk Branch and the Rockaway Beach Branch , had run through the land before Forest Park was acquired. The Rockaway Beach Branch has been abandoned since 1962, but the Montauk Branch is still used by freight trains. In the 1970s—as part of a Program for Action , which proposed a rail link to John F. Kennedy International Airport —there
4120-672: The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn . From its 1975 founding to around 1980, the Japanese School of New York was located in Jamaica Estates , near Jamaica. Several colleges and universities make their home in Jamaica proper or in its close vicinity, most notably: The Queens Public Library operates four branches in Jamaica: An additional two branches are located nearby: Jamaica station
4223-536: The Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower ). As originally built, Oak Ridge had locker rooms, baths, and showers, and it led directly to the first hole of the park's golf course. When the first four holes of the golf course were relocated northward in the 1920s, a new clubhouse was erected at Myrtle Avenue and 80th Street. Oak Ridge became an administration building for the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC Parks). There
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4326-583: The chestnut blight , and for a time was used for lumbering; about the same time, greenhouses were set up to grow plants for parks throughout the city. These have since been moved to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Bronx Park . Forest Park is accessible by the New York City Subway 's Queens Boulevard Line ( E , F , and <F> trains) of the at Kew Gardens–Union Turnpike . The southern part of
4429-544: The 1970s, more West Indians immigrated to the United States than ever before, most of whom settled in New York City. Many Salvadoran, Colombian, and Dominican immigrants moved in. These ethnic groups tended to stay more towards the Jamaica Avenue and South Jamaica areas. Decrease in crime attracted many families to Jamaica's safe havens; Hillside Avenue reflects this trend. Along 150th to 161st streets, much of
4532-473: The 526-acre (213 ha) Prospect Park in Brooklyn. In conjunction with the park's development, there were also plans to extend Eastern Parkway from central Brooklyn to Highland Park and Forest Park. Although the extension of Eastern Parkway was constructed as far as Highland Park, the section between Highland and Forest parks was not completed because Cypress Hills Cemetery officials would not allow
4635-466: The 932,000-square-foot (86,600 m ) federal building is a 12-story masonry and steel office structure that was built for the agency and was given $ 8.5 million 2017 dollars to consolidate operations to the lower 2 floors and bring other federal leaseholders from other parts of Queens to occupy the upper floors. The funds approved were part of budget cuts proposed during the Obama administration . Jamaica
4738-637: The Bronx , the Rockaways , and Midtown Manhattan . Nearly all bus lines serving Jamaica terminate near either the 165th Street Bus Terminal or the Jamaica Center subway station, except for the Q46 bus, which operates along Union Turnpike, at the northern border of Jamaica. Greater Jamaica is home to John F. Kennedy International Airport, one of the busiest international airports in the United States and
4841-583: The Brooklyn government to appoint a commissioner to "select and locate parks in the County of Kings, or adjacent thereto". James S. T. Stranahan , the onetime president of the Brooklyn Board of Park Commissioners, originally envisioned one large park extending eastward to Jamaica, Queens , and westward to Park Slope, Brooklyn . However, Brooklyn's rapid development made this impossible; the largest remnants of this proposed landscape are Forest Park and
4944-685: The George Seuffert Sr. Bandshell, which was named after a bandleader in 1979. Annual events such as the Halloween Walk, the Victorian Christmas, Nature Trails Day, orienteering and battle re-enactments draw the participation of the surrounding neighborhoods of Kew Gardens , Woodhaven , Richmond Hill , Forest Hills , and Glendale . Forest Park is situated atop the Harbor Hill Moraine, which, at
5047-432: The Parks Department, allowing the city of Brooklyn to construct a road from Jamaica Avenue to the park. During the park's development, existing residential buildings were auctioned, disassembled, and removed. The Brooklyn Parks Department planned two additional bridges across the LIRR's Rockaway Beach Branch and Myrtle Avenue, though contracts for these bridges were not awarded until early 1897. Contractors also built
5150-507: The Register , Prospect Cemetery , St. Monica's Church , Sidewalk Clock at 161-11 Jamaica Avenue, New York, NY , Trans World Airlines Flight Center , and United States Post Office are listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Based on data from the 2010 United States Census , the population of Jamaica was 53,751 an increase of 1,902 (3.5%) from the 51,849 counted in 2000 . Covering an area of 1,084.85 acres (439.02 ha),
