Roosevelt Avenue: Contested Terrain, Neighborhood Center, or Border?
The infamous corner of the Long Island Expressway and Junction Boulevard; the sole musty gem on the crown of Queens; the one place synonymous with issues of public housing: LeFrak City.
LeFrak City is a public housing complex in South Corona, established by its eponymous LeFrak organization (established by landlord/urban developer Samuel J. LeFrak). The housing complex began to reach the skies of Corona in the post-war era, as demand for public housing rose following Lyndon B. Johnson’s plans for the “Great Society”. The construction project was privately funded and officially opened to the public in 1969. At affordable rates of $40/room, and boasting a groundspace of 5,000 apartments across 40 acres, combined with a branch of the Queens Public Library, it was a steal deal for middle class families who wanted a taste of the upper-class life without the financial burden that came with living in Manhattan.
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
