Corona, Queens: Flushing Meadows-Corona Park

As the second-largest park in New York City (and the biggest in Queens), Flushing Meadows-Corona Park draws visitors not only from LeFrak City’s nearby Corona apartments, but from around the world—and by the millions.

Originally a marshland, the site became a landfill by the 1920s and the inspiration for the "valley of ashes" in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. But the planners of the 1939-40 World's Fair saw the site's potential and rehabilitated it for the event, which drew fairgoers eager to see the "World of Tomorrow." Structures from that era still draw visitors today, including the boathouse on Meadow Lake and the New York City Building, which was the temporary headquarters of the United Nations from 1946-1950 and is open today as the Queens Museum.

The 1945-65 World's Fair saw the addition of Flushing Meadows' most iconic structure, The Unisphere, along with the New York State Pavilion (and its eye-catching Observation Towers) and the public marina at Flushing Bay. After the World's Fair, the park became a recreational center for Queens, complete with bike paths, the New York Hall of Science, the Queens Wildlife Conservation Center, a Carousel, and more.

Today, other attractions include a sprawling recreation center with an Olympic-sized indoor pool and NHL regulation-sized hockey rink, lush waterfront areas, paddleboat rentals, and several playgrounds, including two eye-catching dinosaur-themed playgrounds and the Playground for All Children, one of the first-ever handicap-accessible playgrounds. Numerous fields, spaces, and courts offer opportunities for basketball, volleyball, baseball, and more. And at the park's northern end, there's the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, home to the U.S. Open, along with Citi Field, the home of the New York Mets.

Getting to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park

The sprawling fields of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park are just a short walk or bike ride away from LeFrak City's Corona apartments. The Long Island Railroad also offers a quick trip to Mets-Willets Point along the Port Washington Branch from Penn Station and Woodside. Numerous buses also travel through the park, including the Q48, which serves Citi Field and the USTA.

LeFrak City: Living Near Flushing Meadows-Corona Park

LeFrak City's close proximity to the many wonderful attractions housed in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park is just one the many perks of living in the beautiful apartment community. Contact us for more details about LeFrak City's Corona apartments or schedule a visit to LeFrak City today!