College Point, Queens

College Point is another town that is marked by a wide range of ethnically and economically diverse neighborhoods. A number of developers and construction companies have been developing the areas closest to the water because the land was so cheap. Formerly filled with factories and warehouses, College Point now boasts a number of modern shopping centers and large stores like Target and BJ's. There are some lovely and newly constructed apartments and townhomes that are reasonably priced. The one thing to watch out for is that in order to maximize profits, the vast majority of these developers have tried to squeeze in as many homes as possible, resulting in homes that are far narrower than what you would usually expect. There are also some very well ranked public schools in the area. It also has excellent transportation routes for cars (the Van Wyck, the Cross Island, and the Whitestone Bridge are all easily accessible).

On the other hand, public transportation options are sparse. The nearest subway is in Flushing. Also, most of the areas that haven't been developed yet are filled with decrepit homes or industrial parks.

Basically, if you can find a nice sized home in one of College Point's better areas, it is a great place to live.

College Point is a neighborhood located in north central Queens and is northwest of Flushing along the East River and Flushing Bay. Whitestone is its eastern most neighbor. The area is right on the water, but continues to struggle in preserving its character as a quiet waterfront location.

College Point is a slightly industrial area with a residential feel. There are mostly one and two family homes and condominiums throughout the neighborhood, with a sudden explosion of multi-family homes on the rise. Traffic and parking are a major issue in College Point due to the replacement of the smaller single family homes with two and three bedroom brick attached homes. Some locals claim they are “sardines in a can.”

The neighborhood offers two highly regarded elementary schools for kindergarten through the sixth grade. There are also several parochial schools and a private high school for girls in College Point.

Retail development in the area has brought in major commercial chain stores like Old Navy, Home Depot, Modell’s, and Waldbaum’s Supermarket. College Point Boulevard is where you will find most of the retail stores and shops. You can walk or drive to the neighborhood store along this street.

This neighborhood juts out into Flushing Bay and is a working class/ middle class area. This is a pretty residential area that is in no way a tourist destination. The neighborhood has experienced some development recently, as is inevitable for all New York neighborhoods as the population swells, and the neighborhood has begun hosting summertime street fairs and other community-friendly events. Developers love this area because they can acquire cheap property and flip it or make rental profits.