Cambria Heights is a residential neighborhood in the southeastern portion of the New York City borough of Queens. It is bounded by Springfield Boulevard and Francis Lewis Boulevard to the west, the Elmont, Nassau County border on the east, Queens Village to the north, St. Albans to the west, and Montefiore Cemetery and Laurelton, Springfield Gardens, and Rosedale to the south.[4] As of 2010, Cambria Heights's population was 18,677.[2] The neighborhood is part of Queens Community Board 13.[5]
Cambria Heights | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Location within New York City | |
| Coordinates: 40°41′42″N 73°44′06″W / 40.695°N 73.735°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  New York |
| City | New York City |
| County/Borough | Queens |
| Community District | Queens 13[1] |
| Named for | Cambria Construction Company |
| Elevation | 15 m (49 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 18,677 |
| Ethnicity | |
| • White | 1.4% |
| • Black | 90.3% |
| • Hispanic | 5.2% |
| • Asian | 0.8% |
| • Other | 2.3% |
| Economics | |
| • Median income | $62,071 |
| ZIP Code | 11411 |
| Area code(s) | 718, 347, 929, and 917 |
Etymology
editThe name Cambria Heights was coined in the mid 1920s when the Cambria Title Savings and Trust Company, a bank based in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, provided financing for early development which was aimed at families seeking to relocate from rental apartments in other boroughs.[6] At an elevation of 50 feet (15 m) above sea level, it is considered to be one of the highest points in Queens, together with Jackson Heights and Richmond Hill.[7]
Education
editThe public elementary schools in Cambria Heights are PS 176 Cambria Heights (grades PK–5)[8] and PS/MS 147 Ronald McNair (PK–8).[9] There are four magnet high schools on the campus of Andrew Jackson High School, which are dedicated to: arts and humanities; business computer applications; mathematics, science and technology; and law, government and community service.There are also 2 private schools in Cambria Heights named Cambria Center for the Gifted Child,(C.C.G.C) and Cambria School of Excellence (C.S.E). C.C.G.C goes from pk- Grade 5, and its sister school( which is merged into C.C.G.C) is from 6-8th grade. C.C.G.C was first opened in about 1980, and C.S.E in late 2010-2011.
Religion
editCambria Heights has a high concentration of Christian church communities. There are many storefront churches located along Linden Boulevard, from a variety of denominations as well as nondenominational groups. Cambria Heights is also home to Cambria Heights Community Church, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Holy Trinity Parish Church, Queens Tabernacle Church, First Faith Baptist Church, Harvest Revival Christian Fellowship, Good Life Deliverance Ministry, Saint David's Episcopal Church, and Sacred Heart Catholic Church. The Catholic parish has an affiliated school. Sacred Heart Catholic Academy.
Cambria Heights is also the location of the Ohel, the resting place of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson and his predecessor Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn. Tens of thousands of visitors from around the world flock to the site for prayer and blessing.[10]
Demographics
editBased on data from the 2010 United States Census, the population of Cambria Heights was 18,677, a decrease of 2,267 (10.8%) from the 20,944 counted in 2000. Covering an area of 772.01 acres (312.42 ha), the neighborhood had a population density of 24.2 inhabitants per acre (15,500/sq mi; 6,000/km2).[2]
The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 1.4% (259) White, 90.3% (16,862) African American, 0.2% (42) Native American, 0.8% (157) Asian, 0.0% (6) Pacific Islander, 0.3% (62) from other races, and 1.7% (325) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.2% (964) of the population.[3]
The original population consisted primarily of Roman Catholics of Italian, German, and Irish descent, and Jewish families relocating from Brooklyn. The present neighborhood has a large middle class Caribbean and African American population. The median home cost is $450,600.[11]
Historic districts
editThe New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated two historic districts within the neighborhood in June 2022: the Cambria Heights–222nd Street Historic District and the Cambria Heights–227th Street Historic District.[12][13] Both historic districts were originally predominantly white, like the rest of the neighborhood, but African-American families began moving to the areas by the 1950s, followed by Caribbean-American families in the 1980s.[13] Prior to the creation of the two districts, Cambria Heights did not have any city-designated landmarks.[12]
