College Point/Jamaica, December 16, 2009

Posted: December 23rd, 2009 | Filed under: Queens

Another epic Big Map odyssey through the Queens neighborhoods of College Point and Jamaica via Flushing.

First, there is a pleasant restroom on the third floor of the Flushing Queens Library Branch (I would have used the one on the “C” level, but I couldn’t immediately figure out where that would be).

The Q65 bus takes you up College Point Boulevard, where we pick it up from there:

(NB: I also added our visit to Cascarino’s from the summer.)

Detours by Beech Court, the Queens Library Poppenhusen Branch (another pleasant restroom — just ask for the key at the librarian’s desk), the Schleicher House, Powell Cove Estates and the College Point Yacht Club before visiting Powell’s Cove Park with its charming views of the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge and Spa Castle:

Then, off to Jamaica via the Q25 bus to see St. Monica Cemetery and Prospect Cemetery, both on the York College campus:

The 165th Street Mall, the pedestrian mall along 165th Street between Jamaica Avenue and 89th Avenue:

I didn’t use the restroom at the Queens Central Library on Merrick Boulevard because I had already taken advantage of the clean restroom at the AirTrain Station, across from Club Kalua and the centerpiece of the city’s ambitious Airport Village concept, which will redevelop the area south of the LIRR tracks in Jamaica Center, putting small business owners like F&D Live Poultry, on Liverpool Street (now renamed for Sean Bell) and 94th Avenue, at risk:

Now is as good a time as any to note that as of March 10, 2008, all North Fork Banks became part of Capital One. We also set up new pages for Jamaica landmarks like King Park, the sleek La Casina nightclub, the ornate Loew’s Valencia Theatre and the Sidewalk Clock on Jamaica Avenue and Union Hall Street. We’re also keeping our eye on the former Queens Family Court Building on Parsons Boulevard as the historic-looking facade is subsumed into a new big housing unit: