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Willets Point

Edgy DC Sep 06 2006 01:18 PM

Willets Point, also known locally as the Iron Triangle is a neighborhood of Flushing, in the New York City borough of Queens. It is bounded by Northern Boulevard to the north, 126th Street and Shea Stadium to the west, Roosevelt Avenue to the south and the Flushing River to the east. The IRT 7 Train stops near the southwest corner of the "Triangle", at Roosevelt Avenue at 126 Street near Corona Yard. The area was named after Willets Point Boulevard (actually a long, wide alley), which diagonally passes through the area to the true Willets Point, the site of Fort Totten near Bayside. The area is very industrial and is filled with auto repair shops, scrap yards, waste processing sites, and other forms of heavy industry. There are no working sewers or storm drains in the area, in times of severe rain, flooding is common. Plans are underway to replace the scrapyards and industrial sites with a mixed commercial and residential development. Although techically part of Flushing, Willets Point has Corona's ZIP Code (11368). It was also the location for a proposed stadium for the 2012 Summer Olympics and press center, which would have replaced Shea Stadium and the car junkyards; however, New York City lost its Olympic bid. Nonetheless, the stadium was slightly relocated and is planned to be built for the New York Mets. Source: Wikipedia There has to be more than that. Who was Willets? What was his point? I went to see Simon and Garfunkle in 1983. My sister and I got on line early to get a primo General admission spot, but we first took a walk to find some lunch. A disgusting deli in Chop Shop Row provided it and, on the way back, we were impeded by a giant puddle, which I now know existed because of a lack of storm drains. I played the gallant and carried my sister over. Now I think wading through puddles on Chop Shop row is probably a poor idea.

Farmer Ted Sep 06 2006 01:40 PM

Bayside High, alma mater of Vincent Chase and his entourage.

cooby Sep 06 2006 01:44 PM

I always picture shore birds and cattails. I'm wrong, aren't I?

Edgy DC Sep 06 2006 01:50 PM

Here we go: On November 25, Charles A. Willets, Lifelong Flushing resident, died at the age of 86. Willets Point was named for his family. Mr. Willets, as a young man, was actively associated with many enterprises in Flushing, among them the Flushing Gas and Electric Company, of which his father was one of the founders. He was a manager and superintendent of that company for many years. His father had organized the Flushing Gas Light Company and erected the gas works, which were located in College Point. In 1856, he started in business in partnership with George B. Roe under the name of George B. Roe and Company, dealers in lumber and building materials.

Willets Point Sep 06 2006 02:18 PM

Geez, I thought I was being called on the carpet.

MFS62 Sep 08 2006 02:10 PM

Gee, the things you learn on the CPF. I lived in Queens (after my family moved around a lot) and graduated from Bayside HIgh School, too. The guy who was my friend in high school, and who was the best man at my wedding, lived in Bay Terrace (Bayside) directly across from the entrance to Fort Totten. But since I used to take the bus (and later drive) to his house via Bell Boulevard, I never knew that literally a few feet away, Bell Boulevard turned into the other end of Willets Point Boulevard. I just knew it as "the service road" of the highway. Later

metsmarathon Sep 08 2006 04:27 PM

"the iron triangle". am i alone in thinking that could make a fun euphamism, but am not quite sure how?

Zvon Sep 08 2006 07:17 PM

11368 was my zip code for many years. :) But I technically lived in Elmhurst. I bet its been all changed around since then (1977 I moved from NY)

Willets Point Sep 08 2006 11:43 PM

metsmarathon wrote: "the iron triangle". am i alone in thinking that could make a fun euphamism, but am not quite sure how? All I can think is that Margaret Thatcher is known as the Iron Lady, and I really don't want to think it out any further.

Frayed Knot Sep 18 2006 01:47 PM

Willets Point even has residents. [url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/17/nyregion/17willets.html?_r=1&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fPeople%2fP%2fPristin%2c%20Terry&oref=slogin]Actually, one to be precise[/url]

Willets Point Sep 18 2006 01:50 PM

You make it sound like I have tapeworms.

Edgy DC Sep 18 2006 05:32 PM

That was a good story. Using eminent domain for commercial development really stinks.