Astoria, Queens

Astoria, Queens
could see across the East River the new Long Island village named in his honor. Astor, however, never actually
set foot in Astoria.
During the second half of the 19th century, economic
and commercial growth brought increased immigration
from German settlers, mostly furniture and cabinet makers. One such settler was Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg,
patriarch of the Steinway family who founded the piano company Steinway & Sons in 1853, which today is a
worldwide piano company. Later on the Steinways built
a sawmill and foundry, as well as a streetcar line. The
family eventually established Steinway Village for their
workers, a company town that provided school instruction in German as well as English.[6]
Astoria and several other surrounding villages, including Steinway, were incorporated into Long Island City in
Location of Astoria in New York City
1870. Long Island City remained an independent municipality until it was incorporated into New York City in
Astoria is a middle-class and commercial neighborhood 1898. The area’s farms were turned into housing tracts
with a population of 154,000[2] in the northwestern cor- and street grids to accommodate the growing number of
ner of the New York City borough of Queens. Lo- residents.[4]
cated in Community Board 1, Astoria is bounded by the
Astoria also figured prominently in early American filmEast River and is adjacent to three other Queens neighmaking as one of its initial centers, a heritage preserved
borhoods: Long Island City, Sunnyside (bordering at
today by the Museum of the Moving Image and Kaufman
Northern Boulevard), and Woodside (bordering at 50th
Astoria Studios.
Street). Astoria is patrolled by the New York City Police
Today, much of the Astoria waterfront is being redevelDepartment's 114th Precinct.[3]
oped and underutilized industrial sites in forgotten historic neighborhoods are being revived. Hallets Point is
one of five former industrial sites on the waterfront being
transformed, and will bring seven new mixed-use resi1 History
dential towers, including 2,000 market-rate units and 500
affordable units, into the neighborhood.[7] The developThe area now known as Astoria was originally called Halment will also include new waterfront parks, a supermarlet’s Cove, after its first landowner William Hallet, who
ket, retail shops and restaurants, and two new schools.
settled there in 1659 with his wife, Elizabeth Fones. BeThese waterfront projects were designed by a New York
ginning in the early 19th century, affluent New Yorkers
architectural firm, in conjunction with private developconstructed large residences around 12th and 14th streets,
ers, city agencies and landscape architects.[8][9]
an area that later became known as Astoria Village (now
Old Astoria). Hallet’s Cove, founded in 1839 by fur merchant Stephen A. Halsey, was a noted recreational desti2 Demographics
nation and resort for Manhattan’s wealthy.[4][5]
The area was renamed after John Jacob Astor, then the
wealthiest man in America with a net worth of over $40
million, in order to persuade him to invest just $2,000 in
the neighborhood. He only invested $500, but the name
stayed nonetheless, as a bitter battle over naming the village finally was won by Astor’s supporters and friends.
From Astor’s summer home in Hell Gate, Manhattan—
on what is now East 87th Street near York Avenue—he
Astoria was first settled by the Dutch and Germans in the
17th century. Many Irish settled in the area during the
waves of Irish immigration into New York City during
the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Italians were the next significant immigrants in Astoria, and numerous Italian restaurants, delis, bakeries, and
pizza shops are found throughout Astoria, particularly in
1
2
3
DESCRIPTION
restaurants, bakeries, tavernas and cafes, as well as several Greek Orthodox churches. While the population
of Greeks in Astoria was 22,579 in 1980, it dropped to
18,127 by 1990 due to decreased immigration and lower
birth rates. Greek organizations in the area include the
Hellenic American Action Committee (HANAC) and the
Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York.[11]
Many Maltese also live in Astoria, around 20,000, and although this population has steadily been emigrating from
the area, there are still many Maltese, supported by the
Maltese Center of New York.
Beginning in the mid-1970s, the neighborhood’s Arab
Fruit market on Broadway, a major neighborhood thoroughfare population grew from earlier immigrants from Lebanon
to also include people from Egypt, Syria, Yemen, Tunisia,
and retail area.
Morocco and Algeria. In the 1990s, Steinway Street between 28th Avenue and Astoria Boulevard saw the establishment of many Arabic shops, restaurants and cafes,
which is unofficially called “Little Egypt”.
Astoria’s South American and European population has
seen significant growth since the early 1990s, including
a large population of Brazilians, who reside in the 36th
Avenue area. Albanians, Bulgarians, and Bosnians have
also shown a rise in numbers. Many Spanish Americans
live in Astoria, with most of them being of Galician heritage from Northwestern Spain; this community being
supported by the Casa Galicia, or Galicia House.
31st Avenue at 33rd Street in Astoria
At one time, many Bangladeshi Americans settled in Astoria, but by 2001, many of the Bangladeshi American
people in Astoria had moved to Metro Detroit. A survey
of an Astoria-area Bengali language newspaper estimated
that, in an 18-month period until March 2001, 8,000
Bangladeshi people moved to the Detroit area. However,
as of 2010, the Bangladeshi American community in Astoria has been increasing, as Bangladeshi immigrants are
increasingly settling in Astoria.[12]
Population losses in Queens were particularly high in
immigrant neighborhoods such as Astoria, which suffered the greatest population loss in the city—it lost over
10,000 residents between the years 2000 and 2010.[13]
3 Description
36th Street between 30th Avenue and 31st Avenue in Astoria
3.1 Geography
There is some debate as to what constitutes the geographic boundaries of Astoria. The neighborhood was
Jews were also a significant ethnic and religious group. part of Long Island City prior to the latter’s incorporaThe Astoria Center of Israel, which is listed on the tion into the City of New York in 1898, and much of it is
National Register of Historic Places, was built in 1925 af- still classified as LIC by the USPS.
ter outgrowing the former Congregation Mishkan Israel, The area south of Astoria was called Ravenswood, and
which was built in 1904.[10]
traditionally, Broadway was considered the border bethe Ditmars Boulevard area.
