About
Briarwood

ShapeUp NYC: Moving and Grooving with Tenaria

This aerobics fitness class uses easy-to-follow dance steps to increase cardiovascular health and tone the body. The instructor is Tenaria Drummond-Smith.

Mar 6 @ 12:30 PM, Mar 13 @ 12:30 PM, Mar 20 @ 12:30 PM, Mar 27 @ 12:30 PM, Apr 3 @ 12:30 PM

Mar

10:30AM

--to--

11:15AM

Mother Goose Time

Location: Briarwood
Registration: Not required

Infants ages 6-18 months and their parents or other adult caregivers learn songs and rhymes, listen to simple picture books being read aloud and have a chance to meet families in the neighborhood.

Additional Program Dates/Locations

This is a recurring program. If registration is required, you must register individually.

Additional Dates

Mar

11:15AM

--to--

12:15PM

Toddler Time

Location: Briarwood
Registration: Not required

This interactive storytime for children ages 18-36 months and their parents or caregivers will feature picture books, songs and rhymes.

Additional Program Dates/Locations

This is a recurring program. If registration is required, you must register individually.

Additional Dates

Mar

12:30PM

--to--

1:30PM

ShapeUp NYC: Moving and Grooving with Tenaria

Location: Briarwood
Registration: Not required

This aerobics fitness class uses easy-to-follow dance steps to increase cardiovascular health and tone the body. The instructor is Tenaria Drummond-Smith.

Additional Program Dates/Locations

This is a recurring program. If registration is required, you must register individually.

Additional Dates

More...

Mar

12:30PM

--to--

3:30PM

Tax Preparation Assistance

Location: Briarwood
Registration: Not required

IRS-trained counselors will help you complete your 2014 personal income tax return. Bring a copy of your 2013 income tax return(s); all W-2, 1099 and other forms and documents for 2014; unemployment compensation statements; SSA-1099 if you received Social Security benefits; a photo ID for every person listed on the return; and Social Security cards or other official documentation for yourself and all dependents.

Additional Program Dates/Locations

This is a recurring program. If registration is required, you must register individually.

Additional Dates

Mar

3:00PM

--to--

6:00PM

Homework Help

Location: Briarwood
Registration: Not required

A teen tutor is available after school to help students in grades K-8 with homework.

Additional Program Dates/Locations

This is a recurring program. If registration is required, you must register individually.

Additional Dates

Mar

3:00PM

--to--

4:00PM

Broadway and Nightclub Songs of New York

Location: Briarwood
Registration: Not required

Master vocalist Tom Smith presents a fast-paced, entertaining retrospective of the composers, theatrical icons and nightclub performers who shaped the music scene in the 20th century, with songs of George M. Cohan, Al Jolson, Sophie Tucker, Louis Armstrong and others.

Mar

5:00PM

--to--

7:30PM

Spring Karaoke

Location: Briarwood
Registration: Not required

Join us for another riotous round of karaoke! Sing solo or with a group. All are welcome to come in and belt out a tune!

Jun

12:30PM

--to--

4:30PM

SNAP Benefits

Location: Briarwood
Registration: Not required

Find out if you qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, formerly known as Food Stamps and get help applying. See if you qualify for SCRIE /Rent Assistance Plan. Walk –INS are welcome. No appointment necessary. Call LiveON – NY (formally Council of Senior Centers and Services of New York) Outreach Office -347-815-5930 or e mail SNAP @liveon-ny.org for other times and locations.

Free computer access is available at all the libraries.

The Briarwood Community Library has:

5 public computers for Adults
4 public computers for Juneniles
3 public computers for the Young Adults
Wireless access(For wireless access information see Wireless Policy)
Free Internet Access
Microsoft Office software
Limited free printing

Queens Library Public Internet Use Policy.

TBD

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International Language Collections at the Briarwood Community Library include:

Spanish
Chinese
Russian
Hindi
Hebrew

Special Interest/Noteworthy Collections at the Briarwood Community Library include:

Black Experience
New Americans Program (ESL)

Child Care / Preschools
Community Board
Community Organizations & Services
Fire Department
Local Hospitals
Local Newspapers

Parks and Playgrounds
Police Department
Post Office
Private / Parochial Schools
Public Elementary Schools
Public Intermediate / Junior High Schools

Senior Centers
Elected Officials
History
Special Services

Child Care / Preschools
A To Z Learning Center 123-21 Jamaica Ave. Queens NY , 11418 phone: (718) 805-4400	Bovov World Wide HS 83-06 Abingdon Rd. Queens NY , 11415	Briarwood Early Childhood Center 139-76 85th Drive Queens NY , 11435 phone: (718) 297-5288
Iras's Parkway Toodlers Program 141-20 Grand Central Parkaway Queens NY , 11435 phone: (718) 526-1803	Kids Palace 84-75 Daniels Street Queens NY , 11435 phone: (718) 658-7818	Sholom Day Care 82-52 Abingdon Road Queens NY , 11415
Yeshiva Tifereth Moshe DC 83-06 Abingdon Rd Queens NY , 11415 phone: (718) 846-7300

Community Board
Community Board District #8 197-15 Hillside Avenue Hollis NY , 11423 phone: (718) 264-7865 fax: 718-264-7910

Community Organizations & Services
Briarwood Community Association 139-15 Pershing Crescent Briarwood NY , 11435 phone: (718) 297-4542 or (718) 297-9680

