URBAN TACTICS; The Jackson Heights Gold Rush (2000-2010)
By: Katherine Zoepf
New York Times, Section 14; Column 1; The City Weekly Desk; Pg. 4, March 23, 2003, Sunday; Late Edition – Final
On the intersection of 74th street and 37th road in Jackson Heights, there can be found what locals call, the Indian mall. Located here is the most eye-catching gold jewelry shops around. The Jackson Heights gold rush is a special time when these jewelry shops brace themselves for the army of brides and their families ready to buy quality traditional 22-karat gold jewelry. This occasion takes form during the end of the winter when South Asian weddings are most prevalent. Aside from the locals that shop there, many people come from outside the city to buy their gold jewelry. The reason why these Jewelers are so renowned is because they have some of the best suppliers from all over the world, rivaling gold jewelry shops that can be found in most South Asian cities. The article comes to a close with the mention of the changes in tradition and the minimized importance of the gold jewelry itself. Weddings occur here in America as opposed to taking place within the homelands of the people. As a result, the effect and the practical purpose of the gold jewelry becomes undermined as the traditions stray further and further away from what they used to be. However, despite the changes, the gold rush is still a frequent occurrence in Jackson Heights.
If You’re Thinking of Living In/Jackson Heights, Queens;Diversity Stokes a Planned Community (1990-2000)
By: Janice Fioravante
The New York Times, Section 9; Page 3; Column 2; Real Estate Desk, December 1, 1996 Sunday, Late Edition – Final
This article focuses on many interesting facts about Jackson Heights for the purpose of informing people interested in living in Jackson Heights. It mentions the founding of Jackson Heights as a community and its development as a diverse and crowded neighborhood. The information provided deals with renting and housing prices, the education system of the district, and the cultural hot spots like the Jackson Diner and La Portena. Jackson Heights origins date back to 1909 when Queensboro Corporation bought out local farms and changed the land in order to create a livable, urban middle class neighborhood. The article reports that during the 90s, schools in Jackson Heights, despite being overcrowded, performed well above standard levels. Janice mentions the Renaissance School where the arts is a big focus, unlike other schools at the time who neglected arts due to lower budgets. Also, at the end of the article, Janice mentions a quote from a captain of the police department that crime rates had gone down. All of these facts would be enticing for anyone in the 90’s looking for a diverse neighborhood to live in.
In Jackson Heights, Movers Respect Turf Rules (2010-2012)
By: Sarah Maslin Nir
The New York Times, Section A; Column 0; Metropolitan Desk; Pg. 24, March 26, 2012, Monday, Late Edition – Final
In this article, Sarah describes the life of two groups of “movers” from 90th street and 103rd street. A mover is someone who is hired to transport and move things from one place or another. In Jackson Heights, these two groups have agreed to respect their boundaries and lay off each others’ turf. They agreed that with the economy of today, competition between the two would be disastrous. Although the two are hostile towards one another, they are only verbally hostile. As a matter of fact, these groups are very caring of their respective community. When misfortune was brought upon a member of their community, all the movers banded together to raise money in efforts to support the whoever it was that was in a slump. The job is very tedious, and often times very dangerous, but the movers do what they have to do. As a matter of fact, many of these movers have second jobs in order to sustain their lives. This is accredited to the economic slump that is currently in place.
