Jackson Heights, Queens
Encyclopedia
Jackson Heights is a neighborhood in the Northwestern portion of the borough of Queens
in New York, New York
, United States
. The neighborhood is part of Queens Community Board 3
. The main zip code of Jackson Heights is 11372.
( trains) meets the IND Queens Boulevard Line
( trains), and numerous bus routes at the Roosevelt Avenue / 74th Street transportation hub
, which received a $100+ million renovation by the MTA, completed in 2005. It includes one of the first green buildings by the MTA, the Victor A. Moore Bus Terminal, which is partially powered by solar panels built into the roof. These are located along the length of the sheds above the Flushing line platforms .It is the largest subway stop in Queens with six subway services and five bus lines (Q32, Q33, Q47, Q49 and Q53). The Q33 bus goes to LaGuardia Airport's main terminals and operates 24 hours a day. The Q47 bus goes to the Marine Air Terminal
. The Q53 bus goes to Rockaway Beach, Queens
.
The community is bounded by Northern Boulevard
to the north, the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway to the west, Roosevelt Avenue
to the south, and Junction Boulevard to the east. East Elmhurst
, the area immediately to the north, from Northern Boulevard to the Grand Central Parkway
, though not part of the original development, is sometimes regarded as a northward extension of the neighborhood. The Jackson Heights name comes from Jackson Avenue, the former name for Northern Boulevard. The Jackson Avenue name is retained by this major road in a short stretch between Queensboro Plaza and the Queens Midtown Tunnel
approaches, in the Long Island City neighborhood.
moved its United States corporate offices to the Bulova
Corporate Center, a converted watch factory in the Jackson Heights/East Elmhurst
area. In 1999 British Airways said it would close its headquarters in the watch factory and move to a new headquarters building in a location in the New York City area by 2002, when the airline's lease would run out. By 2001 the airline said it would keep 80000 square feet (7,432.2 m²) of office space in the watch building, but that its telephone operations would move to Jacksonville, Florida
. As of 2008 British Airways maintains offices in the Bulova building.
. It comprises large garden apartment buildings (the term was invented for buildings in Jackson Heights) and many groupings of private homes. It was a planned development laid out by Edward A. MacDougall's Queensboro Corporation beginning about 1916, and following the arrival of the No. 7 elevated line between Manhattan and Flushing. The community was initially planned as a place for middle- to upper-middle income workers from Manhattan to raise their families. The Jackson Heights New York State and National Register Districts range from 93rd Street through 69th Street between Northern Boulevard and Roosevelt Avenue. Some property fronting on Northern Boulevard and Roosevelt Avenue, as well as some "cut-outs", are not inside the Register Districts. A former golf course located between 76th and 78th Streets and 34th and 37th Avenues was built upon during the 1940s. The New York City Historic District of Jackson Heights was designated October 19, 1993. It encompasses an area between 76th and 88th Streets and Roosevelt Avenue and Northern Boulevard (PDF map of the District). Unlike the State and National Districts, the local designation comes with aesthetic protections.
Jackson Heights is believed to be the first garden city community built in the United States, as part of the international garden city movement
at the turn of the 20th century. There are many private parks (historically called "gardens" by the residents) within walking distance of each other. They are tucked in the mid-blocks, mostly hidden from view by the buildings surrounding them. Unless given an invitation, entry is restricted to those who own a co-op around its perimeter. The basis for the private ownership of the parks of Jackson Heights is derived from its founding principle as a privately owned neighborhood built largely under the oversight of one person. The historic section of Jackson Heights is the more affluent part of the neighborhood.
The Jackson Heights Historic District is a national historic district
that includes 2,203 contributing buildings, 19 contributing sites, and three contributing objects. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1999.
Primarily during the 1930s, Holmes Airport
operated on 220 acre (0.8903092 km²) adjacent to the community. The area later became the Bulova watch factory site.
, ten to fifteen minutes to 53rd Street and Lexington Avenue via the express E train or 63rd Street and Lexington via the F train. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes via the 7 train.
Jackson Heights housing is mainly private homes, co-op buildings, and rentals, with a small number of condominiums.
The main retail thoroughfare is located on 37th Avenue from 72nd Street to Junction Boulevard, with more retail on 82nd, 73rd and 74th Streets on the blocks between 37th and Roosevelt Avenues. Stores and restaurants on and near 74th street tend to cater towards the large South Asia
n population in the neighborhood, with sari and jewelry stores, Pakistani and Bengali music and movie retailers and many restaurants. .
37th Avenue contains a wide mix of retailers, including many grocery stores, and 82nd street contains many national chain stores located in Tudor-style buildings in the Jackson Heights Historic District. South American retailers and eateries, predominantly from Colombia, Ecuador and Peru dominate Northern Boulevard from 80th Street east to the border of neighboring Corona
at Junction Boulevard.Roosevelt Avenue is also lined with various mainly Hispanic retail stores. The majority of 35th and 34th Avenues and most side streets between 37th Avenue and Northern Boulevard
are residential.
