Queens

Beneath the Manhattan skyline and across the East River, Hunters Point has towering condo buildings, and more are being built for Manhattanites looking for a slower pace of life with just as many amenities. “There’s a lot of new development,” says Jonna Stark, a licensed associate real estate broker with Brown Harris Stevens who does most of her work in Hunters Point. “It’s been going on for a while now, maybe 15 years or even longer. The market is still going strong, and the prices never really dropped. I personally think it has the best waterfront in all of Queens. And if you have a condo without water views, all you have to do is walk a little ways to see postcard views.” Parks line the eastern border, and restaurants from almost every culture sit throughout the area. Although there’s plenty to do in the neighborhood, locals can take the ferry, train, bus or expressways to visit the rest of Queens or Manhattan. “Long Island City and Hunters Point are still growing, so every year it gets better,” Stark says. “More and more restaurants come in, and more and more stores are built. People who buy or rent now will see a whole new area soon.” <br><br>Hunter’s Point South Park has stunning views of the Manhattan skyline and paved walking paths. Gantry Plaza State Park sits in the north half of the neighborhood along the East River and features the Rainbow Playground, which has a colorful ground design and play equipment to spare. The Gantry Plaza State Park Recreational Dock allows fishing enthusiasts to reel in perch or bass from the East River. The Queen’s Public Library at Hunters Point organizes reading time for toddlers and adult knitting and crochet clubs, all in a $41 million building with wide windows for uninterrupted views of the river below. The Museum of Modern Art venue, MoMA PS1, stages experimental art exhibits in a 19th-century school building off Jackson Avenue. Ferries from the Long Island City terminal take tourists and locals alike to Roosevelt Island, where they might see the Roosevelt Island Lighthouse or The Room, with its quiet, open space and statue of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. <br><br>Newly built complexes and historic structures welcome residents home. Some condos make up simple brick buildings; others fill newer, sleek buildings with large windows. “You get more bang for your buck here,” Stark says. “You could pay the same price in Manhattan or Brooklyn, but you'll get much less space. There are full-service buildings with a 24-hour door person, pools and modern luxuries like washers and dryers in the units.” One-bedroom units can sell for $500,000 to $800,000. Two-bedroom options land in the $800,000 to $1 million, and larger spaces hit the market for $1 million to $3 million. A new apartment building is being erected near Hunter’s Point South Kayak Point. The three-tower building's construction is aimed to finish at the end of 2024, so current residents may have to deal with some noise. <br><br>A thriving commercial and cultural district matches the growing residential sector. Locals can try cuisines from a range of cultures by popping into restaurants along Vernon Boulevard. Slice LIC Pizzeria has Italian food, Yumpling serves Taiwanese dishes and Cafe Henri specializes in French meals. Customers at Maiella might pair a glass of Chardonnay with scallops in piccata sauce. Casa Enrique has earned Michelin stars for its Mexican dishes made with family recipes, like its Pastel Tres Leches cake. Spots like Fifth Hammer Brewing Company offer a more laid-back setting for enjoying time with friends over a drink. There’s a Trader Joe’s, Food Cellar and Key Foods in addition to corner delis and markets for grocery options. <br><br>P.S./I.S. 78Q – The Robert F. Wagner Jr. School earns an A rating from Niche and welcomes children from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. The next step is Hunters Point Community Middle School, which gets a B-plus, before moving on to the B-rated Newcomers High School. The Information Technology High School gets a B-minus and pushes students toward their future goals with the Career Readiness and Modern Youth Apprenticeship program. Parents who prefer private education may choose The Grant View School for its low student-to-teacher ratio and individualized academic teaching plans. <br><br>Commuters heading into Manhattan or farther into Queens have their pick of transportation. “You’re always one train stop away from Manhattan. There are two ferries: one goes to Astoria and Roosevelt Island, and the other goes to Manhattan and Brooklyn,” Stark says. Those who prefer riding the rail can head to multiple nearby subway stations to hop on the G, E, M or 7 train. The Long Island City Station connects to the Long Island Railroad and takes passengers farther into Queens. Not to mention, drivers have I-459, the Queensboro Bridge and the Queens-Midtown Tunnel. MTA buses and Citi Bike stations along Vernon Boulevard create additional ways to get around the neighborhood. Laguardia Airport is a quick 12-minute drive away or roughly 40 minutes by train. <br><br>“There’s a sense of community here that you don’t get in the rest of Queens,” Stark says. “You’ll know your neighbor here. It has a small-town vibe in the biggest city.” Places of worship open their doors to locals, including St. Mary RC Church, Wellspring Church NYC and JCC Chabad of Long Island City Astoria. Hunters Point Civic Association organizes the Community Unity Street Fair, featuring live music, vendors, and food trucks. Hunters Point Parks Conservancy is dedicated to keeping Hunters Point parks in top condition and bringing the community out with free public events, including Yoga on the Waterfront, CinemaLIC film screenings and the Queensboro Dance Festival. The 108th Police Precinct’s station rests in the neighborhood, and officers connect with residents at events like Night Out on Crime. The CAP Index gives Hunters Point a 6 out of 10, with 4 being the national average. The area sees a higher-than-average rate of non-violent crimes.

