Jackson Heights Life

Going back a little further, the southeast corner of 35th Ave and 95th St used to be a vacant lot--through the late 50s/early 60s. 35-15 95th St was the apartment building adjacent to that lot. My family lived in that building. The lot was our playground, stickball field, horseshoe pit etc. Every summer there was a fair on the spot too. I forget who put it on (Blessed Sacrament?) but there was the full gamut of arcade games including the ubiquitous tossing of a ping-pong ball into little goldfish bowls, which won me my first pet at age 6. My mom won a set of dishes there, as I recall.

I see that the proposed changes to the rent stabilization law regarding deregulation of so-called 'luxury' apartments, which would raise the rent and income thresholds to account for inflation since 1998,  passed in the NYS Assembly this past February and is in committee in the Senate. Any thoughts about the likelihood of it passing there as well?

Yes, I gasped when I read that in the book. I suspect neither author actually saw the building for themselves since the other author calls it a 'small' building. And I agree with you. I find the Chateau to be entirely beautiful.

Very interesting article, John, and equally thoughtful comments, MarcusW. The NYT  has an article today that's relevant to all of this:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/09/realestate/manhattan/09real.html?_r=1

I checked listings and indeed prices have dropped as stated. Two-bedroom coops/condos in Manhattan once selling for $1.2 million are now in the $800-900K range. If the trend continues and the exodus of those who were getting priced out halts,  I wonder how this affects things in JH.

Just discovered this forum and truly enjoyed this thread. I was born at Physicians Hospital in '49. My sister ('55) and my brother ('59) were also born there. Our family doctor was Dr. Berger, who made house calls, and who shared an office with Dr. Bellin (sp?) on 80th or 81st between Roosevelt and 37th. I attended PS 149 and saw my first movie, BAMBI, at the Polk. I'm pretty sure the second film I saw there was a Saturday matinee of FUNNY FACE with Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn.

I remember well the lunch counter at Woolworth's, Horn and Hardart's and the Hamburger Express with those incredible trains serving up the burgers. My mother shopped at Fields with a vengeance. I read my first book from cover to cover at the JH library.

Does anyone remember the name of the pet shop/aquarium on 37th, north side of the block, in the high 80's (maybe 90th-91st)? The owner was a jolly older gent who would make deliveries of large orders using an old wooden pushcart. I remember our first aquarium being delivered by him that way.