The community is home to various houses of worship from a wide array of religions. Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Church is located between 82nd and 83rd Street on 35th Avenue. The Jackson Heights Jewish Center is located on the corner of 77th Street and 37th Avenue. The Community United Methodist Church is on 82nd Street. St Mark's Episcopal Church is on 34th Avenue between 81st and 82nd Streets.
Jackson Heights is among the most diverse neighborhoods in New York City, and the nation. Jackson Heights is home to large numbers of South Americans, particularly Argentinians, Ecuadorians and Colombians, South Asians,and East Asians.
The racial/ethnic composition of Jackson Heights is 56.0% Hispanic/Latino, 28.0% White, 16.0% Asian.
There is a year-round greenmarket every Sunday morning at Travers Park
, as well as various family-oriented spring and summer concerts.
Colombia
n broadcaster RCN TV
has its US-American headquarters in the neighborhood, reflecting the sizable Colombian population in the area.
The Jackson Heights Garden City Society is a historical society, whose founders include local historians, the Queens Borough Historian and local activists. They created and oversee the Jackson Heights Garden City Trail and publish a walking guidebook to Jackson Heights. They also collect artifacts of the community. Periodically the Society testifies before the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission on issues of concern to the community.
Jackson Heights has followed the general patterns of New York City when it comes to crime. After spikes in the 1980s into the 1990s, crime has declined significantly. According to New York City CompStat
statistics, measured crime has declined more than 79% in the last 15 years (1993 to 2008). As of January 2008, the murder rate is down over 82% and grand larceny auto is down 90% from 1990.
is the most main local playground. It has a variety of sports, including basketball
, tennis
, baseball
, soccer, and handball
. Prior to expansion, the P.S. 69 school yard offered baseball fields, a stickball
field, a handball court and three tennis courts. Con Edison sponsored several summer tennis camps at P.S. 69's school yard from 1982-1992. In 1998, P.S. 69 built an annex to compensate for the booming population of children in Jackson Heights and the public access to the school yard was removed.
" is based in Jackson Heights.
Major portions of the Academy Award nominated1 Maria Full of Grace
(2004) were filmed on location in Jackson Heights. Portions of Random Hearts
(1999) were filmed in Jackson Heights on 35th Avenue between 76th and 77th street. Part of The Usual Suspects
was filmed in Jackson Heights around 34th Avenue and 82nd street.
Much of the Alfred Hitchcock
film The Wrong Man
takes place within a few blocks of the intersection of Broadway and 74th Street. The former Victor Moore Arcade and the connecting subway station, were prominently featured in the movie. The arcade was demolished and rebuilt from 1998 to 2005 and became known as the Victor A. Moore Bus Terminal. It was named after Jackson Heights resident Victor Moore
, a Broadway and film actor from the era of silent film
to the 1950s.
Also, parts of director James Gray's We Own the Night
(2007) were filmed between 32nd Avenue and 31st Avenue on 84th street. It is also the setting for the TV show Ugly Betty
, where Betty and her family live. Ingrid Bergman
's character Stephanie Dickinson in the movie Cactus Flower
lives in Jackson Heights.
operates public schools. Schools in Jackson Heights include P.S. 69 Jackson Heights School, P.S. 148 Christa McAuliffe School, P.S. 212, P.S 222 FF Christopher A. Santora School, I.S.145
Joseph Pulitzer School, I.S. 230 and the K-12 school Renaissance Charter School.
Queens Library operates the Jackson Heights Library, located on 81st Street and 37th Avenue.
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
in New York, New York
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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The neighborhood is part of Queens Community Board 3
Queens Community Board 3
The Queens Community Board 3 is a local government in New York City, encompassing the neighborhoods of Jackson Heights, East Elmhurst and North Corona The Queens Community Board 3 is a local government in New York City, encompassing the neighborhoods of Jackson Heights, East Elmhurst and North...
. The main zip code of Jackson Heights is 11372.
Geography and transportation
Jackson Heights is also where the IRT Flushing LineIRT Flushing Line
The Flushing Line is a rapid transit route of the New York City Subway system, operated as part of the IRT Division and designated the 7 route...
( trains) meets the IND Queens Boulevard Line
IND Queens Boulevard Line
The Queens Boulevard Line is a fully underground line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in Manhattan and Queens, New York City, United States. The line provides crosstown service across Manhattan under 53rd Street and east through Queens to Jamaica...
( trains), and numerous bus routes at the Roosevelt Avenue / 74th Street transportation hub
Transportation hub
A transport hub is a place where passengers and cargo are exchanged between vehicles or between transport modes. Public transport hubs include train stations, rapid transit stations, bus stops, tram stop, airports and ferry slips. Freight hubs include classification yards, seaports and truck...
, which received a $100+ million renovation by the MTA, completed in 2005. It includes one of the first green buildings by the MTA, the Victor A. Moore Bus Terminal, which is partially powered by solar panels built into the roof. These are located along the length of the sheds above the Flushing line platforms .It is the largest subway stop in Queens with six subway services and five bus lines (Q32, Q33, Q47, Q49 and Q53). The Q33 bus goes to LaGuardia Airport's main terminals and operates 24 hours a day. The Q47 bus goes to the Marine Air Terminal
Marine Air Terminal
-External links:*...
