Thursday, March 6, 2008
Intro
The gentrification of Jackson Heights will have a negative impact on the residents who have been living there for a long time. New businesses are forcing out mom and pop stores who can no longer afford to renew the leases that have increased drastically. The neighborhood used to cater to people of lower incomes, however now they cannot afford the prices of the new commercial businesses. New and more economically privileged people are moving in, causing the real estate to sky rocket, and making Jackson Heights a very hip and desirable neighborhood to live in. What of those who have called Jackson Heights there home for their whole lives? The prices of everything around them have increased, but their income remains the same. How will they afford to keep up with their new neighbors?
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
10 Interview Questions
1)What is your name?
2)How long have you lived in this neighborhood?
3)What was it like when you first moved in?
4)How has it changed?
5)What are some new businesses?
6)Have you seen a change in the economic growth?
7)Do a lot of children live in this area?
8)Is this a family friendly neighborhood?
9)What nationalities live in this neighborhood?
10)What type of people does this neighborhood attract?
2)How long have you lived in this neighborhood?
3)What was it like when you first moved in?
4)How has it changed?
5)What are some new businesses?
6)Have you seen a change in the economic growth?
7)Do a lot of children live in this area?
8)Is this a family friendly neighborhood?
9)What nationalities live in this neighborhood?
10)What type of people does this neighborhood attract?
Thursday, February 21, 2008
MLA Works Cited#2
Jackson Heights Demographics
United States. Bluefoot Ventures Inc. City Search. 2008. http://newyork.citysearch.com/feature/37418/history.html
This website gave me background information on the pre war buildings of Jackson Heights. It includes information on neighborhoods all over the city. It is a useful tool for those who seek to know more about a particular neighborhood, especially little known facts about its specific history. It provides information on the buildings themselves, landmarks, and the communities of people that inhabit these neighborhoods.
United States. Bluefoot Ventures Inc. City Search. 2008. http://newyork.citysearch.com/feature/37418/history.html
This website gave me background information on the pre war buildings of Jackson Heights. It includes information on neighborhoods all over the city. It is a useful tool for those who seek to know more about a particular neighborhood, especially little known facts about its specific history. It provides information on the buildings themselves, landmarks, and the communities of people that inhabit these neighborhoods.
Pre 1950 building
After the construction of the Queensboro Bridge in 1909, Jackson Heights became a destination for city commuters. 
A man by the name of Edward MacDougall, head of the Queensboro corporation, helped to make it the neighborhood what it is today. He purchased a 325acre plot of land and inspired by the old world townhouses of England comissioned some of the best architects to recreate row houses with the same character and appeal of those in England. Done in the Tudor style the apartment buildings reflect the good taste and foresight of MacDougall. Incorporating elements of Italian, Spanish as well as Art-deco the buildings only help to frame the many different peoples that inhabbit these buildings.
The picture I have included is of the row houses, known more commonly by Jacksonians as Chateau Apartments, for their parisienne like interiors. The outward appearance is done primarily in the Tudor style, red brick, symmetrical cornered off rooftops with triangular towers on either side of the structure. The tree linned streets only help to add to the serene ambiance and cultured outward appearance of these buildings. The buildings commisioned by MacDougall were completed in the early 1920's. Someone schooled in the art of architecture might say these buildings could date back to the mid 1800's when the Tudor style became the standard form of architecture in the English country side as well as boistrous city squares. Only the height of the buildings may dissuade someone from making to quick a judgement as to their exact time of construction. Thanks to the preservation society for what is known as the Historic District of Jackson Heights, these magnificent Tudor edifices maintain there charm and are in excellent conditions. They help make the streets of Jackson Heights look beautiful, and they give a worldly sense to those who walk these streets.
A man by the name of Edward MacDougall, head of the Queensboro corporation, helped to make it the neighborhood what it is today. He purchased a 325acre plot of land and inspired by the old world townhouses of England comissioned some of the best architects to recreate row houses with the same character and appeal of those in England. Done in the Tudor style the apartment buildings reflect the good taste and foresight of MacDougall. Incorporating elements of Italian, Spanish as well as Art-deco the buildings only help to frame the many different peoples that inhabbit these buildings.The picture I have included is of the row houses, known more commonly by Jacksonians as Chateau Apartments, for their parisienne like interiors. The outward appearance is done primarily in the Tudor style, red brick, symmetrical cornered off rooftops with triangular towers on either side of the structure. The tree linned streets only help to add to the serene ambiance and cultured outward appearance of these buildings. The buildings commisioned by MacDougall were completed in the early 1920's. Someone schooled in the art of architecture might say these buildings could date back to the mid 1800's when the Tudor style became the standard form of architecture in the English country side as well as boistrous city squares. Only the height of the buildings may dissuade someone from making to quick a judgement as to their exact time of construction. Thanks to the preservation society for what is known as the Historic District of Jackson Heights, these magnificent Tudor edifices maintain there charm and are in excellent conditions. They help make the streets of Jackson Heights look beautiful, and they give a worldly sense to those who walk these streets.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Chapter 9
"Most blocks must be short; that is, streets and opportunities to turn corners must be frequent." (Jacobs, 178)
In this chapter Jacobs argues in favor of the formation of smaller more concise blocks and against long mega street blocks. For some reason I believed that long blocks were favorable, not that I enjoy walking down what seems to be a never ending street, but I favor having all shops conveniently sprawled out on one street. This is something Jacobs believes is not only problamental but inconvenient not only to pedestrians but street merchants alike. The diagrams helped to illustrate her point very well, and by the end of the chapter I too became in favor of small blocks. She provides for us several reasons as to why city planners should stray from creating long blocks. The first reason is touched upon in the first quotation of the chapter, opportunities to turn corners must be frequent. Turning corners more often will force you to get to know more of your own neighborhood. Not only that, but it will increase possible encounters with your commuity members. Another reason she gives is that spreading buisnesses over a larger grid area instead of all grouped together will decrease competition. Each business can develop its own clientel without fear that a neighboring commerce might attract its customers. She provides for us the example of the East Side during the sixties, Seventies and Eighties. She states "how nicely special stops like bookstores or dressmakers or restaurants have inserted themselves, usually, but not always, near the corners." (Jacobs, 184) The chapter concludes by Jacobs explaining how the way the streets are formed corrolates directly with the diversity they will generate and the social interactions the people will have with each other.
