Jamaica Estates - A Residential Park

IN 1907, real estate developers Ernestus Guilick and Felix Isman purchased 500 acres of land north of the Colonial Village of Jamaica, here they established the Jamaica Estates Corporation. Their purpose was to erect an affluent resort with an English flavor . Early partners included Lieutenant Governor Timothy L. Woodruff and NYC engineer and contractor Michal J Degon. An imposing entrance, with a Elizabethan style lodge and gatehouse, was designed by celebrated architect John J Petit. The street system, with Midland Parkway as the centerpiece, was designed by well known landscape architect Charles W Leavitt. Jamaica Estates is distinguished for its Tudor styled homes and beautiful landscapes.