It borders the much larger Jamaica to the west, St. Alban’s to the south, Queens Village to the east, and Hollis Hills to the north. Like many of its Queens County neighbors, Hollis is within driving distance of John F Kennedy International Airport.
In the 17th century Dutch homesteaders found their way to the region, and a century later during the American Revolutionary War Hollis was the site of part of the historic Battle of Long Island. During the Battle, Brigadier General Nathaniel Woodhull was captured by the British at a tavern on Jamaica Ave. Woodhull Ave is named for his heroics. In 1885, the region was developed into a residential neighborhood, and like many parts of eastern Queens Hollis continues to undergo development in order to accommodate the influx of city workers.Find Hollis apartments
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Today Hollis is largely African American (60%), although both Asian (10%) and Hispanic residents (10%) have made their presence felt in recent years. Even more recently South Asians and West Indians are making their home in Hollis. Whites are a clear minority, making up less than 5% of the total population of 28,000.
Hollis is situated in the center of eastern Queens, and is surrounded by things to do, although not necessarily within walking distance. Cunningham Park is a short drive to the north, while the Belmont Park Racetrack is to the east. JFK Airport is about a 5-10 minute drive south. The main commercial street is Jamaica Ave, on which Caribbean Sports Bar is a major draw. Popular restaurants in Hollis include Gaby’s Pizza, Cindee’s Cake & Catering (Filipino), Nyota’s Ting (Chinese), and Panda House (Chinese).
The community has one public primary school and two private secondary schools. Many celebrities have once called Hollis home, including the likes of Russell Simmons, Run-D.M.C., Ja Rule, Al Sharpton, Stephen A. Smith, LL Cool J, and Young MC.
Hollis is reachable via the Hollis Station of the Long Island Rail Road. The Q2, Q77, and Q110 buses run between Jamaica, Hollis, and Queens Village. Drivers can easily reach Grand Central Pkwy, Cross Island Pkwy, Hillside Ave, and Jamaica Ave.