The 1960s saw a large number of ethnic Greeks from tween the two. Today, however, many residents and busiGreece, and immigrants from Cyprus in 1974. The nesses south of Broadway identify themselves as AstoGreek cultural imprint can be seen in the numerous Greek rians for convenience or status, since Long Island City
3.1
Geography
3
3.1.1 Ravenswood
Ravenswood is the name for the strip of land bordering the East River in Long Island City, and is part of
Astoria.[16]
The land was acquired in 1814 by Col. George Gibbs,
a businessman from New York City who developed it.
Gibbs died in 1833, and the land was divided into nine
parcels by three developers. From 1848, there were several mansions built on this land, but the high class housing
did not survive. The spring of 1853 brought the opening of a post office of its own and country store “run by
Messrs. Moore & Luyster, and Mr. Samuel H. Moore of
that firm received the appointment of postmaster, handling the mails in a corner of the store.”[17]
Ravenswood, unlike Astoria, never became a village;
there was no disposition at any time to become independent as there was insufficient population or commercial
activity to justify such a move. Ravenswood remained an
exclusive hamlet within the Town of Newtown until its
absorption with the Village of Astoria and the hamlets of
Hunters Point, Blissville, Sunnyside, Dutch Kills, Steinway, Bowery Bay and Middleton in Newtown Township
into Long Island City in 1870.[18] In 1870, Ravenswood,
along with several other hamlets and the Village of Astoria, merged to form Long Island City.[17]
Detail of 1896 map of Long Island City, showing Astoria and
Ravenswood, from the Greater Astoria Historical Society.
In 1875, the first commercial buildings were erected, and
the mansions were converted into offices and boarding
houses. In 1879, the Long Island Terra Cotta Company
was established in Ravenswood, by Rudolph Franke. By
1900, Ravenswood was heavily commercial, and remains
so to this day. However, the name has retained its residential character through the New York City Housing
Authority project that was built in 1949 to 1951 with this
name between 34th and 36th Avenues, and 12th and 24th
Streets.
The name also identifies the large electric power station
established along the shore of the East River, just south
of the Roosevelt Island Bridge. The Ravenswood No. 3
Generating Station was built by Con Edison in 1963-65
but, due to deregulation, has subsequently been owned by
KeySpan, National Grid, and TransCanada. The power
Night view of the Triborough Bridge and Manhattan from Asto- plant can generate approximately 2,500 megawatts of
ria Park
power, which is about 20 percent of New York City’s
electricity demand.[19]
has historically been considered an industrial area, and
Ravenswood is now mostly a low-income neighborhood.
Some of the thoroughfares have lent their names to unofficial terms for the areas they serve. For instance, the eastern end of Astoria, with Steinway Street as its main thoroughfare, is sometimes referred to simply as “Steinway”,
and the northern end around Ditmars Boulevard is sometimes referred to as “Ditmars”.[14] Banners displayed on
lamp posts along 30th Avenue refer to it as “the Heart of
Astoria”.[15]
3.1.2 Ditmars
Ditmars is a middle class section of Astoria bounded by
Bowery Bay to the north, 31st Street to the east (boundary
with the adjacent neighborhood of Steinway, with which
Ditmars is sometimes confused), 23rd Avenue to the
south and the East River on the west. The adjacent Steinway neighborhood was largely developed as a company
town by the Steinway & Sons piano company, and included houses and public facilities that were also avail-
4
3
DESCRIPTION
station of the Flushing Post Office.
3.2 Places of interest
A street in Ditmars (2012)
able to non-employees.[20] However, the Ditmars neighborhood was not included in the Steinway & Sons company housing and related facilities project. Ditmars is
considered to be a popular neighborhood among young
professionals and in some real estate references the adjacent neighborhoods of Ditmars and Steinway are joined
as a single “Ditmars-Steinway” reference. The neighborhood takes its name from Ditmars Boulevard which was
named in honor of Raymond Lee Ditmars, (1876-1942)
famed American herpetologist and curator of Reptiles of Museum of the Moving Image on 35th Avenue in Astoria
the New York Zoological Society at the Bronx Zoo.[21]
3.1.3
Astoria Heights
Astoria Heights, or Upper Ditmars, is bounded by Hazen
Street to the west, La Guardia Airport to the east, Bowery
Bay to the north, and Astoria Boulevard and the Grand
Central Parkway to the south. It is mostly a quiet middle
class neighborhood of 1 and 2 family private homes.
