Briarwood

Briarwood has single family, multi family and large cooperatives and rental properties. There is easy access to public transportation - the E and F train, buses including express buses to the city as well as access to many highways since it sits near the Kew Gardens Interchange. Coop and housing prices are reasonable - similar housing in Kew Gardens or Forest Hills is more expensive. Briarwood has its own branch of the Queens Public library and a great large playground for children in the community. There are supermarkets in walking distance from almost any part of Briarwood and access to other essential stores like pharmacies. The neighborhood is diverse and neighbors are friendly.

This is a very small and quiet neighborhood with a very diverse population of Greeks, Asians, Jews, Latin/South Americans, and African Americans. No one group predominates; there is a pretty even distribution. There are lots of multi-family homes and rental properties, which can cause traffic and problems with parking in some of the busier areas. The school district is okay; residents are particularly proud of Archbishop Molloy High School. There are no hospitals in Briarwood, but there are some large hospitals in nearby towns. There is a small, but fairly well stocked library. There are also numerous small stores and restaurants, but there isn't much in the way of upscale shopping. For recreation, people can go to Forest Park.

While the majority of the residents do own cars, there are a lot of public transportation options, wiht numerous buses and two subways stopping nearby. Two Long Island Railroad stations are also within walking distance. However, it is important to note that these aren't short commutes. By car, several highways are easily accessible and JFK Airport is pretty close to Briarwood as well. Rent prices have gone up during the past few years, but they are still cheaper than the prices in nearby towns such as Kew Gardens.

Briarwood is a neighborhood located in east central Queens and is surrounded by other communities like Jamaica, Jamaica Hills, Kew Garden Hills, and Kew Gardens. The area is mainly residential and comprised of much diversity. Briarwood residents include Jewish, Greek, Hispanic, African American, and South American heritage. The area was once a way station for the Jewish community but today those Jewish families have made their way to the suburbs. There is also a huge Asian-American community as well.

The economic activity within Briarwood is primarily confined to small restaurants, delis, markets, and other small businesses. There are few major landmarks in the neighborhood and the area is relatively small. Due to these two factors, Briarwood remains a relatively unknown community. Many life-time residents of Queens have never heard of Briarwood.

Briarwood is home to Parkway Village, a garden apartment complex that was initially built for United Nations employees. Parkway Village has provided the community with an international flavor housing families from all over the world and many of the children attending public schools in the area.

Briarwood is also home to the Catholic Archbishop Molloy High School. Robert A. Van Wyck is a middle school located in Briarwood that holds 1,300 students from grades 6-8.

The area is serviced by the IND Queens Boulevard Subway Line (E and F) of the NYC Subway. The station is found at Van Wyck Boulevard.

This is a neighborhood lodged deep in Queens, and as expected, it’s pretty residential. It doesn’t even resemble the New York that people come to know through television and movies, so if you are a tourist prepare to be heartbroken. However, if you are looking to raise a family outside of the confines of a concrete jungle, this area has more grass than the usual NYC neighborhood, and is more car-friendly, if for some reason you actually have a car. (I take that back, if you live out here, you may find that life is somehow easier with a car than without.)