This document provides an overview of Jamaica, Queens including its history, infrastructure, housing, transportation, landmarks, demographics, and current issues. It discusses the neighborhood's commercial and residential areas, transportation networks, and key institutions. Current issues facing the community like unemployment, lack of youth services, and high foreclosure rates are presented alongside best practices from other organizations that address issues like economic development, education, housing preservation, and transportation solutions.

1. Jamaica,
Queens
Younis Dar
Christina Guzzo
Jessica Maxwell
Anwar Paz

2. Presentation Flow
Geographic Context
Timeline
• Infrastructure
• Commercial
• Housing Stock
• Transportation
• Landmarks
• Demographics
Current State of Jamaica
Neighborhood Issues
Recommendations/Best Practices

3. Location, location, location
Source: Department of City Planning 2010
Tri-state Area
NYC Community Districts

4. Location, location, location
Source: Department of City Planning 2010
Queens Community
District 12

5. Location, location, location
Source: Department of City Planning 2010 & Google Maps
Queens Community
District 12
Area of focus within C.D. 12

6. History/Timeline
•1664 English settled and named it ‘Jameco’ the Canarsie
word for “beaver”
•1776 - Jamaica becomes a trading post.
•1814 - Jamaica incorporated as a village.
•1834 - Brooklyn Jamaica Rail line on Jamaica Avenue is
built.
•1898 - Queens becomes a part of NYC
•1920’s - 40’s- Jamaica Center becomes a real estate hub
(Macy’s, King Kullen, Lowes Valencia Theater)
•1940’s- Current- Jamaica Downtown, major shopping
area, and transportation center for the borough of
Queens.
Source: Greater Jamaica Development Corp.

7. Infrastructure Conditions
Directly
north of
Liberty
Ave. -
adjacent
to York
College.

8. Infrastructure Conditions
Directly
south of
Liberty
Ave.

9. Poor Infrastructure Conditions
Two blocks
south of
Liberty
Ave.

10. Commercial Activity
The main
throughway:
Jamaica
Ave.

11. Commercial Activity
Jamaica
Ave.

12. Commercial Activity
Jamaica
Ave.

13. Commercial Activity
Looking
north onto
Jamaica
Ave. from
Parsons
Blvd.

14. Type of Commercial Activity
Parsons
Blvd. –
half a block
north of
Jamaica
Ave.

15. Commercial Activity
Guy
Brewer
Blvd. –
half a
block
south of
Jamaica
Ave.

16. Housing
Duplexes are common

17. Housing
Housing stock along 160th St

18. Housing
Public housing:
South Jamaica
Public Housing is
also available
South Jamaica NYCHA Housing

19. Transportation
Rail:
• Subway:
• E & J (Jamaica Center)
• F (Hillside Ave)
• LIRR
• AirTrain
End of the line: The Jamaica
Center station for the E & J
AirTrain at the Jamaica Station

20. Transportation
Source: Google Maps

21. Transportation
Buses:
• Bus port in
South Queens
• Jamaica Bus
Terminal
• Southeastern
&
Northeastern
Queens
• 16 local bus
lines
• 6 L.I. bus lines Parked buses at Jamaica Bus Terminal

22. Transportation
Well-serviced downtown Jamaica by MTA bus lines
Source: MTA

23. Transportation
Private Transit:
• Dollar buses &
vans
• “Gypsy” cabs
Dollar van on Guy Brewer Blvd

24. Landmarks
• Kings Manor ( Located in Rufus Kind Park)
•Built in 1805 (Rufus King Lived there until 1868)
•Only Historic House Museum in South East Queens

25. Landmarks
•Loews Valencia
Theater
• Currently: The
Tabernacle of Prayer
•Built in 1929
•Currently used a
church and major
staple in community

26. Institutional Structures
Jamaica Center for Arts and Culture
•Built in 1972
•Currently Undergoing
renovations
•York College CUNY
•Government Services
(Workforce1, Housing,
•Social Security, DMV etc.
• Child Welfare Organizations
•Jamaica YMCA
•Numerous Churches
•Greater Jamaica
Development corporation
•Jamaica BID

27. Source: American Community Survey 2009
Quick Peek: Distribution of Race
48%
26%
0%
12%
14%
47%
19%1%
23%
10%
4%
71%
1%
11%
13%
White
Black or African
American
American Indian and
Alaska Native
Asian
Some other race
NYC
Queens
C.D. 12
(Jamaica)