The Riker-Lent Homestead is near the north end of Astoria Heights at 78-03 19th Road. Built around 1655 by
Abraham Riker under a patent from Nieuw Nederland’s
last governor, Peter Stuyvesant, it is believed to be the
oldest remaining dwelling in New York City still used as
a residence.[22] There is an adjacent family cemetery. The A residential street in Astoria with bike lanes
Smiths, who bought the house in 1975, have been restoring it for many years. The annual public tour was given
usually in mid-September by the owners for the benefit of
• Museum of the Moving Image in the former
a local historical society, but has since ceased to occur.[23]
Kaufman Astoria Studios building
Before Prohibition, there were dance halls, picnic areas
• Isamu Noguchi Museum
and amusement park rides at North Beach.
Ragtime composer Scott Joplin is buried across the
Grand Central Parkway at St. Michael’s Cemetery which
occasionally holds ragtime concerts.
The Rikers Island Bridge to New York City’s main prison,
Rikers Island, runs from the north end of Hazen Street.
Technically, Rikers Island is in the Bronx since New York
City took it over from Long Island City in 1884, after it
had annexed the South Bronx but before it consolidated
Queens. However, like Astoria Heights, Rikers Island
gets its mail from the East Elmhurst (Zip code 11370)
• Socrates Sculpture Park
• Astoria Park along the East River, is Astoria’s
largest park and also contains the largest of New
York City’s public pools (at 330 feet long)[24] which
was also the former site of the 1936 and 1964 U.S.
Olympic trials.
• The Hell Gate Bridge and New York Connecting
Railroad/Northeast Corridor viaduct rise high above
Astoria.
5
• The oldest beer garden in New York City,
Bohemian Hall, was founded in 1910 when Astoria was largely Irish, Italian, Bohemian (Czech), and
Slovak.[25]
• The Greater Astoria Historical Society in the historic Quinn Memorial Building on the corner of
Broadway and 36th Street serves as a valuable historical resource as well as providing tourist information.
• St. Michael’s Cemetery on Astoria Boulevard
is the burial place of composer and pianist Scott
Joplin.[26] and gangster Frank Costello.
The primary streets running north-south are Vernon
Boulevard along the East River; 21st Street, a major traffic artery with a mix of residential, commercial and industrial areas; 31st Street; and Steinway Street (named for
Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg (later Henry E. Steinway),
founder of the piano company Steinway & Sons),[30] a
major commercial street with many retail stores, and a
very prominent Middle Eastern section between Astoria
Boulevard and 28th Avenue, the area is full of Middle
Eastern food restaurants which present some local types
of food from Lebanon, Egypt and Morocco, most food
in these restaurants is Halal to suit the Muslim residents
who are main customers in this neighborhood.
The 21st Street – Queensbridge subway station (F train)
• Steinway & Sons piano factory located at 1 Steinalso serves the area at Queensbridge Houses.
way Place (not to be confused with Steinway Street)
has been in operation in Astoria since the late 19th
century and represents a legacy of award-winning
craftsmanship, arts patronage, and the once vibrant,
stand-alone Steinway Village. Limited tours of the 5 Health care
factory are available.[27]
• Bicycle lanes, built as part of the city’s bike lane
system, added to Astoria’s roadways include marked
space along Vernon Boulevard, 20th Avenue, 21st
Street, 34th amd 36th Avenues, and access to protected paths crossing the Triborough Bridge onto
Randalls and Wards Islands. Riders may also engage in more scenic biking along short, unmarked
sections of 19th Street bordering both Astoria Park
and Ralph DeMarco Park, a span that is occasionally
closed to motor vehicle traffic during events.[28]
• The Modern Art Foundry, a foundry, is located in
Astoria.
4
Transportation
FDNY Engine 312 in Astoria, Queens
N train entering 30th Avenue station
Astoria is served by the E M R trains of the New York
City Subway that stop at Steinway Street and 46th Street
stations on the underground IND Queens Boulevard Line
as well as the N Q trains which run along the elevated
BMT Astoria Line above 31st Street.[29]
Because of its location, Astoria is conveniently served by
several nearby New York City hospitals and medical centers, as well as FDNY EMS service. As of 2014, there
are 5 FDNY firehouses in Astoria. Mount Sinai Hospital
of Queens is the only true hospital medical center in the
neighborhood. It operates 24/7 and is part of the Mount
Sinai Health System network. Other nearby hospitals include Elmhurst Hospital Center in nearby Elmhurst, as
well as Forest Hills Hospital (part of the North Shore LIJ
Health System) in Forest Hills.
6
7
6
Education
6.1
NOTABLE PEOPLE
7 Notable people
Schools
The New York City Department of Education operates
Astoria’s public schools.[31]
Astoria also has several private schools, many of which
offer parochial education:
• Immaculate Conception School (21-63 29th Street)
• Les Enfants Montessori School (29-21 Newton Avenue)
• Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School (23-15 Newtown
Avenue)
• Queens Lutheran School (31-20 37th Street)
• St. Catherine and St. George School (22-30 33rd
Street)
• St. Demetrios Astoria School (30-03 30th Drive)
• St. Francis of Assisi School (21-18 46 Street)
• St. John's Preparatory School (21-21 Crescent
Street)
• St. Joseph’s Academy (Pre-K – 8th) (28-46 44th
Street)
• Most Precious Blood School (Pre-K - 8th) (32-52
37th Street)
• El-Ber Islamic School (25-42 49th Street)
6.2
Libraries
Night view of the Hell Gate Bridge from Astoria Park.