. The Q53 bus goes to Rockaway Beach, Queens
Rockaway Beach, Queens
Rockaway Beach is a neighborhood on the Rockaway Peninsula in the New York City borough of Queens. It is located on the South Shore of Long Island. The neighborhood is bounded by Arverne to the east and Rockaway Park to the west...
.
The community is bounded by Northern Boulevard
New York State Route 25A
New York State Route 25A is a state highway on Long Island in New York in the United States. It serves as the main east–west route for most of the North Shore of Long Island, running from the Queens Midtown Tunnel in the New York City borough of Queens at its western terminus to...
to the north, the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway to the west, Roosevelt Avenue
Roosevelt Avenue
Roosevelt Avenue is a main thoroughfare in the New York City borough of Queens. Roosevelt Avenue begins at 48th Street and Queens Boulevard in the neighborhood of Sunnyside...
to the south, and Junction Boulevard to the east. East Elmhurst
East Elmhurst, Queens
East Elmhurst is a culturally diverse area in New York City, in the northwest of the borough of Queens. It is located north of Jackson Heights and Corona and is bounded on the east and north by Flushing Bay. Residents are mostly moderate-income families, but there are also low-income areas. It...
, the area immediately to the north, from Northern Boulevard to the Grand Central Parkway
Grand Central Parkway
The Grand Central Parkway is a parkway that stretches from the RFK-Triborough Bridge in New York City to Nassau County on Long Island. At the Queens-Nassau border, it becomes the Northern State Parkway, which runs across the northern part of Long Island through Nassau County and into Suffolk...
, though not part of the original development, is sometimes regarded as a northward extension of the neighborhood. The Jackson Heights name comes from Jackson Avenue, the former name for Northern Boulevard. The Jackson Avenue name is retained by this major road in a short stretch between Queensboro Plaza and the Queens Midtown Tunnel
Queens Midtown Tunnel
The Queens–Midtown Tunnel is a highway tunnel and toll road in New York City. It crosses under the East River and connects the Borough of Queens on Long Island with the Borough of Manhattan The Queens–Midtown Tunnel (sometimes simply known as the Midtown Tunnel) is a highway tunnel and toll road...
approaches, in the Long Island City neighborhood.
Economy
In 1987, British AirwaysBritish Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
moved its United States corporate offices to the Bulova
Bulova
Bulova is a corporation making luxury watches and clocks. It has its headquarters in Woodside, Queens, New York City.Bulova was founded and incorporated as the J. Bulova Company in 1875 by Joseph Bulova , an immigrant from Bohemia...
Corporate Center, a converted watch factory in the Jackson Heights/East Elmhurst
East Elmhurst, Queens
East Elmhurst is a culturally diverse area in New York City, in the northwest of the borough of Queens. It is located north of Jackson Heights and Corona and is bounded on the east and north by Flushing Bay. Residents are mostly moderate-income families, but there are also low-income areas. It...
area. In 1999 British Airways said it would close its headquarters in the watch factory and move to a new headquarters building in a location in the New York City area by 2002, when the airline's lease would run out. By 2001 the airline said it would keep 80000 square feet (7,432.2 m²) of office space in the watch building, but that its telephone operations would move to Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
. As of 2008 British Airways maintains offices in the Bulova building.
History
Most of the original neighborhood is a National Register Historic District and a New York State Historic Register District. About half has been designated as a New York City Historic District by the New York City Landmarks Preservation CommissionNew York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission is the New York City agency charged with administering the city's Landmarks Preservation Law. The Commission was created in April 1965 by Mayor Robert F. Wagner following the destruction of Pennsylvania Station the previous year to make way for...
. It comprises large garden apartment buildings (the term was invented for buildings in Jackson Heights) and many groupings of private homes. It was a planned development laid out by Edward A. MacDougall's Queensboro Corporation beginning about 1916, and following the arrival of the No. 7 elevated line between Manhattan and Flushing. The community was initially planned as a place for middle- to upper-middle income workers from Manhattan to raise their families. The Jackson Heights New York State and National Register Districts range from 93rd Street through 69th Street between Northern Boulevard and Roosevelt Avenue. Some property fronting on Northern Boulevard and Roosevelt Avenue, as well as some "cut-outs", are not inside the Register Districts. A former golf course located between 76th and 78th Streets and 34th and 37th Avenues was built upon during the 1940s. The New York City Historic District of Jackson Heights was designated October 19, 1993. It encompasses an area between 76th and 88th Streets and Roosevelt Avenue and Northern Boulevard (PDF map of the District). Unlike the State and National Districts, the local designation comes with aesthetic protections.