The Cambria Heights–222nd Street Historic District consists of 46 Storybook-style houses on 222nd Street between 115th Road and 116th Avenue, completed in 1931.[14]: 1 The 222nd Street houses contain brick facades, Tudor arched windows, various geometric motifs, multicolored terracotta roof shingles, and chimneys with stucco-and-brick panels.[13][14]: 15–16 These houses were designed by the firm of Monda & Bertolazzi, based in Ozone Park, Queens.[14]: 13–14
The Cambria Heights–227th Street Historic District consists of 50 Storybook-style houses on 227th Street between 116th Avenue and Linden Boulevard, also completed in 1931.[15]: 1 The houses on 227th Street largely contain stone, brick, and stucco facades, with multicolored roof shingles and rhombus windows.[13][15]: 16–17 These were the only houses in Cambria Heights designed by Queens-based firm Wolosoff Brothers.[15]: 11–12
Transportation
editBus lines that serve through the neighborhood include the Q4, Q27, Q77, Q83 and Q84 local buses, connecting to the New York City Subway and other bus routes in Queens, as well as the X64 express bus.[16]
Notable residents
editNotable current and former residents of Cambria Heights include:
- Michael Bentt (born 1964), retired heavyweight boxer turned actor of Jamaican lineage[17][18]
- Kurt Boone (born 1959), author known for his work documenting street culture[19]
- Fred Cambria (born 1948), retired professional baseball player, a right-handed pitcher who appeared in six Major League games[20]
- Bob Cousy (born 1928), Pro Basketball Hall of Famer[21] attended Andrew Jackson High School
- Chick Corea (1941–2021), a Miles Davis band veteran, played electric piano for Stan Getz.[22]
- Lena Horne (1917–2010), singer[23]
- Ivan Lee (born 1981), Olympic saber fencer[24]
- Henry Petroski (1942–2023), whose 2002 book Paperboy: Confessions of a Future Engineer describes his teenage years in Cambria Heights.[25][26]
- Rick Pitino (born 1952), head basketball head coach at the University of Louisville[27]
- Lillian Roberts (born 1928), labor leader who served from 2002 through 2014 as the Executive Director of District Council 37 (DC37), the largest municipal union in New York City.[28]
- Jackie Robinson (1919–1972), baseball player[23]
- Barbara Rubin (1945–1980), filmmaker[29]
- Tony Santiago (born 1950), military historian[30]
- Clyde Vanel (born 1974), intellectual property attorney and entrepreneur who represents the 33rd district of the New York State Assembly[31]
- Dennis Walcott (born 1951), Deputy Mayor for Education and Community Development in administration of Michael Bloomberg; before that, President and CEO of New York Urban League[32]
- Mary Weiss (1948–2024), lead singer of the Shangri-Las[33]
References
edit- ^ "NYC Planning | Community Profiles". communityprofiles.planning.nyc.gov. New York City Department of City Planning. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
- ^ a b c Table PL-P5 NTA: Total Population and Persons Per Acre – New York City Neighborhood Tabulation Areas*, 2010, Population Division – New York City Department of City Planning, February 2012. Accessed June 16, 2016.
- ^ a b Table PL-P3A NTA: Total Population by Mutually Exclusive Race and Hispanic Origin – New York City Neighborhood Tabulation Areas*, 2010, Population Division – New York City Department of City Planning, March 29, 2011. Accessed June 14, 2016.
- ^ Plambeck, Joseph. "Safe and Sound, Sweet and Spacious", The New York Times, September 9, 2011. Accessed June 30, 2016. "Shaped like a trapezoid, Cambria Heights abuts Nassau County on its eastern edge; Elmont is just the other side of the Cross Island Parkway. The remaining boundary lines, though at times a point of contention, are generally accepted to be Springfield Boulevard, to the west, and 114th Avenue to the north."
- ^ Queens Boards, New York City. Accessed January 26, 2024.
- ^ Shaman, Diana (March 25, 2001). "If You're Thinking of Living In/Cambria Heights, Queens; An Uncongested, People-Oriented Enclave". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
- ^ Dowd, Trone. "Cambria Heights" Archived August 13, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, Queens Tribune, March 31, 2016. Accessed June 30, 2016. "Cambria Heights is located fifty feet above the sea level and is considered to be one of the highest points in all of Queens."
- ^ "P.S. 176 Cambria Heights". New York City Department of Education. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
- ^ "P.S./M.S. 147 Ronald McNair". New York City Department of Education. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
- ^ The New York Observer, "Rebbe to the city and Rebbe to the world". Editorial, 07/08/14.
