The quaint neighborhood of Saint Albans was once home to many famous jazz musicians and artists, particularly occupying the section known as Addisleigh Park. Today, Saint Albans is a prosperous community offering large residences on wide, tree-lined streets and a friendly atmosphere. Home to upper and middle class residents of Queens, the small residential neighborhood is a friendly, tight-knit community with much to offer.
Location
Saint Albans is located in Queens, one of the 5 boroughs that make up the infamous New York City. Saint Albans is bounded by Hollis Avenue to the north, Springfield Boulevard to the east, Merrick Boulevard to the south and Farmers Boulevard to the west. The neighborhood of Jamaica is to the southwest, and JFK International Airport is due south of Saint Albans. Manhattan is ½ an hour away, a mere 16 miles northwest.
Geography/Terrain
Saint Albans is on the southwestern portion of Long Island in Queens. Jamaica Bay, surrounded by scenic salt marshes filled with protected wildlife, is the closest body of water to Saint Albans, just over a 20-minute drive south from the neighborhood. Just on the other side of Jamaica Bay is the Rockaway Peninsula (commonly known as “The Rockaways”), known as a popular getaway location. Jamaica Bay follows Rockaway Inlet which flows alongside the north side of The Rockaways to connect briefly with the Lower New York Bay, at which point both bodies of water meet the great Atlantic Ocean.
Distance to 3 Closest Major Cities
Manhattan is just 16 miles northwest of Saint Albans, a ½ hour drive. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is 110 miles southwest, or a 2 hour and 10 minute drive. Baltimore, Maryland is 208 miles southwest, or a 3 hour and 40 hour drive. Washington DC, our nation’s capital, is 244 miles southwest, or a 4 ½ hour drive. Boston, Massachusetts is 213 miles northeast, or just under a 4 hour drive.
Jobs
Saint Albans’ economy benefits from its central location in New York City, a national and global center for business and commerce on par with such major cities as London and Tokyo. New York City’s economy is based on the industries of finance, insurance and real estate, although the industries of media, journalism and publishing as well as medical research, technology and fashion also play important roles in the economy. New York City is home to the largest stock exchange by dollar volume in the world, the New York Stock Exchange. New York City is home to a great number of major international corporations including American Express, Dow Jones and Company, Morgan Stanley, Estée Lauder, Fao Schwarz, HBO, Pfizer, MTV, Sony Music Entertainment and much more. The Big Apple serves as headquarters to many global corporations, and, in fact, has the highest concentration of Fortune 500 companies than any other city in the nation.
Housing
The small, middle-class neighborhood of Saint Albans is largely made up of single and multi-family homes with a sprinkling of apartment buildings. The majority of homes in Saint Albans were built during “The Roaring ‘20s”. The large Tudor-style homes near Addisleigh Park housed some of the most famous jazz musicians and artists in American history during the 1940s. These homes are well-valued, with prices to prove it. There are many new housing developments under way in Saint Albans due to the growing popularity of this quaint neighborhood, as well as many refurbishments of existing homes.
Parks/Sports/Recreation/Golf
Located in the heart of Queens is beautiful and spacious Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Once a large area of swampland, the 1,255 acres has now been transformed into gorgeous, tree-lined trails, large, long meadows, two lakes and more. With amenities to suit every need, you can spend every weekend for a month at Flushing Meadows Park and not repeat an activity! Enjoy a lunchtime picnic or a day of sports. How about a quiet stroll along the tree-lined trails, or an afternoon of relaxing by the lake? Home to the US Tennis Open, Flushing Meadows Corona Park is no stranger to hosting professional-level events, and the large crowds they attract.
The Queens Botanical Gardens is a natural haven unlike any other in all of Queens. Encompassing 39 acres, the beautiful well-kempt grounds decorated by the vibrant, colorful flowers is certainly a sight to see. A popular wedding destination, it is not a wonder given the scenic and memorable background. Free to the public, all are invited to come and enjoy the sanctitude of nature’s beauty here at the Queens Botanical Gardens.
There are 10 Recreation Centers run by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation in Queens. They offer many different facilities for the public’s use including indoor pools, weight rooms, dance and art studios and sports areas including basketball, volleyball, racquetball and more. A wide range of programs are offered for people of all ages including yoga, dance lessons, computer classes and art courses.
Queens is known for its scenic tree-lined greens and well-maintained golf courses. There are 62 well-maintained golf courses within a 20 mile radius of Saint Albans including these 4 award-winning courses: Garden City Golf Club which offers an 18-hole course featuring 6,578 yards of golf from the longest tees with a par of 70; Deepdale Golf Club offers an 18-hole course featuring 6,623 yards of golf from the longest tees with a par of 70; Meadow Brook Club offers an 18-hole course featuring 7,101 yards of golf from the longest tees with a par of 72; Piping Rock Club offers an 18hole course featuring 6,723 yards of golf from the longest tees with a par of 71.
Special Attractions/Events
Often jazz is associated with such cities as New Orleans and Chicago, or in conjunction with New York City it would be Harlem. Few know of the strong ties the small neighborhood of Saint Albans has with the popular musical genre. Home to Addisleigh Park, Saint Albans was the “place to be” in the 1920s and 30s and into the 50s and 60s for then upcoming, now famous, jazz musicians such as Count Basie. A new mural was recently painted replacing the old, faded mural painted long ago in honor of the times.
Thoroughbred horses are raced from October to May at the Aqueduct Racetrack located in Jamaica. Originally opened in 1894, this track has undergone several renovations – the last renovations being made in 2001 and 2006. The track is a popular destination for both serious gamblers and one-time betters. There are 3 tracks, 2 dirt courses and 1 grass course. The stadium has a seating capacity of 17,000, and a total capacity of 90,000.
Another well-hidden secret of Queens is The Noguchi Museum which displays the late artist Isamu Noguchi’s art works in stone, metal, wood and clay. The museum is comprised of 13 galleries that encircle a beautiful Japanese garden that houses major sculptures made of granite and basalt. Newly renovated and re-opened in June 2004, the museum now offers a newly added public education center.
Interesting Facts/Historic Buildings and Places
Notable residents of Saint Albans include the “King of Soul” James Brown, famous jazz saxophonist John Coltrane, rapper LL Cool J and famous boxer Joe Louis.
The Queens Museum of Art is home to the world’s largest architectural model. The subject? None other than the famous panoramic view of New York City itself, and made up of 895,000 individual structures.
Queens County is one of the original counties comprising New York State.
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