Fire Department
Engine 298 153-11 Hillside Avenue Queens NY , 11432

Local Hospitals
Queens Hospital Center 82-68 164th Street Queens NY , 11432 phone: (718) 883-3000	Jamaica Hospital Center 8900 Van Wyck Expwy. Queens NY , 11418 phone: (718) 206-6000	Mary Immaculate Hospital 152-11 89th Avenue

Local Newspapers
Forest Hills Ledger	Jamaica Times 41-02 Bell Blvd Bayside NY , 11361 phone: 718-260-4545

Parks and Playgrounds
Briarwood Playground 148th St and 85th Avenue	Manton Playground Manton Street and 83rd Avenue

Police Department
107th Precint 71-01 Parsons Blvd. Flushing NY , 11365 phone: (718) 969-5100

Post Office
Briarwood Finance Station 138-69 Queens Boulevard Jamaica NY , 11435-9996 phone: (800) 275-8777

Private / Parochial Schools
Archbishop Molloy High School 83-53 Manton Street Briarwood NY , 11435-1697 phone: (718) 441-2100 fax: (718) 849-8251	Ezra Academy (Grades 7-12) 119-45 Union Turnpike Forest Hills NY , 11375 phone: (718) 263-5500	Kew-Forest School (Grades K-12) 119-17 Union Turnpike Forest Hills NY , 11375-6143 phone: (718) 268-4667
Our Lady of the Cenacle School 87-25 136th St. Richmond Hill NY , 11418 phone: (718) 657-6690	St. Nicholas of Tolentine School (Grades Pre-K-8) 80-22 Parsons Boulevard Jamaica NY , 11432 phone: (718) 380-1900	Yeshivat Ohr Haimm 82-52 Abingdon Rd. Kew Gardens NY , phone: (718) 633-2540
Yeshiva Tifereth Moshe 83-06 Abingdon Rd. Kew Gardens NY , phone: (718) 846-7300

Public Elementary Schools
PS 82 Hammond 88-02 144 Street Jamaica NY , 11435 phone: (718) 526-4139 fax: (718) 297-0290	PS 99 Kew Gardens 82-37 Kew Gardens Road Kew Gardens NY , 11415 phone: (718) 544-4343 fax: (718) 544-5992	PS 117 Joyce Keld/Briarwood School 85-15 143 Street Jamaica NY , 11435 phone: (718) 526-4780 fax: (718) 297-1796

Public Intermediate / Junior High Schools
JHS 217 Robert A. Van Wyck School 85-05 144 Street Jamaica NY , 11435 phone: (718) 657-1120 fax: (718) 291-3668

Senior Centers
BFFY Hillcrest Senior Center 168-01b Hillside Avenue Jamaica NY , 11432 phone: (718) 297-7171	Young Israel Queens Valley Senior Center 141-55 77th Avenue Flushing NY , 11367 phone: (718) 263-6995

Elected Officials
NYC Council Hon. Rory Lancman RLancman@council.nyc.gov
District Office Address 78-40 164th Street Hillcrest NY , 11366 phone: (718) 217-4969 fax: (347) 561-6116	Manhattan Office Address 250 Broadway, Suite 1773 New York NY , 10007 phone: (212) 788-6956 fax: 212-676-0471
NYS Assembly Hon. Michael A. Simanowitz simanowitzm@assembly.state.ny.us
District Office Address 159-06 71st Avenue Flushing NY, 11365 phone: (718) 969-1508 fax: (718) 969-8326	Albany Office LOB, Room 818 Albany NY, 12248 phone: (518) 455-4404 fax: (518) 455-5408
NYS Senate Hon. Leroy Comrie Comrie@nysenate.gov
District Office 205-20 Jamaica Avenue, 2nd Floor Hollis NY , 11423 phone: (718) 454-0162 fax: (718) 454-0186	Albany Office Room 918, Legislative Office Building Albany NY, 12247 phone: (518) 455-2701 fax: (518) 455-2816
US Congress Hon. Grace Meng
District Office Address 32-26 Union Street, Suite 1B Flushing NY, 11354 phone: (718) 445-7860 fax: (718) 445-7868	Legislative Office 1317 Longworth House Office Building Washington DC, 20515 phone: (202) 225-2601 fax: (202) 225-1589
Boro President Hon. Melinda Katz Info@queensbp.org

Mayor Hon. Bill de Blasio

History

The present Briarwood community stretches from Union Turnpike on its northern side to Hillside Avenue and Queens Blvd., to Parsons Blvd. on its the eastern side. The Briarwood area of Queens was undeveloped until after the turn of the century. In 1907 real estate developer Herbert A. O’Brien formed the Briarwood Land Company to develop the area between Parsons Blvd. and Queens Blvd. The name “Briarwood” was suggested by Mrs. O’Brien because the area was heavily wooded and full of briars. The company went bankrupt and the area remained undeveloped. In 1936 Briarwood Estates Development Corporation began selling homes in the area. In an ad in the 1939 World’s Fair News it proclaimed “You owe it to yourself to visit Briarwood Estates, a refined residential community”; however the area didn’t fully develop until after WWII when returning GI’s settled in the area. Of note, Archbishop Molloy High School is located across the street from the library at 83-53 Manton Street. It was opened in 1957. The population of Briarwood has grown from only a few residents at the turn of the century, to 10,000 in 1940, to its current population of almost 30,000 residents who reside in over 2,000 private homes and over 100 apartment buildings. The Briarwood Branch of the Queens Library was opened in 1975.

Sources:

About Briarwood by Seymour Schwartz, President of the Briarwood Community Association (pamphlet)

Briarwood by Gerhard Heese, 1st Vice President of the Briarwood Community Association (pamphlet)