Springfield Gardens in the NY Times
This past weekend, the NY Times ran a piece on Springfield Gardens, a community in southeastern Queens. It’s bordered by the neighborhoods of Locust Manor, St. Albans, Cambria Heights, Rosedale, and JFK Airport. It’s also very near Baisley Pond Park, which OuterB friend Kel from the Progressive Southside blog beautifully highlights on a regular basis:
Isn’t is lovely?!?
Recently he implored his neighbors:
you have FOUR PARKS featuring fantastic (and in some cases disappearing) wildlife - Baisley Pond Park, Springfield Park, Brookville Park, and Idlewild Park. Others would kill to have such beautiful parks and waterfront property nearby. You’re blessed to have them within steps of your front door. We must do our part to help preserve them… The green spaces in our backyards are beautiful, but we’re asking you to go a little further out. Endorse the park near you. Be some sort of an advocate. You don’t have the time to get involved? Then simply visit them.
I like the part about “simply visit them”.
The article in the Times frames Springfield Gardens in a mostly positive light. But the problems with flooding and asthma are prevalent. Upgrades in sewers, streets, and gas lines have helped to relieve some of the problems, but it’s not enough. Regarding the asthma, I agree with the sentiment of community leader Barbara Brown:
“There’s really a violation of environmental justice,” said Barbara Brown, the president of the Springfield-Rosedale Community Action Association, a local group. “Not only do trucks go through our neighborhood, but they’re constantly idling, and in idling they’re affecting the air quality.”
The issue of air quality - and asthma specifically - was brought up by those in the pro-congestion pricing camp. One wonders if congestion pricing would help alleviate the pollution. Bus Rapid Transit is one of the elements of the congestion pricing plan, which could have been implemented all over southeastern Queens. However, some in Springfield Gardens were not amenable to the idea of increased bus lines, which were perceived to eliminate parking spots.
The article doesn’t mention that there still are some rough patches in the neighborhood, which affect the quality of life. According to one OuterB reader, the zoning close to JFK in sections is industrial, which allows strip joints and the like. Sometimes there are huge dancehall parties thrown at some of the warehouses.
As is happening throughout Queens, developers are coming to town, building multiple-family homes where single family homes once stood. Some are concerned about the overcrowding that is expected to follow. We’ve written before about the overdevelopment near Railroad Park .
Apart from that, Springfield Gardens has a lot of quiet streets where people in the neighborhood know each other, and take pride in their homes. Sometimes multiple generations live within a few blocks from each other. Springfield Gardens has a strong infusion of Carribean and West Indian culture, too. The essential character is low-rise and suburban. Cars rule here, as there is no real subway access. The LIRR has a stop (Locust Manor) on the Far Rockaway Branch, and a few bus lines.
As far as house prices go, the Times article references the following:
The average price for a single-family house is about $425,000, Mr. Arce said, while for a two-family house it is about $625,000. Prices vary depending on size and condition, he added, pointing to the recent sales of three single-family houses in Springfield Gardens for $356,000, $435,000 and $501,000.
According to a local real estate agent, buying and selling is strong in the area.
Related:
Zoned, at Least Partly, to Stay Petite [NY Times]
The New York Times Reports: LIVING IN SPRINGFIELD GARDENS [The Progressive Southside]
Congestion Pricing: Big Strings Attached To Traffic Money [Queens Tribune]
Springfield Gardens Rezoning [PlanNYC]
Springfield Gardens on OuterB
Springfield Gardens [google map]
