Even in the diverse borough of Queens, Jackson Heights stands out for being a true polycultural neighborhood. In just a few blocks surrounding the three-way intersection of Roosevelt Avenue, 74th Street, and Broadway, you can find shops and restaurants catering to the area’s strong Indian, Bangladeshi, Colombian, Mexican, and Ecuadorian communities. Celebs who grew up in the area include Lucy Liu and Gene Simmons. It’s also the birthplace of the board game Scrabble.
Developed just after the construction of the elevated train in 1917, the Jackson Heights area was laid out as a unified district of tidy brick homes and apartment blocks with attractive garden courtyards (the term “garden apartment” was coined here), lending the area a cohesiveness that’s rare in Queens.
The neighborhood is the most diverse in the city, with especially large concentrations of Latin American immigrants. Amble up Roosevelt Avenue and you’ll find Argentine steakhouses, Colombian street vendors selling treats such as arepas (savory corn cakes), and Mexican bakeries displaying stacks of bread and pastries.
Little India, along 74th Street between Roosevelt and 37th Avenue, is something of a contrast. This is the largest Indian community in New York, and South Asians from all over come here to find colorful saris, elaborate gold jewelry for weddings, groceries, music, and perhaps a pungent betel leaf from a street cart. The restaurants here far surpass the more quotidian fare on better-known East 6th Street in Manhattan.
Land Of 167 Languages
Locals says there are precisely 167 languages spoken in the Jackson Heights. Based on data from the 2010 United States Census, the population of Jackson Heights was 108,152, a decrease of 5,175 (4.6%) from the 113,327 counted in 2000. Covering an area of 1,101.36 acres (445.70 ha), the neighborhood had a population density of 98.2 inhabitants per acre (62,800/sq mi; 24,300/km2).
People actually greet each other and chat on the street here
Afzal Hossain, an artist and architect from Jackson Heights
The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 17.2% (18,567) White, 2.0% (2,210) African American, 0.1% (145) Native American, 22.0% (23,781) Asian, 0.0% (9) Pacific Islander, 0.5% (583) from other races, and 1.6% (1,736) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 56.5% (61,121) of the population.
Since the 1930s, Jackson Heights has been one of the most highly populated centers for gay culture in New York City. While the annual Queens Pride Parade & Multicultural Festival takes place in the streets around 37th Avenue and 37th Road every June, gay culture is celebrated year-round at the LGBT community center referred to as Queens Pride House. Aside from this institution, Jackson Heights also features a multitude of gay bars and nightclubs where gays, lesbians, and transgender individuals convene to socialize and meet new friends with similar interests.
What To Do In Jackson Heights?
Take a Stroll through Travers Park
Travers Park, located in the heart of a residential and commercial neighborhood, is the community’s largest outdoor recreational space. Complete with basketball courts, handball courts, tennis courts, playgrounds, spray showers, benches, fresh, green trees and children shouting and playing; the park is the neighborhood’s greatest attraction and relaxation area in the warmer seasons of the year. The park also features a bicycle rack and a space for roller hockey amidst aesthetically pleasing planting and horticulture.
Visit the Birthplace of Scrabble
Look for a street sign—colored brown to demarcate a historic district—at the intersection of 35th Avenue and 81st Street, which has a subscript of Scrabble values assigned to the street sign letters. This was done to recognize the invention of the board game Scrabble by Jackson Heights resident Alfred Butts, an unemployed architect who created a game that he initially called “Lexiko” (from the Greek word lexicos, meaning of “words”) and then changed to “Criss-Cross Words.”
Gawk At The Architecture In The Historic District
Take a stroll past landmarked buildings, most of which were constructed in the early 20th century, which boast Tudor and Second Empire elements and beautiful interior courtyards that take up an entire city block—though you’ll need a resident to grant you access, save the one summer weekend a year these secret gardens open to the public.
Enjoy live music at Espresso 77
Arrive early at Espresso 77 for the New Orleans cold brew and scones from Alice’s Tea Cup or Balthazar at this independent coffee shop—and come back at night for live music, poetry readings, artist talks or just to sip some rosé while admiring the rotating gallery of works from local artists. Don’t be surprised if you strike up a conversation with one of your neighbors, especially during the weekends when the café becomes a laptop-free zone.
Eat!
Despite its relatively small size, Jackson Heights has a huge number of places where you can eat a meal you’ll spend the rest of your night thinking about. You can get food from a restaurant representing a specific state in Nepal, or from a shop and beer bar that seeks to reproduce the sandwich culture of Lima, Peru. Meanwhile, the menu of a Filipino newcomer centers on the Bicol region of the archipelago.
