Any town with a sweet, aromatic name like Floral Park certainly must have some history attached to its appellation. Floral Park and its extensive flower background is no exception to this assertion, but in this piece of trivia, it's all about equines you know the four hoofed animals that run like the wind. As a result of local Floral Park farmers regularly exercising and racing their horses, the notion of horse racing, sometimes called the "sport of kings," was born in 1905 with the opening of Floral Park's Belmont Racetrack. Today it's one of the most elite tracks in the world and it's the home of the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the racing world's supreme Triple Crown series.
The incorporated village of Floral Park, NY acquired its handle with the arrival of John Childs in 1874. As a purveyor of seeds, he managed to create America's first catalog for those magical kernels that end up sprouting many of Mother Nature's remarkable plants and flowers. He eventually became mayor after exerting enormous influence with his benevolence to the community from the profits he generated from his highly successful seed and bulb business. Not surprisingly, many of the streets were named after flowers his company grew in the area. Today, it's a thriving community that was once a part of the New York City (NYC) borough of Queens. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 report, Floral Park, NY packed 15,863 residents into a miniscule 1.4 square miles of Nassau County real estate, in itself a true testament to its appeal and popularity as the closest Long Island suburb to the big city of New York.
Moving to Floral Park
There isn't a spot more in the thick of things than Floral Park when it comes to East Coast travel accessibility. Plane, boat, car, train or bus; pick whatever flavor suits you and you'll end up in Floral Park with minimum hassle. Four nearby world-class airports, the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), the Hudson River seaport, numerous bus lines and your own set of highway-driven wheels all serve as viable means to get you there.
If you decide to settle in the tidy little burg of Floral Park, you'll find the omnipresent LIRR to be your best friend if you're making a career related move to the area. Floral Park's contiguous boundary with the Big Apple makes it a piece-of-cake, short commute to iconic Penn Station in the heart of Manhattan. Upon arrival,, the classic NYC subway system awaits to whisk you to your workday with minimal delay.
When it boils down to living digs, Floral Park offers more than just an ample supply of rental apartments. If you're looking to score a home for rent in Floral Park, your best bet is to make tracks to the nearest online connected computing device. You don't have to be a savvy surfer to find either a snappy apt for rent, or even a rental house if you need to spread your wings to accommodate the wife and kiddies.
Once you perform a thorough search that satisfies your needs and budget, remember to bring a photo ID (such as a current driver's license), a paid utility bill in your name with your present address (such as electric, gas or water) and character references from recent workplace and landlord experiences. Property owners today tend to be very protective of their investments and these basic items usually serve as adequate renter verification and validation.
Neighborhoods
There are four defined neighborhoods in Floral Park.
Village Center: This section is a densely populated urban area and it borders the race track on its southwest corner. Rental inventory is primarily made up of three and four bedroom homes and small apartment buildings.
Tulip Avenue / Raff Avenue: This neighborhood is similar to the Village Center in property makeup, but it possesses some historic interest as many of the residences were built well before World War II.
Jericho Turnpike: This neighborhood is similar to the two previous neighborhoods, but the real estate vacancy rate is a bit higher than in those sections.
Elmont: This borders South Floral Park. It's sometimes referred to as a Floral Park neighborhood and it's actually the official address of the Belmont Park Racetrack.
Living in Floral Park
Boredom is a difficult feeling and mood to contract while living in Floral Park's patch of turf. Its hop-step-and-a-jump proximity to Gotham-town, arguably the most exciting and stimulating city in the world, is in itself enough to keep any wandering mind from going too far astray.
If a foray into the Big Apple is not on the day's to-do agenda, many local conveniences abound on the Floral Park home-front. Shopping and dining-out headline the community's favorite activities list.
A myriad amount of international cuisine themed restaurants thrive in the area. Torigo Japanese Restaurant, Mumbai Xpress (Indian) and Crabtree's Restaurant (Mediterranean) are just a few of many in the local area.
Shopping, other than the neighborhood supermarkets for everyday needs, is ample with the indoor Green Acres Mall in bordering Valley Stream and the Roosevelt Field Regional Mall in close by Garden City. Both of these shopping centers boast more than 100 stores and fast-food food courts to make a day's outing a one-stop shopping experience par excellence.