Jamaica is a middle-class neighborhood in the New York City, New York borough of Queens. It mainly comprises a large commercial and retail area, though part of the neighborhood is residential. Hollis borders Jamaica to the east; St. Albans, Springfield Gardens, and Rochdale Village to the southeast; South Jamaica to the south; Richmond Hill and South Ozone Park to the west; Briarwood to the northwest; and Kew Gardens Hills, Jamaica Hills, and Jamaica Estates to the north.
Originally a designation for an area more significant than the current neighborhood, Jamaica was settled under Dutch rule in 1656. It was initially called Rustdorp before it took its present name. Subsequently, under English law, Jamaica became the center of the “Town of Jamaica.” It was the first county seat of Queens County, holding that title from 1683 to 1788, and was also the first incorporated village on Long Island. When Queens was incorporated into the City of Greater New York in 1898, both the Town of Jamaica and the Village of Jamaica were dissolved, but the neighborhood of Jamaica regained its role as the county seat. Today, some locals group Jamaica’s surrounding communities into an unofficial Greater Jamaica area encompassing most or all of the extent of the former town. A&E NYC Plumbing
Jamaica is the location of several government buildings, including Queens Civil Court, the civil branch of the Queens County Supreme Court, the Queens County Family Court, and the Joseph P. Addabbo Federal Building, home to the Social Security Administration’s Northeastern Program Service Center. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Northeast Regional Laboratory and the New York District Office are also in Jamaica. Jamaica Center, the area around Jamaica Avenue, is a major commercial center. Based at Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, the New York Racing Association lists its official address as Jamaica (Central Jamaica once housed NYRA’s Jamaica Racetrack, now the massive Rochdale Village housing development). John F. Kennedy International Airport and the hotels nearby are also located in Jamaica.
Park and Recreation
Baisley Pond Park has over 100 acres (0.40 km2) of outdoor recreational space, including a 30-acre (0.12 km2) pond. Flushing Meadows-Corona Park abuts Jamaica on its far northwestern corner. At 897 acres (363 ha), it is the fourth-largest public park in New York City. The southernmost part of the park is adjacent to Willow Lake, which is named for the many species of Willow plants that inhabit the area. The Jamaica subway yard is located at the very south end of the park site, beyond Willow Lake.
Restaurants Nearby
- Yogi’s is located at 40-unit c, 92, Guy R Brewer Blvd, Jamaica, New York City, NY
- Kelly D Jamaica American Rest is located at 11050 Sutphin Blvd, Jamaica, New York
- Rib Shack is located at 157-6 Linden Blvd, Queens, NY
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