Flushing Airport

Flushing Airport

Deserted road to Flushing Airport hangars (demolished 2008).
Summary
Airport type Airport (Airfield)
Owner New York City Economic Development Corporation
Serves New York City
Location College Point, Queens
Opened 1927 (1927)
Closed 1984 (1984)
Elevation AMSL 5 ft / 2 m
Coordinates 40°46′45″N 073°50′00″W / 40.77917°N 73.83333°W / 40.77917; -73.83333Coordinates: 40°46′45″N 073°50′00″W / 40.77917°N 73.83333°W / 40.77917; -73.83333

Flushing Airport is a decommissioned airfield in northern Queens in New York City. It is located in the neighborhood of College Point, near Flushing. The airfield was in operation from 1927 to 1984.

History

It was originally called Speed's Airport and was one of the busiest airports in New York City before the emergence of the larger LaGuardia Airport.[1] In the early 1970s a skywriting company operated there. In 1977, a Piper Twin Comanche crashed shortly after taking off, killing those on board. The incident, along with frequent flooding, led to the closing of this airport in 1984.[2][3]

The airport has largely reverted to wetland. Since the outbreak of West Nile virus in New York in the late 1990s, the land has received frequent mosquito larvicide spraying.[4] Though considered trespassing, dirt biking trails still see activity and the frozen swamps become an impromptu ice hockey surface used by locals in the winter.

As of 2000, Flushing Airport still had its air corridor reserved under FAA regulations.[5] A company called Airships Unlimited has been lobbying to convert the abandoned airport into a "blimp port," citing the fact that Goodyear blimps used this airport in the 1960s.[6] The benefit of this plan would be to preserve the air corridor for Flushing Airport.[5]

In 2004, the Bloomberg administration proposed rezoning the area for commercial development as part of the already existing College Point Corporate Park.[7] However, the plan has met significant protests from the local residents who fear such zoning would bring too much traffic to the area.[8] The proposal has since been deferred.[9]

As of September 2008, the access road is under reconstruction, to be reopened eventually as a regular public through-street. The north hangar was demolished on September 24. The remaining hangars were also demolished as of October 1.

References

  1. ↑ "Into The Weedy Green Yonder". Forgotten NY. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
  2. ↑ "1977". The Queens Spin. Queens Tribune. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
  3. ↑ Hernandez, Raymond (1993-09-19). "Decision On Heliport Awaits". Neighborhood Report: Flushing. The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-09-05.
  4. ↑ "Health Department to Treat Marsh and Other Non-Residential Areas of Staten Island, Queens, and Bronx with Mosquito Larvicide". Government of New York City. 2007.
  5. 1 2 O'Grady, Jim (2000-04-09). "Dreaming of Airships in the Skies Above Queens". Neighborhood Report: College Point. The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-09-25.
  6. ↑ "College Point Airship Park". Airships Unlimited. 2003. Retrieved 2007-09-25.
  7. ↑ "Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg Announces Major Industrial Development To Bring 180 Small Businesses And 1,000 Employees To College Point Corporate Park". Government of New York City. 2004-02-04. Retrieved 2007-09-25.
  8. ↑ Vandam, Jeff (2004-08-15). "If There's a Line at This Airport, It's Protesters". Neighborhood Report: College Point. The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-09-25.
  9. ↑ Hu, Winnie; Colin Moynihan (2004-10-17). "City Defers Development of Wholesale Center". New York Region. The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-09-25.
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