July 6, 2009
New York Real Estate: Kew Gardens, Queens
Austin's Ale House. (Phil S. Kropoth / August 27, 2008)
If you are a believer of "great things come in small packages," then Kew Gardens might be your kind of neighborhood. This triangular-shaped enclave has many conveniences of city life, yet retains a small-town feel.
One of seven planned communities in Queens built between 1870 and 1950, Kew Gardens was part of the garden-suburb movement that provided a complete range of lifestyle amenities to help "civilize the American City," says architectural historian and lecturer Barry Lewis, a 38-year resident.
"Physically, it retains the ideal of greenery and yet is a city neighborhood. It was part of the new urbanism of the early 20th century built around rapid transit meant to be a healthful urban experience," he said.
Click to see photos of the Kew Gardens neighborhood
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These neighborhoods, Lewis says, have long been in the shadow of historic darlings such as Park Slope or Brooklyn Heights.
"Everyone loves brownstones in Brooklyn, but, really, they were the Levittown of their time," Lewis says. "They were pretty grim, and the garden suburb movement was a response to that."
Kew Garden houses were designed in a number of revival styles -- Arts & Crafts, Dutch and Spanish Colonial and Tudor among them. They are particularly distinguished by their use of light and space, built on large lots with bay windows facing the sun and trees planted to provide not only naturalistic settings, but also shade to cool the houses.
Apartment buildings were not part of the original plan, but those built after World War I were to a scale appropriate for the neighborhood. Their many eclectic styles, along with superior interior details such as high ceilings and corner windows, made them highly desirable.
Blessed with wide lawns, old-growth trees and winding streets, Kew Gardens looks like a postcard from Anytown, U.S.A. Multi-generational shops line Lefferts Boulevard, the main street here, and the neo-Tudor architecture gives the street its uniformity. There's no visual cacophony here--and residents want to keep it that way.
"We have a strong belief in rehabilitating the current housing stock, not tearing it down and putting up modern tenements," says Andrea Crawford, president of Community Board 9, which covers Kew Gardens. "Its not about cultural wars, it's about respecting what's here, and that is a beautiful, quiet neighborhood."
The neighborhood's nickname, "Crew Gardens," is a nod to the many airline personnel living here, but Kew Gardens has always been home to the jet set: Charlie Chaplin, Will Rogers, Dorothy Parker and George Gershwin were among the artistic community that settled here in the 1920s. Now, the neighborhood has a mix of people who were born here and those who have moved here from Eastern Europe, Iran, Yemen and the Americas.
"It's a nice place to raise a family and a nice place to be single," says Crawford. "It's not a neighborhood that gears itself to one or the other. It's just a little garden gem carved out of a very urban area."
Click to see photos of the Kew Gardens neighborhood
FIND IT
Kew Gardens is bounded by Queens Boulevard on the north, 85th Avenue and 127th Street on the south. Green spaces also create natural boundaries: Forest Park on the northwest and Maple Grove cemetery on the east.
TRANSPORTATION
E/F to Union Turnpike/Kew Gardens
LIRR to Kew Gardens station
SCHOOLS
PS 99, 82-37 Kew Gardens Road; PS 54 Hillside School, 86-02 127th St. Parents also send their children to schools in neighboring Richmond Hill: PS 56 Harry Eichler Schoolę, 86-10 114th St.; Richmond Hill High School, 89-30 114th St.; PS 90 Horace Mann School, 86-50 109th St. Kew Gardens is served by Hillcrest High School in Jamaica, 160-05 Highland Ave., and Russell Sage Junior High School 190 in Forest Hills, 68-17 Austin St.
LIBRARY
Richmond Hill Library, 11814 Hillside Ave., 718-849-7150
Kew Gardens Library, 12501 Queens Blvd., 718-298-1327
CRIME
Kew Gardens is in the 102nd Precinct, which to date reports: four murders, 15 rapes, 200 robberies, 129 felony assaults, 200 burglaries, 276 grand larcenies and 182 grand larceny assaults. For the same period in 2007, the precinct reported one murders, 14 rapes, 174 robberies, 133 felony assaults, 223 burglaries, 212 grand larcenies and 190 grand larceny assaults.
