Far Rockaway Beach Bungalow Historic District | |
Location | Beach 24th St., Beach 25th St., and Beach 26th St. between the Rockaway Boardwalk on the south and Seagirt Ave on the north, in Far Rockaway neighborhood of the borough of Queens in New York City |
---|---|
Coordinates | 40°35′39″N73°45′30″W / 40.5943°N 73.7583°W |
Area | 5.8 acres |
Built | 1921 |
Architect | Henry Hohauser |
Architectural style | Early 20th Century American Movement / Bungalow |
NRHP reference No. | 13000499 [1] |
Added to NRHP | 7/17/2013 |
Far Rockaway Beach Bungalow Historic District is a historic area in Far Rockaway, Queens County, New York. It includes summer beach bungalows near the oceanfront of Far Rockaway, first brought to the area by developer John J. Eagan. They are smaller than the usual domestic bungalows of the 1920s. They were built in 1921 using pattern book designs incorporating uniform facades, compact interiors, integrated porches and exposed rafters. Their architect, Henry Hohauser, became better known in the 1930s as a designer of Art Deco hotels in Miami Beach. [2] The district was hit by Hurricane Sandy in 2012, but survived without major damage. [3] The district is located along Beach 24th, 25th, and 26th Streets. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.
The neighborhood's heyday as a resort community ended about 1950. The families that used the nearby Long Island Rail Road to get to the area each summer began to vacation elsewhere as travel by automobile became more accessible to many people. The popularity of the area also suffered after the railroad abandoned the Rockaway Beach Branch in 1950, making travel to the Rockaway Peninsula far less convenient to people from other parts of New York City. Much of the housing in the area was converted into year-round housing for low-income residents, and some of the bungalows were used as public housing. [3] [4]
The urban renewal programs instituted by Robert Moses in the 1950s and '60s contributed to the year round residency and eventual decline of Far Rockaway as a resort community. [5] The closing of the primary rail bridge after a fire in 1950, and the migration of families to other beaches also contributed to changes in the community. [6] The urban renewal also saw the rise of condos and housing projects in the area, and many low income residents of Manhattan were re-located to Far Rockaway, with some moving to the poorly maintained bungalows, which were not built for winters. Years of neglect and disinvestment gave way to decline causing many bungalows to be designated slums. [5] By the 1980s, many of the bungalows had been razed, and crime and poverty were on the rise. Only about 100 bungalows remain. [7]
The Beachside Bungalow Preservation Association (BBPA) was formed in September 1984 by Betzie Parker White, Roger White, and Carole Lewis. Betzie White was the head, or chairman, of the BBPA and established it as a non-profit 501(c)3 in June 1986. Richard George became a board member in 1985, and chairman around 1990. [8]
In 1990, the association set up an office and hired a staff to organize community programs. Another grant enabled the planting of beach grass, shrubs, and other salt-tolerant plants along the boardwalk from Beach 24th-Beach 27th Streets in 1992. As a result of the plantings, a double-dune system developed that acts as a barrier against erosion and storm damage. [7] The association's work resulted in the rezoning of the neighborhood. The rezoning protects the low-scale housing stock, including the bungalows and one- and two-family homes. It also secures the bungalows' ocean views and public access to the beach. [9]
There has been a renewed interest in the area in recent years, as many creative types from Manhattan have flocked to the Rockaways. [8] Some of the bungalows have been restored, while property values have risen considerably. In the late 1990s, the BBPA began to work with other local preservationists to obtain governmental recognition of the district's status as the last intact bungalow community in Far Rockaway. Its efforts were boosted in 2011 when it received a $10,000 donation from the producers of the television show Boardwalk Empire, which had filmed scenes in the area in 2009. This enabled the organization to hire an expert to produce the documentation needed to support the 2013 listing on the National Register of Historic Places and similar state recognition. This status is largely symbolic, however, so the BBPA then shifted its focus to obtaining landmark district designation from the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, which would provide real legal protection to the district. [6] [10]
The HBO series Boardwalk Empire used as a filming location in 2009, depicting the bungalow community for its first episode. [11] Bootleg Productions, the production company behind the series, sent a check for $10,000 after receiving a letter from Carmela George. Joseph Iberti explained, "As a period show set in the 1920s, we appreciate the importance of preserving what is left of period architecture and felt that our contribution could have an impact in this regard." [6]
Groucho Marx invested in 24 bungalows in the 1920s. [12]
SoHo, is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City. Since the 1970s, the neighborhood has been the location of many artists' lofts and art galleries, and has also been known for its variety of shops ranging from trendy upscale boutiques to national and international chain store locations. The area's history is an archetypal example of inner-city regeneration and gentrification, encompassing socioeconomic, cultural, political, and architectural developments.