- ^ "Best Places to Live in the United States". Bestplaces.net. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
- ^ a b "City designates two historic districts in Cambria Heights". CBS News. June 29, 2022. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Mohamed, Carlotta (June 29, 2022). "City designates two historic districts in Cambria Heights highlighting its architectural style – QNS.com". QNS.com. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
- ^ a b c "Cambria Heights–222nd Street Historic District" (PDF). New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. June 28, 2022. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
- ^ a b c "Cambria Heights–227th Street Historic District" (PDF). New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. June 28, 2022. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
- ^ "Queens Bus Map" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. August 2022. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
- ^ 'Rocky Lives' by David E. Finger
- ^ Clark, Lamar; Farrell, Bill; and Chiusano, Scott. "Answer the call for the Hall: The 2016 Golden Gloves Hall of Fame inductees", New York Daily News, April 16, 2016. Accessed December 4, 2017. "Of Jamaican heritage, Michael Bentt was born in East Dulwich, London, but raised in the Cambria Heights section of Queens."
- ^ Bindley, Katherine. "The Paper Chase", The New York Times, April 3, 2009. Accessed January 2, 2024. "Born in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, and raised in Cambria Heights, Queens, where he lives today, Kurt Boone is a writer at heart and a messenger by trade."
- ^ Durso, Joseph. "Pittsburgh Triumphs, 4-3", The New York Times, March 22, 1970. Accessed December 12, 2016. "In the fifth, Dave Marshall bobbled Jose Martinez's single to left and Fred Cambria, rookie pitcher from Cambria Heights, Queens, chopped high-bouncing single that hung in the air while Martinez took third."
- ^ Askeland, Kevin. "Top 10: New York City's Greatest Point Guards". MaxPreps.com. Retrieved January 17, 2010.
- ^ on Musical Lists[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b Davis, Arianna. "Savings in Queens: Great deals in Cambria Heights", New York Daily News, December 22, 2009. Accessed December 12, 2016. "Named after the Cambria Construction Company in Pennsylvania, Cambria Heights was once home to jazz great Lena Horne and baseball pioneer Jackie Robinson."
- ^ Jomantas, Nicole. "African-American Fencers Aim to Make History in Rio", USA Fencing, February 28, 2014. Accessed December 25, 2023. "But growing up as a saber fencer in New York also meant that Homer had role models virtually in his backyard as Keeth Smart and 2004 Olympian Ivan Lee (Cambria Heights, N.Y.) were making their mark on the international scene as Homer was first beginning to compete at the national level."
- ^ Petroski, Henry (2002). Paperboy: Confessions of a Future Engineer. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0-375-41353-7.
- ^ Freeman, John. "Paperboy: Confessions Of A Future Engineer by Henry Petroski; Memoirs of former paperboy fail to deliver", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 5, 2012. Accessed December 4, 2017. "The memoir starts promisingly enough. The year is 1954, and Petroski and his family have relocated from Brooklyn to Cambria Heights, a step-up by anyone's yardstick."
- ^ Vecsey, George. "Sports of The Times; Rick Pitino: Reviving February", The New York Times, February 13, 1987. Accessed December 12, 2016. "Pitino, who grew up in Manhattan, Cambria Heights, Queens, and Bayville, L.I., comes to Hillcrest with a 16–5 record and the best 3-point shooting in the country."
- ^ Klemesrud, Judy. "Director of Hospital Walkout", The New York Times, August 5, 1976. Accessed December 4, 2017. "Mrs. Roberts, who is paid $34,000 a year, has no children of her own, but is raising the three sons of her late sister in a two-family home in Cambria Heights, Queens."
- ^ "Barbara Rubin: An Angel on Canal Street", Artinfo.com, December 19, 2012. Accessed December 12, 2016. "Rubin was still 17, a girl from Cambria Heights (the same Queens neighborhood that incubated the Shangri La's) and newly discharged from a Connecticut sanitarium, when she found her way to the Film-maker's Cooperative then located in Jonas Mekas's apartment on Park Avenue South."
- ^ "On Two Fronts: Latinos and Vietnam". Arizona PBS. November 9, 2017. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
- ^ Clyde Vanel, National Alliance for the Advancement of Haitian Professionals. Accessed January 2, 2024. "Clyde Vanel is an attorney, entrepreneur, private pilot and community advocate from Cambria Heights, New York."
- ^ "GBM September 16, 2008: Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott". Facebook.com. September 16, 2008. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
- ^ ""Mary Weiss Interview", Norton Records, 2006". Archived from the original on April 14, 2009. Retrieved August 20, 2009.
External links
edit- Cambria Heights, NY Home Town Locator
- Cambria Heights, Homebuyers, NYC Housing Preservation and Development