7.1 Born in Astoria
• Jesse Eisenberg (born 1983), actor
• Ted Alexandro (born 1969), comedian[33]
• Tony Bennett (born 1926), Grammy-winning
singer[34][35]
• Hillary Brooke (born Beatrice Peterson, 19141999), actress and Lou Costello’s love interest on
The Abbott and Costello TV Show
• The Cadillac Man, author, Land of the Lost Souls:
My Life on the Streets[36][37]
Astoria Boulevard library
Queens Borough Public Library operates three branches
within Astoria’s ZIP codes:[32]
• Astoria (14-01 Astoria Boulevard)
• Broadway (40-20 Broadway)
• Steinway (21-45 31st Street)
• Maria Callas
(childhood)[38]
(1923–1977),
opera
singer
• Chester Carlson (1906–1968), invented xerography
at his Astoria laboratory in 1938.[39]
• Robert Davi, actor, appeared in The Goonies, Die
Hard, and Licence to Kill
• John Frusciante (born 1970), guitarist for Red Hot
Chili Peppers
7.3
Grave sites
7
• Anthony Giacchino (born 1969), filmmaker and
producer[40]
• Nicole Petallides (born 1971), Fox Business
reporter[54]
• George Gibbs (1815–1873), geologist who contributed to the study of the languages of the
indigenous peoples of Washington Territory[41]
• Henrietta Rodman (1877-1923), feminist and educator
• Jack Kelly (1927-1992), actor; Mayor of Huntington Beach, California[42]
• Christopher Walken (born 1943), Oscar-winning
actor[34]
• Renee Young (born 1985), WWE Diva
• Patrick McGoohan (1928–2009), actor
[43]
• Ethel Merman (1908–1984), Broadway actress and 7.3 Grave sites
singer[34]
Additionally, several notable people are buried here. As• Eric Metaxas (born 1963), author, founder of toria is the final resting place of New York City mobster
“Socrates in the City”[44]
Frank Costello as well as ragtime composer and musician
Scott Joplin. Both Costello and Joplin are interred at St.
• Marilyn Milian (born 1961), judge on television se- Michael’s Cemetery. The cemetery hosts annual public
ries The People’s Court
events and concerts to celebrate Joplin’s musical legacy,
[55]
• Dito Montiel (born 1965), author, screenwriter, di- including a Joplin retrospective.
rector and musician
• Al Oerter (1936–2007), Olympic discus throw 4time gold medalist[45]
8 In popular culture
The neighborhood has often been featured in various media; in film and television, the area is either featured as
• Franz Schurmann (1926–2010), Cold War-era ex- Astoria or as a setting for another location in New York
pert on the People’s Republic of China[47]
City.
• Melanie Safka (born 1947), singer-songwriter[46]
• David Schwimmer (born 1966), actor and director Film
in television and film
• In the 1970 film Joe, Peter Boyle's character lives in
• Dee Snider (born 1955) singer of rock band Twisted
Astoria.
Sister
• The 1973 film adaptation of the John-Michael Tebe• Christopher Walken (born 1943), actor
lak stage musical Godspell includes multiple images
of characters beneath the supports for The Hell Gate
Bridge, or East River Arch Bridge, as seen from
7.2 Raised in or moved to Astoria
Randall’s Island, both while the plot unfolds as well
as during visual montages that take place in such
• Alvey A. Adee (1842-1924), acting U.S. Secretary
numbers as Day by Day and We Beseech Thee. The
of State.[48]
view of the bridge is similar to those found in Astoria Park and Astoria can occasionally be viewed in
• Lidia Bastianich, (born 1947) celebrity chef, TV
[49]
the background of shots facing east.
host, cookbook author and restauranteur
• Frank Bonsangue,
personality[50]
actor
and
television
• Eddie Bracken (1915–2002), actor
• King Kong (1976) had a scene in Astoria, at Astoria
Boulevard and 31st Street, where the two main characters board the RR train at the Astoria Boulevard
station on the BMT Astoria Line.
• Chamique Holdsclaw (born 1977), basketball player
• The 1991 movie Queens Logic was filmed all around
Astoria and features an Astoria landmark—the Hell
Gate Bridge. One of the screenwriters, Tony Spiridakis, has roots in Astoria.
• George Maharis (born 1928), actor and comedian
best known for his work on Route 66[52]
• The 1996 independent film Girls Town shows scenes
shot in Astoria Park.
• John H. Meier (born 1933), financier and former
business associate of Howard Hughes; also involved
with Watergate[53]
• The 1982 film version of Tempest starring John Cassavetes had scenes shot at the cafes on 23rd Ave off
31st St.
• Whitey Ford (born 1928), New York Yankees
pitcher[51]
8
8 IN POPULAR CULTURE
• Woody Allen’s 2002 film Hollywood Ending had
scenes shot in the neighborhood surrounding the
Kaufman Astoria stages.
• The Accidental Husband (2008), Directed by Griffin
Dunne; with Uma Thurman, Colin Firth and Jeffrey
Dean Morgan was filmed in Astoria on 33rd Street
and 23rd Avenue.
• The 2011 remake of the comedy film Arthur depicts
at least one scene showing Astoria, Queens, using a
Batmobile visual shown from 34th Street and 34th
Avenue in the neighborhood.
• Astoria is the setting for the book, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, later made into a film starring
Robert Downey, Jr. and Shia LaBeouf, about the
filmmaker’s experiences growing up in the neighborhood during the 1980s. The 2006 movie was filmed
at various locations around Astoria.
• Astoria is the setting for the novel
Autobiography/Masquerade, also released in
2006. It was written to honor the memory of
Antonio “Nino” Pellegrino, an Astoria native who
appeared briefly in A Bronx Tale.
• Two notable Robert De Niro films were filmed on Music
location in Astoria—Goodfellas and A Bronx Tale.
While the latter was set in the Bronx, most of the
• The music video for the 1985 song Your Love by
exterior scenes were filmed in Astoria as well as the
the British band The Outfield was set in a sound
nearby neighborhood of Woodside. The high school
stage/painting studio in the rear of what is currently
featured in the film is William Cullen Bryant High
Strand Pharmacy at 25-01 Broadway. At the end
School on 31st Avenue, and the church used in the
of the video, the female “painter” walks out of the
film is St. Joseph’s on 30th Avenue, and the fusound stage onto Crescent St. and then makes a left
neral parlor scenes were shot from a funeral home
onto Broadway.
on 30th Ave, across the street from St. Joseph’s
Church. Other films shot in Astoria include Five
• Sufjan Stevens' recorded a majority of Illinoise at
Corners (1987), starring Jodie Foster,[56] and the
The Buddy Project Recording Studio in Astoria.
1950s Serpico (1973) with Al Pacino had several
scenes filmed in Astoria. The elevated train stop
• A Guinness World Record was set in Astoria on July
at Ditmars Boulevard was the location for a chase
18, 2009, for the “Largest Musical Saw Ensemble”.
scene and Serpico has a clandestine meeting in AsThe record, part of the annual NYC Musical Saw
toria Park under the Hellgate Bridge.
Festival (in Astoria since 2002) was organized by
Natalia Paruz at Trinity Lutheran Church, with the
Gaming
participation of 53 people playing the musical saw
together.
• The video game Grand Theft Auto IV—which takes
• Rapper Action Bronson filmed his music video
place in a mock New York City named Liberty
“Strictly 4 My Jeeps” in Astoria. The video was reCity—has a neighborhood named Steinway in the
leased on May 20, 2013 as the single for his upcomborough of Dukes, the counterpart of Queens in
ing album Saaab Stories.
the game. The game features a Bohemian Hallinspired “Steinway Beer Garden”, but as an Irish• Queens Metal band Emmure released a track on
and-German themed bar instead of Czech. (A
their 3rd studio album “Felony” titled “Bars in Asmock TV commercial for the Steinway Beer Gartoria”. It was featured on the Ibanez website in their
den, viewable at the Rockstar website, includes the
interview with members of the band in promotion
voice-over remarking that the Garden is “ethnically
of their product.
[57]
confused.”)
Steinway Park is modeled after Astoria Park, with its famous outdoor pool (including
the diving platforms) and scenic water’s-edge path- Television
way. Numerous signs and awnings of real local Astoria businesses appear in the game, although the
• The 1970s situation comedy All in the Family was
names have been altered (e.g. “ASTORIA Medical
set in Astoria, although the address given for Archie
Dental” becomes “ROSARIA Medical Dental”).
Bunker’s home (704 Hauser Street) is fictional.
• The video game The Godfather II depicts Astoria in
its version of New York City.
Literature
• In The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby is pulled over by a
policeman on a “motor cycle” in Astoria while driving with the narrator into the city.
• The television series Cosby, starring Bill Cosby,
Phylicia Rashad and Madeleine Kahn (not to be confused with the earlier series The Cosby Show) was
set in Astoria and was filmed there, at the Kaufman
Astoria Studios on 35th Avenue.[58]
• The block of 37th Street between Ditmars Boulevard and 23rd Avenue is sometimes referred to
9
as “the Seinfeld Street.” In the Seinfeld television show, this street is occasionally seen in external establishing shots as the block where George
Costanza’s parents live.[59]
[9] Gordon, David (June 24, 2009). “Plans to develop Hallets Point in Astoria”. queenscourier.com. The Queens
Courier. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
[10] The Jewish Community in Long Island City; The Queens
Jewish Historical Society (Greater Astoria Historical Society)
• Kaufman Astoria Studios has further been longtime
host to the PBS series Sesame Street and has been
credited with local shoots on films like The Stepford [11] Williams, Solange; Stephanie Mejia (2001). “Astoria: 'A
Wives, the 2009 remake of The Taking of Pelham
Little Greece' in New York”. New York University. Retrieved 6 February 2010.
123, and the Golden Globe-winning Angels in America.
• The Greek television program Stous 31 Dromous
(“On 31st Street”) was filmed in Astoria in 2007.[60]
[12] Kershaw, Sarah. "Queens to Detroit: A Bangladeshi Passage.” The New York Times. March 8, 2001. Retrieved on
February 28, 2012.
[13] “NYC2010” (PDF). Results from the 2010 census. City of
• The Netflix original series Orange Is the New Black
New York. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
is shot at Kaufman Astoria Studios as well as on location in Astoria.
[14] Jones, Delmos J.; Joan Turner and Joan Montbach (De• The Showtime original series Nurse Jackie is shot at
Kaufman Astoria Studios as well as on location in
Astoria.
