Douglaston, Queens

Douglaston, Queens
Neighborhood of Queens
A block of shops on Douglaston Parkway; the National Art League occupies part of this block

Location within New York City
Coordinates: 40°46′N 73°45′W / 40.77°N 73.75°W / 40.77; -73.75Coordinates: 40°46′N 73°45′W / 40.77°N 73.75°W / 40.77; -73.75
Country  United States
State  New York
County Queens
Founded by George Douglas
Population (2010)
 • Total 17,823
Economics
 • Median income $83,566
ZIP Code 11362, 11363
Area code(s) 718, 347, 929, and 917

Douglaston is an upper middle class community in the New York City borough of Queens. Douglaston comprises six distinct neighborhoods: Douglas Bay,[1] Douglas Manor,[2] and Douglaston Hill, all located north of Northern Boulevard on the peninsula abutting Little Neck Bay; Douglaston Park, located between Northern Boulevard and the Long Island Expressway; and two areas south of the Expressway, Winchester Estates and an area simply known as Douglaston. The neighborhood is part of Queens Community Board 11[3] and New York City school district 26.

Douglaston is located on the North Shore of Long Island, bordered to the east by Little Neck, and to the west by Bayside. Douglaston's two ZIP Codes are 11362 and 11363.

Douglaston represents one of the least traditionally urban communities in New York City, with many areas (particularly those north of Northern Boulevard) having a distinctly upscale suburban feel, similar to that of Nassau County towns located nearby (such as Great Neck).

The area is also known for its historical society and other civic groups, notably the Douglaston Civic Association and the Douglas Manor Association.

History

FDNY Engine 313/Ladder 164 Firehouse on 244th Street

The earliest known residents of the area that would become Douglaston were the Matinecock Native Americans. Early Dutch settlers were drawn to the area by the rich land and abundant fishing. Thomas Hicks settled the area in 1656 on a peninsula first called Little Madnan's Neck. In 1796, his estate passed to Thomas Wickes (1770–1854), and in 1819, to Wyant Van Zandt, a wealthy merchant, who built a large Greek Revival mansion in the area. Today, this mansion houses the Douglaston Club, a private club with tennis courts, social activities and swimming pools. In 1835, George Douglas bought 240 acres (0.97 km2) of land along with Van Zandt's mansion. Upon Douglas' death in 1862, the land was inherited by his son, William Douglas. Four years later, the North Shore Railroad extended its service to the area. William Douglas donated an outbuilding for use as the station house, and in thanks, the railroad named its new stop "Douglaston", which soon was taken on as the name of the community.

Douglaston Hill is the oldest area of the community, and is characterized by turn-of-the-20th-century homes in Queen Anne and Victorian styles. It was laid out with very large lots in 1853, at the very beginning of a movement in the United States to create suburban gardens. The area was recognized as a New York City Historic District in December 2004 by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.[4] The Douglaston Hill Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.[5]

In the early 20th century, the Rickert-Finlay Realty Company of Manhattan purchased 175 acres (0.71 km2) of the Douglas' family holdings, and formed the Douglas Manor Association, creating a planned community. Many of the houses in this area were built in architectural styles popular at the time, such as Tudor, Mediterranean, Colonial Revival, and Arts and Crafts. In 1997, New York City's Landmarks Preservation Commission designated Douglas Manor as the Douglaston Historic District, ensuring that no new buildings or external alterations could be made without the commission's approval.[6][7] The Douglaston Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.[5]

Other areas of Douglaston were developed during the latter half of the 20th century. Douglaston Park contains a mixture of large, older homes as well as Capes, Tudors, and ranch-style homes dating from the 1960s. The areas adjacent to the |Douglaston Shopping Center are occupied mainly by attached single-family homes built in the 1950s through 1970s (Beech Hills, Deepdale and another development known colloquially as the "Korvette's Houses" due to the former proximity of an E.J. Korvette department store), as well as four-story condominiums added in the mid-1980s.[8]

In addition to the Douglaston Historic District and Douglaston Hill Historic District, the Allen-Beville House and Cornelius Van Wyck House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[5]

Parks and recreation

The Queens Giant measures 133.8 feet (40.8 m) tall and is probably the oldest living thing in the New York metropolitan area.