TO DO
Kew Gardens still maintains the urban country club ideal of its founding. Much of the "to do" here revolves around the neighborhood's renowned green spaces.
Maple Grove
83-15 Kew Gardens Road
A historic 65-acre rural cemetery with a new cultural center.
Forest Park
The third-largest park in Queens, this brainchild of Frederick Law Olmsted contains hiking trials, bridle paths, a bocce court, golf course, playgrounds for kids and adults (softball, tennis and basketball) and 413 acres of native oak forest. The 35th annual Park Fair on Sept. 6 will include games and nature walks.
Ralph Johnson Bunche House
115-24 Grosvenor Road
This was the home for more than 30 years of American diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner Ralph Bunche, who also was a founder of the United Nations. Designed in the neo-Tudor style, the home is now a National Historic Landmark and a New York City landmark.
Kew Gardens Cinema
81-05 Lefferts Blvd.
A neighborhood fixture and old-fashioned theater, the Kew Gardens Cinema shows art-house films, and is owned by a film aficionado who hand selects the films himself.
DINING
Dining options are few here, but there's no lack of variety. The spicy palate will be well-served here.
Mood
120-29 83rd Ave.
718-849-6663
A break from the usual bar-and-grill, this casual bistro serves with American must-haves: crab cake salad, Chilean sea bass ceviche, oven-roasted duck breast, and an arugula and tomato risotto.
Mehak
83-06 Austin St.
718-441-3337
This tiny Indo and Pakistan restaurant gives you the feeling of stopping at a roadside diner--Indian style. Expect the usual dishes, with a good selection of vegetarian items and tandoori breads.
Austin Ale House
82-72 Austin St.
718-849-3939
Fashioned like an English pub, this venerable neighborhood institution serves a hearty menu with an interesting twist: table-side off-track betting. There's a separate parlor for gaming, but you don't have to miss out on the action while eating your meal.
Bliss Gourmet Café
82-60 Austin St. (at LIRR station)
718-849-7647
Part coffee house, part rush-hour pit stop, Bliss is more efficient and delicious than a mega-chain coffee house (by the way, there are none here), and the food is better, too. There's breakfast and simple sandwiches and no one rushes you out the door.
Dani's House of Pizza
81-28 Lefferts Blvd.
718-846-2849
Founded in 1959, this is Kew Gardens' "Original Pizza Store." Eat pizza upstairs and downstairs and choose from an extensive menu of traditional dishes.
NIGHTLIFE
Kew Gardens is almost "bar none." Though you're welcome to belly up to the bar in any of the restaurants, there's only one dedicated watering here.
Last Call
81-72 Lefferts Blvd.
718-441-3838
Not quite a sports bar, not quite a lounge, it's the favored hangout of airline personnel and Jimmy, the original bartender.
SHOPPING
Retail options are limited here, focused more on family-owned stores that cater to the various groups living here. But with Forest Hills just one neighborhood over, residents can keep it local.
Ascend Day Spa
60 Austin St.
718-846-4601
Queens residents don't have to travel to Manhattan for a good facial treatment or massage. This tranquil and pretty spa dedicates itself to all-natural treatments and no-pretensions neighborliness.
The Potter's Wheel
120-35 83rd Ave.
718-441-6614
A craft gallery and pottery studio where you can learn to throw pots--or buy the work of those who already have the know-how.
Homestead Gourmet Shop
81-45 Lefferts Blvd.
718-849-1366
In the neighborhood for more than 65 years, this wood-paneled deli and grocery has German and Polish-styled salads and other ready-to-eat items, all made on site. The original coffee-grinding machine (no longer working) adds to the decor.
