Jackson Heights Life

After renting in Manhattan for 15 years, and looking for apartments in Jackson Heights since last spring, we just got the board approval today!

The attorneys are working on the closing date and I am so looking forward to moving into this neighborhood.

First thing I did after I learned that we got approved by the board, I wrote to Borders, New York Sport Club, AMC theater, Whole Food, and Trader Joe's asking them to consider opening a store in Jackson Heights.
It will be great if I have these dream stores here in Jackson Heights. Then I probably really won't miss Manhattan at all!!  :rockon:

Welcome to the neighborhood and congrats on getting board approval.

I have been in touch with NYSC in the past and they seemed interested in JH, but I think one thing in their way is locating an appropriate space.  The one in Sunnyside is tiny compared to many other branches, so maybe they wouldn't mind have another small one here.

Appropriate space!!!  I'm not sure if the space formerly occupied by Pio Pio on Northern Blvd. is spoken for yet, but that two floor location would be an ideal size for a gym like the NYSC.

Instead/in addition to Whole Foods, check out the local CSA http://www.farmspot.org/ We did this last year and it was great. Also, on weekends in the warmer half of the year is the greenmarket around Travers Park, which is really great too. Great organic produce.

I'm with you on Trader Joe's, but it's not as big of a deal as I thought it might be once I got used to the stores here - other than TJ store brands, I find pretty much everything I need at one of the local grocery stores - many of which are open 24 hours (yes, you can find fresh herbs at 3 AM here)

And the new wine store, Table Wine is a great addition to the neighborhood. They curate their collection well, so I don't worry about picking a bad wine...they don't stock any...so I try new things from them. 

For movies, if it's not at the Ziegfeld in Manhattan (Still my fave), we usually head over to the Kaufman Astoria 14 (right by the Steinway stop on the R/V trains, and sinfully close to the Panera Bread store there and the new Beer Garden) http://www.yelp.com/biz/ua-kaufman-astoria-stadium-14-astoria. It's huge, with great sound and stadium seating and all the new releases in their digital 3-D goodness.

I, too, would love to see a real bookstore (Borders would be nice, I don't know if an independent store can survive anymore in the age of Amazon..still, the B&N in Forest Hills is only one express stop away. ) and a real gym (One that I can walk to that has air conditioning in Summer and is relatively clean).

Welcome to the hood! Good luck with the move.

Wow you haven't even moved into our neighborhood yet and you are looking to change it!   :tickedoff:  Why did you choose Jackson Heights?  

I know this goes into the whole gentrification argument, which has been rehashed many times, but I would just like to point out all the different people in our neighborhood who have come from various corners of the world and who have brought their traditions, their food, products, etc. with them here.  

This really is no different - when people move from one place to another, they often bring their traditions and preferences with them.  For someone coming from Manhattan, perhaps that means a wider range of organic food, good books and a nice, clean gym with new, working equipment!

Here's a recent gentrication thread if you'd like to continue that subject.
gentrification thread

I know this goes into the whole gentrification argument, which has been rehashed many times, but I would just like to point out all the different people in our neighborhood who have come from various corners of the world and who have brought their traditions, their food, products, etc. with them here.  

This really is no different - when people move from one place to another, they often bring their traditions and preferences with them.  For someone coming from Manhattan, perhaps that means a wider range of organic food, good books and a nice, clean gym with new, working equipment!

Well said Shelby.

Most Jackson Heights residents are against big box retailers.

Jackson Heights is proud of its mom and pop businesses.

As a resident of Jackson Heights for over 25 years, I resent Manhattanites that move here to save money on their residence.

My family moved to Jackson Heights almost 40years ago as a step up from NYC Public Housing and had to pay $300 more in rent as compared to the $80 they paid in the past.

Jackson Heights is a place for families to flourish with fast access to Manhattan, and small and cozy stores.

The real estate agents who frequent this board will likely agree with me, because Jackson Heights has a charm about it that enables them to see coops rapidly.

Most Jackson Heights residents are against big box retailers.

Jackson Heights is proud of its mom and pop businesses.

As a resident of Jackson Heights for over 25 years, I resent Manhattanites that move here to save money on their residence.

My family moved to Jackson Heights almost 40years ago as a step up from NYC Public Housing and had to pay $300 more in rent as compared to the $80 they paid in the past.

Jackson Heights is a place for families to flourish with fast access to Manhattan, and small and cozy stores.

The real estate agents who frequent this board will likely agree with me, because Jackson Heights has a charm about it that enables them to see coops rapidly.

Erospolitico:

I'm with you and I would like to know the true reason why people move to Jackson Heights.

Let me say that some of my buyer's from Brooklyn and Manhattan want a real deal on their gorgeous units in Jackson Heights.  That is understandable.  But some of my seller's will not accept these low offers.

I moved here from Park Avenue (Between 95th and 96th Street) 22 years ago and decided that I truly loved the JH architecture, the gardens, the mom and pop stores, and the community as is.

I sometimes wonder what other's have in mind for Jackson Heights.  Do they appreciate what Jackson Heights is, or what they envision it to be in the future?  And that is an interesting discussion to be had.

On the interior estetics of a unit in Jackson Heights, my experience is that when I show beautiful and charming units the prospective buyer's envision much change to their units.  And I wonder why then they want to see a pre-war unit if they are ultimately going to remove the original crown moldings, the separate shower stall, and the built-in bookshelves, and change the arches.  Ultimately, the discussion is always had on the reduction of the price to 60K or 80K less in order to get these changes done to the units.

On the changes for the community of JH, as it stands it's not so terrible living here and I do appreciate Jackson Heights and always did for what it is, hardly ever thinking that I needed these other big "dream" stores in order to be happy.  But some of my buyer's or the buyer's have other plans in mind for the community.

Is having Borders, Trader Joe's, and the NYSC, etc. the answer?  I'm not sure, but what I am sure about is that we or many of us have all lived here without them and many of us have been really happy or as happy as one can be.

Please note that I have had a few discussions with the owner's of some of the lovely JH quaint businesses, that are considered a little more upscale, and the owner's have indicated that although they do get many of the new Jackson Heights neighbors that have moved from Brooklyn, or Manhattan, these are not the customers that spend the money.  "They will come in and browse, but then go off to the Mall, etc. and spend their money."  Which is indeed a conversation in itself.

Many will recall a small book store that was located on 37th Avenue that carried a great selection of books and as well would order books for you as needed.  They eventually closed as the community was not supportive of the store.  Would we be more supportive of a Border's than a small mom and pop book store?

So again, the question remains:  Are you moving to Jackson Heights for what it is, or for what you want it to become?  And
if we do get Borders, Trader Joe's, the NYSC, etc. will these dream stores bring you happiness.  I'm not sure.  

Sometimes our "dream" stores are just around the corner, but we can't see them.

Best,   :smiley6600:

There goes the neighborhood....


I'm writing a letter to each to tell them to stay where they are. You should spend some time here before providing some suggestions to make it any better. I at least waited a couple of months to suggest cleaning the streets.