The surroundings of the dynamic Jamaica train station in Queens, one of the hubs that connects New York City with the suburbs of Long Island and JFK Airport, have received millions of dollars in investment in recent years.
New hotels were built. Large stores have been set up. Pedestrian access and roads have been improved. But according to the opinion and complaints of many of its residents and merchants, this whole wave of planned development has not necessarily translated into a higher quality of life.
At the pace of urban investments, street sales have also grown. Spaces designed for recreation and pedestrians, in an ascending manner, are being occupied by those who have to earn a living in any way. Furthermore, shoplifting is an issue that complicates commercial activity.
A few blocks from the Long Island Terminal Train (LIRR) terminal, specifically between the great commercial artery of Jamaica Avenue and 147th, 148th and 149th Streets, growing chaos is taking “control.”
On Archer Avenue, a hotel chain facility was converted into a temporary migrant shelter. Since that happened, merchants say they have witnessed unimaginable situations: stoves lit for cooking in the middle of a public street, street sales, proliferation of motorcycles, more robberies and supposedly drug sales.
“We had the illusion that with the changes that the neighborhood has had, more customers would come. But this situation drives them away. We thought the revitalization of this area of Jamaica would be for the better. We are all immigrants here. I think the City that is helping these people is failing to give them a minimum code of behavior. This is horrible, night and day,” said a gastronomic entrepreneur from El Salvador with decades in that neighborhood, who preferred to reserve her identity.
“It is not selfishness”
In fact, dozens of executive hotels, which were built near La Guardia and JFK airports, have been transformed since 2022 into emergency centers to receive thousands of migrants, who continue to arrive from the southern border with Mexico. .
In this sense, the Central American assures that streets such as 149 between Jamaica Avenues and Archer Avenue, in front of two hotels that function as shelters, were “taken over” to the point that it is not possible to walk at some times.
The main complaint is that food is sold without any license, there are scandals, consumption of alcohol and all kinds of drugs, as well as loud street parties.
It could be seen that a few days ago in broad daylight, on that narrow sidewalk, chickens and pork chops were fried in improvised cauldrons, an open-air barbershop was operating and dozens of people were selling meals in cellars.
There are similar complaints and reports in some blocks of Long Island City, Astoria and other parts of Jamaica.
“Everyone has the right to seek a better life here. It is not selfishness. It is not about rejecting newcomers. I am also a migrant. But honestly it is not fair for those of us who have a hard time maintaining a business, with licenses, taxes and electricity bills,” said the merchant.
Between necessity and right
Another resident consulted, the Puerto Rican educator Luis Mejías, a resident of 148th Street, assures that with the changes in urban planning, reconstruction of sidewalks and road improvements, many landlords increased the rent under the idea that the neighborhood was improving. But on the contrary, today his personal prediction is that if “there is no more order”, in a not too distant time, it will become a “disaster” of street sales and prostitution like Roosevelt Avenue in the same county.
“It is one thing to give opportunities to commercial diversity, to food from various cultures, to support migrants. And another very different thing is that in the face of every need, a right arises. In this case, those who do not have a job assume that they have the right to occupy spaces that are for pedestrians. I have a feeling that the investments will be of no use if there is no more order and citizen education,” said the island teacher.
Currently with the support of the City and City Council, a series of consultations and projects are underway, with the availability of $70 million, to further revitalize the center of this Queens neighborhood.
The hotel refuge model
Precisely, Jamaica is in the group of neighborhoods of the five boroughs, where the most migrant shelters have been installed, managed by the City’s Department of Homeless Services (DHS).
Based on data shared by the digital publication City & State, the localities that belong to Community Board 1 (CB-1) which includes Astoria and Long Island City and Community Board 12 (CB-12), which includes Jamaica and St Albans, have a “disproportionate” number of shelters.
Forty-four of Queens’ 66 shelters are in these two locations, including 24 shelters in the Jamaica area and 20 in Astoria – Long Island City.
Councilwoman Nantasha Williams, who represents southeast Queens, recognizes that crimes against the quality of life are a difficult point to hide in her district, although she told El Diario that her office is actively in talks with the 103rd precinct, the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Adams Administration officials, to discuss “transitioning” the shelter hotel model for the future.
“The migration crisis has become a new normal in central Jamaica and in the Neighborhood Plan, we hope to offer new affordable housing and investments in quality of life, to improve this situation,” highlighted the legislator.
Better roads, but…
A nearly $6 million New York City and State pedestrian safety improvement project was completed along the Parsons Boulevard corridor in Jamaica over the past year. On this road located between Jamaica and Archer avenues, the sidewalk space of the corridor was expanded and new pedestrian islands were created.
The project is also part of the Jamaica Now Action Plan, which was initiated in 2015 to improve the corridor for its pedestrian traffic, around the E, J and Z subway station at Parsons Boulevard and Archer Avenue.
The sidewalk was expanded to 11,000 square feet, wayfinding signs were updated to help guide pedestrians through the area, and five sidewalk benches were added.
Additionally, 10 sidewalk pedestrian ramps were upgraded to meet handicap accessibility, 18,000 square feet of roadway was reconstructed, and seven catch basins were added to improve stormwater drainage.
Although in theory, there are more spaces for pedestrians, established merchants assure that street sales are increasingly multiplying. And it is estimated that this summer, it will be “uncontrollable.”
“Spaces that were created for people to walk are occupied by street vendors and motorcycles. They block our access to our businesses. We understand that there are many honest people who need to make a living. Many newcomers have to survive. I believe that downtown Jamaica, at this rate, is destined to replicate the entire disaster of Roosevelt Avenue, world famous, because everything is allowed,” said a Dominican merchant.
A labyrinth with no exit
Municipal sources recognize that the dynamics of street vendors is an expansive wave in several neighborhoods of New York City and that compliance with health laws is one of the challenges of this administration. Specifically, the number of economic sanctions and evictions of people from public roads has also grown in 2024. By at least 54%.
On the other “side” of this controversy, the Street Vendor Project denounced that the number of police interventions and fines from the New York City Department of Sanitation “has been inhumane.” They report that they have applied fines of $1,000 to women who sell containers of fruit that cost $5.
“In 1904, New York City issued more permits to street vendors (7,463) than in 2024. With more than 20,000 vendors on the streets and permits limited to 6,853, working-class, mostly immigrant business owners are being criminalized , which they want to sell legally,” indicated this organization.
Less bullets, more robberies
In general, in Jamaica what were “territories” a few years ago dominated by shootings and gangs, now show different statistics.
Based on the latest report from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) in the towns surrounding the so-called commercial district of Jamaica, shootings, murders and serious crimes have been substantially reduced in the last two years. In contrast, shoplifting and assaults have grown like wildfire.
Shoplifting has increased by 64% this year, compared to last year. Thefts in general have increased by 7.8%. And serious assault crimes by 3.2%.
“The wave of shoplifting is a citywide trend, which we are addressing from several angles. There are no reasons to associate this reality with the presence of new migrants. Neither here, nor in other police stations,” officials stated.