Colloquialisms
• Because of its proximity to Manhattan and semireasonable rents, Astoria has become home to an
ever-increasing number of fledgling actors lending
to the nomenclature “Actoria”—a term coined by
Astorian actor/writer Jason Arcaro who moved to
Astoria in the 1990s before the thespian “coup de
main”.[61]
cember 1992). “Declining Social Services and the Threat
to Social Reproduction: An Urban Dilemma”. City & Society 6 (2): 99–114. doi:10.1525/city.1992.6.2.99.
[15] O'Donnell, Michelle. “Life Limps On for Powerless in the
Heart of Astoria”, The New York Times, July 23, 2006.
Accessed January 30, 2008. “Gary Lyons shook his head.
He pointed to welcome banners that had been affixed to
lampposts. “See the flag?” he asked. “The heart of Astoria,” it reads, “Welcome to 30th Avenue.”"
[16] Forgotten New York: Ravenswood
[17] Seyfried, Vincent F. (1984). 300 Years of Long Island
City: 1630-1930. USA: Greater Astoria Historical Society.
[18]
9
References
• Neighborhoods: Ravenswood from the Greater Astoria Historical Society
[1] 2000 Census
[19] Massey, Daniel (June 23, 2009). “Labor fight could unplug Queens power plant”. Crain’s New York Business.
Retrieved 2009-08-14.
[2] http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/pdf/census/census2010/t_
pl_p1_nta.pdf
[20] Jackson, Kenneth T., The Encyclopedia of New York City,
Yale University Press, 1995, p. 335.
[3] 114th Precinct
[21] Neighborhood Gudies.
http://www.nestseekers.com/
Guides/Neighborhood/Ditmars-Steinway. 29 June 2010.
[4] “History Topics”. Greater Astoria Historical Society. Retrieved 2008-02-25.
[5] “The Neighborhoods of Long Island City”. Greater Astoria Historical Society. Archived from the original on 8
March 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-25.
[6] “Neighborhoods: Steinway”. Greater Astoria Historical
Society. Archived from the original on 10 March 2008.
Retrieved 2008-02-25.
[7] Brosh, Brendan (June 16, 2009). “Waterfront development in the works for Hallets Point”. nydailynews.com.
The New York Daily News. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
[8] Montefinise, Angela (March 1, 2009). “QUEENS GETTING A ROYAL UPGRADE”. nypost.com. The New
York Post. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
[22] The Lent-Riker-Smith Homestead: History, accessed December 25, 2006. “The facts confirm that this dwelling
is the oldest dwelling in New York City that is still a
dwelling.”
[23] In 2008 the tour benefitted the Greater Astoria Historical
Society.
[24] http://us.findnetone.com/sports/the-astoria-pool
[25] “Bohemian Hall History”. Archived from the original on
2006-10-25. Retrieved 2006-07-20.
[26] “St. Michael’s Cemetery”. Retrieved 2009-07-03.
[27] “Steinway & Sons official site”.
[28] “NYC Cycling Map 2001” (PDF).
10
[29] Transportation in Astoria
[30] Street Necrology of Astoria, accessed December 31, 2006
[31] A complete listing searchable by ZIP code can be found
on the Department’s official website.
[32] “Queens Library”. Archived from the original on 23
February 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-25.
10
EXTERNAL LINKS
[46] Spelling, Ian. “Melanie’s new songs lend their vigor to her
old hits”, The New York Times, October 12, 2007. Accessed December 20, 2007. “Born Melanie Safka in Astoria, N.Y., Melanie won over tens of thousands of fans at
the legendary Woodstock concert...”
[47] Weber, Bruce. “Franz Schurmann, Cold War Expert on
China, Dies at 84”, The New York Times, August 26, 2010.
Accessed August 27, 2010.
[33] “Funny Pages”, Queens Tribune. Accessed October 23,
2007. “A part of Astoria funnyman Ted Alexandro could
be seen in the July issue of “Maxim” magazine.”
[48] Bridges, Peter. “An Appreciation of Alvey Adee”.
[34] Jackson, Nancy Beth. “If You're Thinking of Living
In/Astoria; Accessible, Affordable and Highly Diverse”,
The New York Times, October 19, 2003. Accessed October 17, 2007. “Local celebrities in addition to Mr. Bennett include Christopher Walken and the late Ethel Merman.”
[50] Frank Bonsangue at the Internet Movie Database
[35] Photos: Tony Bennett in Astoria, Newsday, September 13,
2006.
[36] Cadillac Man. “The Story of Cadillac Man and the land of
the Lost Souls”, Esquire, 1 May 2005. Accessed February
8, 2009.
[37] Cowan, Coleman. “Sweeping Him Off His Street”, The
New York Times, 18 March 2007. Accessed February 8,
2009.
[38] Petsalis-Diomidis, Nicholas (2001).
The Unknown
Callas: The Greek Years. Amadeus Press. ISBN 1-57467059-X.
[39] Chester’s Dream: The Genesis of the Modern Photocopier, Industrial Market Trends, April 9, 2001
[40] Coppock, Kristen. “Filmmaker brings ‘The Camden
28’ to the nation’s attention on PBS”, Burlington County
Times, September 11, 2007. Accessed May 19, 2008. “A
graduate of Holy Cross High School in Delran, the selfprofessed history buff, who lives in Astoria, N.Y., said he
was especially curious why such an important event had
happened so close to his hometown, and no one he had
grown up with knew about it. He wanted to change that.”
[41] Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume,1607-1896.