Jackson Heights is believed to be the first garden city community built in the United States, as part of the international garden city movement
Garden city movement
The garden city movement is a method of urban planning that was initiated in 1898 by Sir Ebenezer Howard in the United Kingdom. Garden cities were intended to be planned, self-contained communities surrounded by "greenbelts" , containing proportionate areas of residences, industry and...
at the turn of the 20th century. There are many private parks (historically called "gardens" by the residents) within walking distance of each other. They are tucked in the mid-blocks, mostly hidden from view by the buildings surrounding them. Unless given an invitation, entry is restricted to those who own a co-op around its perimeter. The basis for the private ownership of the parks of Jackson Heights is derived from its founding principle as a privately owned neighborhood built largely under the oversight of one person. The historic section of Jackson Heights is the more affluent part of the neighborhood.
The Jackson Heights 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 2,203 contributing buildings, 19 contributing sites, and three contributing objects. 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 1999.
Primarily during the 1930s, Holmes Airport
Holmes Airport
Holmes Airport was a small airport that opened in 1929 in the Jackson Heights neighborhood of Queens in New York City.Real estate developer E. H. Holmes built the airport on approximately 220 acres of undeveloped land. He organized and sold stock in Holmes Airport, Inc., but claimed that some...
operated on 220 acre (0.8903092 km²) adjacent to the community. The area later became the Bulova watch factory site.
Community
Many residents commute to nearby ManhattanManhattan
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...
, ten to fifteen minutes to 53rd Street and Lexington Avenue via the express E train or 63rd Street and Lexington via the F train. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes via the 7 train.
Jackson Heights housing is mainly private homes, co-op buildings, and rentals, with a small number of condominiums.
The main retail thoroughfare is located on 37th Avenue from 72nd Street to Junction Boulevard, with more retail on 82nd, 73rd and 74th Streets on the blocks between 37th and Roosevelt Avenues. Stores and restaurants on and near 74th street tend to cater towards the large South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
n population in the neighborhood, with sari and jewelry stores, Pakistani and Bengali music and movie retailers and many restaurants. .
37th Avenue contains a wide mix of retailers, including many grocery stores, and 82nd street contains many national chain stores located in Tudor-style buildings in the Jackson Heights Historic District. South American retailers and eateries, predominantly from Colombia, Ecuador and Peru dominate Northern Boulevard from 80th Street east to the border of neighboring Corona
Corona, Queens
Corona is a densely-populated neighborhood in the former Township of Newtown in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York, United States...
at Junction Boulevard.Roosevelt Avenue is also lined with various mainly Hispanic retail stores. The majority of 35th and 34th Avenues and most side streets between 37th Avenue and Northern Boulevard
New York State Route 25A
New York State Route 25A is a state highway on Long Island in New York in the United States. It serves as the main east–west route for most of the North Shore of Long Island, running from the Queens Midtown Tunnel in the New York City borough of Queens at its western terminus to...
are residential.
The community is home to various houses of worship from a wide array of religions. Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Church is located between 82nd and 83rd Street on 35th Avenue. The Jackson Heights Jewish Center is located on the corner of 77th Street and 37th Avenue. The Community United Methodist Church is on 82nd Street. St Mark's Episcopal Church is on 34th Avenue between 81st and 82nd Streets.
Jackson Heights is among the most diverse neighborhoods in New York City, and the nation. Jackson Heights is home to large numbers of South Americans, particularly Argentinians, Ecuadorians and Colombians, South Asians,and East Asians.
The racial/ethnic composition of Jackson Heights is 56.0% Hispanic/Latino, 28.0% White, 16.0% Asian.
There is a year-round greenmarket every Sunday morning at Travers Park
Travers Park
Travers Park is a community park and playground in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York. It is located between 77th and 78th Streets, on the north side of 34th Avenue...
, as well as various family-oriented spring and summer concerts.
Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n broadcaster RCN TV
RCN TV
RCN Televisión , is a Colombian private television network. It started as a production company in 1967...
has its US-American headquarters in the neighborhood, reflecting the sizable Colombian population in the area.
The Jackson Heights Garden City Society is a historical society, whose founders include local historians, the Queens Borough Historian and local activists. They created and oversee the Jackson Heights Garden City Trail and publish a walking guidebook to Jackson Heights. They also collect artifacts of the community. Periodically the Society testifies before the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission on issues of concern to the community.
Jackson Heights has followed the general patterns of New York City when it comes to crime. After spikes in the 1980s into the 1990s, crime has declined significantly. According to New York City CompStat
CompStat
CompStat—or COMPSTAT— is the name given to the New York City Police Department's accountability process and has since been replicated in many other departments...
statistics, measured crime has declined more than 79% in the last 15 years (1993 to 2008). As of January 2008, the murder rate is down over 82% and grand larceny auto is down 90% from 1990.
Recreation
Travers ParkTravers Park
Travers Park is a community park and playground in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York. It is located between 77th and 78th Streets, on the north side of 34th Avenue...
is the most main local playground. It has a variety of sports, including basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, soccer, and handball
American handball
American handball is a sport in which players hit a small rubber ball against a wall using their hands.- History :...
. Prior to expansion, the P.S. 69 school yard offered baseball fields, a stickball
Stickball
Stickball is a street game related to baseball, usually formed as a pick-up game, played in large cities in the Northeastern United States, especially New York City. The equipment consists of a broom handle and a rubber ball, typically a spaldeen, pensie pinkie, high bouncer or tennis ball. The...
field, a handball court and three tennis courts. Con Edison sponsored several summer tennis camps at P.S. 69's school yard from 1982-1992. In 1998, P.S. 69 built an annex to compensate for the booming population of children in Jackson Heights and the public access to the school yard was removed.
