LeFrak City (originally spelled Lefrak and pronounced ) is a 4,605-apartment development in the southernmost region of

Corona Corona (from the Latin for 'crown') most commonly refers to: * Stellar corona, the outer atmosphere of the Sun or another star * Corona (beer), a Mexican beer * Corona, informal term for the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes the COVID-19 di ...

and the easternmost part of Elmhurst, a neighborhood in the

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History In the Middle Ag ...

Queens Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long ...

. It is located between Junction Boulevard to the west, 57th Avenue to the north, 99th Street to the east, and the

Long Island Expressway Long may refer to: Measurement * Long, characteristic of something of great duration * Long, characteristic of something of great length * Longitude (abbreviation: long.), a geographic coordinate * Longa (music), note value in early music mensur ...

to the south.

Description

The complex of twenty 17-story apartment towers covers and houses over 14,000 people in 4,605 apartments. (Each building's topmost floor is signed as 18, and there are no

thirteenth floor The thirteenth floor is a designation of a level of a multi-level building that is often omitted in countries where the number is considered unlucky. Omitting the 13th floor may take a variety of forms; the most common include denoting what wo ...

s.) The buildings are all named after cities or countries around the world and are grouped in clusters of four based on their theme. This naming system came about during the

1964 New York World's Fair The 1964–1965 New York World's Fair was a world's fair that held over 140 pavilions and 110 restaurants, representing 80 nations (hosted by 37), 24 US states, and over 45 corporations with the goal and the final result of building exhibits or ...

, which was located in nearby

Flushing Meadows–Corona Park Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, often referred to as Flushing Meadows Park, or simply Flushing Meadows, is a public park in the northern part of Queens, New York City. It is bounded by I-678 (Van Wyck Expressway) on the east, Grand Central Par ...

. The development is part of

Queens Community Board 4 The Queens Community Board 4 is a local government in the New York City borough of Queens, encompassing the neighborhoods of Elmhurst, Corona, Corona Heights, Newtown, and also includes LeFrak City, Queens Center Mall and Flushing Meadows-Coron ...

. The site includes sitting and play areas (including two

artificial turf Artificial turf is a surface of synthetic fibers made to look like natural grass. It is most often used in arenas for sports that were originally or are normally played on grass. However, it is now being used on residential lawns and commer ...

fields), sports courts, a swimming pool, a branch of the

Queens Borough Public Library The Queens Public Library (QPL), also known as the Queens Borough Public Library and Queens Library (QL), is the public library for the borough of Queens, and one of three public library systems serving New York City. It is one of the largest li ...

, a post office, two large office buildings, shops, and over 3,500 parking spaces. A $70 million renovation project, which ended in 2017, entailed installing

solar panel A solar cell panel, solar electric panel, photo-voltaic (PV) module, PV panel or solar panel is an assembly of photovoltaic solar cells mounted in a (usually rectangular) frame, and a neatly organised collection of PV panels is called a photo ...

s atop the complex's roofs; updating the facades, boiler rooms, building interiors, swimming pool, and roofs; constructing new play areas; adding wheelchair access; and landscaping the grounds. LeFrak City also contains New York City's first robotic

security guard A security guard (also known as a security inspector, security officer, or protective agent) is a person employed by a government or private party to protect the employing party's assets (property, people, equipment, money, etc.) from a variety ...

. The

Queens Center Mall Queens Center Mall is an urban shopping mall in Elmhurst, Queens, New York City, on Queens Boulevard between 57th Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard. Queens Center Mall is the largest mall in Queens. It is currently owned and managed by The Macerich ...

and

Rego Center Rego Center is a shopping mall bordered by the Long Island Expressway, Junction Boulevard, Queens Boulevard, 63rd Drive, and 99th Street in the Rego Park neighborhood of Queens in New York City. History The property was originally the only Quee ...

are both two to three blocks away from the development, as is the

Woodhaven Boulevard Woodhaven Boulevard and Cross Bay Boulevard (formerly Jamaica Bay Boulevard) are two parts of a major boulevard in the New York City borough (New York City), borough of Queens. Woodhaven Boulevard runs roughly north–south in the central p ...

station on the

New York City Subway The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the government of New York City and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, an affiliate agency of the state-run Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Opened on October 2 ...