5253-558: The Supreme Court not to approve the Forest Park site, claiming that the site was unsuitable for park use because it was too close to Brooklyn and Queens' Cemetery Belt . Nonetheless, Supreme Court justice Charles F. Brown approved the report that June, allowing the Kings County treasurer to allocate funds to buy these sites. The Brooklyn Times-Union estimated that it would cost about $ 1,800 per acre ($ 4,400/ha) to acquire
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#17327935251965356-463: The Valencia theater were the last companies to move out in 1969. The 1980s crack epidemic created even more hardship and crime. Prime real estate spaces were filled by hair salons and 99 cent 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
5459-504: The West Indies. Mainly of Guyanese and Trinidadian origin, these merchants serve their respective populations in and around the Jamaica Center area. Many East Indian shops are located east from 167th Street to 171st Street. Mainly supported by the ever-growing Bangladeshi population, thousands of South Asians come here to shop for Bangladeshi goods. Some people call the area "Little South Asia" similar to that of Jackson Heights . Jamaica
5562-545: The ancestral lands of several Native American tribes, specifically the Rockaway, Lenape , and Delaware . The site was settled by Europeans in 1635 when the Dutch West India Company claimed the land. For the next two and a half centuries, the site was occupied by several private landowners. The development of Forest Park dates to the early 1890s, before the City of Greater New York was created. At
5665-523: The area Rustdorp ("rest-town") in granting the 1656 land patent . Among its founding settlers was Robert Coe , who was appointed as the first magistrate by the Dutch government, serving until the English took over in 1664, making it a part of the county of Yorkshire . In 1683, when the Crown divided the colony of New York into counties, Jamaica became the county seat of Queens County, one of
5768-417: The area. The Greater Jamaica Development Corporation, the local business improvement district , acquired valuable real estate for sale to national chains in order to expand neighborhood commerce. 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
5871-511: The area; the English retained the Dutch spelling but replaced the semivowel sound with the affricate [dʒ] sound that the letter "j" usually represents in English. The name of the island Jamaica is unrelated, coming from the Taíno term Xaymaca , meaning "land of wood and water" or "land of springs". Jamaica Avenue was an ancient trail for tribes from as far away as the Ohio River and
5974-775: 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 located in Jamaica. Jamaica Center, the area around Jamaica Avenue ,
6077-453: The country . It was the first county seat of Queens County, holding that title from 1683 to 1788, and was the first incorporated village on Long Island . 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. Jamaica is the location of several government buildings such as Queens Civil Court ,
6180-703: The country. The many foreclosures and the high level of unemployment of the 2000s and early 2010s induced many black people to move from Jamaica to the South , as part of the New Great Migration . On October 23, 2014, the neighborhood was the site of a terrorist hatchet attack on two New York City Police Department officers; the police later killed the attacker. The First Reformed Church , Grace Episcopal Church Complex , Jamaica Chamber of Commerce Building , Jamaica Savings Bank , King Manor , J. Kurtz and Sons Store Building , La Casina , Office of
6283-826: The evenings. In mid-summer, hatching butterflies begin to gravitate to the Joe Pye Weed, dogbane, milkweed, thistle, and other native plants. Fall brings spectacular color, as many varieties of trees prepare to drop their leaves. Several species of hawks pass through. Winter is quiet, featuring the occasional tracks of small mammals in snow. Forest Park's trees include the Northern red oak ( Quercus rubra ), Scarlet oak ( Quercus coccinea ), Tulip tree ( Liriodendron tulipifera ), Shagbark hickory ( Carya ovata ), White oak ( Quercus alba ), American beech ( Fagus grandifolia ), American sweetgum ( Liquidambar styraciflua ), and Black cherry ( Prunus serotina ). Several trees in
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#17327935251966386-455: The fastest out of all localities in New York City. The community's median home prices rose 39% in 2015. The median sales price for a small row house in 2015 was $ 330,000, and the median asking rent for a three-bedroom house in 2015 was $ 1,750. Sutphin Boulevard has been described as "the next tourist hot spot". Jamaica's proximity to the JFK AirTrain has stimulated the development of several hotels. The 165th Street Mall Improvement Association
6489-406: The grove was expanded over the years to 70 trees; there is a plaque nearby with the names of residents who died during the war. Until the 1930s, the Woodhaven neighborhood's annual Memorial Day parades ended outside this grove. Forest Park originally had no waterways and only two small bodies of water when it was established. The first, Strack Pond , is a glacial kettle pond located inside
