Rego Park has appeared in Bruce's Journal many times as I grew up in this neighborhood in Queens. Every so often I take a walk around the old neighborhood to see how it has changed. Since alternate side of the street parking rules were not in effect today, I thought it would be a good day to drive and walk around.
I parked right by 64-12 Wetherole Street where I lived from 1980-83. The new landlord cleaned up the lawn as it was a mess in the 1980s. I walked to 63rd Drive and passed by P.S, 139 and then walked down Saunders Street and stopped by 61-40 where I lived with my parents. Back then it was a rental, but years later converted to a co-op. It too was much cleaner than it was years ago. I saw one familiar name in the building's directory.
I then walked to Eliot Avenue and then down Queens Blvd to 67th Avenue and walked down Saunders Street and back to my car. Ben's Best Deli was the only retail establishment that was there since the 1960s. The Rego Park Jewish Center was still there although the demographics of the neighborhood have changed over the year.
The only change that I observed was that many store fronts on Queens Blvd. were vacant. Perhaps the rents have gone up and merchants just can't afford them. This time I did not encounter any friends or acquaintances as I did on my 2014 trip. I did pass by the former residences of:
- Ellen and Linda Dule
- Ronald Blum
- Dr. Forray (my pediatrician)
- Roy Herschaft
- Steven Gaber
- Rysee Katz
- Fran Cohan
- Ron Freisenger
- Rich Jacoby
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