Middle Village

Middle Village is a quiet, safe neighborhood. Perhaps not surprisingly, it’s part of the so-called “Cemetery Belt” of Queens, a group of neighborhoods bounded by the vast and beautiful graveyards of the borough. Tree-lined streets and yards in Middle Village contribute to a spacious, natural feel, though it isn’t exactly a wilderness. The Metropolitan and Woodhaven Avenue business districts include a wide range of commerce, from chain donut shops, to various retail, to multicultural restaurants. Middle Village is predominantly comprised of long-term Italian residents, and stability has led it to become a close-knit, involved community. The outrage over trees being cut down near a school shows the level of concern residents have for their neighborhood. Worries about uncontrolled development and various political intrigues have pitched residents against their councilman, who they fear does not share their interest in preserving the feel of the neighborhood in the face of new construction. In keeping with its suburban feel, Middle Village is mostly for car-based residents – although it is also served by bus lines and the Metropolitan Ave.-Middle Village Station on the M train line. The housing in Middle Village is mostly family homes, so apartments are few and far between. Low-density zoning restricts development of taller structures. Houses, which are of various ages and come in rows as well as detached, cost an affordable median price of $520K.