6592-425: The latter of which replaced the eastern portion of the Jamaica Line that was torn down in 1977–85. 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. In the 1970s, it became the headquarters for the Islamic Society of North America . King Kullen opened in 1930, the first self-service supermarket in
6695-417: The manor which stands on the site today; King Manor was restored at the turn of the 21st century to its former glory, and 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
6798-442: The mid-2010s. Forest Park is the third-largest park in Queens, covering 543 acres (220 ha) in central Queens. Woodhaven Boulevard runs north–south through the park, dividing it into western and eastern sections. The western half includes several structures and recreational fields, while the eastern half consists largely of woodland. Jackie Robinson Parkway also runs through the park from west to east. As built, there
6901-453: The neighborhood had a population density of 49.5 inhabitants per acre (31,700/sq mi; 12,200/km ). The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 3.6% (1,949) Non-Hispanic White , 22.2% (11,946) Black or African American , 0.9% (466) Native American , 24.3% (13,073) Asian , 0.1% (66) Pacific Islander , 5.2% (2,814) from other races , and 4.9% (2,647) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 38.7% (20,790) of
7004-446: The new Queens park would cost one-fourth as much as Prospect Park, which had been developed a quarter-century earlier, and that it would be a park "for the poor man". Albert E. Lamb, a lawyer for the Brooklyn Parks Department, said the park was necessary because Brooklyn had very little park land per capita, compared with other cities around the world. After Frederick Law Olmsted 's landscape firm Olmsted, Olmsted & Eliot published
7107-427: The newly merged city's controller Bird Sim Coler alleged that the old Brooklyn city government had overpaid for some of the land. The Brooklyn Parks Department initially referred to the site as the Brooklyn Forest. Local media reported that the park would remain in its natural state "for some time", except for a roadway winding through the park. In 1895–1896, the landscaping firm of Olmsted, Olmsted & Eliot
7210-423: The original counties of New York. Colonial Jamaica had a band of 56 minutemen who 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 . Rufus King , a signer of the United States Constitution , relocated to Jamaica in 1805. He added to a modest 18th-century farmhouse, creating
7313-415: The park are more than 150 years old, and create a canopy with an under-layer of Dogwood ( Cornus ), Virginia creeper ( Parthenocissus quinquefolia ), Sassafras ( Sassafras albidum ), and Corktree ( Genus Phellodendron ). Wildflowers such as white wood aster cover the forest floor in spring, as the azaleas, dogwoods, forsythia, and other flowering plants begin to bloom. The park was ravaged in 1912 by
7416-573: The park is accessible via the Jamaica Line ( J and Z trains) at 75th Street–Elderts Lane , 85th Street–Forest Parkway , and Woodhaven Boulevard . The Q56 bus runs just south of the park along Jamaica Avenue and the Q11, Q21, Q52 SBS, and Q53 SBS routes run along Woodhaven Boulevard . The Q37 runs along Park Lane South in Kew Gardens and Richmond Hill , while
7519-511: The park near Woodhaven Boulevard and Forest Park Drive. The pond, named after a local resident killed in the Vietnam War , was buried in 1966 and restored four decades later. Another kettle pond, the 1.1-acre (0.45 ha) Jackson Pond, stood at the intersection of Myrtle Avenue and Park Drive South until it was infilled in 1966. The pond was used for ice skating during the winter, and it hosted fishing, swimming, and model boat sailing during
7622-411: The park to supply Brooklyn with fresh water, as well as a suggestion to convert Forest Park into a military campground. A nine-hole golf course opened in 1901. The golf course was extremely popular, and so a clubhouse and another nine holes were added in 1905. A carousel at Forest Park was likely built in 1916, although the exact date of the carousel's opening is not clear. In 1919, a group of trees
7725-450: The park was far removed from the most developed parts of Brooklyn. By mid-1896, nearly all of the land had been acquired at a cost of $ 1.3 million. The site had cost between $ 500 to $ 2,300 per acre ($ 1,200 to $ 5,700/ha); the most expensive sites were along Myrtle Avenue , which ran along the border of the park. The newly acquired site was served by streetcar routes that traveled directly to Jamaica, Queens , and to central Brooklyn. After
7828-628: The park's trees were destroyed in Hurricane Sandy and one fallen tree damaged the structure housing the Forest Park Carousel, although the carousel itself was not damaged. The hurricane also damaged the tropical section of the Forest Park Greenhouse, which was renovated in 2015 for another $ 1.5 million. Other parts of the park, including the Mary Whalen Playground and some sidewalks, were also renovated in