Several parks are under the administration of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. To the west of Douglaston along the waterfront is Alley Pond Park, a 635-acre (2.57 km2) wildlife and bird sanctuary, and home to the Queens Giant, the oldest known tree (and living thing) in New York City. To the east along the water is Udalls Cove, a 90-acre (360,000 m2) wildlife sanctuary.

Because northern Douglaston is surrounded by water, many residents take advantage of the waterfront. The Douglaston Yacht Squadron[9] is the local yacht club (there is also a junior yachting program called the djys, which teaches youngsters under the age of 16 years how to sail). It is a part of the Douglaston Club, a country club based in Van Zandt's original mansion in Douglas Manor. The Douglaston Club is also site of various community events, such as the Douglaston Chess Congress' annual championships, which decides the community's best players. Sailing is also a popular sport in the community.

Southern Douglaston has an 18-hole, par 67 golf course. Formerly known as the North Hills Country Club, the 104-acre (0.42 km2) course opened in 1927 and became a municipal course in the 1960s. The Douglaston Golf Course underwent significant renovations in 2004. The course is situated at one of the highest points in the borough of Queens, providing picturesque views of the Manhattan skyline, and has a restaurant.

Education

Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception in Douglaston

The Immaculate Conception Center,[10] formerly a college-level seminary named Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception and owned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, is located in southern Douglaston. It is a large conference center, hosting Diocese events and activities including language immersion classes, lay ministry preparation, adult continuing education, seminarian instruction, parish retreats and also hosts community civic conferences. In the Fall of 2011, all administrative offices were relocated and the building hosted eighty undergraduate seminarians studying at nearby St. John's University, in addition to retired priests from the Diocese of Brooklyn.

Its two public elementary schools are P.S. 98 The Douglaston School[11] and P.S. 221 North Hills School,[12] which both offer classes from kindergarten through 5th grade. These schools feed into Louis Pasteur Middle School, which hosts children in grades 6 through 8. After middle school, Douglaston's public school students are zoned for Benjamin N. Cardozo High School, in neighboring Bayside. Divine Wisdom Catholic Academy [13] is a private Catholic school, with classes from the pre-school level to 8th grade. PS 811, the Multiple Handicap School of Queens, is devoted to students with physical and mental disabilities. It is an elementary school, for grades 1–6. Before it was designated The Multiple Handicap School of Queens, it was known as PS 187, and served as an elementary school for mainstream children in grades 1–6.

Community

Every year Douglaston also hosts a Memorial Day Parade which runs from Great Neck to Douglaston Parkway along Northern Boulevard[14].

Other community activities include Theater á la Cartè, which provides live theater at the Douglaston Community Church and the Douglaston Community Theater players, who perform at the Zion Episcopal Church. The 74-year-old National Art League on Douglaston Parkway offers classes and provides a place for artists to show and sell their work. Monthly concerts are held at the Douglaston Community Church.

A local volunteer ambulance corps, the Little Neck–Douglaston Community Ambulance Corps is supported and run by people in the community. It hosts blood drives and free classes to teach the community CPR.

Demographics

Based on data from the 2010 United States Census, the population of Douglaston was 24,739.[15]

The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 53.3% (13,195) White, 1.3% (317) African American, (15) Native American, 35.6% (8,818) Asian, 0.0% (2) Pacific Islander, 0.3% (69) from other races, and 1.2% (308) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.1% (2,015) of the population.[16]

Local economy

Douglaston has many independently owned and operated restaurants and shops, many of which are located in the area around the intersection of Douglaston Parkway and Northern Boulevard. This area is home to a distinct cultural presence and traditional New York City style delis and pizzerias.

The Douglaston Plaza Shopping Center is a major hub of the community's economic activity. It contains a Fairway Market supermarket (which opened in November 2011), Toys 'R' Us, a Modell's sporting goods store, Macy's, Burger King and the pizza restaurant Grimaldi's.

Transportation

The LIRR station, looking west from the Douglaston Parkway overpass

The Douglaston Long Island Rail Road station, at 235th Street and 41st Avenue, is on the LIRR's Port Washington Branch.[17]

Douglaston is served by the Q12, Q30, QM3, QM5, QM8 New York City Bus routes.[18]

Two major Long Island highways pass through Douglaston: the Long Island Expressway and Cross Island Parkway.

Local media

The area is served by the Little Neck Ledger, owned by the TimesLedger Newspapers,[19] a chain of 14 weekly newspapers spread throughout Queens. Media giant News Corporation, which also owns the New York Post, bought TimesLedger in October 2006.

