Rockwood Park Queens

Rockwood Park is a section of Howard Beach primarily consisting of single-family homes and is considered a more upper-class area of Howard Beach. It is part of what residents commonly refer to as “New Howard.” The neighborhood is situated between 78th and 92nd Streets (north-south streets) and 156th and 165th Avenues (east-west streets). The Q41 and Q21 buses serve Rockwood Park. West of 78th Street, the last street in the neighborhood, lies Spring Creek Park, which marks the border between Brooklyn and Queens.

During the first half of the 1900s, the area remained mostly undeveloped. After World War II, marshland west of Cross Bay Boulevard was filled in, leading to the construction of many Cape Cod-style houses. In the 1960s and 1970s, these were followed by high ranch-style houses. The area became known as a more upscale section of Howard Beach, attracting many notable figures, including Gambino crime family boss John Gotti, who lived on 85th Street. Starting in the late 1980s and continuing through the 2000s, Rockwood Park experienced another building boom. Many of the old Cape Cod-style houses were demolished and replaced with upscale, million-dollar mini-mansions. Another famous resident was folk singer Woody Guthrie, who lived at 159-13 85th Street with his family after moving from Coney Island.