28. Quick Peek: Household Income
11%
26%
39%
17%
7%
7%
24%
46%
19%
4%
NYC
Queens
C.D. 12
(Jamaica)
8%
26%
49%
16%
1%
Less than $10,000
$10,000 to $34,999
$35,000 to $99,999
$100,000 to $199,999
$200,000 or more
Source: American Community Survey 2009

29. Community Concerns
High Unemployment
Sources: NYC Comptroller’s Office from CPS micro data & American Community Survey 2009

30. Community Concerns
High Unemployment
Sources: NYC Comptroller’s Office from CPS micro data & American Community Survey 2009

31. Family Households (49,039) in
Queens Community District 12
50%
10%
40%
Married-couple
family
Male householder
(no wife present)
Female
householder (no
husband present)
Source: American Community Survey 2008

32. Family Households (49,039) in
Queens Community District 12
50%
10%
40%
Married-couple
family
Male householder
(no wife present)
Female
householder (no
husband present)
Source: American Community Survey 2008

33. Family Households (49,039) in
Queens Community District 12
Married-couple
family
Male householder
(no wife present)
Female
householder (no
husband present)
Source: American Community Survey 2008
Living under the poverty
threshold (9,023)
18.4 %

34. Issues Facing Single Mothers
• (Lack of)
Affordable child
day care
• Inability to finish
schooling
• Limited
employment
opportunities
Source: Transportation Alternatives 2007

35. Wisconsin Women’s Business
Initiative Corporation
Mission Statement:
To promote economic development through microenterprise by
providing the following to women, people of color, and people
of lower wealth and incomes:
 Access to capital including direct lending
 One-on-one individualized business assistance
 Business education
 Asset building financial awareness education programming

36.  Child Care Loan Program
 Child Care Business Planning
Software
 Business Education &
Workshops
 Business Planning
 Personal Money Management
 Small Business Loans
 Loan amount up to $100,000
Best Practice: Economic Development

37. Community Concerns
Lack of
Youth Services:
• Only two Beacon
schools in the area.
• Few supervised after
school programs.
J.H.S. 190 is one of two schools that
participates in the Beacon program
Sources: NYC Dept of Planning & Queens Community House

38. Best Practice: Education
• Founded in the early
1980s in Washington
Heights.
• Initially created to fight
drug abuse and educate
community youths on
HIV prevention.
• Focus has shifted to
community centers and
after school programs.
Community Development Corp. (CDCs) that
Prioritize Education : Alianza Dominicana
Source: Alianza Dominicana

39. Best Practice: Education
• Aggressively reached out
to private sector and
government for funds
• Current budget: $12
million
• Results: Dozens of
effective after school
programs in upper
Manhattan & Bronx
Community Development Corp. (CDCs) that
Prioritize Education : Alianza Dominicana
After school film course @ I.S. 528 in
W.H. made possible through A.D. funding
Source: Alianza Dominicana

40. Community Concerns
High Rate of
Foreclosures:
• 1,748
foreclosure
fillings in
2009
Sources: NYC Dept of Planning & NYDaily News

41. Best Practice: Housing
• Launched in Chicago in
2003
• Prevented 1,300
foreclosures in its first
three years
• Key to success: Close
cooperation of lenders,
services, and non-profits.
Home Ownership Preservation Initiative (HOPI) :

42. Best Practice: Housing
• HOPI’s four-part strategy for foreclosure prevention:
• Homeowner counseling and education
• Direct intervention to assist homeowners at risk of
foreclosures
• Rehabilitation of foreclosed properties
• Research and analysis of best practices
Home Ownership Preservation Initiative (HOPI) :

43. Transportation Concerns
• Extensive amount of traffic
• Pot holes- damage to vehicles
• Traffic Regulations that gives
advantages to commercial
vehicles
• Safety issues for
pedestrians
• Contradictory traffic signs

44. Best Practice: Transportation
• Relatively low weight – Less damage to roads
• Powered by electricity - Environmentally friendly
• Can be built faster than other types of rail transit – would
alleviate traffic congestion quicker.
Freight Street Cars (CarGo Tram):
A freight street car in Dresden, Germany

45. • If located down Jamaica Avenue, it would reduce…
1. Gridlock traffic
2. Cost of maintenance (repaving)
3. Travel time for all vehicles going through downtown area
Best Practice: Transportation

46. Conclusions
• Social components lacking in current
economic development initiatives
• Institutions are necessary that encourage
economic development, not just economic
growth.