Belle Harbor History
Belle Harbor is a suburban enclave on the Rockaway Peninsula, on a narrow barrier peninsula sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean to the south and Jamaica Bay to the north. Expansive views of the Manhattan skyline can be seen across the bay. Broad, white sandy beaches on the ocean have drawn residents to the area. The beach is open to the public. Rigorously enforced street parking restrictions in effect on weekends and holidays from May 15 to September 30, combined with limited direct access to the Belle Harbor area via public transportation, limit access for most of those heading to the beach from outside the area.
Belle Harbor was developed in 1907 by Frederick J. Lancaster, who had earlier developed the Edgemere neighborhood. The community still has much of the same character from when it was first established.
The Community
Belle Harbor is comprised primarily of single-family homes with a majority of third and forth generation Irish Catholic, middle and upper middle class population. The community also has a substantial Jewish population. The neighborhood is home to a fair number of New York City police officers and firefighters as well as members of the financial industry and, therefore, suffered heavy losses from the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. A quaint commercial center is located on Beach 129th Street. A larger shopping area used by some residents of Belle Harbor is located on Beach 116th Street in the neighborhood of Rockaway Park, which is east of Belle Harbor on the Rockaway Peninsula. Belle Harbor residents also frequent a small shopping center in Breezy Point, a private co-operative neighborhood located west of Belle Harbor on Rockaway Point Boulevard. The pristine beaches of Belle Harbor combined with a strong sense of community tend to keep residents in the area for many generations; it is a neighborhood with small town charm in a big city.