's .

History

Named for its developer, the LeFrak Organization (founded by

Samuel J. LeFrak Samuel J. LeFrak (February 12, 1918 – April 16, 2003) was an American real estate tycoon. He was a noted landlord who chaired a private building firm, the LeFrak Organization, which was ranked 45th on the ''Forbes'' list of top 500 private compa ...

), LeFrak City was built in 1962–1971 primarily for working- and middle-class families who were interested in modern facilities but could not afford or did not desire to live in Manhattan. The complex was built atop Horse Brook, a small stream that once wound through Elmhurst along the path of the LIE. The land on which LeFrak City is located was previously undeveloped marshland, and the megablocks of LeFrak City are a remnant of the lack of development on the site. The fortunes of the buildings have been closely tied to housing and social trends in New York in general, and after a period of decline in the 1970s and rapid "white flight", the complex became home to a very diverse population. The development remains popular with 98% occupancy due to its reasonable rents, and large apartments.

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of LeFrak City include: * Akinyele (born 1970), rapper. * Kenny Anderson (born 1970), former basketball player for the

New Jersey Nets New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

and other teams during his ten-year NBA career.Cavanaugh, Jack
"Basketball; Point Guard Rivalry Moves to the Big East"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', January 6, 2001. Accessed January 16, 2022. "Some of those open-court moves were picked up from Kenny Anderson and Kenny Smith, two other point guards from LeFrak City, the vast housing complex in Corona." *

Telfar Clemens Telfar Clemens (b. 1985, Queens, New York) is a Liberian-American fashion designer and the founder of the label Telfar. Clemens has won the 2017 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, the CFDA American Accessories 2019, and the CFDA American Accessories 2020 ...

(born 1985), Liberian-American fashion designer, DJ and founder of eponymous TELFAR, a genderless fashion label based in Bushwick, Brooklyn. * Bryant Dunston (born 1986), professional basketball player in Europe and Asia. *

Ehinomen Ehikhamenor Ehinomen Ehikhamenor (born 1 April 1980) is a Nigerian professional boxer who fights in the cruiserweight division. Professional career Ehikhamenor turned professional in February 2004 at the Mohegan Sun Casino, Connecticut, U.S.. In his debut ...

(born 1980),

professional boxer Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional bouts are supervised by a regulatory autho ...

who fights in the cruiserweight division. *

Ellie Greenwich Eleanor Louise Greenwich (October 23, 1940 – August 26, 2009) was an American pop music singer, songwriter, and record producer. She wrote or co-wrote "Da Doo Ron Ron", "Be My Baby", "Maybe I Know", " Then He Kissed Me", "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" ...

and

Jeff Barry Jeff Barry (born Joel Adelberg; April 3, 1938) is an American pop music songwriter, singer, and record producer. Among the most successful songs that he has co-written in his career are " Do Wah Diddy Diddy", " Da Doo Ron Ron", " Then He Kiss ...

, worked with Phil Spector and composed many of the 'girl group' era's greatest hits, including "Chapel of Love", "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Leader of the Pack". *

Kaz Hirai is a Japanese businessman. He is best known as the former chairman of Sony Corporation, serving from April 2018 to June 2019, as well as president and CEO from April 2012 to April 2018. He also served as a board member of Sony Computer Entertain ...

(born 1960), Japanese businessman who was the President and CEO of

Sony Corporation , commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...

. *

Simon Nabatov Simon Nabatov (born 11 January 1959) is a Russian-American jazz pianist. Early life Nabatov was born in Moscow on 11 January 1959. His parents were Leon, a professional pianist and choir conductor who was a native of Belarus, and Regina. Nabatov ...