Chicago: Marquis Who’s Who. 1963.
[42] “Jack Kelly”. Matinee Classics. Retrieved February 2014.
[43] Bennetts, Leslie. “McGoohan To Star In 'Pack of Lies’",
The New York Times, December 26, 1984. Accessed
March 8, 2008.
[49] “Lidia Bastianich; A Recipe Kept Warm For 55 Years”
New York Times
[51] Berkow, Ira. “ON BASEBALL; Ford Highlight Film
Started Early”, The New York Times, August 17, 2000.
Accessed November 3, 2007. “Vivid in my memory is
Stengel’s shrug, palms up at his sides, gesturing in response
to the mixture of cheers for Ford and boos for his removal.
It was a display of sympathy for the kid from Astoria,
Queens, who just a few years earlier was playing in street
stickball games, and now under a national spotlight and
World Series pressure had pitched so beautifully.”
[52] “Stars of TV’s 'Route 66' working on opposite coasts.”,
Albuquerque Journal, November 16, 2003. Accessed
November 30, 2007. “George Maharis was born Sept. 1,
1928, in Astoria, N.Y.”
[53] Van Fossen, Anthony (2006). Ivan Molloy; Ron Reavall,
eds. “A New Howard Hughes: John Meier, Entrepreneurship, and the International Political Economy of the Bank
of the South Pacific” (PDF). The Eye of the Cyclone Book
2: Governance and Stability in the Pacific (Noosa Heads,
Queensland: The University of the Sunshine Coast and
Rock Mountain Publishing) 2: 129–162. Retrieved 200803-06.
[54] “Astoria native anchoring Greek parade”. 2010.
[55] “St. Michael’s Cemetery:Events Archive”. Retrieved
2009-07-18.
[56] “Five Corners”. IMDB.com.
[57] “Rockstar Games: Grand Theft Auto IV: Steinway Beer
Garden”. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
[58] “Cosby”. Internet Movie Database.
[59] McCormack, Simon (August 23, 2010). “Seinfeld’s Jerry
Stiller Visits 'Costanza House' in Astoria”. Huffington
Post.
[60] Astoria, Queens at the Internet Movie Database
[61] Astoria, Queens at the Internet Movie Database
[44] Metaxas, Eric. “About Eric”, 2012. Accessed January 17,
2012.
[45] Litsky, Frank. “Al Oerter, Olympic Discus Champion,
Is Dead at 71”, The New York Times, October 2, 2007.
Accessed November 19, 2007. “Alfred Oerter Jr. was
born Sept. 19, 1936, in Astoria, Queens, and grew up
on Long Island, in New Hyde Park. At Sewanhaka High
School, he was a sprinter and then a miler.”
10 External links
• Astoria Music and Arts
• Astoria Celebrity Magazine Astoria/LIC’s Premier
Glossy Magazine
11
• Article from the Greater Astoria Historical Society
explaining the Queens street numbering system
• Slide show from the New York Times of comedians
living in Astoria
• Greater Astoria Historical Society
• 114th Precinct of the New York Police Department
dead link
• NYC Board of Education assessment of Astoria
public schools
• Greek Culture in Astoria
• Neighborhood Watch: Astoria
• Annual NYC Musical Saw Festival
• Forgotten New York: Astoria Village
Coordinates: 40°46′28″N 73°54′15″W / 40.77444°N
73.90417°W
12
11
11
11.1
TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES
Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses
Text
• Astoria, Queens Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astoria%2C_Queens?oldid=661720612 Contributors: Vicki Rosenzweig, SimonP,
Modster, Theresa knott, WhisperToMe, Mizzy~enwiki, Wetman, Bcorr, ZimZalaBim, Rholton, DocWatson42, Wolf530, Halda, Andycjp, Sysin, Sfoskett, JulieADriver, Arminius, D6, Discospinster, Xezbeth, Geoking66, Aude, Etz Haim, Larry V, Pharos, Houliman,
Zachlipton, Alansohn, Bolwerk, Andrewpmk, Eli the Bearded, SidP, RJFJR, RainbowOfLight, Zxcvbnm, MrVibrating, Angr, Richard
Arthur Norton (1958- ), Mel Etitis, Woohookitty, Jeff3000, Jleon, Macaddct1984, Mandarax, Ando228, Rjwilmsi, NatusRoma, Bhadani,
FlaBot, Surge79uwf, Gwernol, Chanlyn, Petiatil, Conscious, The.orpheus, GusF, CambridgeBayWeather, ConeyCyclone, Welsh, Awiseman, MMZach, Evrik, Csantero, Chase me ladies, I'm the Cavalry, Zec, Petri Krohn, Vanished user 99034jfoiasjq2oirhsf3, SmackBot,
WilyD, Wizard1022, Ahouhoulis, HeartofaDog, Commander Keane bot, Gilliam, Hmains, Chris the speller, Dwinetsk, Droll, Tonyleto,
Tim Pierce, AlexHajnal, CrnaGora, Threeafterthree, Badbilltucker, Torrmoz, Hoof Hearted, Powersman, Gloriamarie, Valfontis, Jggrossm,
Linnell, Kschlot1, A. Parrot, Jasonmch, Flipperinu, Skapur, Mrminator, ThatsNotFunny, GiantSnowman, WolfgangFaber, CmdrObot,
Stephist, Karenjc, Funnyfarmofdoom, Cydebot, Oodus, Firerescuelieut, Meconium, PKT, Barticus88, Longwayround, Edwardx, Mojo
Hand, DanTD, Heroeswithmetaphors, Natalie Erin, Cjs2111, Shahrdad, Knea2006, TAnthony, Fitnr, Kallstrom11, Carlwev, RBBrittain, Jllm06, InthePast, Froid, The Anomebot2, The Mystery Man, Edward321, Jim.henderson, Redcardiff, R'n'B, CommonsDelinker,