Long Beach is an oceanfront city in Nassau County, New York, United States. It takes up a central section of the Long Beach Barrier Island, which is the westernmost of the outer barrier islands off Long Island's South Shore. As of the 2020 Census, the city's population was 35,029.
Coney Island is a peninsular neighborhood and entertainment area in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bounded by Brighton Beach to its east, Lower New York Bay to the south and west, and Gravesend to the north and includes the subsection of Sea Gate on its west. More broadly, the Coney Island peninsula consists of Coney Island proper, Brighton Beach, and Manhattan Beach. This was formerly the westernmost of the Outer Barrier islands on the southern shore of Long Island, but in the early 20th century it became a peninsula, connected to the rest of Long Island by land fill.
The Rockaway Peninsula, commonly referred to as The Rockaways or Rockaway, is a peninsula at the southern edge of the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, New York. Relatively isolated from Manhattan and other more urban parts of the city, Rockaway became a popular summer retreat in the 1830s. It has since become a mixture of lower, middle, and upper-class neighborhoods. In the 2010s, it became one of the city's most quickly gentrifying areas.
Far Rockaway is a neighborhood on the eastern part of the Rockaway peninsula in the New York City borough of Queens. It is the easternmost section of the Rockaways. The neighborhood extends from Beach 32nd Street east to the Nassau County line. Its southern boundary is the Atlantic Ocean; it is one of the neighborhoods along Rockaway Beach.
Rockaway Beach is a neighborhood on the Rockaway Peninsula in the New York City borough of Queens. The neighborhood is bounded by Arverne to the east and Rockaway Park to the west. It is named for the Rockaway Beach and Boardwalk, which is the largest urban beach in the United States, stretching from Beach 3rd to Beach 153rd Streets on the Atlantic Ocean. The neighborhood, with 13,000 residents as of 2010, is also known as the "Irish Riviera" because of its large Irish American population.
Springfield Gardens is a neighborhood in the southeastern area of the New York City borough of Queens, bounded to the north by St. Albans, to the east by Laurelton and Rosedale, to the south by John F. Kennedy International Airport, and to the west by Farmers Boulevard. The neighborhood is served by Queens Community Board 12. The area, particularly east of Springfield Boulevard, is sometimes also referred to as Brookville.
The West Village is a neighborhood in the western section of the larger Greenwich Village neighborhood of Lower Manhattan, New York City. The West Village is bounded by the Hudson River to the west and 14th Street to the north. The eastern boundary is variously cited as Greenwich Avenue, Seventh Avenue, or Sixth Avenue, while the southern boundary is either Houston Street or Christopher Street.
Edgemere is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens, extending from Beach 32nd to Beach 52nd Street on the Rockaway Peninsula. It contains Rockaway Community Park. Arverne is to the west, and Far Rockaway to the east. Edgemere was founded in 1892 by Frederick J. Lancaster, who originally called it New Venice.
Arverne is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens, on the Rockaway Peninsula. It was initially developed by Remington Vernam, whose signature "R. Vernam" inspired the name of the neighborhood. Arverne extends from Beach 54th Street to Beach 79th Street, along its main thoroughfare Beach Channel Drive, alternatively known as Rev. Joseph H. May Drive.
