Holliswood

Holliswood has the advantage of bordering one of the best parks in Queens. The dense greenery that fills the 360 acres of Cunningham Park extends southward into this sequestered East Queens neighborhood. The gentle slopes of this less than 1-square-mile community and the old growth sycamores and maples lining its meandering streets and cul-de-sacs with their large homes makes Hillside Avenue a very noticeable border between Holliswood and Hollis to the south. It’s clear, walking along the paved sides of these former carriage paths – there are few sidewalks in Holliswood – this neighborhood has been around for a long time. Dutch colonists purchased it in 1654, but the roads weren’t cleared, nor the houses built until an early colonist named Frederick W. Dunton built it up, saving the house with the best view for himself on – where else? – Dunton Street.

Million-dollar homes are still on Dunton Street and everywhere else in this neighborhood. Former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo raised his sons, including Andrew Cuomo who also served as the state’s governor, in one of them. Some of these homes are beautiful colonials from the prewar era, but most are attractive postwar split-levels or new millennium-style mansions incorporating design elements of their 19th-century forerunners. Nearly all of them sit on large lots. For $1.75 million you can buy a big postwar home with new additions making for up to eight bedrooms on a raised lot. Three-bedroom new traditional Victorians built in this century are listed around $1 million. There is a cluster of postwar brick condominium high rises along Francis Lewis Boulevard in the southeastern section of Holliswood where two-bedroom units are selling for under $300,000.

“This community focuses on schools,” says Chatter Singh, a local real estate agent with Keller Williams Liberty and Queens native. This emphasis on quality public education makes Holliswood similar to its neighbor villages in Long Island, just under two miles to the east, where people have long moved for high performing public schools. The Bellaire School is a public elementary school that is ranked in the top quartile of New York City schools according to the city Department of Education. Great Schools reports its science test scores are roughly 10% above the state average. Nathaniel Hawthorne Junior High School received an A rating from Niche and won first place in the 2023 MoMathlon Tournament of Champions, the same year its student band won a gold medal in the major’s festival of the New York State School Music Association. Nearby George J. Ryan Junior High School received a score of 10/10 from Great Schools.

Restaurants and other small businesses operate along the commercial district of Hillside Avenue, which borders Hollis on the south. There’s a Foodtown supermarket and a small but charming branch of the Queens Public Library. Restaurants range from chains like Panda House and Subway to independent eateries such as Gaby’s Pizza, a popular spot for a quick slice. What many consider to be the best Chinatown in NYC is just 3 miles northwest in Downtown Flushing, right near Citi Field where the Mets play. Cunningham Park is just across the shady thoroughfare of Grand Central Parkway on Holliswood’s northern border. Here, residents and dog walkers can get lost in acres of colorful native foliage along the Cunningham Park Southeast Preserve Trail. On the north side of the park there’s a mountain biking trail that covers almost a square mile of hilly and forested ground. Elsewhere, you’ll find playgrounds and every type of sporting court and field you can imagine.

“Transportation goes right into the boroughs from here,” says Singh. The Long Island Expressway meets 295 atop Cunningham Park, making for easy access to Long Island, Manhattan or New Jersey. Holliswood is also the site of the last stop on the F train of the New York City subway system. The F line is a local favorite for its efficient route in and out of Manhattan terminating in Brooklyn. If you’re looking for a Long Island suburb in Queens, Holliswood is your ticket.

Written By

Abbot Street

Photography Contributed By

Perez Folds

Video By

Jonathan Bradley