(born 1959), pianist. *

Noreaga Victor James Santiago Jr. (born September 6, 1977), better known by his stage names Noreaga and later N.O.R.E., is an American rapper. Born and raised in Queens, New York, Santiago first rose to prominence as one half of the East Coast hip hop d ...

(born 1977, aka N.O.R.E.), rapper. *

Nneka Onuorah Nneka Onuorah (born 1988) is a director and producer. She is best known for her directorial debut, ''The Same Difference'' (2015), about gender roles in the Black lesbian community. She received a 2022 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directin ...

(born 1988), director and producer best known for her 2015 directorial debut, ''

The Same Difference ''The Same Difference'' is a 2015 documentary, directed by Nneka Onuorah. The documentary provides an insightful look at lesbians who discriminate against other lesbians based on gender roles. The film follows a series of lesbian women stories, di ...

''. *

Prodigy Prodigy, Prodigies or The Prodigy may refer to: * Child prodigy, a child who produces meaningful output to the level of an adult expert performer ** Chess prodigy, a child who can beat experienced adult players at chess Arts, entertainment, and ...

(1974-2017), rapper, actor and author.Gray, Billy
"LeFrak City at 50"
''Commercial Observer'', August 20, 2013. Accessed February 14, 2018. "Former residents include NBA standouts Kenny Anderson and Kenny Smith, Sony Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer Kazuo Hirai, and musical talents spanning the unfathomably wide gulf between gangsta rap (Prodigy and Noreaga aka N.O.R.E.) and the Spin Doctors, whose bass player Mark White lived in LeFrak City." *

Kool G Rap Nathaniel Thomas Wilson (born July 20, 1968), better known by his stage name Kool G Rap (or simply G Rap), is an American rapper from Queens, New York City. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and as ...

(born 1968), rapper. *

Kenny Smith Kenneth Smith (born March 8, 1965), nicknamed "the Jet", is an American sports commentator and former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played in the NBA from 1987 to 1997 as a member of the Sacrame ...

(born 1965), sports commentator and former professional basketball player for various teams during his ten-year NBA career. *

Jermaine Turner Jermaine Turner (born July 29, 1974) is an American-Irish former professional basketball player who spent the majority of his 17-year career playing in the Irish Super League. Turner first arrived in Ireland in 2000 following a season of college ...

(born 1974), American-Irish former professional basketball player who spent most of his 17-year career playing in the Irish

Super League The Super League (officially known as the Betfred Super League due to sponsorship from Betfred and legally known as Super League Europe), is the top-level of the British rugby league system. At present the league consists of twelve teams, of wh ...

.Shannon, Kieran
"The Kieran Shannon Interview: Superman Jermaine Turner still going strong"
''

Irish Examiner The ''Irish Examiner'', formerly ''The Cork Examiner'' and then ''The Examiner'', is an Irish national daily newspaper which primarily circulates in the Munster region surrounding its base in Cork, though it is available throughout the country. ...

'', January 29, 2017. Accessed February 14, 2018. "Their new home was out in LeFrak City, over in Queens. Turner attended John Adams High School, a renowned American football programme. Jermaine was a wide receiver, until at 15, he figured it might not be the game for him." * Mark White (born 1962), bass player for the

Spin Doctors Spin Doctors are an American alternative rock band from New York City, best known for their early 1990s hits "Two Princes" and "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong", which peaked on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart at No. 7 and N ...

References

External links

*
"LeFrak City: One of (the) Largest Housing Complexes in Queens"
from

About.com Dotdash Meredith (formerly About.com) is an American digital media company based in New York City. The company publishes online articles and videos about various subjects across categories including health, home, food, finance, tech, beauty, ...

A Developer's 30: LeFrak's QueensLeFrak Organization
developer's website * Lefrak collection in process

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lefrak City, Queens Neighborhoods in Queens, New York Housing in New York City Corona, Queens Elmhurst, Queens Multi-building developments in New York City 1962 establishments in New York City

Description

History

Notable residents

See also

References

External links