Modern residential buildings and easy connectivity to Manhattan have made Long Island City, or LIC for short, a highly desirable neighborhood on the western edge of Queens. “It’s a very easy commute to everywhere,” says Carlos Simoes, a real estate salesperson with SERHANT who has lived in Long Island City for 12 years. “A lot of times we have couples where one person works out in Long Island, the other works in the city, and this is the perfect middle point for them.” LIC’s reputation as a transportation center began in the mid-1800s with the relocation of the Long Island Rail Road. The area’s population began to grow as the Queensboro Bridge and East River Tunnels were finalized after the turn of the century. In the 1990s corporations discovered the neighborhood, and today commuters come to work in the offices of CitiBank, Altice and JetBlue. Long Island City itself is quite expansive, with very fuzzy borders between Astoria and Sunnyside, and varying definitions of which area exactly defines Hunters Point. Definitions aside, LIC has become an in-demand neighborhood. “The quality of life is a little better than in the city,” says Simoes, “It’s still fairly quiet, it has a neighborhood feeling where you actually get to meet your neighbors, you’re right by the water and you have all the parks.” Long Island City may be primarily known for its peaceful waterfront, punctuated by the sleek white and glass Hunters Point Library, designed by Steven Holl Architects, but it also has a few standout dining and nightlife spots. Casa Enrique on 49th Avenue is a neighborhood stalwart, serving southern Mexican cuisine, and a block away Takumen dishes delicious ramen in its intimate dining room. Sweetleaf has been pouring coffee at its Jackson Avenue outpost for over 15 years, with its Center Boulevard location also offering nighttime cocktails. Neighborhood regulars gather for drinks at Fifth Hammer and Rockaway Brewing Company and newer spots like the Greats of Craft and Record Room have begun attracting crowds. As the area around Court Square has developed, it’s brought the additions of Trader Joe’s and a compact Target to serve the needs of the neighborhood. Shoppers can also stroll up to Book Culture for the latest best-sellers or venture into the Jacx & Co Food Hall for quick lunch or dinner options. For the athletically inclined, LIC also offers a couple of bouldering gyms and pickleball courts. While much of the housing in LIC is found in amenitized rental buildings, condominium buildings have been steadily rising since the early 2000s. Near Court Square, a one-bedroom in a small boutique building can run $750,000 or in a newly-opened tower can cost up to $1.9 million. A one-bedroom in a select waterfront building with a view of the East River might cost $1.3 million. Co-ops are almost non-existent, with the rare exception of a building like the 42-story CityLights on 48th Avenue. A few multifamily properties can be found, dispersed throughout the neighborhood, and a small section of late 19th Century rowhouses along 45th Avenue between 21st and 23rd Streets accounts for the landmarked Hunters Point Historic District. Multifamily properties can cost between $1.8 and $3.6 million. A public promenade runs from Anabel Basin to Hunter’s Point South, spanning the western waterfront edge of Long Island City. Runners, picnickers and families take in views of the Manhattan skyline over the East River and use the green spaces, including Gantry Plaza State Park, which features the iconic Pepsi-Cola sign, and Hunters Point South Park, which offers a large oval space for athletics and sand volleyball courts. Hunters Point Parks Conservancy helps tend to the area, hosting volunteer gardening and summer recreational programming. On weekends families get pastries from Cannelle LIC and walk across the street to the Gantry Plaza sports field for soccer or softball matches. At 11th Street and 45th Avenue, Murray Park offers basketball courts and a soccer field. Community events happen throughout the year along the waterfront, including the Long Island City Waterfront 5K every June, summertime movie nights, and Live at the Gantries music nights during July and August. The nonprofit Culture Lab LIC hosts live music and performances year-round in their gallery space and parking lot on 46th Avenue. MoMA PS1 is also known for its summer parties and regular art exhibitions. Many schools are located in Long Island City, including PS 112 Dutch Kills, which serves pre-K through fifth-grade students and has a B rating from Niche. Pre-K through eighth graders can attend the A-rated PS 78Q The Robert F. Wagner Jr. School. Niche rates Bard High School Early College Queens as the #8 best public high school in New York, with an A plus rating. Students engage in college programming beginning in eleventh grade and can participate in dozens of student-led clubs, including debate, Bollywood dance, and fencing. “You can get into and out of Manhattan very quickly because you have five trains that reach the city in one stop,” says Patrick Smith, a real estate broker with Corcoran who’s lived and worked in Long Island City and Astoria for 20 years. The 7 train offers quick connection to Manhattan and extends all the way across northern Queens into Flushing. The 7 and E and M and G trains are available at Court Square. Additionally, the N and W trains can be found at Queensboro Plaza, and the R at Queens Plaza. The G train provides service to Brooklyn from Court Square and 21st Street. Midtown commuters can take the East River ferry from Hunter’s Point South directly to East 34th Street, with additional stops in Brooklyn and Wall Street, or the Astoria ferry, which also travels to East 34th and East 90th Streets, among other stops. Long Island City’s location in Queens also makes it convenient to LaGuardia Airport, seven miles away, taking about 25 minutes, depending on traffic.

