To view you will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader software installed on your computer.
Plaza College
74-09 37th Avenue
Jackson Heights, NY, 11372 Phone: 718-779-1430
History of Jackson Heights
Jackson Heights has been the home of Plaza College for over 30 years. Also known as the “City within the City”, Jackson Heights was sought out to be a cohesive, people-oriented community. Prior to any twentieth-century development, Jackson Heights was farms and fields. The Queensboro Corporation eventually spent millions buying area farms to build a brand new community.
The area developed by the corporation stretched from 70th Street to 92nd Street, between Roosevelt Avenue and Northern Boulevard. To distinguish its property from the rest of Elmhurst, the community was christened Jackson Heights:
1911: The first buildings in Jackson Heights were built.
1917: The arrival of the elevated subway along Roosevelt Avenue, proving to be the turning point of Jackson Heights.
1930: New transportation elements were developed in and around Jackson Heights: the Municipal 8th Avenue/53rd Street subway (now known as the E line), the Triboro Bridge, the Midtown Tunnel, Grand Central Parkway, the Whitestone Bridge, the Brooklyn/Queens Expressway, and LaGuardia Airport.
1931: Jackson Heights Merchants Association was formed, in an effort to help revive the local economy.
1940-70: Building Boom progressed. In Jackson Heights, at least 60 buildings were converted during the 1980s
1970: Plaza College moved to Jackson Heights; forming of the College's Bruson Building.
1988: The Jackson Heights Beautification Group (JHBG) was formed.
1990-Present: Jackson Heights has continued its role as a magnet for people from an incredibly wide variety of backgrounds. Jackson Heights is today widely known as one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the country.
For many of its residents, Jackson Heights continues to play the role it has since its inception: as a place to live within easy commuting distance of employment and education. Plaza College represents the cultural diversity of Jackson Heights and its community. Our home is Jackson Heights!
