Rego Park, Queens

Located in central Queens next to Forest Hills, Middle Village, and Elmhurst, Rego Park is a small suburban community of about one square mile. While the population is predominantly Russian, many of its residents are Asian, Latin American, and native-born Americans. This is a pleasant and safe community with good schools, lots of stores, and convenient transportation options. While the town offers fairly affordable housing when compared with Manhattan, it still has some of the highest prices in Queens - particularly in the Crescents area. Residents enjoy shopping at the small family-owned businesses that have been around for ages, as well as the variety of stores offered at the Rego Park Center mall. Century 21 and Kohl's opened here just a couple of years ago. While rentals are hard to come by, there are plenty of single-family homes and both low and high-rise co-op buildings. The neighborhood also has gorgeous single-family Tudor and colonial homes in the Crescents area. Rego Park residents can also enjoy its proximity to Flushing Meadows Corona Park, one of the city's largest parks, which houses Citi Field (formerly Shea Stadium) where the Mets play, the tennis center where the U. S. Open is held, the Hall of Science, an art museum, bike paths, a huge steel globe, gorgeous sculptures, an ice skating rink, and a wildlife center with a children's farm.

This neighborhood isn’t a bad commute to the city, and though it used to resemble a suburb, it is too close to the city to have stayed that way. It now looks like much of the rest of the city – with streets lined with shops, and living spaces located on top of them. There are plenty of train lines that pass through the neighborhood, and buses if you are one of those rare New Yorkers who doesn’t do much walking. Though there is more going on in this neighborhood than in previous years, it still isn’t exactly a tourist hub. Tourists are likely to not only never visit this neighborhood, but will probably never even hear tell of it (which may be a plus for tourist-dreading residents).

Rego Park is located in east central Queens and is surrounded by neighboring communities like Middle Village, Elmhurst, Corona, and Forest Hills. The neighborhood is bounded to the north by Queens Boulevard and to the south by the intersection of Yellowstone and Woodhaven Boulevards. The area was formerly nothing but farmland until the 20th century. The name “Rego Park” came about in approximately 1925, and was named after the Real Good Construction Company that developed most of the area.

Similar in nature to its surrounding neighbors, Rego Park has a high number of synagogues and kosher restaurants. Forest Hills in particular, has a high rate of facilities meeting the needs of its Jewish residents. The cartoonist Art Spiegelman grew up in the neighborhood of Rego Park and has portrayed the area in his graphic novel about the Holocaust. Overall, the neighborhood is very Jewish.

The real estate prices in Rego Park are some of the highest in the Queens borough, mostly because of the neighborhood’s easy access to Manhattan via many subway lines that service the area. Rego Park does have a high rate of immigrants in the neighborhood, but has remained one of the safer and more desirable communities in Queens.

Rego Park is an exciting neighborhood in Queens, New York, a sprawling borough and pinnacle of Queens living, immortalized in popular culture in such sitcoms as All In The Family and The King of Queens. Rego Park is known for its predominantly Jewish population, though the neighborhood is quite ethnically diverse, with several people of Eastern European descent, as well as a growing Middle Eastern and East Asian population. Historically, Rego Park has been called “home” by many immigrants, coming to New York in search of better opportunities and the American Dream. Real Estate in Rego Park is diverse, with expansive and opulent homes in the section of the neighborhood known as the Crescents, and more affordable units multiple level apartment buildings. Rego Park is a family-oriented neighborhood, filled with schools, mainly public, with a few parochial and Jewish educational institutions. An important draw to Rego Park is it convenience, namely along 63rd Avenue and Queen Boulevard. On these streets, one can find everything from McDonald’s to fabulous locally owned restaurants. Both drags are chalked full of cheap places to eat and shop. Nightlife and Entertainment are somewhat nonexistent, but this humble neighborhood maintains a certain essence that encompasses true New York City life.

Transportation: 63rd Drive subway stop, served by the R, G, V, and E (during off-hours) lines.

Restaurants:
Eddie’s Sweet Shop - 10529 Metropolitan Ave
Taco King - 6405 108th St
Tower Diner - 9895 Queens Blvd