Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Jamaica Estates not what it used to be


From the Wall Street Journal:

Long a prestigious pocket in east-central Queens, Jamaica Estates continues to command premium prices from those seeking to make the leafy enclave home.

Bounded by Union Turnpike to the north and Hillside Avenue to the south, the area historically drew politicians, diplomats and other dignitaries to its landscape of classic homes amid elm, oak and chestnut trees.

Recent years have seen new arrivals hailing from South Asia as well as a significant number of Bukharian Jews, who are drawn to the religious infrastructure in the neighborhood—including synagogues, kosher restaurants and shops.

Brokers say the draw for many in the Bukharian community are the large lot sizes for the homes in the area. That makes many of the homes candidates for being torn down and replaced with expanded homes to accommodate larger families.

The tear-downs aren't welcomed by everyone.

"The new McMansions are totally out of character, very ostentatious, very ornate," said Julia Shildkret, owner of Julia Shildkret Realty Group, who has been based in the neighborhood for 27 years. "Prices have sustained because of niche demand, but on the other hand the homes of the past are going away and the whole look of the neighborhood is changing."

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

So as usual, the people from third world countries, especially Pakistan and other middle eastern countries, are coming in and destroying the neighborhood with their ugly buildings and their dirty ways, pretty much how they have made a mess of Hillside Avenue and parts of Jamaica. Ah progress! This whole new batch of immigrants coming here today bring nothing to the table and destroy everything they touch. Good job.

Anonymous said...

Sure and the realtor is happy to sell them all the listing she has!

Anonymous said...

Will the last american leaving Queens please take the flag...

Anonymous said...

Julia Shildkret! Really? Julia Shildkret the friggin queen of Queens developers, gimme a break...

Anonymous said...

First they came to Forest Hills ..so many of the beautiful homes gone replaced by stone pillars & Huge metal gates . UGH!!

Anonymous said...

This whole new batch of immigrants coming here today bring nothing to the table and destroy everything they touch. Good job.
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no they vote democratic and make fine photo ops for honest joe and the boys.

they provide an important service to the community.

Anonymous said...

This whole new batch of immigrants coming here today bring nothing to the table and destroy everything they touch. Good job.
=============
no they vote democratic and make fine photo ops for honest joe and the boys.

they provide an important service to the community
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So sad, so true.

Anonymous said...

Blame on Asian immigrants is misplaced. Shildkret is the one redeveloping the neighborhood. Have you seen her house lately?

Anonymous said...

In 20 years, we will be longing to see Fedder's Specials once again being built.

Anonymous said...

The neighborhood won't end up as Fedders crap. It'll look like the lawnless, pink-mansioned Embassy Rows of Cord Meyer/Forest Hills.

As in the past, and across ethnic lines, the nouveau riche have awful, self-indulgent tastes and even less class. Clearly, it is overcompensation due to feelings of cultural inadequacy; they cannot put enough psychic distance between themselves and the tenements/slums/shantys from whence they came.

Anonymous said...

Your ignorance is showing poster #1.

The Bukharians are not 'dirty' - they pave over every speck of dirt as well as any other living things. No doubt it's they who find our trees, grass and flowers 'dirty' and filled with bugs.

Here's hoping these desert-loving people soon head west and end up building houses in real deserts instead of continuing on with their remorseless campaign to turn our green land into one.

Anonymous said...

These Buko-barbarians...former goat herders from the steppes with newly found money...are a threat to all civilized Queens nabes.

Anonymous said...

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/yards/presentation.shtml

These zoning regulation have been on the books since 2008, though I realize the city doesn't enforce its own laws when it comes to real estate. Still, turning a green yard into a parking lot within the last four years is illegal and grounds for complaint.

Anonymous said...

When did this website go from being Pro Queens upkeep to anti certain immigrant communities?