Originally a trolley car suburb in the years just before the dawn of the 20th century, the Fairmount neighborhood in Church Hill, Richmond, Virginia, is located just north of Union Hill. Much of the neighborhood was developed from the 1890s to the 1920s, and its buildings largely reflect Queen Anne, Italianate, and 1920s bungalow architecture. What is likely the oldest remaining residence, a frame house, probably dates from before 1870. A notable property in the Fairmount neighborhood is the Fairmount School. Annexed from Henrico County in 1906, Fairmount was first incorporated as an independent town on March 10, 1902.
The Garden District is a residential neighborhood located in Baton Rouge's Mid-City area where Park Boulevard intersects Government Street. The Garden District is an established historic area with many upscale homes and an active civic association.
Jacob Riis Park, also called Jacob A. Riis Park and Riis Park, is a seaside park on the southwestern portion of the Rockaway Peninsula in the New York City borough of Queens. It lies at the foot of the Marine Parkway–Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge, east of Fort Tilden, and west of Neponsit and Rockaway Beach. Originally run by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, it later became part of the Jamaica Bay Unit of the Gateway National Recreation Area, and is managed by the National Park Service (NPS). It features an extensive sand beach along the Atlantic Ocean coastline and several historic Art Deco structures.
Hammels is an area within Rockaway Beach on the Rockaway Peninsula in the New York City borough of Queens. It is located west of Arverne and east of Seaside, and is centered on Beach 84th Street. Its main thoroughfare is Beach Channel Drive. The New York City Subway's A train travels through the neighborhood on the IND Rockaway Line. The Hammel Houses, a public housing project built in 1955, is located in the neighborhood.
Rockaways' Playland was an amusement park that operated from 1902 to 1987 in Rockaway Beach in Queens, New York City. Bounded by Beach 97th and Beach 98th Streets between Rockaway Beach Boulevard and the Rockaway Beach and Boardwalk, Rockaways' Playland was created in 1902 by roller coaster designer LaMarcus Adna Thompson. By 1903 a ferry dock was added not far from the park, making it more convenient to reach than some of the competing amusement parks. The park was sold in 1927 to Robert Katlin, who added amenities such as a gym and swimming pool, and the following year to A. Joseph Geist, who achieved greater success than the previous owners. Between 1928 and 1970, Rockaways' Playland was extremely successful, drawing 175 million visitors. It closed in 1987 due to a sharp increase in the price of insurance.
Village Preservation is a nonprofit organization that advocates for the architectural preservation and cultural preservation in several neighborhoods of Lower Manhattan in New York City. Founded in 1980, it has advocated for New York City designated landmark status for a variety of sites like the Stonewall Inn and Webster Hall. The organization and its Executive Director, Andrew Berman, have been described as influential in New York real estate, while some of its activities to prevent development and to support restrictive zoning have attracted criticism.
The South Village is a largely residential area that is part of the larger Greenwich Village in Lower Manhattan, New York City, directly below Washington Square Park. Known for its immigrant heritage and bohemian history, the architecture of the South Village is primarily tenement-style apartment buildings, indicative of the area's history as an enclave for Italian-American immigrants and working-class residents of New York.
Lincoln, Nebraska has many neighborhoods, including 45 recognized by Urban Development, City of Lincoln. A list and description of neighborhoods within Lincoln city limits follows.
O'Donohue Park is a public green space located in the Far Rockaway neighborhood on the Rockaway Peninsula of Queens in New York City. The park is located at the eastern tip of the Rockaway Beach and Boardwalk.
The Rockaway Beach and Boardwalk is a public park in Rockaway, Queens, New York, composed of the 170-acre (69 ha) Rockaway Beach and the adjacent 5.5-mile (8.9 km) Rockaway Boardwalk. The beach runs from Beach 9th Street in Far Rockaway to Beach 149th Street in Neponsit, a distance of 7 miles (11 km). The boardwalk, a concrete deck, runs from Beach 9th Street to Beach 126th Street in Rockaway Park, at the edge of Belle Harbor. There are also numerous recreational facilities within the park, parallel to the beach and boardwalk.