The Southeast Queens area of New York City is a growing and thriving community.

Through the development of thousands of affordable housing units, many of the abandoned lots of a decade ago have become dwellings for first-time homebuyers. This has eliminated many of the illegal junkyards and places where criminals operated and homeless people loitered.

The investment in new housing has been phenomenal. Spurred by initial developments by the New York City Partnership with community sponsors like Allen Neighborhood Reservation, Southeast Queens Clergy and Neighborhood Housing Services, private developers are building numerous homes. This has helped to stabilize and raise the property values within the overall Southeast Queens Community. The area bounded by the Van Wyck, Grand Central, Cross Island and Belt Parkway has become some of the most valuable land in New York City.

"The new Pathmark Shopping Center at Merrick and Spring field Boulevards has given Southeast Queens its first major supermarket."

Health Care in Southeast Queens has been upgraded by improvements at Jamaica Hospital, Mary Immaculate Hospital and Queens General Hospital. In addition, a number of clinics have been opened by the three hospitals.

Through many of the events sponsored by the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation, downtown Jamaica has become a bustling center of commerce and government. The Jamaica Farmers Market has provided business opportunities for many small entrepreneurs. York College has expanded and is offering many new courses. Construction has been completed on core buildings at the college, including the Administrative Building, Auditorium, and Physical Education facility. The new Federal Drug Administration facility on the campus provides laboratories for research and has enhanced both the aesthetics and curriculum at York. Science students are being offered – and have accepted – internships at the Federal Drug Administration. Many FDA researchers also serve on the staff . The future of York as a four-year institution has been greatly enhanced by the addition of the FDA, and more than 400 new jobs, many of them employing Southeast Queens residents have been created by the agency’s relocation to the York College site.

The changes in Southeast Queens are not limited to the downtown. "The greatest investment is being made at Kennedy Airport, where airlines are building new state of the art terminals, and increasing the number of flights, while construction of the new rail link is rapidly moving toward completion. Once in place, the rail will link the airport to downtown Jamaica at the Long Island railroad station.

This will make it possible for passengers to board from Penn Station and avoid the Van Wyck traffic. The design for the station includes check-in points for seat selection, and luggage at the train station. Eventually, the link will connect Queens with LaGuardia Airport, making it possible to have a seamless ride to either Queens airport. With the growth of Newark Airport, these additions will make New York airports more competitive. A new hotel is also being contemplated in the overall development plan. The cost of the entire project will exceed $15 million.

Adding to the good news is the New Federal Aviation Administration facility on Rockaway Boulevard which will consolidate all of the Regional activities of the administration in the Jamaica community and create new jobs for area residents. The new facility retains over 300 jobs and adds an additional 400.

The new Pathmark Shopping Center at Merrick and Linden Bouvelards has given Southeast Queens its first major supermarket. With the addition of over 400 new jobs, the center represents a major economic development initiative. Other stores in the center include: Blockbuster, Radio Shack, Payless Shoes, liquor store, Rockaway Bedding, The Dollar Store, Party City, and the CFS Bank, located within the Pathmark Store.

Franchise stores which were previously absent in the community are opening with regularity; Burger King, Jiffy Lube, two Walgreens drug stores, (at Guy R. Brewer and Merrick Boulevards) Enterprise Car Rental, White Castle, Auto Zone , Pep Boys, have all opened stores in the past 18 months.

Community developments often put somewhat of a strain on an already overburdened school system. However, the State University has approved a Charter School, which has the potential to relieve some of this burden.