Gray's Bicycles & Accessories
82-34 Lefferts Blvd.
718-441-9767
A truly old-fashioned bike store (more than 45 years here) with a small but serviceable stock of new bikes and rentals.
Linda's Organic Kitchen and Market
81-22 Lefferts Blvd.
718-847-2233
A well-stocked market with natural foods and homeopathic remedies. The small kitchen on-site produces a variety of natural prepared foods (you can smell the tangy spices here) and healthful smoothies.
Romashka
81-52 Lefferts Blvd.
A tiny Russian grocery with a homemade pickle bar (check in the chest freezer) and Russian-language papers, caviar and other delicacies.
THE BUZZ
Despite its historic significance, Kew Gardens lacks landmark protection--an issue that frustrates local residents and preservationists.
"Kew Gardens is definitely one of the planned communities in Queens that is very significant and hasn't gotten its due in terms of preservation," says Frampton Tolbert, deputy director of the Historic Districts Council, which has Kew Gardens on its endangered list. "Only in recent years do people have a better appreciation for these neighborhoods.
By that time it might be too late. Residents have on eye on Richmond Hill, Kew Gardens' sister neighborhood, and fear that the insensitive development there might soon encroach upon their turf. Requests for rulings before the Landmark Preservation Commission have gone unheeded, but civic leaders aren't ready to give up.
"It's the attrition battle--who's going to give in first," says Crawford. "We're not going to give in. This is really an important neighborhood, a real demonstration of smart community development. I think we have to understand rational development.
"In the meantime, you just do your local battle to prevent as much damage as possible."
REAL ESTATE
Kew Gardens doesn't have the image problem many other Queens neighborhoods have. "No one needs to aggressively solicit newcomers to the area," says Marc G. Windheuser, associate broker with Prudential Douglas Elliman, "I'm a firm believer that Kew Gardens is the next little hot spot."
For sale:
Two bedroom, one bathroom prewar condo conversion, 83-09 Talbot St.: $445,000 (Prudential Douglas Elliman)
Three bedroom, two bathroom prewar condo conversion, 83-09 Talbot St.: $699,000 (Prudential Douglas Elliman)
Two bedroom, one bathroom prewar co-op, 83-00 Talbot St.: $338,000 (Prudential Douglas Elliman)
Three bedroom, three bathroom detached house, $579,000, 84-67 126th St.: $579,000 (Crossings Realty)
For rent
One bathroom, one bedroom prewar coop, 83-00 Talbot St.: $1,250 (Crossings Realty)
One bedroom, one bathroom postwar co-op, 84-25 118th St.: $1,400 (Crossings Realty)
Four bedroom, two-and-half bathroom detached frame Colonial house, 116-09 85th Ave.: $2,800 (Crossings Realty)
Q&A with Barry Lewis
Architectural historian, co-host of WNET's popular city walking-tour show and lecturer of The City Transformed at Cooper Union.
What is the best part about living here?
It's a city neighborhood with room to breathe, every type of person lives here, and you don't feel like you have to hew to any particular lifestyle or political bent
What is your favorite way to relax in the neighborhood?
Going to Flushing Meadows at sunset after work hours, where [in the summer] the South Asians--mostly guys or men with their sons--fly all kinds of kites here.
What does Kew Gardens have that no other neighborhood has?
Trees, open space, and people who have lived here since before they were born, yet enough quiet crazies to know you're still in New York City.
What would you like to see change?
I'd like to get a more diverse selection of eating places [that will not be] thrown out by rising rents. I would like to see this neighborhood given community landmark designation before more of the older houses are destroyed for McMansions. And I would like to see city-wide legislation against paving over front gardens--even of apartment houses--for parking lots.
Given your profession as an architectural historian who has watched trends, you have a prediction for the neighborhood in the next 5-10 years?
If we don't get landmark designation for the neighborhood, I'd hate to think of what this place will look like in 10 years.
Click to see photos of the Kew Gardens neighborhood
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