Notable residents
Notable residents of Jackson Heights (including fictional characters said to live in the neighborhood) include:- Nadia AliNadia AliNadia Ali is a Pakistani-American singer-songwriter, born in Libya and raised in Queens, New York. She gained attention as the frontwoman and songwriter of the band iiO, after their 2001 hit "Rapture" reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart. The song also charted across several countries in Europe...
(born 1980), Pakistani-American singer-songwriterSinger-songwriterSinger-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the... - Alfred Mosher ButtsAlfred Mosher ButtsAlfred Mosher Butts was an American architect and the inventor of the board game Scrabble in 1938.-Personal life:...
(1899–1993), invented ScrabbleScrabbleScrabble is a word game in which two to four players score points by forming words from individual lettered tiles on a game board marked with a 15-by-15 grid. The words are formed across and down in crossword fashion and must appear in a standard dictionary. Official reference works provide a list...
in 1938, and perfected it at Community Methodist Church. - Chester CarlsonChester CarlsonChester Floyd Carlson was an American physicist, inventor, and patent attorney born in Seattle, Washington....
(1906–1968), invented Xerox copy machine in his Jackson Heights kitchen. - Robert P. CaseyRobert P. CaseyRobert Patrick "Bob" Casey, Sr. was an American politician from Pennsylvania. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 42nd Governor of Pennsylvania from 1987 to 1995...
(1932–2000), Governor of Pennsylvania from 1987 to 1995. - Charlie ChaplinCharlie ChaplinSir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
(1889–1977), an English comic actor and director who used mime, slapstick and other visual, non-verbal comedic routines. - Thom ChristopherThom ChristopherThom Christopher is an American actor.He is best known for his portrayal of mob boss Carlo Hesser and Mortimer Bern on the ABC soap opera, One Life to Live.Christopher has also had roles on soap operas such as Loving and Guiding Light...
(born 1940), longtime actor on One Life to LiveOne Life to LiveOne Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social...
. - Eleanor CliftEleanor CliftEleanor Clift is a political reporter, television pundit and author. She is currently a contributing editor for Newsweek magazine. Her column, "Capitol Letter" is posted each week on the Newsweek and MSNBC websites...
(born 1940), NewsweekNewsweekNewsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
contributing editor and regular panelist on The McLaughlin GroupThe McLaughlin GroupThe McLaughlin Group is a syndicated half-hour weekly public affairs television program in the United States, where a group of five pundits discuss current political issues in a round table format. It has been broadcast since 1982, and is currently sponsored by MetLife...
. - Montgomery CliftMontgomery CliftEdward Montgomery Clift was an American film and stage actor. The New York Times’ obituary noted his portrayal of "moody, sensitive young men"....
(1920–1966), actor, moved to Jackson Heights with his family in 1933 and lived in The Chateau apartment building. - Alan M. DavisAlan M. DavisAlan Mark Davis is a Professor of Business Strategy and Entrepreneurship in the College of Business at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. He is also President and CEO of Spiral Funds, Inc. Davis earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign...
(born 1949), professor and author, grew up in Jackson Heights, and attended PS 69 and JHS 145. - Edward DjerejianEdward DjerejianEdward Peter Djerejian is a former United States diplomat who served in eight Administrations from John F. Kennedy to William J. Clinton He served as the United States Ambassador to Syria and Israel. He is the Founding Director of the James A...
(born 1939), diplomat, former United States Ambassador to Syria and Israel and Assistant Secretary of State. - Kevin DobsonKevin DobsonKevin Patrick Dobson is an American film and television actor of Irish descent, who is primarily known for his roles on television. His most prominent roles were as Lt. Theo Kojak's trusted partner, Det. Bobby Crocker on the popular 1970s TV crime drama Kojak, and as Karen MacKenzie's second...
(born 1943), actor known for his roles on KojakKojakKojak is an American television series starring Telly Savalas as the title character, bald New York City Police Department Detective Lieutenant Theo Kojak. It aired from October 24, 1973, to March 18, 1978, on CBS. It took the time slot of the popular Cannon series, which was moved one hour earlier...
and Knots LandingKnots LandingKnots Landing is an American primetime television soap opera that aired from December 27, 1979 to May 13, 1993 on CBS. Set in a fictitious coastal suburb of Los Angeles in California, the show centered on the lives of four married couples living in a cul-de-sac, Seaview Circle...
. - Alfred EisenstaedtAlfred EisenstaedtAlfred Eisenstaedt was a German-American photographer and photojournalist. He is renowned for his candid photographs, frequently made using various models of a 35mm Leica rangefinder camera...
(1898–1995), photographer, lived in Jackson Heights for many years. - Dave FlemingDave FlemingDavid Anthony Fleming is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1991 to 1995, mostly for the Seattle Mariners.Fleming was born in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York, and went to high school in Mahopac, New York...
