Hunters Point, Queens
Encyclopedia
Hunters Point is a neighborhood on the south side of Long Island City
, in the New York City
borough
of Queens
. The neighborhood is part of Queens Community Board 2
.
, Blissville, Ravenswood
, Dutch Kills, Middletown, Sunnyside
and Bowery Bay into Long Island City.
As a peninsula bounded by the commercial waterways of Newtown Creek
and the East River
, Hunters Point became a highly industrialized area in the 19th century. Deindustrialization
in the 1970s and 80s left many abandoned warehouses and factories in the community. Gantry Plaza State Park
was built in this neighborhood in the 1990s, with restored car float
docks and an excellent view of Manhattan
. There are new schools, businesses, playgrounds and high rise apartments. LaGuardia Community College
is a short distance away. In 1998, the Queens Historical Society
recognized Hunters Point's historical architecture with a "Queensmark" award to encourage landmark preservation. The neighborhood is currently undergoing substantial gentrification
, with condominiums being built along the East River waterfront.
The Hunters Point Historic District is a national historic district
that includes 19 contributing buildings. They are a set of townhouses built in the late-19th century. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1973.
stations: Long Island City
and Hunterspoint Avenue
at the intersection of Hunterspoint Avenue and Skillman Avenue. They are the termini of the Montauk Branch
and Hunterspoint Branch of the LIRR City Terminal Zone
. LIRR commuters at Hunterspoint Avenue can connect to the nearby Hunters Point Avenue station
of the subway line, the Q67 bus, or take NY Waterway
ferries from the nearby docks.
During the summer the New York Water Taxi Company used to operate Water Taxi Beach
, a public beach artificially created on a wharf along the East River, accessible at the corner of Second Street and Borden Avenue. It was discontinued in 2011 due to new construction on the site of the old landing.
Long Island City, Queens
Long Island City is the westernmost neighborhood of the borough of Queens in New York City. L.I.C. is notable for its rapid and ongoing gentrification, its waterfront parks, and its thriving arts community. L.I.C. has among the highest concentration of art galleries, art institutions, and studio...
, in the 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...
borough
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....
. The neighborhood is part of Queens Community Board 2
Queens Community Board 2
The Queens Community Board 2 is a local advisory group in New York City, encompassing the neighborhoods of Hunters Point, Long Island City, Sunnyside, and Woodside, in the borough of Queens...
.
History
On May 4, 1870, Hunters Point was incorporated with the villages of AstoriaAstoria, Queens
Astoria is a neighborhood in the northwestern corner of the borough of Queens in New York City. Located in Community Board 1, Astoria is bounded by the East River and is adjacent to three other Queens neighborhoods: Long Island City, Sunnyside , and Woodside...
, Blissville, Ravenswood
Ravenswood, Queens
Ravenswood is the name for the strip of land bordering the East River in Long Island City, in the New York City borough of Queens. The area is part of Queens Community Board 1.-History:...
, Dutch Kills, Middletown, Sunnyside
Sunnyside, Queens
Sunnyside is a neighborhood in the western portion of the New York City borough of Queens, in New York state, in the United States. It shares borders with Hunters Point and Long Island City to the west, Astoria to the north, Woodside to the east and Maspeth to the south...
and Bowery Bay into Long Island City.
As a peninsula bounded by the commercial waterways of Newtown Creek
Newtown Creek
Newtown Creek is a estuary that forms part of the border between the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, in New York City, New York, United States. It derives its name from New Town , which was the name for the Dutch and British settlement in what is now Elmhurst, Queens...
and the East River
East River
The East River is a tidal strait in New York City. It connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island from the island of Manhattan and the Bronx on the North American mainland...
