Woodhaven, Queens is the neighborhood I’m choosing for this assignment. Although it’s not as hectic and overcrowded as other neighborhoods in New York City, Woodhaven holds a small melting pot of about 30, 000 people. The demographic is mainly made up of Latin Americans and Caucasians; as time goes by, other ethnicities slowly trickle in.
I chose Woodhaven because despite it not being a place you hear a lot in local news, it’s a small neighborhood bursting with small businesses and locals striving to get by. While the men in suits make their way to Wall Street, the local 99 cents store owners make their way to open up their shops in the mornings. These small business owners are not only striving for earning, but for space as well.
Woodhaven residents have been dealing with many issues such as noise pollution and illegal conversions. These issues are very prominent along the street near where I live: Jamaica Ave. Small businesses and apartment buildings are crowding up the area under the noisy railroad station. 99 cents stores and salons are slowly taking over, forcing other small, private owned businesses to shut down and overcrowding apartment buildings even further. It’s a silent battle over space for a business to thrive and space for families to rent.
I chose Woodhaven because it is such a far cry from posh areas of New York City. The small businesses that exist in the neighborhood weren’t all built and started by the owners from an original, creative idea such as a clothing store or a vegetarian restaurant. They were built and created through desperation to pay rent and feed a family day by day.
I like your angle –covering a neighborhood that does not often make it to the pages of local news. I especially like the idea of writing about businesses that are launched to pay the rent and put food on the table. See if you can find specific story ideas that others have not covered.
I grew up in Woodhaven and I still live there today. We’re not really known for good education in our public schools either, so you might want to take a look at that too. Also, I read once in a small newspaper (I think it was AM New York) that Woodhaven is one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Queens. It’s kind of hard for me to believe that, since I’ve grown up here. Maybe I’m so comfortable here that I just don’t notice the danger.