(born 1969), MLB pitcher who spent most of his career with the Seattle MarinersSeattle MarinersThe Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
. - Paul D. GinsbergPaul D. GinsbergPaul D. Ginsberg is a partner, co-head of the mergers & acquisitions group and a member of the Management Committee of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, a prestigious international law firm based in New York.- Biography:...
(born 1962), prominent mergers and acquisitions attorney. - Bobby HackettBobby HackettRobert Leo "Bobby" Hackett was an US jazz musician who played trumpet, cornet and guitar with the bands of Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman in the late thirties and early forties.-Biography:...
(1915–1976), a famous trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
player who played with Henry ManciniHenry ManciniHenry Mancini was an American composer, conductor and arranger, best remembered for his film and television scores. He won a record number of Grammy Awards , plus a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously in 1995...
, Benny GoodmanBenny GoodmanBenjamin David “Benny” Goodman was an American jazz and swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader; widely known as the "King of Swing".In the mid-1930s, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in America...
, and Louis ArmstrongLouis ArmstrongLouis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
(NOTE:It is only provided when he left Jackson Heights). - Ed Hayes (born 1947) influential lawyer, journalist, and memoirist.
- Helen KaneHelen KaneHelen Kane was an American popular singer; her signature song was "I Wanna Be Loved By You". Kane's voice and appearance were a likely source for Fleischer Studios animator Grim Natwick when creating Betty Boop, although It-girl Clara Bow is another possible influence.-Early life:Born as Helen...
(1904–1966), singer known for her baby talk version of I Wanna Be Loved by YouI Wanna Be Loved by You"I Wanna Be Loved by You" is a song written by Herbert Stothart and Harry Ruby, with lyrics by Bert Kalmar, for the 1928 musical "Good Boy". It was chosen as one of the Songs of the Century in a survey made by the RIAA in which 200 people responded...
and model for Betty BoopBetty BoopBetty Boop is an animated cartoon character created by Max Fleischer, with help from animators including Grim Natwick. She originally appeared in the Talkartoon and Betty Boop film series, which were produced by Fleischer Studios and released by Paramount Pictures. She has also been featured in...
. - Richard KlineRichard KlineRichard Kline is an American actor and television director. He is best known for playing the sleazy neighbor and used car salesman, Larry Dallas, on the sitcom, Three's Company.-Early life:...
(born 1944), went to IS 145 and played Jack's friend LarryLarry DallasLarry Dallas is a fictional character on the 1977 - 1984 ABC sitcom Three's Company, portrayed by Richard Kline. He lives upstairs from Jack, Janet, and Chrissy/Cindy/Terri, and is Jack's best friend. He is a womanizer and often lies about his job to impress girls, from being "Playboy's best...
on Three's CompanyThree's CompanyThree's Company is an American sitcom that aired from March 15, 1977, to September 18, 1984, on ABC. It is based on the British sitcom, Man About the House....
. - John LeguizamoJohn LeguizamoJonathan Alberto "John" Leguizamo is an Colombian-American actor, producer, voice artist, and comedian.-Early life:...
(born 1964), comedian / actor. - Willy LeyWilly LeyWilly Ley was a German-American science writer and space advocate who helped popularize rocketry and spaceflight in both Germany and the United States. The crater Ley on the far side of the Moon is named in his honor.-Life:...
(1906–1969), space writer and theorist. - Lucy LiuLucy LiuLucy Alexis Liu is an American actress and film producer. She became known for playing the role of the vicious and ill-mannered Ling Woo in the television series Ally McBeal , and has also appeared in several Hollywood films including Charlie's Angels, Chicago, Kill Bill, and Kung Fu Panda.-Early...
(born 1968), actress. - Clive LythgoeClive LythgoeClive Lythgoe , was a leading British classical pianist of the 1950s and 1960s, popular in both the UK and the United States, where he was considered to be "Britain's answer to Liberace".-Early life:...
(1927–2006), classical pianist. - Victor MooreVictor MooreVictor Frederick Moore was an American actor of stage and screen, as well as a comedian, writer, and director.-Personal life:...
(1876-1962), actor. - Billy MurciaBilly MurciaBilly Murcia, born in Bogotá, Colombia and raised in Jackson Heights, New York, was the original drummer for the New York Dolls.Billy Murcia and Sylvain Sylvain both attended Quintano's School for Young Professionals, in the late sixties. It was at Quintano's that they met Johnny Thunders, also a...
(1954–1972), original drummer for the New York DollsNew York DollsThe New York Dolls is an American rock band, formed in New York in 1971. The band's protopunk sound prefigured much of what was to come in the punk rock era; their visual style influenced the look of many new wave and 1980s-era glam metal groups, and they began the local New York scene that later...
. - Colby O'DonisColby O'DonisColby O'Donis is an American-Puerto Rican pop and R&B singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer and actor. In 2008, he released his debut album Colby O, and his single "What You Got" featuring Akon reached #14 on the Billboard Hot 100...
