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Richmond Hill NY Homes for Sale

Known for its many lovely Victorian homes, Richmond Hill is a multicultural neighborhood located in the southwestern part of the borough of Queens in New York City. It is bordered by Forest Park to the north and its adjacent neighbors include Kew Gardens, Jamaica, South Ozone Park, Ozone Park, and Woodhaven. One of the land’s early developers was a successful Manhattan lawyer and Englishman named Albon Platt Man who purchased large plots of land in the area after being smitten by its beauty. The inspiration for Richmond Hill’s name remains unknown to this day. The place was either named for a landscape architect named Edward Richmond, said to be one of Man’s business partners who was commissioned to design the community’s layout but died before it was completed, or an affluent suburban town in London where Man’s family may have resided. Richmond Hill is one of the earliest planned residential communities on Long Island and considered today to be a high-income neighborhood, relative to the rest of the city.

Local Area Information

Richmond Hill is a commercial and residential neighborhood of mostly working-class members with strong family and community ties. Many families are multigenerational and are either living under one roof or in close proximity of each other. Many hold barbecues and other parties and invite neighbors over, shovel each other’s snow or gather fallen autumn leaves. Ranked second in Most Diverse Neighborhoods in New York City by Niche, Richmond Hill’s population consists of various ethnic and religious immigrant groups and their descendants. In the north are various European communities including Italians, Germans, and Lithuanians, among others. The south is where many Hispanics/Latinos live as well as a large number of South Asians and Indo-Caribbeans. The place is sometimes referred to as Little Guyana, Little Indo-Caribbean or Little Punjab, and is home to one of the world’s largest Sikh populations. Various festivals are publicly celebrated such as the grand Phagwah festival which is held to welcome the arrival of spring. In the fall, there is a festival of lights where residents illuminate their homes and cars and a motorcade drives along Liberty Avenue, known as the Diwali festival. The summer is no exception as many festivals are also held such as the Indian Arrival Day when some restaurants host competitions involving Duck Curry, a Caribbean delicacy.

In the northern part is also where many large-framed, 20th century Victorian single-family homes in the Queen Anne Shingle or Stick style are located, giving the neighborhood its historic character and charm and evoking a sense of nostalgia. Most of the homes are detailed with balconies, stained glass, columns, and turrets, features that are common to houses of the past. Many of the homes have been recognized by the Queens Historical Society’s Queensmark program for their architectural excellence. Richmond Hill houses are typically painted in white while some are painted in brilliant greens, pinks, purples, and yellows, and are popularly known as “painted ladies.” The rest of the neighborhood is a mix of wood-framed houses sitting next to brick apartment boxes, and rows of attached identical residences located across detached homes with big yards. The more modest houses are located in the south which is a much larger area. The community’s main thoroughfare and several historic landmarks are located in an area called “Richmond Hill Triangle”, formed by the intersections of Myrtle Avenue, Jamaica Avenue, and 117th Street.

Home prices and the cost of living, in general, in Richmond Hill are considered more affordable compared to other neighborhoods in New York City. Its strategic location between the JFK International and LaGuardia airports makes it a logical choice of residence for various airport employees. Richmond Hill offers several modes of transportation for an easy commute to and from Midtown Manhattan and various other places, though driving a private vehicle is also an option and having your own garage or driveway definitely has its advantages. The beaches of the Atlantic Ocean are only a short ride away from the area, and within the neighborhood are many options if a bit of nightlife is fancied. If the soothing effects of some greenery and, perhaps, some solitude are preferred, the lush, thickly-wooded Forest Park is not only a stone’s throw away but is practically in one’s backyard. These things, and more, make Richmond Hills one of the most desirable and sought-after neighborhoods in New York City.

General Information

Township: N.A.

County: Queens County

Population: Approximately –

Classification: Hamlet, CDP

Chamber of Commerce: – Chamber of Commerce

LIRR Train Station/Schedule: MTA.info/lirr
The LIRR serves Richmond Hill via the – Station, and – Station. Travel time to Manhattan, Penn Station is about –.