To this day, I am extremely surprised and dismayed when I still encounter some residents of St. Albans, Queens who know nothing of the community's great contribution to New York City (and African-American)history. Being raised in St. Albans, ever since I could remember, my father always mentioned how this section of Queens, was essentially a Black Hollywood for the jazz elite during the 40s and 50s. In recent years I found out that not only did such jazz greats as Lena Horne(whose photo and former home are pictured above), Ella Fitzgerald, Fats Waller and John Coltrane resided in this community but also Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella and famed educator and policital activist W.E.B DuBois.
This ignorance (or perhaps apathy)pertaining to St. Albans' legacy has led to a grotesque "carving up" of the community that is affecting a number of communities within the New York City boroughs as well as towns in Long Island. After the demise of the tech/internet markets, real estate appears to be the only viable "game" in town. Real estate prices are in the upper stratosphere and towns like St. Albans have fallen victim. Thanks to the illegal renting and overdeveloping taking place in the neighborhood, the general character of St. Albans is subject to change. Allegedly Mayor Bloomberg has set in motion plans to halt overdevelopment in these neighborhoods but I still notice once beautiful one family homes being sold and bulldozed in favor of aesthetically unappealing multiple unit dwellings.
These new properties often do not pay homage to the original homes(many that dated back to the 20s and 30s) and may bring folks of questionable character to rent as opposed to owning said residences. I pray that Bloomberg owns up to his promise to halt this overdevelopment but usually greed wins out over these matters. Check out the links below denoting Bloomberg's plans as well as more on St. Albans' history.
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