Free computer access is available at all the libraries. The Broadway Community Library has:
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International Language Collections at the Broadway Community Library include:
Special Interest/Noteworthy Collections at the Broadway Community Library include:
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Child Care / Preschools | ||
Adventureland Preschool 41-31 58th St Woodside NY , 11377-4755 phone: (718) 274-4769 | Bright Beginnings 49-22 30th Ave Woodside NY , 11377-7959 phone: (718) 777-6664 | Kid Krazy 2125 21st Ave Astoria NY , 11105-3228 phone: (718) 545-5728 |
Mi Nuevo Mundo 31-05 51st Street Woodside NY , 11377 phone: (718) 626-7394 | My New World 31-31 60th Street Woodside NY , 11377 phone: (718) 932-4521 |
Community Board | ||
Queens Community Board 1 36-01 35th Avenue Astoria NY , 11106 phone: (718) 786-3335 fax: (718) 786-3368 |
Community Organizations & Services | ||
Central Astoria Local Development Coalition 28-27 Steinway Street Astoria NY , 11103 phone: (718)728-7820 | Federation of Italian American Organizations of Queens 29-21 21st Avenue Astoria NY , 11105 phone: (718) 204-2444 | Greater Astoria Historical Society 35-20 Broadway 4th Floor Astoria NY , 11106 phone: (718) 278-0700 |
LIC Business Development Corporation 29-10 Thomson Avenue, 9th Floor Astoria NY , 11101 phone: (718) 786-5300 | Queens Rainbow Community Center 30-74 Steinway Street, 2nd floor Astoria NY , 11103 phone: (718) 429-2300 | |
Fire Department | ||
Engine 263, Ladder 117 42-06 Astoria Blvd South Astoria NY , 11107 |
Local Hospitals | ||
Queens Surgical Community Center 46-04 31st Ave Long Island City NY , 11103-1842 phone: (718) 545-5050 | Steinway Family Health Center 25-92 Steinway Street Astoria NY , 11103 phone: (718) 721-6100 |
Parks and Playgrounds | ||
Astoria Park Pool 19th Street and 23rd Drive Astoria NY , 11105 phone: (718) 626-8620 | Astoria Heights Recreational Park 30th Road between 45th and 46th Streets | Athens Square Park 30th Avenue and 30th Street Astoria NY , |
Broadway Playground 38th Street between 31st Avenue and Broadway |
Police Department | ||
Post Office | ||
Steinway Post Office 43-04 Broadway Astoria NY , 11103-9997 phone: (800) 275-8777 |
Private / Parochial Schools | ||
Corpus Christi 31-29 60th Street Woodside NY , 11377 phone: (718) 721-2484 | El-ber Islamic School 25-42 49th Street Astoria NY , 11103 phone: (718) 274-9060 | Evangelical Christian 31-29 Crescent Street Long Island City NY , 11103 phone: (718) 937-9601 |
Most Precious Blood 32-52 37th Street Long Island City NY , 11103 phone: (718) 721-9850 | Queens Lutheran School 31-20 21st Avenue Astoria NY , 11102 phone: (718) 721-4313 | Saint Demetrios Greek American School| 30-03 30th Drive Astoria NY , 11102 phone: (718) 728-1754 |
Saint. Joseph School 28-46 44 Street Long Island City NY , 11103 phone: (718) 728-0724 |
Public Elementary Schools | ||
P.S. 70 30-45 42 Street Long Island City NY , 11103 phone: (718) 728-4646 |
Public High Schools | ||
Aviation Career and Technical High School 45-30 36 Street Long Island City NY , 11101 phone: (718) 361-2032 | ||
William Cullen Bryant High School 48-10 31st Avenue Long Island City NY , 11103 phone: (718) 721-5404 |
Public Intermediate / Junior High Schools | ||
Senior Centers | ||
Senior Healthcare Center 27-15 30th Avenue Astoria NY , 11102 phone: (718) 932-0007 | Woodside Senior Center 50-37 Newtown Road, Building 19 Woodside NY , 11377 phone: (718) 932-6916 |
Elected Officials | |
NYC Council Hon. Costa Constantinides CConstantinides@council.nyc.gov | |
District Office 31-09 Newtown Avenue, Suite 209 Astoria NY, 11102 phone: (718) 274-4500 fax: (646) 661-4500 | Manhattan Office 250 Broadway, Suite 1778 New York NY, 10007 phone: (212) 788-6963 |
NYC Council Hon. Jimmy Van Bramer JVanBramer@council.nyc.gov | |
District Office Address 47-01 Queens Boulevard, Suite 205 Sunnyside NY, 11104 phone: (718) 383-9566 fax: (718) 383-9076 | Manhattan Office Address 250 Broadway, Suite 1833 New York NY , 10007 phone: (212) 788-7370 fax: (212) 513-7195 |
NYS Assembly Hon. Brian Barnwell BarnwellB@nyassembly.gov | |
District Office 55-19 69th Street Maspeth NY, 11378 phone: (718) 651-3185 fax: (718) 651-3027 | Albany Office LOB, Room 921 Albany NY, 12248 phone: (518) 455-4755 fax: (518) 455-5032 |
NYS Senate Hon. Michael Gianaris Gianaris@nysenate.gov | |
District Office 31-19 Newtown Avenue, Suite 402 Astoria NY , 11102 phone: (718) 728-0960 fax: (718) 728-0963 | Albany Office Capitol Building, Room 413 Albany NY, 12247 phone: (518) 455-3486 fax: (518) 426-6929 |
US Congress Hon. Carolyn Maloney | |
District Office 31-19 Newtown Avenue Astoria NY , 11102 phone: (718) 932-1804 fax: (718) 932-1805 | Legislative Office 2308 Rayburn House Office Building Washington DC, 20515 phone: (202) 225-7944 fax: (202) 225-4709 |
