21st Street - Queensbridge (F)
This station brings you right to the Queensbridge Houses, the largest public housing complex in North America. As a kid who grew up here put it to me, “This is the hood.” To that I’ll add, it’s the hood with access to great sunset views - read on and I’ll tell you how to get there.
A dense, maze-like cluster of nearly identical 6-story brick buildings, this stop starkly contrasts with the glassy high-rise gentrification taking place just a few blocks over. Find me a single tourist in this area and I’ll bet money that they’re very, very lost. Or, they’re doing some batshit crazy subway travel project.
A mere slice of the Queensbridge Houses.
Truthfully, I had a really nice time out here. There’s a sense of community within the complex, and I think it supports a culture of striking up conversations with strangers (like me), which is unique for New York City.
A man sitting with a friend on a bench outside his building noticed my camera as I was walking by, and he invited me to take a picture of his sweet dog, Gyta (pronounced GEE-ta). We got to chatting, and the men gave off vibes of warmth and wisdom as they spoke of how they stay out of trouble.
In order from left to right: Tex, Gyta, and Eric. Three wonderful beings.
If you’re down to explore this area, I recommend winding through the interior of the projects towards the Queensbridge Park, which has beautiful skyline views of Roosevelt Island. Come here on a nice day for sunset with a picnic!
Queensbridge Park at sunset.
If you prefer to skip the projects but still want to get to the park, walk down 40th Avenue instead, though it’s still got hood vibes with some dilapidated buildings sporting blown-out windows. But there’s beauty in the 40th Avenue route, too, with views of the Nas Mural, in addition to some local cafes and delis, and youth support programs.
It’s pretty wild how the Queensboro Plaza 7NW, Court Square - 21st Street GEM7, and Queens Plaza EMR stops are all just a few blocks away, yet the vibes are so, so different. That’s gentrification for you.
What did I miss? Scroll past the pics and let me know in the comments.
Eric and I got to chatting, as one does out here, and he showed me some pictures from his life of adventure. What a great guy!
A mural on 40th ave, which runs along the perimeter of the Queensbridge Houses.
The Nas mural.
