Editing University Gardens, New York (section)

== History ==
Much of the land which is now located within the University Gardens CDP was once farmland. Suburban development in the community started to take off in the early 20th century. This includes development in and of the Little Neck Park, University Gardens, and Waverly Hills sections; at the time, the hamlet was known as '''Lakeville''' and '''Little Neck, Nassau County'''.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Lowe |first=Ed |date=April 1, 1976 |title=The 'Next-Best' Place to Live |pages=3A, 6A |work=[[Newsday]] |via=[[ProQuest]]}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite news |date=1940-11-24 |title=ESTATES ARE SOLD IN GREENWICH; Truesdale Acreage Holdings in Bruce Park Bought by James C. Read FOUR NEW HOMES PLANNED Builder Acquires Three Plots on Parsonage Road From Rockefeller Estate Rockefeller Trustees Sell |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1940/11/24/archives/estates-are-sold-in-greenwich-truesdale-acreage-holdings-in-bruce.html |access-date=2023-07-08 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

The University Gardens development (for which the hamlet and CDP is named) was developed in the late 1920s. It includes 218 homes and 17 commercial properties.<ref name=":81">{{Cite book |last=Winsche |first=Richard |title=The History of Nassau County Community Place-Names |date=October 1, 1999 |publisher=Empire State Books |isbn=978-1557871541 |location=[[Interlaken, New York]] |pages=}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite news |date=1928-07-01 |title=TRACT AT GREAT NECK IS CUT UP FOR HOMES; 113 Acres on Long Island Are Being Developed With Large Plots. |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1928/07/01/archives/tract-at-great-neck-is-cut-up-for-homes-113-acres-on-long-island.html |access-date=2023-07-08 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name=":3" />

In the 1940s, large portions of the Waverly Hills section of the hamlet were developed with homes designed by architect H.C. Meyer.<ref name=":4" />

In the 1950s, the 652-family Great Neck Terrace garden apartment complex within the hamlet was constructed.<ref name=":7">{{Cite news |date=1950-03-19 |title=GREAT NECK GETS NEW APARTMENTS; First Units Being Completed in 652-Family Project--Other Houses Taking Tenants |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1950/03/19/archives/great-neck-gets-new-apartments-first-units-being-completed-in.html |access-date=2023-07-08 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Located at the northwestern corner of the hamlet, the complex's 28 garden apartment buildings were designed by architect Samuel Paul.<ref name=":7" />

=== Etymology ===
The name of the University Gardens CDP is taken from a planned community of the same name, which was constructed within the hamlet in the 1920s.<ref name=":81" /> The name reflects the fact that the land which that subdivision is located on was purchased from (and built atop) the short-lived University Golf Club – and because [[Russell Gardens, New York|Russell Gardens]], located across [[Northern Boulevard]], was being developed around the same time.<ref name=":81" /><ref name=":5" /><ref name=":3" /> As such, the "University" part of its name comes from the golf club and the "Gardens" part of its name comes from Russell Gardens.<ref name=":81" />