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Like his father did before him, Joe Neufeld sweeps the sidewalk, wearing a hearty smile, white shirt black tie and slacks, picking up papers and greeting his neighbors. Beneath an oversized American flag flapping in the unseasonably warm breeze, a flower garden in hues of red and pink and sculpted green shrubbery look neatly out of place.

The door to Gerard J. Neufeld Funeral, in Elmhurst is open and Joe Neufeld hears the sounds of the children playing in the park across the street, dogs barking, and the cars’ engines revving past the traffic light.

“It’s caring about the neighborhood and remembering what it was,” said Neufeld, 56, a funeral director. “Unfortunately, now there is a lot more garbage in the streets. To keep it nice looking, I take the effort to go out and sweep.”

Neufeld runs the family business his father opened in 1940. The Neufeld family has been rooted in Elmhurst since 1900. Though he now lives on Long Island, Neufeld said he would return to Elmhurst tomorrow if his wife, Claire, allowed it. But, he also said he sees problems in the community he loves.

Neufeld said he worries about the negative ripple effects of overcrowding and overdevelopment on infrastructure, schools and traffic.

“It is the most disgraceful thing I’ve ever seen in my life because some developer thinks it’s a great idea,” Neufeld said, of the two semi-attached homes on 54th Avenue and 90th Street. One of the homes was razed and a four-story building was smacked against the remaining one-family home.

"These [developers] don’t live here and they don’t give a crap about the neighborhood because they’re out there making money,” said Neufeld. “I’m for housing too, but for proper housing. How does it affect the sewer system, the garbage, the schools?”

Nick Pennaccio, a member of Community Board 4’s land-use committee, called for an immediate moratorium on the development of Queens Boulevard. “Queens is totally improperly zoned,” said Pennaccio. “We are running out of space because developers are buying it.”

Developers look at Elmhurst because of its proximity to Manhattan, good transportation and convenience to shopping areas. They have another vision of what the community should look like.

“Elmhurst is the next area to be redeveloped because of its linkages,” said Jerry Pi, of Pi Development LLC in Woodside. “It is very underdeveloped and there are still so many vacant areas.”

On a lot on Queens Boulevard and Broadway where Queens County Savings Bank once stood, Pi is proposing an “as of right” [within zoning code] seven-story, mixed-use building with upscale one and two bedroom apartment rentals, retail stores and community facility.

“I’ve seen some of the stuff that’s been built in the residential areas, and I would be concerned,” said Pi, 30, who was born and raised in neighboring Forest Hills. “The ‘Fedders Houses’ [air conditioning units that appear on the facades of new buildings] are sloppy stuff and the developers are not from Queens.”

In addition to over-development, houses crammed with people and illegal basement apartments have added to overcrowding.

Community Board 4 District Manager Richard Italiano cited a laundry list of stresses on the community services, including cramped schools, overflowing garbage and burdensome traffic. And, Neufeld nods his head in agreement.

“One of my pet peeves is people dumping garbage into the garbage pails in the park,” said Neufeld. “That really stems from the illegal apartments where I would bet money the landlords say ‘Don’t put the garbage pails in front of my house.’ The Parks Department will empty the pails today and by tomorrow morning they will be full.”

Neufeld reflected on a time when he and his nine siblings ran safely around Elmhurst and neighbors looked out for one another. When he watches people taking pictures in front of his frosted flower garden to send to relatives in their home countries where snow doesn’t exist, he said he sees a semblance of community.

“It comes back to neighbors being neighbors and not caring who they are or where they’re from,” said Neufeld. “We gotta watch out for each other. When you get to know people it brings a community together.”

Sister Susan Sabol, CSJ, of St. Bartholomew’s Church has worked with Neufeld for nine years. “When I first met Joe, I told him he was like a priest, or what a priest should be like,” she said. “He is a man with the gift [of compassion] that God has given him, but uses so well. He serves the people of Elmhurst with all their tragedies. I always feel like I have a friend here.”

To Neufeld, Elmhurst is more than his hometown or his place of work. He said he spends 14-hour days, sometimes seven days a week, continuing to serve the community his father once served.

“I am my father’s son,” said Neufeld. “My dad would hand Floyd the drunk a sandwich and a couple bucks. Years later, yeah, I remember that, and it comes back around.”
Neufeld’s roots are in Elmhurst and he said his commitment is to its residents, both old and new.

“These are working class people who put in long days and want to do better for their families,” said Neufeld. “And that’s what you want. I came here, I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.”