On Long Island’s South Shore, the Inwood neighborhood keeps recreation close to home. Spacious single-family homes fill the streets, with a private golf course in the north, Jamaica Bay to the west and beaches in the south. “It’s a mix of single-family and multifamily housing, but mostly it’s primary buyers who come in,” says Giovanni Curra, an associate broker with Fresh Start Properties Inc. “And it takes 51 minutes to Manhattan with the Long Island Rail Road.” Not to mention, multiple local restaurants and big box stores are easy to reach. This pocket of homes continues to be a popular spot to live, relax and shop. Inwood Country Club is a private 18-hole golf course that’s been the site of the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and the PGA Tour. The club also has a popular tennis program and a private beach club in Atlantic Beach, 4 miles south of the course. “Everyone knows about the Inwood Country Club. It’s very prestigious. And the neighborhood is five minutes from Atlantic Beach and Rockaway Beach.” Inwood Park is 16 acres of green space on a peninsula jutting out into the waters of Jamaica Bay. The park is also the meeting spot at the end of the Inwood Memorial Day Parade every year. Fishing enthusiasts who want to boat out onto the water need a leisure pass. The park is also a popular spot to watch sunsets or planes coming and going from JFK International Airport. The softball field doubles as a football and soccer field as needed, and the roller rink is open from April to November. The Five Towns Community Center is off Lawrence Avenue and connects residents with after-school services, volunteer opportunities and health programs. Inwood has Jamaica Bay to the west and the rest of the Five Towns area to the east. The Nassau Expressway flows down the middle and connects locals to Rockaway Beach in the south, while Rockaway Turnpike runs north to John F. Kennedy International Airport. “It’s convenient having JFK Airport 10 minutes away,” Curra says. “You hear plane noise, but that’s the norm around here. You can look up and see planes flying.” Commuters heading to Manhattan get to work in roughly 50 minutes with the Long Island Rail Road, starting by catching the train at Inwood station. There are no places of worship within the Inwood neighborhood, but some are within walking distance, including Temple Israel and Congregation Shaaray Tefila. Most homes in Inwood are single-family with moderate yards, uncovered parking and around 2,000 square feet. Those with four bedrooms can range from $545,000 to $875,000, while larger homes can sell for $875,000 to $1 million. It's easy to spot split-levels, raised ranches and Colonial Revivals with brick steps that lead up to front entrances. Some were built in the late 1890s and 1950s, but some were constructed in the 2000s. Streets in this bayside neighborhood are wide, with paved sidewalks and no high-rise buildings to obstruct views of the sunset. The occasional tree shades the sidewalks. The Lawrence Union Free School District serves the neighborhood, and students often attend kindergarten through third grade at Lawrence Primary School, which earns a C-plus from Niche. Lawrence Elementary School serves first through sixth grade and gets a B-minus. Lawrence Middle School receives a C-plus and emphasizes mental health and spreading kindness with the annual P.S. I Love You Day. Lawrence Senior High School is the last step and earns an A-minus. Yeshiva Ketana of Long Island is an all-boys school that offers private education with an emphasis on the Jewish faith for prekindergarten through eighth grade. The Nassau Expressway leads past the Target and Costco Wholesale to the Five Towns Shopping Center, five minutes from home. Those who don’t need bulk groceries shop at KolSave Market or Seasons kosher supermarket in Lawrence. There are also popular nearby restaurants for dining out, like Lucky Boy, which has a Greek menu. Ahuva’s Grill Expressway in Lawrence specializes in Yemenite Israeli cuisine, including shawarma, kebabs and soups made with kosher ingredients. Perhaps the most famous restaurant in Inwood is the Sherwood Diner, which has been in operation for over 50 years with classic American dishes and a bar. This diner is where infamous mobsters Henry Hill and Jimmy Burke would dine together. One such breakfast between the notorious “Goodfellas” was famously dramatized by Martin Scorsese in his 1990 epic starring Ray Liotta as Hill and Robert DeNiro as Burke.