7931-576: The park. Raoul Wallenberg Square, dedicated in 1982, is located at Metropolitan Avenue and Park Lane South, near the eastern end of the park. At the square is a granite marker that commemorates Raoul Wallenberg , a diplomat who saved Jewish refugees during the Holocaust . Nearby at 80th Road and Park Lane South, south of the Overlook, is the Job sculpture, a 5-foot-tall (1.5 m) bronze sculpture atop
8034-422: The parkland was acquired, land values around the park began to increase. The land acquisition was finished in 1898, and the Brooklyn government ultimately acquired 124 parcels. The park was divided by several roads and railroads, including Metropolitan Avenue , Myrtle Avenue, Union Turnpike , Woodhaven Boulevard , and two Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) lines. After Brooklyn had been absorbed into New York City,
8137-403: The parkland. The Brooklyn Parks Department purchased the first parcel for Forest Park on August 9, 1895. A judge issued an injunction preventing further land acquisition that September after Nassau Electric Railroad president P. H. Flynn filed a lawsuit, claiming that the city of Brooklyn was overpaying for the land and that Squier had no authority to buy the land. In response, Lamb said that
8240-521: The population. The entirety of Community Board 12 , which mainly comprises Jamaica but also includes Hollis, had 232,911 inhabitants as of NYC Health 's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 80.5 years. This is slightly lower than the median life expectancy of 81.2 for all New York City neighborhoods. Most inhabitants are youth and middle-aged adults: 22% are between ages 0 and 17; 27% between 25 and 44; and 27% between 45 and 64. The ratio of college-aged and elderly residents
8343-510: 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
8446-482: 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
8549-456: The public, although it is open for tours once a year. Forest Park also offers a wide array of recreational facilities, the Carousel, playgrounds, a pond, a barbecue area, a nature center, and two dog runs. Dogs can run off leash here, and there is a separate area for small dogs. Therapeutic horseback riding for people with special needs is also available in the park. The park includes
8652-446: The road, the Parks Department had to fill in several valleys with up to 15 or 20 feet (4.6 or 6.1 m) of dirt. The Parks Department also awarded a contract for a metal fence surrounding the park, and the sidewalk on Myrtle Avenue was widened as well. Little other work occurred during 1896, except for some clearing and pruning of vegetation. The Union Land and Improvement Company donated an 80-foot-wide (24 m) strip of land to
8755-602: 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. In 2007 the City Council overwhelmingly approved the plan, providing for structures of up to 28 stories to be built around the main transit hub as well as residential buildings of up to 7 stories to be built on Hillside Avenue. According to real-estate listing service StreetEasy , Jamaica's real-estate prices are rising
8858-407: The site had been selected following two public hearings and that Olmsted himself had recommended the site. Flynn's partner Fred Cocheu also tried to prevent further land acquisition, claiming that the Kings County government could not legally acquire parkland, but a judge refused to grant a further injunction. Squier's and Schieren's political opponents claimed that the purchases were wasteful, since
8961-569: The spring. According to the New York City Parks Department, more than 100 species of migratory birds visit the park each year. Chipmunks become visibly active in spring, along with the squirrels, raccoons, and skunks that are more often seen year-round. Turtles sun themselves in Strack Pond on warm days. On summer nights, cicada song fills the area and surrounding neighborhoods. Toads also can be heard croaking in
9064-472: The stores and restaurants typify South American and Caribbean cultures. Farther east is the rapidly growing East Indian community. Mainly spurred on by the 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. Bangladeshis are the most rapidly growing ethnic group; however, it
9167-604: The summer. Forest Park has several sculptures and memorials. At the intersection of Park Lane South and Myrtle Avenue is the Joseph E. Schaefer Medal of Honor Memorial, an octagonal planting bed that was named after a Richmond Hill resident who served in World War II. The Schaefer memorial, dedicated in 1987, includes a pedestal with an artillery shell atop it. Nearby is the Richmond Hill War Memorial, sculpted by Joseph Pollia in 1925; it depicts
9270-407: The time of the park's construction, was a heavily forested ridge. The highest point in the park is about 180 feet (55 m) above sea level. The park contains approximately 411 acres (166 ha) of hickory and oak trees. These include a 165-acre (67 ha) forested section in the eastern half of the park. In addition, Forest Park contains 7 miles (11 km) of bridle paths . When the park
