Cambria Heights, Queens


Cambria Heights is a residential neighborhood in the southeastern portion of the New York City borough of Queens. It is bounded by Springfield Boulevard, Francis Lewis Boulevard, and St. Albans to the west, the Elmont, Nassau County border on the east, Queens Village to the north, and Montefiore Cemetery and Laurelton, Springfield Gardens, and Rosedale to the south. As of 2010, Cambria Heights's population was 18,677. The neighborhood is part of Queens Community Board 13.

Etymology

The name Cambria Heights was coined in the mid-1920s when the Cambria Title Savings and Trust Company, a bank based in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, provided financing for early development which was aimed at families seeking to relocate from rental apartments in other boroughs. Named for its position above the surrounding area, the neighborhood is at an elevation of above sea level; though Glen Oaks is the highest in the borough, Cambria Heights is considered to be one of the highest points in Queens -- together with Jackson Heights and Richmond Hill -- and of all Long Island.

Education

The public elementary schools in Cambria Heights are PS 176 Cambria Heights and PS/MS 147 Ronald McNair. There are four magnet high schools on the campus of Andrew Jackson High School, which are dedicated to: arts and humanities; business computer applications; mathematics, science and technology; and law, government and community service.There are also 2 private schools in Cambria Heights named Cambria Center for the Gifted Child, and Cambria School of Excellence. C.C.G.C goes from pk- Grade 5, and its sister school is from 6-8th grade. C.C.G.C was first opened in about 1980, and C.S.E in late 2010–2011.

Religion

Cambria Heights has a high concentration of Christian church communities. There are many storefront churches located along Linden Boulevard, from a variety of denominations as well as nondenominational groups. Cambria Heights is also home to Cambria Heights Community Church, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Holy Trinity Parish Church, Queens Tabernacle Church, First Faith Baptist Church, Harvest Revival Christian Fellowship, Good Life Deliverance Ministry, Saint David's Episcopal Church, and Sacred Heart Catholic Church. The Catholic parish has an affiliated school.
Cambria Heights is also the location of the Ohel, the resting place of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson and his predecessor Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn. Tens of thousands of visitors from around the world flock to the site for prayer and blessing.

Demographics

Cambria Heights, which is stipulated as Neighborhood Tabulation Area QN1304 by the New York City Department of City Planning, had 19,081 inhabitants based on data from the 2020 United States Census and covered an area of. This was an increase of 404 persons from the 18,677 counted in 2010. The neighborhood had a population density of 25.2 inhabitants per acre.
The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 1.4% White, 84.5% Black, 1.4% Asian, 1.5% from other races, and 4.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.8% of the population.
According to the 2020 United States Census, Cambria Heights has many cultural communities of over 1,000 inhabitants. This include residents who identify as African American, Haitian, and Jamaican. 38.7% of the residents in Cambria Heights were foreign born.
Most inhabitants are higher-aged adults: 18.8% are between the ages of between 0–19, 24.7% between 20 and 39, 27.5% between 40 and 59, and 28.7% older than 60. 77.4% of the households had at least one family present.

Politics

Cambria Heights is part of the 14h New York State Senate district, represented by Leroy Comrie; the 23rd New York State Assembly district, represented by Clyde Vanel; District 32 in the New York City Council, represented by Nantasha Williams; 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives, represented by Gregory W. Meeks; and represented by Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand in the United States Senate.

Historic districts

The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated two historic districts within the neighborhood in June 2022: the Cambria Heights–222nd Street Historic District and the Cambria Heights–227th Street Historic District. Both historic districts were originally predominantly white, like the rest of the neighborhood, but African-American families began moving to the areas by the 1950s, followed by Caribbean-American families in the 1980s. Prior to the creation of the two districts, Cambria Heights did not have any city-designated landmarks.
The Cambria Heights–222nd Street Historic District consists of 46 Storybook-style houses on 222nd Street between 115th Road and 116th Avenue, completed in 1931. The 222nd Street houses contain brick facades, Tudor arched windows, various geometric motifs, multicolored terracotta roof shingles, and chimneys with stucco-and-brick panels. These houses were designed by the firm of Monda & Bertolazzi, based in Ozone Park, Queens.
The Cambria Heights–227th Street Historic District consists of 50 Storybook-style houses on 227th Street between 116th Avenue and Linden Boulevard, also completed in 1931. The houses on 227th Street largely contain stone, brick, and stucco facades, with multicolored roof shingles and rhombus windows. These were the only houses in Cambria Heights designed by Queens-based firm Wolosoff Brothers.

Transportation

Bus lines that serve through the neighborhood include the local buses, connecting to the New York City Subway and other bus routes in Queens, as well as the express bus.

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Cambria Heights include: