Glendale

I've lived here for several years and I love it. I can walk to and from the subway (either the M or the L, about a 20 minute ride to Manhattan) and yet I have my own driveway, my own little front yard, and my own garden in back of my fully detached 1920s house. Two good-size supermarkets are within a five minute walk. If I don't feel like walking, I can drive to either one and park easily (both have parking lots).

Glendale is very long and narrow. The western half of Glendale, Lower Glendale (where I live), contains the main business district along Myrtle Avenue and borders nearby Ridgewood. It was developed earlier than the eastern half (known as Upper Glendale) and, as a result, has a number of streets with beautiful yellow brick buildings built in the late 1800s much like Ridgewood.

Glendale is bordered by several cemeteries on the south and has many tree-lined streets. All this greenery makes the neighborhood noticeably leafier and cooler than nearby Ridgewood.

While churches and parochial schools have a definite presence here, it's a very relaxed and homey one. On Sunday mornings you'll hear church bells in the distance. In spring and fall there are numerous rummage sales, pancake breakfasts and supermarket sweeps fund raisers.

People are friendly - much like a small town and old-timey block parties in the summer are common. Glendale also has its own Memorial Day Parade and secular Holiday tree (eat your heart out 30 Rock!). Decorating for the holidays, or should I say ANY holiday, is big here - Valentines Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Flag Day, Fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving and, of course, Christmas.

However, as much as I love this place, there is always room for improvement.

Trash pick up along Myrtle Avenue needs to be a lot better. Unlike nearby Ridgewood, Glendale does not have a BID (business improvement district) so Myrtle Avenue is less clean than it is in Ridgewood and, sadly, there are a number of vacant storefronts as of this writing (October 2012).

Glendale is close to the Jackie Robinson Parkway, which makes it easy to get out to Long Island and the beach but also draws traffic to some parts of the area. This traffic needs to be better managed.

Shopping and eating in Glendale is a mixed bag.

In Upper Glendale, just a short drive away from where I live, there's Trader Joe's, Home Depot, Staples, Office Max, Michaels crafts, Sports Authority, Panera Bread, Five Guys Burgers, all within a large plaza with free parking. Nearby on 88th Street is Tazzina, an absolutely wonderful, cozy, fine dining establishment.

Along Myrtle Avenue in Lower Glendale, there needs to be more variety of businesses and ones that are owner operated. Right now, there is an overabundance of 99 cent stores, nail salons and fast food chains. There are some businesses that are worthwhile - a great artisanal ice cream shop, some specialty euro groceries, a good German restaurant, a school supply store, an Italian bakery, a fish store, some good small produce places, local doctors, local banks, local insurance, local lawyers, local appliance stores, local dry cleaners, etc., but really, the area doesn't come across as vibrant or bustling with activity.

Don't think I'm ready to pull up stakes though. If ever an area had potential, Glendale does. It's got proximity, some great architecture, a leafy, park-like feel, and a relaxed attitude. With the right stimulus, right business mix and smart planning, Glendale will shine.

Glendale is a lovely middle class community with a strong sense of unity. This is definitely more of a town for homeowners than it is a town for renters. Residents tend to stay for the long haul, and contribute to keeping the neighborhood clean by maintaining their homes and streets. The civilian patrol helps to keep the town's crime rate low and residents have a no-tolerance policy for graffiti. There is a homeless shelter that is run by volunteer residents. This is a highly family-oriented town. Most of the housing consists of single or multi-family private homes. The school district is pretty good, and there is a fair selection of private and parochial schools with competitive tuition rates. There are parks, playgrounds, and a great public library. There is public transportation, but most of the residents own cars. There are plenty of stores for shopping and lots of restaurants for dining out. In short, Glendale is not for everyone. It is not a place for singles or young people looking for a bustling night life. However, it is a great place for families with children and retirees.

Glendale is located in west central Queens (nearly at the epi-center of the borough). Glendale is surrounded by Ridgewood, Cypress Hills Cemetery, Forest Hills, and Middle Village. The area is characterized as a low-scale residential community in relation to the more developed neighborhoods that surrounding it.

Over the years, Glendale has evolved from a large farming community to textiles and breweries. There is a huge shopping center called “The Shops at Atlas Park” - which opened in May of 2006. The shopping center has absolutely every retail shop you can imagine and then some. Eateries are also abundant in this area.

Glendale is also known for its high concentration of German Restaurants, including Zum Stammtisch (the Family Table). Stammtisch Restaurant is found in most New York City restaurant guides and is highly regarded as a great place to eat.

There are many schools in the neighborhood which make this area popular with young families. Over six elementary schools, as well as intermediate schools make transporting kids a little less hectic.

This middleclass Queens neighborhood is host two one- and two-family homes, and has looked the way it does now for quite some time. The community is tight-knit, and boards and volunteer programs here work to keep the feeling of community safety alive. This is a clean place (no dirt streets, no graffiti) that features homes with well-kept yards, and it seems like a place where residents move in, but hardly ever want to leave. That means that if you’re looking to rent a home, this neighborhood is not a good bet. Buying a home for a family, however, may be a great option.