Losing Cherry Avenue in Flushing
Monday December 5, 2005
Cherry Avenue in Flushing's Murray Hill was named for the nurseries that once flourished in the area, but present-day development has brought the street further from its floral past, and closer to an urban future.
As in many Queens neighborhoods, developers tear down pre-war two-family homes, replacing them with multi-families, which are often further divided into illegal one-bedroom apartments. The higher density stresses the neighborhood's quality of life, affecting parking, sanitation, and education.
Longtime Cherry Avenue resident Stephanie writes,
If the zoning had changed, we would be able to save homes circa 1925, instead of those apartments going up with no character. There are too many people in each one-bedroom apartment, no place to park, not enough room in local schools. We're losing residential homes for transient living with transient attitude.What's your opinion on teardown development in Queens neighborhoods once dominated by one-family homes? Add your comment on this post.
- If You're Thinking of Living In Murray Hill (NY Times, 2003)
- Flushing Neighborhood Profile
- More Flushing Photos
Comments
the neighborhood is being destroyed and so is the quality of life.noene stops for stop signs or traffic lights
Even though I live in Suffolk County I have worked at Flushing Hospital for 25 years. I have seen the area around the hospital change dramatically. This goes especially fore the area behind the hospital which should be designated a landmark zone.
Northeast Queens is now dominated in some areas by cheap cell-like “houses” which hold too many people, and in others by hideously designed, gaudy McMansions whose dimensions are only exceeded by the egos of their owners.
I lived on Cherry Ave from 1965 to 1973. I just heard from an old friend that many of the houses are being (have been) torn down and apartment buildings are replacing them. I really have no comment on this since I lived there so long ago and now live so far away. ALl I can say is that it was a great place to grow up and an even better place to leave…