Auburndale is a mix of popular restaurants, suburban living and access to the Long Island Rail Road. “There are two big things about Auburndale,” says Anthony Tamboni, a licensed real estate broker with Weichert TMT Realty Group who has over 28 years of experience. “One is the Auburndale LIRR station, which is a big reason people move here. The second is Cunningham Park south of the neighborhood. It’s a beautiful area where people play soccer and hang out all day.” Many residents return to the quiet streets of Auburndale, one of the calmer areas in Flushing, after here working in Manhattan. One of the highest-rated restaurants nearby is Tang, a Korean restaurant known for traditional and fusion dishes with vegetarian options. “There are different types of food and different ethnic backgrounds in the area,” says Dan Hsuih, an experienced associate broker with Re/Max 1st Choice. “Anything you want to find, you can find it in Auburndale.” Most options line Northern Boulevard, like Café Bench, which serves crepes and espressos. Mythos Authentic Greek Cuisine’s menu features traditional Greek meals. The Oasis Café is a Greek bakery and restaurant that’s been serving the community baklava, coffee and brunch since 1986. When residents want even more options, nearby Flushing, Bayside and Fresh Meadows never run out of new places to eat and shop. Groceries are available at H-Mart, Key Food Marketplace or Marino’s Supermarket. The Auburndale and Broadway stations give Manhattan workers a roughly 50-minute trip to the city. Northern Boulevard cuts through the neighborhood’s center and takes drivers east to Long Island and west farther into Queens. Those who drive to work may take the nearby Clearview Expressway to NYC. MTA buses run up and down Northern Boulevard and Francis Lewis Boulevard. Auburndale’s streets are lined with sidewalks that run in front of multifamily and single-family homes. “Auburndale is mainly single-family houses with condos and co-ops in the north half,” says Anthony Tamboni. “It’s a steady market, for sure.” These houses, often with Tudor, Cape Cod or Colonial Revival designs, usually have small yards and uncovered driveways. Residents park their cars in their driveways, but street parking is common, taking up space on narrow roads. According to Hsuih, homes are often in high demand, ranging from $850,000 to $1.5 million. The occasional brick co-op building has units that can sell for $300,000 to $525,000. Another major draw to Auburndale is its school districts. Most of the neighborhood is served by New York City Geographic District 25. P.S. 107 - Thomas A. Dooley offers prekindergarten through fifth-grade classes and earns an A-minus from Niche. Next is the A-rated I.S. 025 – Adrien Block for middle school. Flushing International High School gets a B-minus and has English as a new language and Spanish language courses. New York City Geographic District 26 serves the east half of the neighborhood. School options include the A-rated P.S. 162 - John Golden elementary school, M.S. 158 - Marie Curie middle school and Francis Lewis High School. Although Auburndale has little park space, Kissena Park and Kissena Corridor Park are less than 2 miles away. Kissena Corridor Park has six baseball fields, the Ella Fitzgerald Playground and paved basketball and tennis courts. The much larger Kissena Park has the Kissena Golf Course, a cycling track and Kissena Park Playground, all surrounded by over 100 varieties of trees. With over 80 acres to explore, visitors can spend a full day among the trees and fresh air. Tamboni points out Cunningham Park, south of the neighborhood. This park is one of the largest in all of Queens and where people go to hike, bike and wander the over 250 acres of green space. The CAP Index gives the neighborhood a 2 out of 10, with 1 being the lowest possible score. Hsuih says the community visits the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Shrine Church to enjoy food, games and live music during the annual Greek Festival. Most excitement happens outside the neighborhood, like the Lunar New Year Festival in Queen’s Chinatown, 3 miles east. This festival is a huge draw, featuring parade floats, colorful traditional dress and traditional food. Places of worship within the neighborhood show the community’s diversity, with locations like Hyo Shin Presbyterian Church and Temple Beth Sholom.