In this chapter Jacobs argues in favor of the formation of smaller more concise blocks and against long mega street blocks. For some reason I believed that long blocks were favorable, not that I enjoy walking down what seems to be a never ending street, but I favor having all shops conveniently sprawled out on one street. This is something Jacobs believes is not only problamental but inconvenient not only to pedestrians but street merchants alike. The diagrams helped to illustrate her point very well, and by the end of the chapter I too became in favor of small blocks. She provides for us several reasons as to why city planners should stray from creating long blocks. The first reason is touched upon in the first quotation of the chapter, opportunities to turn corners must be frequent. Turning corners more often will force you to get to know more of your own neighborhood. Not only that, but it will increase possible encounters with your commuity members. Another reason she gives is that spreading buisnesses over a larger grid area instead of all grouped together will decrease competition. Each business can develop its own clientel without fear that a neighboring commerce might attract its customers. She provides for us the example of the East Side during the sixties, Seventies and Eighties. She states "how nicely special stops like bookstores or dressmakers or restaurants have inserted themselves, usually, but not always, near the corners." (Jacobs, 184) The chapter concludes by Jacobs explaining how the way the streets are formed corrolates directly with the diversity they will generate and the social interactions the people will have with each other.
Mission Statement
My mission statement is posted directly under the title of my blog, it is a position I feel very strongly about as a native born resident of Jackson Heights, however if anyone has any suggestions on how I can re-phrase it more effectively please do not be shy to leave me a comment, I will greatly appreciate your advice.
Neighborhood Demographics
I have always known Jackson Heights to be an ever growing diverse community, but it was interesting to see the data on exactly what the population of Jackson Heights consists of. There are 29,508 inhabitants in Jackson Heights. Of those inhabitants 48.13% of people are white, 1.51% are black, 21.97% are asian, 0.33% are native american, and 27.67% claim "other". Hispanics seem to make up the majority of Jackson Heights and they are 42.80% of the population. An interesting demographic fact I had never put much thought into is the divorce rate in Jackson Heights which is 7.51% of couples are divorced, 27.19% of people are married with children and 7.40% are single with children. The unemployment rate in Jackson Heights is 4.10% but the predicted job growth over the next ten years is 15.89%. The occupations of Jackson Heights inhabitants include 11.38% of the population in management, buisness and financial operations, 16.11% professional occupations, 19.70% in service occupations, 27.57% in sales and office, 9.10% in construction, extraction and maintenance and 16.14% employed in production transportation and material moving. The average annual income of the residents of Jackson Heights is $50,030.
It is one thing to see statistics laid out on a chart for you and it is another to walk down the streets and be immersed in the demographics. One stroll through Jackson Heights will tell you that there are all sorts of nationalities in that community and you will notice after walking by endless colombian, ecuadorian, mexican and other hispanic restaurants that a large part of the community is latino. The asian population can be felt as well with a pair of streets dedicated to Indian Cuisine as well as Bollywood movies and Indian Fashion. The buisnesses in Jackson Heights range in price as well as product. There are many specialty stores that cater to the different nationalities and those who do not fear trying new things. As someone who grew up in Jackson Heights I did not find the demographics surprising but now i have a reaffirmation to what I always thought my community was made up of.
It is one thing to see statistics laid out on a chart for you and it is another to walk down the streets and be immersed in the demographics. One stroll through Jackson Heights will tell you that there are all sorts of nationalities in that community and you will notice after walking by endless colombian, ecuadorian, mexican and other hispanic restaurants that a large part of the community is latino. The asian population can be felt as well with a pair of streets dedicated to Indian Cuisine as well as Bollywood movies and Indian Fashion. The buisnesses in Jackson Heights range in price as well as product. There are many specialty stores that cater to the different nationalities and those who do not fear trying new things. As someone who grew up in Jackson Heights I did not find the demographics surprising but now i have a reaffirmation to what I always thought my community was made up of.
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