9373-637: The time, the city of Brooklyn and the various towns in Queens County were not yet part of New York City. In early 1892, New York state legislators introduced a bill to create one or more new parks in Kings County (where the city of Brooklyn was located). That May, the New York State Legislature passed Chapter 461 of the Laws of 1892, which authorized the city of Brooklyn to identify sites for new parks. The legislation empowered
9476-442: The west;and Southwest. Briarwood to the northwest; and Kew Gardens Hills , Jamaica Hills ,and Jamaica Estates to the north. Jamaicas original designation was for an area greater than the current neighborhoods, was settled under Dutch rule in 1656. It was originally called Rustdorp . Under English rule , Jamaica became the center of the " Town of Jamaica"; the name is of Lenape origin and wholly unrelated to that of
9579-500: The western boundary is at Cypress Hills Cemetery . Within Forest Park is the Overlook, the administration building for NYC Parks' properties in Queens. It is located in the far eastern end of the park near Park Lane and 80th Road. Originally a one-room structure, the Overlook has six rooms in the basement and eight rooms on the first story. This structure was designed in the Mission Revival style by Birchman & Fox and
9682-616: 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 , Rockaway Boulevard, Parsons Boulevard, Guy R. Brewer Boulevard (formerly known as New York Boulevard but renamed for
9785-455: Was a proposal to connect a tunnel within the park to link the two railroad branches. Local officials and residents were strongly opposed to the tunnel, which was canceled in 1976. The Brooklyn-Queens Greenway bike path also runs through Forest Park, connecting westward to Ridgewood Reservoir and eastward to Kew Gardens. Jamaica, Queens Jamaica is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens . It popular for
9888-487: Was built in 2002. Many banks have at least one branch along various major streets: Jamaica Avenue, Parsons Boulevard, Merrick Boulevard, and Sutphin Boulevard. In 2006, 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 Street and Archer Avenue. The most prominent piece of development has been the renovation and expansion of
9991-475: Was completed in 1912. The Overlook was further expanded in 1915. At the southwestern corner of the park, at the intersection of Forest Parkway and Forest Park Drive, is Oak Ridge. The structure, formerly a golf-course clubhouse, is the administration building for Forest Park. It was designed in the Dutch Colonial Revival style by the firm of Helmle, Huberty & Hudswell (who also designed
10094-440: Was established, the westernmost portion, about 200 feet (61 m) east of the western border, had a plateau measuring several hundred feet across. The park's two main roads, Forest Park Drive and Forest Parkway, intersect on this plateau. Near this intersection, across from Oak Ridge, is a grove of trees that was planted in 1919 in memory of Queens residents who had died fighting in World War I. There were originally 53 trees, but
10197-408: Was hired to design a curved roadway for the park and to conduct surveys of the park. The early plans called for a road connecting two of the park's entrances at Jamaica Avenue to the south and Myrtle Avenue to the north, as well as a road traversing the park from west to east. A bridge was built in mid-1895, carrying the road across the LIRR's Main Line at the park's eastern end. To accommodate
10300-507: Was lower, at 10% and 14% respectively. As of 2017, the median household income in Community Board 12 was $ 61,670. In 2018, an estimated 20% of Jamaica and Hollis residents lived in poverty, compared to 19% in all of Queens and 20% in all of New York City. One in eight residents (12%) 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,
10403-415: Was not always as diverse as it is today. Throughout the 19th to early 20th centuries, Jamaica was mainly populated with whites as Irish immigrants settled around the places known today as Downtown and Baisley Pond Park. In the 1950s, however, a long period of white flight began that lasted through the 1970s and 1980s with mainly middle-income African Americans taking their place. Beginning in 1965 and through
10506-400: Was operated as a wholly owned division of ThrillTime Entertainment International. In 2005, SkyCoaster, Inc. as well as ThrillTime's other amusement ride, Top Eliminator, were sold to Ride Entertainment. This was followed in 2006 by a reverse merger transaction where ThrillTime was acquired by Advanced Proteome Therapeutics. Forest Park (Queens, New York) Forest Park is a park in
10609-407: Was planted near the park's golf clubhouse. When Woodhaven Boulevard was widened in the 1930s or 1940s, the former American Legion building within the park was torn down. The carousel was destroyed in a fire on December 10, 1966; it was replaced by the current Forest Park Carousel , which opened in 1973. Jackson Pond was used for fishing and ice skating, but was infilled in 1966 to make way for
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