Hollis Hills, Queens
Hollis Hills is a neighborhood in the north-east section of the borough of Queens in New York City. It is bound by the Grand Central Parkway to the south, Kingsbury Avenue and Richland Avenue to the north, Hollis Hills Terrace to the west and Springfield Boulevard to the east. Most homes in Hollis Hills are of the Colonial, Tudor, and Ranch styles. Surrey Estates is a smaller triangle of architecturally notable homes surrounded by old, large trees and is bound by Union Turnpike, Springfield Boulevard, and Hartland Avenue within Hollis Hills.
Hollis Hills is physically distinguished from the neighboring areas of Holliswood and Hollis by a slight elevation above sea level, thank` to a quirk of a retreating glacier from the last Ice Age. The neighborhood is flanked by Cunningham Park and Alley Pond Park, as well as the historic Long Island Motor Parkway, home of the turn of the century racing competition, the Vanderbilt Cup. The parkway was built by William Kissam Vanderbilt, a descendant of the family that presided over the New York Central Railroad and Western Union. The parkway is now home to bikers, joggers and nature trail lovers.
Notable institutions in Hollis Hills are The Chapel of the Redeemer Lutheran, The Hollis Hills Jewish Center (founded in 1948), American Martyrs Catholic Church, the Windsor Park Branch of the Queens Library System, and P.S. 188 or The Kingsbury Elementary School.
The neighborhood is home to the Hollis Hills Civic Association as well as the Surrey Estates Homeowners Association.
Jamaica Estates, Queens
Jamaica Estates is a wealthy neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. The area is part of Queens Community Board 8. It is bounded by Union Turnpike to the North, Hillside Avenue to the South, Utopia Parkway and Homelawn Street to the West and 188th Street to the East. Although technically in the Hollis zip code, many consider the neighborhood bounded by Union Turnpike, 188th Street, Cunningham Park and Grand Central Parkway to be part of Jamaica Estates as well.
Jamaica Estates was created at the turn of the century by the Jamaica Estates Company, which developed the area's hilly 503 acres, while preserving many of the trees that had occupied the site. Jamaica Estates now has significant Jewish American, Italian American, and Asian American populations. It is considered one of the most expensive and exclusive residential areas in Queens.
The only apartments and multi-family housing lie on the edges along Hillside Avenue. The main shopping corridors include Hillside Avenue and Union Turnpike.
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