Boro President Hon. Melinda Katz Info@queensbp.org | |
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Mayor Hon. Bill de Blasio | |
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Dutch settlers were the first inhabitants of the area that is now known as Long Island City. This area was the first part of Queens to be settled. The name Long Island City was created by Captain Levy Hayden in 1853. After selling a large number of shares from his Hunter’s Point Marine Railway to the Beebe family of Ravenswood Captain Hayden named the area with the hope that one day all of the Hunter’s Point, Astoria, and Ravenswood would be unified. The idea of a Long Island City came from these areas wanting their own self government. A public referendum was passed on February 16, 1869 by a vote of 299 for and 150 against. The city was charted as a merging of the villages of Astoria, Steinway, Ravenswood, and Hunter’s Point. It borders the East River in the North and West and Newton Creek to the South.
The charter to establish Long Island City was signed on Wednesday May 4, 1870. Abraham D. Ditmars, of Astoria, was the city’s first Mayor. Early problems for the new city were a lack in decent roads to travel upon. Due mainly to the financial resources and tenacity of James Thomson many of the major roads of Long Island City were completely paved by 1880. This included the complete drainage of Ravenswood swamp. Most of the inland territory of what is now Long Island City was made up mostly of marshland. The city was prosperous due to thriving community industries in oil and glass. The city quickly gained the reputation of being a commercial and industrial district. One of the most prominent families were the Steinways. The German family, headed by Patrick Henry Steinway, were responsible for many upgrades to the Long Island City community and industry. They created streetcar lines, a piano factory, and a successful amusement park called North Beach which operated from 1886 to 1920. This park was located on the spot that is now known as La Guardia Airport. Riker’s Island once belonged to Long Island City until it was purchased by New York City in September 1884 for the price of $2,500.
Long Island City operated as its own separate entity outside of greater New York City. Mayor Henry S. Debevoise was arrested on a warrant by the citizens for fraud and his ineffectiveness as mayor during a tense battle with gamblers that had invaded the city in the early 1880’s. Patrick Jerome Gleason won the mayoral election of 1886 and became just as notorious as Henry Debevoise. Mayor Gleason appointed himself chief officer of the Police board, Fire Department, and Board of Education while appropriating funds of over $245,000 for a school that was not completed until he was removed from office. Gleason’s acts of corruption gave the once highly touted community a reputation of political crime that was looked at badly by the rest of the country. These acts of corruption led to the Consolidation Act for a Greater New York which led to Long Island City becoming a part of greater New York in 1898.
The creation of the Queensboro Bridge in 1909 opened the isolated suburb to commuters who now had quick access into and out of Manhattan. The opening of the Penn Tubes in 1910 opened Long Island to travel from the Southern section of the city. People now had accessibility to other parts of New York and the once strong economic clout of Long Island City was slowly taken away by Manhattan. Over time many immigrants from various European countries such as Italy and Iceland came to settle in Long Island City. By far the biggest ethnic group is from Greece as Long Island City boasts the largest number of Greek people outside from the country of Greece.
Today Long Island City stands as one of the most industrialized melting pots of New York City and the United States.
In 1893 a movement to establish a Free Public Library began in the Long Island City community. The first Broadway Branch was opened in 1906 on 9th Avenue. It was the sixth library unit built for the Queens Public Library system. Circulation for the first year was 36,000. Circulation grew steadily leading to several changes in location.
Children’s services in particular lead to two major moves. The first move led to a Children’s facility created in 1930 on Steinway Street. Children’s programs became so popular that they had to be discontinued due to lack of space. The need for more room led to the opening of the library’s current location on April 25, 1958. The three story building is 15,800 in square feet and is located at 40-20 Broadway in Long Island City.
Sources
Seyfried, Vincent F. , 300 Years of Long Island City 1630-1930, Queens Historical Society Publication 1984
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