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Backgrounder: Flushing

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Neighborhood Backgrounder: Flushing (PUMA 04103/Community District 7)

According to the 2008-2010 American Community Survey, the total population of Flushing/Whitestone is 251,278. With women making up a little over 52% of the population, there are more women than men in Flushing. About 42% of the population is between the ages of 25-54 and the median age is 41.4. Flushing is a largely “single-race” community, meaning individuals of one or more races make up only about 2.2% of the population. One can almost ascertain by walking in Flushing that 48.7% of the population is of Asian origin. Of the 48.7%, 28.5% are Chinese, 10.9% are Korean, and 4% Asian Indian.

There are 95,254 housing units in the Flushing/Whitestone region. Of these housing units, only about 6.3% are vacant. As the population seems to be on the rise, the housing situation seems to become increasingly stringent. Flushing has grown by almost 2% between 2008 and 2010, but the amount of available housing has grown only 0.3%. The lack of space and overcrowding in Flushing is evident in the pattern of homes in the neighborhood. There are very few detached one-unit homes in comparison to multi-unit homes. 22.5% of homes in Flushing are two-unit homes. The most striking and telling figure is the number of homes with twenty or more units; about 37% of the homes in Flushing are apartment buildings with roughly two bedrooms. Since Flushing has to accommodate so many families, there is very little space for “white picket fence” houses. A sizable number of single-unit houses and moderate-sized properties are also being converted into multi-unit housing. Recently, a large, old house a couple of blocks from my house was demolished and a multi-unit house that can house at least two families has taken its place.

Flushing is a family-oriented neighborhood. It has a large immigrant population, but these are usually families that have recently immigrated to the United States to start their families. Over 50% of Flushing’s residents are comprised of married couples and 27% of these couples have children under the age of eighteen. There are few unmarried couples or couples without children in Flushing. Children can be seen being escorted by their parents from one activity to the next until sunset on most days. There are over 30,000 children between the ages of three and eighteen who are currently enrolled in school. There are around 14 elementary schools in Flushing and these schools are often very easily accessible. There aren’t many school buses because there are usually two schools within walking distance from almost anywhere in Flushing. The schools in Flushing, especially in the elementary level, are known for their dedicated teachers. A few schools acclaimed by the Queens Courier are in Flushing. Children are typically encouraged to pursue their high school education elsewhere because Flushing only has two high schools to choose from, and neither is considered a good school.

Flushing is a family-centered neighborhood with an increasing immigrant population. Asian immigrants prefer to start their families in Flushing and raise their children in Flushing because it is a familiar setting that isn’t too different from their own countries. With the increase in the Asian population comes an increase in Asian establishments, which allow Flushing’s residents to feel at home.

Amanda Burden

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This profile on Amanda Burden is very carefully crafted and constructed. The author introduced the readers to Burden by describing her physical attributes. This allows readers to form an image of the person before his or her story is told. By quoting Burden on her own vision (“I like to say that our ambitions are as broad and far-reaching as those of Robert Moses, but we judge ourselves by JaneJacobs’s standards”), Julie Satow sets the stage perfectly to introduce the varying views of Burden’s ideas. Providing quotes from Burden’s supporters and critics gives the reader a better understanding of how Burden has changed the city and why rezoning might be an issue. Instead of painting a rosy picture of Burden, including critics’ comments also gives the reader a chance to form his or her own opinion of Burden. I was intrigued by Satow’s inclusion of the details of Burden’s personal life. It seemed impertinent to the subject matter, but I realized as I read the rest of the article that without those details, Amanda Burden couldn’t have been portrayed as a whole person. The article is focused on her professional career, but without her history, the article might have read more like a resume than a feature of a person.

Neighborhood Choice: Flushing

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Flushing is known for its cuisine, crowd, and culture. One can find a multitude of restaurants, ranging from Greek to Chinese. The variety of food makes it incredibly overcrowded, making it impossible walk ten feet without yielding to a mob of pedestrians. The thick population density of Flushing may be new, but it has always been home to immigrants and their aspirations.

There are several hair salons in Flushing, each touting its expertise and knowledge of style. However, my father and many other residents of Flushing are loyal to one barbershop, Jimmy’s Barbershop. Jimmy, an early immigrant to Flushing and longtime resident of Flushing, has been operating his small business for years. He has no online presence or Facebook account to promote his business. His clientele consists of those who have relied on him to give them a haircut once a month for years. He has no book of hairstyles to choose from and his haircuts aren’t unique, but his dedication to his work makes his customers reluctant to leave him. Jimmy’s patrons get a history and life lesson along with every haircut and a shave.

Flushing is home to businesses, old and new, but it also hosts humanitarian efforts. Every year, Flushing Meadow Park hosts American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk. This walk unites the community against cancer, which is typically not addressed in Asian cultures. The cheer that cancer survivors receive when they reach every checkpoint of the five-mile walk shows the spirit of the community. All the proceeds of the walk go towards the American Cancer Society’s efforts to provide for cancer patients and cancer research. Everyone has different reasons for participating in the walk, but what unites these strangers is the singular vision of eradicating cancer.

As Flushing grows more and more populated, it is gaining opposition for its commercialization. There are giant supermarkets on just about every block and it is the definition of overcrowding. Politicians and residents are constantly at odds with the owners of new malls and shopping centers, as they contribute to the lack of space and displace family businesses.