Defined by its globally inspired cuisine and top-rated schools, the suburban neighborhood of Bayside is a microcosm of Queens. Nestled near Little Neck Bay, this family-centric area lined with single-family properties is also home to affluent cooperatives and condo complexes. On the north side, Bay Terrace draws buyers to its waterfront parks, golf course, and shops, and a bustling thoroughfare with eateries runs down the neighborhood’s center. Residential enclaves within the neighborhood include Bayside Gables, Bayside Hills, and Bay Terrace. “Things are hot in Bayside right now. There are many more buyers than sellers at the moment,” says Salvatore Sica, an associate real estate broker with Compass who grew up in the area. Nearly 66 percent of residents own their home, and property prices vary drastically. Multibedroom mansions on well-landscaped lots near the water list between $1.6 million to $3.2 million, but are rare to come on the market. Single-family Tudors, Cape Cods and split levels featuring three to five bedrooms range from $950,000 to nearly $2 million. Townhouses and co-ops cost roughly between $210,000 to $850,000. Within Bayside Terrace, a luxury co-op complex known as The Towers at Water’s Edge has resort-style amenities with one-bedroom units typically starting at $385,000. Fort Totten, a former Civil War fortress, attracts residents to its historical buildings, scenic green spaces and seasonal pool. Great for birdwatchers, locals can also rent canoes to take out on the bay. “Fort Totten is a staple of the Bayside area. You can go walking or jogging, or play in the park,” says Sica. “They also have a yearly fireworks show. Plus, parking is super convenient.” On the neighborhood’s eastern side, the Brooklyn-Queens Greenway System offers residents miles of biking trails. John Golden Park, which sits on the former estate grounds of the late Broadway producer, has tennis courts and picnic areas. Crocheron Park—the former site of a Gilded Age hotel—is a dog-friendly outdoor space complete with ball fields, pickleball courts and a pond. Along Bell Boulevard, the neighborhood's main drag—commonly shortened to Bell by locals—residents have their choice of globally-inspired restaurants and bars. Sica recommends the Greek restaurant Taverna Kyclades: “They have the best fresh seafood. And everyone is always very warm and hospitable when you go in,” he says. Locals also head to Uncle Jack's Steakhouse for its seafood platters and dry-aged wagyu steaks. For freshly baked goods in a chic setting, there’s The French Workshop. Other eateries along Bell include Press 195, a sandwich joint featuring hot press sammies and wine, and One Station Plaza, a dog-friendly beer garden right down the street. When the weekend rolls around,Bell becomes a playground for students from Queensborough Community College and young working professionals. Every June, the Friends of Crocheron hosts the John Golden Day Celebration, an annual event to foster community building with mindful movement and park tours. The Bayside Historical Society throws an annual Winter Art Show at The Bay Terrace Shopping Center to showcase the work of Queens-based artists. Another perk of the area is the Bay Terrace Shopping Center with stores like LOFT, Sephora, Home Goods, and Foot Locker. There’s a Stop & Shop for groceries, and farther south, locals can stock up on fridge items at Foodtown of Bayside or premium meats and cheeses at Bayside Milk Farm. P.S. 31 Bayside Elementary School receives an A rating on Niche, and students can continue on to the A-rated M.S. 158 Marie Curie Middle School, ranked as a top 10 standout public middle school in New York. High schools include Bayside High School and Benjamin N. Cardozo High School, both of which have an A-minus rating and are also recognized as standout high schools in New York. Long Island Railroad and I-295 access Residents can access the LIRR via the Bayside Station at 213th Street and 41st Avenue near Bell Boulevard. Flanked by the Cross Island Parkway, I-295 and Route 25A, commuters can reach Manhattan in roughly 20 miles. The Q31 and Q13 buses also serve the area.