, Hunters Point became a highly industrialized area in the 19th century. Deindustrialization
Deindustrialization
Deindustrialization is a process of social and economic change caused by the removal or reduction of industrial capacity or activity in a country or region, especially heavy industry or manufacturing industry. It is an opposite of industrialization.- Multiple interpretations :There are multiple...
in the 1970s and 80s left many abandoned warehouses and factories in the community. Gantry Plaza State Park
Gantry Plaza State Park
Gantry Plaza State Park is a state park on the East River in the Hunter's Point section of Long Island City, in the New York City borough of Queens.The park first opened in May 1998 and was expanded in July 2009...
was built in this neighborhood in the 1990s, with restored car float
Car float
A railroad car float or rail barge is an unpowered barge with rail tracks mounted on its deck. It is used to move railroad cars across water obstacles, or to locations they could not otherwise go, and is pushed by a towboat or towed by a tugboat...
docks and an excellent view of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. There are new schools, businesses, playgrounds and high rise apartments. LaGuardia Community College
LaGuardia Community College
LaGuardia Community College is a two-year community college located in the Hunter's Point section of Long Island City in the New York City borough of Queens, and is a component of the City University of New York. LaGuardia is named after former Congressman and New York mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia...
is a short distance away. In 1998, the Queens Historical Society
Queens Historical Society
The Queens Historical Society, which was founded in 1968 after a merger with the Kingsland Preservation Commission, is dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of Queens, New York and interpreting the history of the borough as it relates to various historical periods...
recognized Hunters Point's historical architecture with a "Queensmark" award to encourage landmark preservation. The neighborhood is currently undergoing substantial 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...
, with condominiums being built along the East River waterfront.
The Hunters Point Historic District is a national historic district
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
that includes 19 contributing buildings. They are a set of townhouses built in the late-19th century. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1973.
Transportation
Hunters Point has two Long Island Rail RoadLong 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...
stations: Long Island City
Long Island City (LIRR station)
Long Island City is a rail terminal of the Long Island Rail Road in Long Island City, Queens. Within the City Terminal Zone and located at Borden Avenue and 2nd Street, it is the westernmost LIRR station in Queens and the end of both the Main Line and the Montauk Branch...
and Hunterspoint Avenue
Hunterspoint Avenue (LIRR station)
Hunterspoint Avenue is a Long Island Rail Road train station within the City Terminal Zone on the Main Line. It is at Hunters Point Avenue and Skillman Avenue in Long Island City, Queens...
at the intersection of Hunterspoint Avenue and Skillman Avenue. They are the termini of the Montauk Branch
Montauk Branch
The Montauk Branch is a rail line owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. The branch runs the length of Long Island, 115 miles from Long Island City on the west to Montauk on the east...
and Hunterspoint Branch of the LIRR City Terminal Zone
City Terminal Zone
The City Terminal Zone is the name given to a collection of rail lines of the Long Island Rail Road in New York City. Specifically, it refers to all stations that lie in fare zone 1 , which is the set of stations west of Jamaica.-Stations:- Routes : There are three routes that are considered part...
. LIRR commuters at Hunterspoint Avenue can connect to the nearby Hunters Point Avenue station
Hunters Point Avenue (IRT Flushing Line)
Hunters Point Avenue is a station on the IRT Flushing Line of the New York City Subway. Located at 49th Avenue and 21st Street in the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens, it is served at all times by the 7 train and the <7> train rush hours in the peak direction.This station has two...
of the subway line, the Q67 bus, or take NY Waterway
NY Waterway
NY Waterway, or New York Waterway, is a private transportation company running ferry and bus service in the Port of New York and New Jersey and in the Hudson Valley...
ferries from the nearby docks.
During the summer the New York Water Taxi Company used to operate Water Taxi Beach
Water Taxi Beach
Water Taxi Beach was an artificial temporary beach operated from 2005 to 2010 on a wharf on the East River in the Hunters Point section of Long Island City, in the New York City borough of Queens. It was operated by the New York Water Taxi Company and was open to the public for free during the...
, a public beach artificially created on a wharf along the East River, accessible at the corner of Second Street and Borden Avenue. It was discontinued in 2011 due to new construction on the site of the old landing.
External links
- Hunterspoint Avenue LIRR station
- Hunters Point, Queens: Neighborhood Profile at About.com
- Queensmark Comes To Hunters Point, Queens Historical Society
- Photographs of Hunters Point
- Information about Hunters Point from the Greater Astoria Historical SocietyGreater Astoria Historical SocietyThe Greater Astoria Historical Society is a non-profit cultural and historical organization located in Astoria, Queens, New York, dedicated to preserving the past and promoting the future of the neighborhoods that are part of historic Long Island City, including; the Village of Astoria,...
- Hunters Point Photo Gallery