Notable residents

Scenes from the movies Black Rain, American Gangster, Little Children, The Arrangement, I Never Sang for My Father, Cops and Robbers, and After-Life were filmed in the community. The films Rabbit Hole (2010), Son of No One (2011), and Run All Night (2014) were also shot in Douglaston.

In the 30 Rock episode "Hiatus", the community stood in for Needmore, Pennsylvania. Mary Hudson, a character in "The Laughing Man", a short story by J. D. Salinger, is from this community. "Machine", the masked character from the 1999 film 8mm, also lived with his mother in Douglaston.

The Zion Episcopal Church was the setting for the movie First Reformed starring Ethan Hawke as well as the television series The Blacklist. [39]

References

  1. ↑ Origins of Doug Bay and Udalls Cove Park By Walter Mugdan, March 28, 2011, Bayside Patch
  2. ↑ LIVING IN Douglas Manor, Queens, New York City. Accessed November 30, 2010.
  3. ↑ Queens Community Boards, New York City. Accessed September 3, 2007.
  4. ↑ Landmarks Preservation Commission Designates the Douglaston Hill Historic District in Queens, New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, 2004-12-14
  5. 1 2 3 National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  6. ↑ LeDuff, Charlie (June 29, 1997). "A Place 'Like No Other Place' Is Now a Landmark, Too". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-08-21.
  7. ↑ LIVING IN | Douglas Manor, Queens Where People Stay, and ‘Play Musical Houses’ The New York Times, January 7, 2010
  8. ↑ Shaman, Diana (February 8, 2004). "If You're Thinking of Living In/Douglaston, Queens; Timeless City Area, With a Country Feel". The New York Times. p. 11. Retrieved 2009-08-21.
  9. ↑ Douglaston Yacht Squadron
  10. ↑ Immaculate Conception Center
  11. ↑ P.S. 98 The Douglaston School
  12. ↑ P.S. 221 North Hills School
  13. ↑ Divine Wisdom Catholic Academy
  14. ↑ http://www.lndmemorialday.org/about
  15. ↑ Table PL-P5 NTA: Total Population and Persons Per Acre - New York City Neighborhood Tabulation Areas*, 2010, Population Division - New York City Department of City Planning, February 2012. Accessed June 16, 2016.
  16. ↑ Table PL-P3A NTA: Total Population by Mutually Exclusive Race and Hispanic Origin - New York City Neighborhood Tabulation Areas*, 2010, Population Division - New York City Department of City Planning, March 29, 2011. Accessed June 14, 2016.
  17. ↑ Douglaston, Long Island Rail Road. Accessed March 4, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Queens Bus Map" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. December 2017. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  19. ↑ Little Neck Ledger
  20. 1 2 Douglas Manor, Douglaston/Little Neck Historical Society. Accessed March 4, 2018.
  21. ↑ biography of BastianichHarper Collins
  22. ↑ Duke, Nathan. " Douglaston's Own: Ruth Benedict; The famed anthropologist was a one-time Douglaston resident.", Bayside Patch, June 19, 2012. Accessed March 4, 2018. "Ruth Benedict, a one-time Douglaston resident, became the first woman to gain recognition in the field of anthropology during the 1930s."
  23. ↑ Kellogg, Craig. "10 Questions With... Deborah Berke", Interior Design (magazine), August 1, 2017. Accessed March 4, 2018. "I grew up in Douglaston, Queens, which has detached single family houses in many styles. It was a kind of idyllic mid-century childhood. I started sketching houses as a child, so the interest in architecture was there from the beginning."
  24. ↑ Thomas Jr., Robert McG. "John M. Cannella, 88, Judge in Federal Court for 31 Years", The New York Times, November 4, 1996. Accessed December 27, 2017. "A longtime resident of Douglaston, Queens, he was 88 and had been active as a senior judge in the Southern District of New York until 1994."
  25. ↑ Scheiber, Dave (August 25, 2006). "Whirlwind Woman". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2009-08-21.
  26. ↑ Duffie, Bruce. "Conductor James Conlon; A Conversation with Bruce Duffie", BruceDuffie.com, January 26, 1988. Accessed March 4, 2018. "Conlon grew up in a family of five children on Cherry Street in Douglaston, Queens, New York City."
  27. ↑ "Queens-Born Alex Corbisiero Gets Chance To Shine For England At Rugby World Cup", WCBS-TV, September 15, 2011. Accessed March 4, 2018. "Corbisiero was born in Douglaston, Queens, into a large family."