(born March 14, 1989), an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer and actor. - Les PaulLes PaulLester William Polsfuss —known as Les Paul—was an American jazz and country guitarist, songwriter and inventor. He was a pioneer in the development of the solid-body electric guitar which made the sound of rock and roll possible. He is credited with many recording innovations...
(1915–2009), jazz guitarJazz guitarThe term jazz guitar may refer to either a type of guitar or to the variety of guitar playing styles used in the various genres which are commonly termed "jazz"...
ist and guitar innovator. - Duncan PenwardenDuncan PenwardenDuncan Penwarden was a Nova Scotia-born American-based film and stage actor.-Filmography:*Laughter *The Lady Lies *Gentlemen of the Press *The Bishop's Candlesticks...
(1880–1930), actor. - Joe QuesadaJoe QuesadaJoseph "Joe" Quesada is an American comic book editor, writer and artist. He became known in the 1990s for his work on various Valiant Comics books, such as Ninjak and Solar, Man of the Atom...
(born 1962), Editor-in-Chief of Marvel ComicsMarvel ComicsMarvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
. - Tommy RettigTommy RettigThomas Noel "Tommy" Rettig was an American child actor,computer software engineer, and author. Rettig is best remembered for portraying the character "Jeff Miller" in the first three seasons of CBS's Lassie television series, from 1954–1957, later seen in syndicated re-runs as Jeff's Collie...
(1941–1996), actor who appeared on the 1950s LassieLassie (1954 TV series)Lassie is an American television series that follows the adventures of a female Rough Collie named Lassie and her companions, human and animal. The show was the creation of producer Robert Maxwell and animal trainer Rudd Weatherwax and was televised from September 12, 1954, to March 24, 1973...
television series. - Don RicklesDon RicklesDonald Jay "Don" Rickles is an American stand-up comedian and actor. A frequent guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Rickles has acted in comedic and dramatic roles, but is best known as an insult comic....
(born 1926), comedian. - Robert Tripp RossRobert Tripp RossRobert Tripp Ross was a United States Representative from New York. Born in Washington, Beaufort County, North Carolina, he attended the public schools, moved to New York City in 1929, and engaged as a druggist...
(1903–1981), Congressman and former Assistant Secretary of Defense from 1954-1957. - Mercedes RuehlMercedes RuehlMercedes J. Ruehl is an American theater, television and film actor.-Personal life:Ruehl was born in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York City, the daughter of Mercedes J., a school teacher, and Vincent Ruehl, an FBI agent. She was raised Catholic. Her father was of German and Irish descent and her...
(born 1948), actress. - Susan SarandonSusan SarandonSusan Sarandon is an American actress. She has worked in films and television since 1969, and won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the 1995 film Dead Man Walking. She had also been nominated for the award for four films before that and has received other recognition for her...
(born 1946), actress. - Eddie August SchneiderEddie August SchneiderEddie August Henry Schneider set three transcontinental airspeed records for pilots under the age of twenty-one in 1930. His plane was a Cessna Model AW with a Warner-Scarab engine, one of only 48 built, that he called "The Kangaroo". He set the east-to-west, then the west-to-east, and the...
(1911–1940), record-setting early aviator. - Walter SearWalter SearWalter Edmond Sear was an American recording engineer, instrument importer, instrument designer, inventor, composer, tuba player, movie producer, synthesizer pioneer, and vintage recording equipment guru...
(April 27, 1930 – April 29, 2010) Audio Pioneer, Composer and owner of Sear Sound - Gene SimmonsGene SimmonsGene Simmons is an Israeli-American entrepreneur, singer-songwriter, actor, and rock bassist. Known as "The Demon", he is the bassist/vocalist of Kiss, a hard rock band he co-founded in the early 1970s.-Early life:...
(born 1949), of the rock group KissKISS (band)Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
. - Howard SternHoward SternHoward Allan Stern is an American radio personality, television host, author, and actor best known for his radio show, which was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2005. He gained wide recognition in the 1990s where he was labeled a "shock jock" for his outspoken and sometimes controversial style...
(born 1954), host of The Howard Stern Show. - Betty SuarezBetty SuarezBeatriz "Betty" U. Suarez is a central fictional character and heroine of the American dramedy series Ugly Betty. She is portrayed by America Ferrera, who won a 2007 Golden Globe and 2007 SAG award for her portrayal of the character, as well as the Outstanding Actress in a Comedy award for the role...
(born 1984), fictional title character of the television series Ugly BettyUgly BettyUgly Betty is an American comedy-drama television series developed by Silvio Horta, which premiered on ABC on September 28, 2006, and ended on April 14, 2010. The series revolves around the character Betty Suarez and is based on Fernando Gaitán's Colombian telenovela soap opera Yo soy Betty, la fea...
. - Rob SwiftRob SwiftRob Swift is an American hip hop DJ and turntablist. Swift is a former member of the turntablist group The X-Ecutioners as of late 2005 and as of 2006; with Mike Patton’s project Peeping Tom.-Early life:...
, DJ and turntablist. - Johnny ThundersJohnny ThundersJohnny Thunders, born John Anthony Genzale, Jr. , was an American protopunk guitarist, singer and songwriter.He came to prominence in the early '70s as a member of the New York Dolls...
