Rochdale Village Queens

Rochdale Village derives its name from the English town of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, where the Rochdale Pioneers formulated the Rochdale Principles of cooperation. The concept behind Rochdale Village, conceived by architects, aimed to create an attractive community spanning 122 blocks. It was envisioned to offer residents a park-like environment and suburban amenities within the Urban Jamaica Area limits. The development of Rochdale Village began in 1939 with the goal of stimulating tourism in the surrounding areas, including Springfield Gardens, Rosedale, and Laurelton.

The property where Rochdale Village stands was previously the site of the Jamaica Race Course, the sole tourist attraction in the area, operated by the Metropolitan Jockey Club and later the Greater New York Association (now the New York Racing Association). Following the decision to refurbish Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, the Jamaica Race Course was closed and demolished in 1959.

Rochdale Village was constructed under the Mitchell-Lama Housing Program to provide affordable housing for low- and middle-income families. The architect, Herman Jessor, drew inspiration from the Le Corbusier model. Construction proceeded swiftly, and upon its opening, Rochdale Village became the largest private cooperative housing complex in the world until the completion of Co-op City in the Bronx in 1971.

Initially, Rochdale Village had a population consisting of 10 to 20 percent African American and 80 to 90 percent white residents. However, controversy arose as black individuals were excluded from participating in the construction process. The complex was intended to be a model for racially integrated housing but instead became emblematic of the ongoing Civil Rights Movement. Protesters, including future head of Mayor John V. Lindsay’s Human Rights Commission, William Booth, were arrested for disrupting construction in 1961. Only about 10% of the units were initially allocated to black residents upon the complex’s completion in 1963.

Over time, the demographics of Rochdale Village shifted, with increasing numbers of African American residents moving in. The late 1960s and mid-1970s witnessed significant white flight from the community due to perceptions of black individuals as threatening, concerns about property devaluation, and discriminatory real estate practices such as blockbusting. Consequently, the complex experienced economic challenges and struggles to provide basic utilities, with many apartments remaining vacant throughout the early 1980s.