  28. ↑ Grosz, George (1983). George Grosz: An Autobiography. New York: Macmillan. p. 290. ISBN 0025458302.
  29. ↑ Duke, Nathan. " Douglaston's Own: Hedda Hopper; Read Patch's profile of the controversial gossip columnist and former community resident.", Bayside Patch, February 8, 2012. Accessed March 4, 2018. "Hedda Hopper may have gotten her Hollywood breakthrough as a silent film actress, but words would eventually be her bread and butter.The famed gossip columnist and one-time Douglaston resident was born as Elda Furry in small town Pennsylvania in 1885.In the early 1900s, she made her Broadway debut and moved to northeast Queens."
  30. ↑ Duke, Nathan. " Douglaston's Own: Philip La Follette; Governor of Wisconsin moved to Douglaston in the 1950s to act as president of an electronics business.", Bayside Patch, July 10, 2012. Accessed March 4, 2018. "While much of Philip La Follette's life and career was spent in Wisconsin, the long-time politician made his home in Douglaston for four years in the 1950s."
  31. ↑ Staff. "They Lived Here – Angela Lansbury", Queens Courier, November 30, 2006. Accessed March 4, 2018. "Though she could have never imagined the illustrious career ahead of her, Angela Lansbury dreamed of being an actress as a young girl. A star in films, television, and Broadway, Lansbury was able to appeal to audiences of all kinds. In a career spanning over five decades, she was frequently recognized for her outstanding performances. Interestingly, while trying her hand at Broadway, Lansbury resided in Douglaston."
  32. ↑ Weber, Bruce. "Dick Lynch, Giants Star Who Became a Broadcaster, Dies at 72", The New York Times, September 24, 2008. Accessed March 4, 2018. "Dick Lynch, who twice led the National Football League in interceptions as a defensive back for the New York Giants and who later spent 40 years as a radio broadcaster for the team, died Wednesday at his home in the Douglaston section of Queens."
  33. 1 2 Santora, Marc. "For Patrick McEnroe,the U.S. Open Is Home; Perhaps no sporting event is as linked to New York as the U.S. Open, and perhaps no duo is as linkedt o the U.S. Open as Patrick and John McEnroe.", The New York Times, September 7, 2017. Accessed March 4, 2018. "The tournament has come a long way from when it was hosted at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, Queens, near the McEnroe home in Douglaston.... Patrick said that producers initially worried about their similar Queens cadence. They grew up in Douglaston and even as they have aged, the ESPN team has had on hand an audio tool that can be used to offer some shading."
  34. ↑ Stagnaro, Angelo. "Thomas Merton in the city", National Catholic Reporter, January 22, 2010. Accessed March 4, 2018. "If one asks who was the most important spiritual thinker of past 100 years, most people, Catholic or not, will more likely say Thomas Merton.... When his family came to America when he was a toddler, they ultimately moved into his maternal grandparents’ home in Queens at 241-16 Rushmore Avenue, Douglaston."
  35. ↑ Duke, Nathan. " Douglaston's Own: Ginger Rogers; The star of stage and screen lived in northeast Queens during the 1920s.", Bayside Patch, February 1, 2012. Accessed March 4, 2018. "Ginger Rogers is known for her fancy footwork opposite Fred Astaire and Academy Award winning turn as a secretary during the depression.But in the 1920s, she was also a denizen of Douglaston."
  36. ↑ Gay, Verne. "That '70s psycho: Bobby Fischer's fall", Newsday, June 3, 2011. Accessed March 4, 2018. "Fischer was so conflicted by the match that he hid out for days in the Douglaston house of Dr. Anthony Saidy, another chess prodigy, who's interviewed here. "
  37. ↑ Arthur Treacher, Douglaston/Little Neck Historical Society
  38. ↑ Staff. "They Lived Here Arthur Treacher", Queens Courier, February 8, 2007. Accessed March 4, 2018. "Treacher made his move to America a permanent one. Around this time, he made Douglaston his residence. His house was located at Hollywood Avenue between Center Drive and East Drive."
  39. ↑ The Zion Church Strawberry Festival Retrieved June 23, 2018
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