(1952–1991), of the New York DollsNew York DollsThe New York Dolls is an American rock band, formed in New York in 1971. The band's protopunk sound prefigured much of what was to come in the punk rock era; their visual style influenced the look of many new wave and 1980s-era glam metal groups, and they began the local New York scene that later...
grew up in Jackson Heights. - Helene WhiteHelene WhiteHelene N. White is a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Previously, she was a judge on the Michigan Court of Appeals.- Background :...
(born 1954), federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth CircuitUnited States Court of Appeals for the Sixth CircuitThe United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Kentucky* Western District of Kentucky...
.
Film location
The film "Coming To AmericaComing to America
Coming to America is a 1988 comedy film directed by John Landis. The screenplay was written by David Sheffield and Barry W. Blaustein, from a story by Eddie Murphy, who also stars in the film. Murphy plays an African prince, who heads to the United States in hopes of finding a woman he can marry...
" is based in Jackson Heights.
Major portions of the Academy Award nominated1 Maria Full of Grace
Maria Full of Grace
Maria Full of Grace is a 2004 joint Colombian-American film, written and directed by Joshua Marston, who won the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay. Although the movie depicts rural life in Colombia, it was actually filmed in Ecuador...
(2004) were filmed on location in Jackson Heights. Portions of Random Hearts
Random Hearts
Random Hearts is a 1984 novel by American author Warren Adler. In 1999, the novel was made into a motion picture directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Harrison Ford and Kristin Scott Thomas.-Plot summary :...
(1999) were filmed in Jackson Heights on 35th Avenue between 76th and 77th street. Part of The Usual Suspects
The Usual Suspects
The Usual Suspects is a 1995 American neo-noir film written by Christopher McQuarrie and directed by Bryan Singer. It stars Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio del Toro, Chazz Palminteri, Kevin Pollak, Kevin Spacey and Pete Postlethwaite....
was filmed in Jackson Heights around 34th Avenue and 82nd street.
Much of the Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
film The Wrong Man
The Wrong Man
The Wrong Man is a 1956 film by Alfred Hitchcock which stars Henry Fonda and Vera Miles. The film is based on a true story of an innocent man charged for a crime he did not commit...
takes place within a few blocks of the intersection of Broadway and 74th Street. The former Victor Moore Arcade and the connecting subway station, were prominently featured in the movie. The arcade was demolished and rebuilt from 1998 to 2005 and became known as the Victor A. Moore Bus Terminal. It was named after Jackson Heights resident Victor Moore
Victor Moore
Victor Frederick Moore was an American actor of stage and screen, as well as a comedian, writer, and director.-Personal life:...
, a Broadway and film actor from the era of silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
to the 1950s.
Also, parts of director James Gray's We Own the Night
We Own the Night
We Own the Night is a 2007 American crime drama film written and directed by James Gray and starring Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes and Robert Duvall. It is the third film directed by Gray, and the second film to feature Phoenix and Wahlberg together, the first being The Yards...
(2007) were filmed between 32nd Avenue and 31st Avenue on 84th street. It is also the setting for the TV show Ugly Betty
Ugly Betty
Ugly Betty is an American comedy-drama television series developed by Silvio Horta, which premiered on ABC on September 28, 2006, and ended on April 14, 2010. The series revolves around the character Betty Suarez and is based on Fernando Gaitán's Colombian telenovela soap opera Yo soy Betty, la fea...
, where Betty and her family live. Ingrid Bergman
Ingrid Bergman
Ingrid Bergman was a Swedish actress who starred in a variety of European and American films. She won three Academy Awards, two Emmy Awards, and the Tony Award for Best Actress. She is ranked as the fourth greatest female star of American cinema of all time by the American Film Institute...
's character Stephanie Dickinson in the movie Cactus Flower
Cactus Flower (film)
Cactus Flower is a 1969 comedic film directed by Gene Saks and starring Walter Matthau, Ingrid Bergman, and Goldie Hawn, who won an Oscar for her performance. The screenplay was adapted by I. A. L. Diamond from a Broadway stage play written by Abe Burrows, which in turn was based upon the French...
lives in Jackson Heights.
Education
New York City Department of EducationNew York City Department of Education
The New York City Department of Education is the branch of municipal government in New York City that manages the city's public school system. It is the largest school system in the United States, with over 1.1 million students taught in more than 1,700 separate schools...
operates public schools. Schools in Jackson Heights include P.S. 69 Jackson Heights School, P.S. 148 Christa McAuliffe School, P.S. 212, P.S 222 FF Christopher A. Santora School, I.S.145
I.S.145
I.S.145 Joseph Pulitzer is a middle school in Jackson Heights, Queens in New York City which serves 2,039 middle school for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. The school is named after the Hungarian-American publisher, Joseph Pulitzer. The principal at this time is Dr. Dolores Beckham...
Joseph Pulitzer School, I.S. 230 and the K-12 school Renaissance Charter School.
Queens Library operates the Jackson Heights Library, located on 81st Street and 37th Avenue.