WHERE: Bordered by the East River and Newton Creek on two sides, Hunters Point, technically part of Long Island City, is the most northwestern point in Queens. To the east is Sunnyside and Long Island City at the north.
COMMUTE: One of Hunters Point's greatest benefits is local transportation, such as the No. 7 train, one stop from Manhattan, and the G train at Vernon Boulevard. There is access to the Long Island Expressway, and the Queensboro (59th Street) Bridge from Queens Plaza. The New York Water Taxi also connects residents to Pier 11 in Manhattan.
HOUSING: Hunters Point, like Long Island City, is going through a development phase where new coops and condos are being built. New luxurious condominiums like The Gantry, Badge Building, Avalon Riverview Building and Arris Lofts, all of which are selling one- and two-bedroom homes in the mid $400,000 to high $900,000 range, and even up to or more than $1 million.
NEIGHBORHOOD LIFE: Because of this new development, the area is changing, becoming younger. Formerly composed of mainly mom and pop stores, major chains are slowly moving in, turning the area cosmopolitan. “As long as it is done thoughtfully, it is very helpful to economic development,” said Long Island City Business Development Corporation president Gayle Baron. “If you have more residents in the area, you have a 24-7 environment.”
In the 1980's and 1990's, the neighborhood would shut down at night; you would have to travel to other neighborhoods to go shopping or go out, according to Ray Rogers, a longtime Hunters Point resident. But no longer is that the case. “I've seen a dramatic change,” he said. “I just think it was the right time and the right place. There's a lot of property, a lot of land. It's a great town.”
SCHOOLS: In close proximity in nearby Long Island City are elementary schools P.S. 112 Dutch Kills, and P.S. 111 Jacob Blackwell, among others. There are also many local high schools, such as Frank Sinatra School of the Arts High School, Information Technology High School, Newcomers High School, Robert F. Wagner Jr. Secondary High School, School for Arts and Technology, Academy of American Studies High School, Queens Vocational and Technology High School, Middle College High School at LaGuardia Community College, International High School at LaGuardia Community College, and the City University of LaGuardia Community College.
WHAT YOU'LL FIND: Restaurants and bars dot the main commercial stretches on Vernon Boulevard and Jackson Avenue. Located at the intersection of Jackson Avenue and 46th Avenue is the P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, an affiliate of The Museum of Modern Art and the oldest and second largest non-profit arts center in the United States solely devoted to contemporary art. Founded in 1971, the museum offers major arts institutions through direct involvement of artists within a scholarly framework. Its exhibits include traveling exhibitions, studio programs, publications and representation by professional staff.
RECREATION: Located on the waterfront off 49th Avenue, is Gantry State Park, a 2.5-acre former dock facility in full view across the river of the Empire State Building and United Nations, by the Midtown Tunnel. It includes picnic tables, a playground and fishing pier and basketball and handball courts.
CRIME AND SAFETY: Protected by the 108th Precinct, Hunters Point has become a safer area in the last decade. Over the last five years, crime is down 36 percent overall. Felony assault is up six percent, however, grand larceny has gone down 57 percent and robbery has decreased 43 percent. Over the last two years, it is down 27 percent. For those in need of medical assistance, Mount Sinai Hospital is located on 30th Avenue and 25th Street.