Nono64, Gt sports, Nev1, Trusilver, FSG, Skumarlabot, Hossain Akhtar Chowdhury, Acalamari, KP2, Lfkushner, Clandestineclementine,
Mapimapi, Jaydanx, Johnthomas001, Venya2000, Fjbfour, DoomDan515, Kaihoku, Seventypercent, Pmoulinos, Fds527, Bovineboy2008,
Kyle the bot, Sigil7, Irish4life91, Murad67, Silasnhuff, Newyork12, Irish4life92, Coolotter88, Feudonym, Alliwalk, Grk1011, Piperdown,
Alcmaeonid, Frant1cfrenzy, PiggoFuel, NHRHS2010, Barkeep, Gerakibot, Acps110, Pookerella, Colfer2, Pepso2, Kbrowndba, COBot,
Grim-Gym, Pacemanscoop, Jimmy Olson, CartmanIsPwn, BMS82, ClueBot, Binksternet, INBLOOMy2, The Thing That Should Not
Be, Leeparsi, FieldMarine, Rovergrover, CaseyKasemIsCool, Noel877, Sgt. bender, Timfrompotsdam, Solar-Wind, Dav5nyc, Gcdonaldson, Nahnay123456, Numinut, DumZiBoT, XLinkBot, Delicious carbuncle, Peterx45678, Hazeyville69, Dthomsen8, NellieBly, Cmr08,
Addbot, DOI bot, Fchuffman, ThisIsMyWikipediaName, Leszek Jańczuk, This is Paul, CuteHappyBrute, Tassedethe, Lightbot, LebanonIsCool, Ben Ben, Yobot, Beeswaxcandle, Winged Fist, AnomieBOT, Monroe 1989, Fanoftheworld, Flewis, Citation bot, Emilymc25,
Xqbot, BritishWatcher, GrouchoBot, TOMBOCHI, Dansmitty2, Greater Astoria, Nycvogel, Haldraper, FrescoBot, Hyju, Racingstripes,
Arobin, Michaelways, Citation bot 1, RedBot, Fui in terra aliena, Rindoflime, Full-date unlinking bot, Kathleenks, Trappist the monk,
Specs112, MKawasaki, RjwilmsiBot, DRAGON BOOSTER, Beyond My Ken, DASHBot, Nkabouris, NY2000, Caloox, MrJiGGaFly,
K6ka, Spressa777, ZéroBot, H3llBot, GroGaBa, UrbanNerd, Wayne Slam, Ryanmessick, Simsala111, ClueBot NG, Nchino, Jmlara, NickCPrior, BrandonRivington, Nasryesmat, Penny Richards, Wolvensense, MrBill47, TomUSA, Starlapolaris, Johnny Squeaky, Pavolpo, Keon
Milton, Sjnester, Glowbee, Takayama812, Histcontrib, TheyCallMeTheEditor, Antipastarasta, Khazar2, Jdramo2, Mogism, Lugia2453,
BDE1982, Epicgenius, KevinJWalsh, Lemnaminor, Magnolia677, Madreterra, Kerpaldev, MrLinkinPark333, KZabarsky, Monkbot, Basdrhnrnz, Davro123, Srgarhrn, MindKingWithBling, Bohemian Baltimore, Scoop2159, Dinker022089, NYelectronic, Roldank and Anonymous: 392
11.2
Images
• File:Astoria_Park_Night_2007.jpg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Astoria_Park_Night_2007.jpg License: CC-BY-SA-3.0 Contributors: Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by MB-one using CommonsHelper. Original artist:
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• File:Astoria_fruit_market.jpg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Astoria_fruit_market.jpg License: CC
BY-SA 2.5 Contributors: Self-published work by Aude Original artist: Aude
• File:Astoriaqueens33rdand31st.jpg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Astoriaqueens33rdand31st.jpg License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Emilymc25
• File:Commons-logo.svg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg License: ? Contributors: ? Original
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• File:Hell_Gate_and_Triborough_Bridges_New_York_City_Queens.jpg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/
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• File:Hellsgate_Bridge.jpg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Hellsgate_Bridge.jpg License: CC BY-SA 3.0
us Contributors: Own work Original artist: Jasonmch
• File:Long_Island_City_map_1896.jpg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Long_Island_City_map_1896.
jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Greater Astoria Historical Society Original artist: J.S. Kelsey
• File:MoMI2.jpg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/MoMI2.jpg License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Own
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• File:QPL_Astoria_Blvd_14th_St_jeh.jpg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/QPL_Astoria_Blvd_14th_
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• File:Question_book-new.svg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/99/Question_book-new.svg License: Cc-by-sa-3.0
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• File:USA_New_York_City_location_map.svg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/USA_New_York_City_
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• File:Unisphere_in_summer.jpg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Unisphere_in_summer.jpg License:
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