Diversity, large parks and high-ranking schools make up Bellerose’s DNA. “Bellerose is a very beautiful, very diverse community,” says Shehriar “Sam” Islam, a licensed real estate professional with Signature Premier Properties who has over 28 years of experience. “There’s lots of shopping and dining, and it’s right on the border of Long Island. Bellerose is the perfect mix of being not too far from the city but still having the appeal of the suburbs.” Those who work in Manhattan have a 30-minute commute with the Long Island Railroad, but a variety of grocery stores and restaurants sit close to home. “The prices are a little higher than homes in Queens Village because of the school district and having more space,” Islam says. “I would say the area is 90% single-family homes. I see a lot of bidding wars happen because it’s a highly desirable area. And people don’t mind buying a larger home that needs work because they feel it’s a good investment.” The cheapest options in Bellerose are three-bedroom duplexes and condos that land in the $200,000 to $375,000 range. With a jump in price and square footage, semi-attached townhouses and 2-bedroom Cape Cods sell for $575,000 to $700,000. Most homes here feature Colonial-inspired designs, uncovered parking and brick steps leading up to the front door, all for $700,000 to $950,000. Colonial Revivals and Cape Cods that were recently built or renovated often list for $950,000 to almost $1.4 million. District 26 schools serve Bellerose, and the district’s reputation and ratings draw in many new residents. P.S. 133 - Queens, P.S. 18 - The Winchester School, P.S. 115Q - James J Ambrose School, which get A ratings from Niche, and P.S. 191 - Mayflower School, earning an A-minus, serve prekindergarten through fifth-grade students. The A-rated Irwin Altman Middle School 172 often feeds into the B-rated Martin Van Buren High School. Students at Martin Van Buren can take advanced classes, including pre-med or robotics, and some sign up for vocational training. Local private school options include St. Gregory the Great Catholic Academy of Bellerose and Our Lady of the Snow School. The Detective William T. Gunn Playground is named after an NYC detective who was a Bellerose native and died in the line of duty. P.S. 018 Winchester neighbors the playground, which features a splash pad and multicolored jungle gym equipment. Breininger Park has plenty of space for using the paved track, playground sets or tennis courts. The site was also named after former Bellerose resident H. Jacob “Jack” Breininger, who spent most of his life bettering the community. To the north of the neighborhood, Alley Pond Park spreads out over 635 acres with a golf course, adventure course and nature center. Destinations like Cross Island YMCA and the Queens Public Library at Bellerose offer areas to stay indoors and have fun. Key Food Supermarket is the place to go for groceries in the eastern half of the neighborhood, while Foodtown of Bellerose covers the southern half. The Patel Brothers store and Maharaja Farmers Market provide the area with South Asian grocery items. Islam recommends Sagar Chicken for their Indian and Chinese dishes, especially the Lolly Pop Chicken dish. Chicky’s is one of the dining options off the Jericho Turnpike, and it serves chicken sandwiches, wings and tenders made with halal ingredients. Casa Margaritas Restaurant & Bar comes alive around happy hour, with guests ordering mojitos at the bar or waiting for their Colombian dishes. La Choza Del Gordo also offers a menu full of Colombian dishes, and the menus have Spanish and English translations. It takes roughly 30 minutes to commute into Manhattan with Bellerose Station. “There are lots of options in Bellerose because of its location. The buses are ready and available at the Hillside Avenue stops. People who don’t want to get stuck in the subway and feel like a sardine get an LIRR card and take the train.” Cross Island Parkway cuts through the middle of the neighborhood and connects to Grand Central Parkway, while the Jericho Turnpike runs along the area’s southern boundary. The Long Island Jewish Medical Center holds the Cohen Children’s Medical Center, 2 miles from Bellerose. Multiple places of worship stand in the neighborhood, including The Al Welayat Islamic Center, the Islamic Foundation of New York, Gurdwara Sant Sagar and the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. St. Gregory the Great Church has been standing since 1937, and it operates the St. Gregory Catholic Academy across the street. Belmont Park racetrack is undergoing renovations to create new jobs, improve the facility and make year-round racing possible. When the site improvements finish, Bellerose residents can get back to donning their eye-catching hats and fedoras for the June Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. South of the racetrack is UBS Arena, where headlining musicians and comedians host their shows and Islanders fans pack the stadium to catch a game. The Queens County Farm Museum has been standing since 1697 and keeps a full calendar of public events, like the summer Stop ‘N’ Swap, Thunderbird American Indian Powwow in July and The Gift of the Magi reading with Santa visits and hayrides. The CAP Index gives Bellerose a 2 out of 10 crime score, with 1 being the lowest possible score.