๏ Tour Schedule

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I try to maintain the public tour schedule on this page, but it can get out of date. So please join my mailing list and  be informed of new posts. Don’t hesitate to email me at jaconet@aol.com if you have any questions.

Dr. Jack Eichenbaum
Queens Borough Historian

 

SUMMER 2019   EVENTS  and   TOURS

Thank You Amazon for Putting the Spotlight on Long Island City

Thursday, July 25, 2019
5:30pm to 7:30pm
Queens Library @ Long Island City
(37-44 21st Street, Long Island City, NY 11101)

Join us for an exciting evening focused on the aftermath of the Amazon pull-out from Long Island City. Dr. Jack Eichenbaum, Queens Borough Historian, will give an overview of the history and geography of LIC and stress its potential for future high-tech industry. Additional thoughts on the subject and the future of LIC will be shared by a panel of speakers to include:

 

·  Thomas Grech, Queens Chamber of Commerce

·  Nancy Gesimondo, LIC Artists Organization

·  Jorge Posada, LIC Artists Organization

·  Jeannette Rausch, LIC Partnership

·  Arthur Rosenfeld, Veteran LIC Resident and Organizer

·  Joy Chen, Cosmic Fit Club

·  Deron Bennett, Hunter Oak Tree Prize Recipient

Event is free and open to the public. The doors to the event will open at 5:00 PM. Seating is limited   Reserve your ticket at Eventbrite (https://gismolic.eventbrite.com)

 

“Willets Point”/Flushing Bay: Wednesday,  July 31 6-8  PM
This walk will scrutinize two environmental issues. First we will explore the area commonly but mistakenly known as “Willets Point” to the east of Citifield. (The “real” Willets Point is Fort Totten.) where various development plans have figuratively sunk into the polluted mud. We’ll walk through the area to the mouth of Flushing Bay where a light rail AirTrain is proposed for LaGuardia airport. The walk continues into East Elmhurst and Corona for transit connections. >Meets at the junction of  Roosevelt Ave, 126 St and Willets Pt Blvd, just east of the Mets-Willets Pt #7 station. The tour is limited to 30 participants. The fee is $20, payable at the start of the tour. Registration required at jaconet@aol.com

Exploring the Amazon Basin (in Queens):  Tuesday, August 6, 2019  5:30-7:30 PM
No mosquitoes to fight. No machetes needed.  This is the area that corporate Amazon rejected under community pressure. They chose not to negotiate. The area is still prime for artist and tech start-up investments. See my  published  article http://thisisqueensborough.com/thank-you-amazon-you-put-the-spotlight-on-lic/ 
>Meet at NE corner 21 St./44 Dr. (West end of  E,M stop at Court Square/23 St) The tour is limited to 30 participants. The fee is $20, payable at the start of the tour. Registration required at jaconet@aol.com

Rock-A-Way Ba-by for the Sun-Set: Thursday,  August 8   6-8 PM

This walk, on and off the Rockaway “boardwalk,” connects two restaurants which overlook the Jamaica Bay side of the peninsula. We’ll convene at Thai Rock, 375 Beach 92 St. and end at The Wharf at 116 St for sunset views and drinks and/or bar food.  (Optionally, BYO, and enjoy the same view from adjacent Tribute Park!) If you haven’t been to Rockaway Park recently, the scene is changing beautifully.  Post-Sandy renovation has been completed. Surfers and young urbanites are patrons of all of this. Our walk will also include a bit of affluent Belle Harbor to the west and the evolving nature of Beach 116th St, the subway terminus. Come as early as you want and enjoy the sand and surf during the day. There are outdoor showers and you can change in the restrooms. Head to Thai Rock for Thai appetizers and/or drinks and views but be ready to depart at 6:00 PM for our walk.
>Getting to Thai Rock by A train/Broad Channel shuttle should take about 75 minutes from Times Square. The Q53 express bus begins at the LIRR station in Woodside and intersects many subway lines in Queens. It will get you there (exit first stop in Rockaway) in 30-60 minutes depending on where you board it. You can also drive. There are subway and bus connections between the restaurants although parking may be an issue. It is also possible to travel  by ferry from/to Wall St. see ferry schedule at https://www.ferry.nyc/routes- and-schedules/route/rockaway/   The tour is limited to 30 participants. The fee is $20, payable at the start of the tour. Registration required at jaconet@aol.com

 

Brighton Line Memoirs: Saturday,  August 17  10:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Originally built as an excursion railroad to Coney Island, the Brighton line quickly became a conduit to early suburbia before being converted to a subway line (now the Q train.) The route is rich in history, ethnic contrasts (black, Jewish, Chinese, South Asian, and Russian) as well as leafy garden suburb developments. We also visit the Flatbush town center and the boardwalk in Russified Brighton Beach. Prospect Park-Church Ave-Brighton Beach-Avenue U-Avenue J-Avenue H. Lunch in Brighton Beach.
> Logistic details provided to those who register and pay ($49 fee) in advance. This tour is limited to 25 participants. Registration and payment in advance is required.  Send a check to Jack Eichenbaum, 36-20 Bowne St. #6C, Flushing, NY 11354 (include name(s) and email address.) Or pay with PayPal “to a friend” https://geognyc.com/payment