DOWN TO HEARTH Many single-family homes with working fireplaces and other hard-to-find amenities line the streets of Jackson Heights, like this one on 78th Street.

Photograph by Claudio Papapietro

(Last updated April 22, 2008).

Why your family should move there

This Queens neighborhood provides a strong sense of place for its residents, who hail from all over the world. Families from India and Latin America live alongside young people chased out of Brooklyn by high rents, making this area anything but homogeneous, with a large assortment of family-owned shops and eateries. Most of your needs—schools, post offices, dry cleaners—are concentrated in one area, and you can get around easily without owning a car. (Plus, it’s only a 15-minute bus ride to LaGuardia Airport on the Q33 or Q47.)

What you’ll find

Roosevelt Avenue, directly under the above-ground 7 train track, is loaded with tiny mom-and-pop businesses, local fast-food joints, plenty of pharmacies and not a Starbucks in sight. On weekends, families stroll around shopping for sneakers, saris and more. Walk further away from that hectic epicenter and you’ll end up in the peaceful Historic District, from 80th to 88th Streets between 35th and 37th Avenues. There you’ll see rows of prewar red-brick apartment buildings, many of which share private gardens not visible from the street. Lots of residents are young folks who have just started families and bought their first piece of New York City real estate.

What you’ll pay

Prices range from $225,000 to $550,000 for a two-bedroom apartment, depending on amenities such as elevators, doormen, resident garages, balconies and fireplaces. One recent listing featured a 1,250-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bath prewar apartment for $455,000. The unit included a full dining room, eat-in kitchen, hardwood floors and laundry in the basement. A 975-square-foot two-bedroom with two exposures listed for just $240,000. Broker Daniel Karatzas, of Beaudoin Realtor, was born in the area and wrote a book on Jackson Heights’ history. He is passionate about his native ’hood: “This area has character and charm, and people move here because it’s a great place to raise kids.”

Where to hang out

The main commercial artery, 37th Avenue, has plenty of stores, restaurants and supermarkets along the way. At Jackson Diner (37-47 74th Rd, 718-672-1232) kids can sample curry, vindaloo and nan. Bollywood movie theater the Eagle (73-07 74th Rd, 718-205-2800) serves both popcorn and samosas. La Casa del Bebe (84-05 Roosevelt Ave, 718-639-5320)provides parents with newborn necessities. In 2005, the NYC Parks Department poured $500,000 into improving Travers Park, on 34th Avenue between 77th and 78th Streets. The tot play area was expanded, and a storytelling area was added, along with a puppet theater space.

What the locals love

Astoria transplants Maria and Jansson Stegner, who are expecting their first child next month, found their Heights apartment on Craigslist almost a year ago for under $200,000, after searching in vain for something as affordable or spacious elsewhere. “More than anything, I feel safe,” says Maria, “and I really think we’ve chosen the right place to begin our family.”

Report card on the schools

Most area schools have been renovated or built in the past eight years. P.S. 69 (77-02 37th Ave), a K–5 school that just underwent a major makeover, excels in its art programs and regularly scores well on citywide exams. P.S. 212 (34-25 82nd St), built seven years ago, often exceeds New York’s standard assessment test scores by about 15 percent. Also, a number of private schools, like Blessed Sacrament (34-20 94th St), offer tuition fees from $3,600 to $4,650 per year, based on your membership in the parish. That’s more than reasonable when compared with parochial schools in Manhattan.

What we’d change

Traffic is a nightmare. That makes the avenues loud and tricky to traverse, and means that when you step out of the subway station, car fumes are often the first thing to greet you.

Distance to Manhattan

Thirty to 45 minutes to midtown on the E, F, R, V or 7 train.

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