SAVE HAUNTED IN HOLLIS

Support the Rezoning of 211-17 Hollis Avenue for Year-Round Operation

The Problem

For 8 consecutive years, Haunted in Hollis has served as a cherished seasonal tradition in Queens Village, bringing entertainment, creativity, jobs, and community spirit to Southeast Queens.

Located at 211-17 Hollis Avenue, Queens Village, NY 11429, the attraction welcomes approximately 6,000–8,000 families and visitors annually and has become a recognizable part of the neighborhood’s fall season.

However, the property is currently located within an R2 residential zoning district, which does not permit the commercial operation of the attraction as-of-right. For years, Haunted in Hollis has relied upon Temporary Use Permits (TUPs) to operate during the Halloween season.

Temporary permits do not provide the long-term stability necessary to operate, invest, hire permanent employees, expand programming, or plan for the future.

Haunted in Hollis is ready to become more than a seasonal attraction.

With appropriate zoning, the business would have the opportunity to operate year-round, offering attractions such as escape rooms and other indoor entertainment experiences during the off-season, while continuing its signature Halloween attraction each fall.

Permanent zoning would allow an established Queens business to grow responsibly rather than facing uncertainty every year about whether it will be permitted to open.

 

Why This Matters

8 Years of Established Operations

For eight seasons, Haunted in Hollis has invested in creating a professionally operated attraction for the community.

Licensed contractors and professionals have been utilized in the construction and preparation of the attraction, and the business has continued to work with the appropriate City agencies regarding permits, safety requirements, and operations.

Rezoning would allow the property to transition from dependence on temporary approvals to a more permanent regulatory structure with continued oversight.

A Community Tradition

Haunted in Hollis is more than a haunted house. It has become a neighborhood tradition.

Families return year after year, children grow up visiting the attraction, and thousands of people travel to Southeast Queens to experience something unique within their own community.

Queens families should not always have to travel to Manhattan, Long Island, New Jersey, or other destinations to enjoy high-quality entertainment experiences.

Haunted in Hollis helps bring that experience directly to Southeast Queens.

Creating Permanent Local Jobs

One of the most important benefits of year-round operation would be the ability to transition from primarily seasonal employment to permanent and recurring employment opportunities.

Operating throughout the year could support positions such as:

Attraction and escape-room attendants
Customer service representatives
Administrative employees
Managers and supervisors
Security personnel
Maintenance and cleaning staff
Set builders and construction professionals
Scenic designers and decorators
Actors and entertainment staff
Marketing and social media personnel
Ticketing and admissions staff
Event staff
Technical and special-effects personnel
These positions could provide employment opportunities for Queens and Southeast Queens residents, including young adults, artists, performers, tradespeople, and individuals interested in careers within entertainment and hospitality.

Instead of hiring primarily for several weeks surrounding Halloween, year-round operation would allow the business to maintain a permanent workforce and provide employees with greater consistency, experience, training, and opportunities for advancement.

Supporting Other Local Businesses

The economic impact extends beyond Haunted in Hollis itself.

Thousands of visitors coming into the neighborhood create opportunities for nearby:

Restaurants and takeout establishments
Convenience stores
Gas stations
Transportation providers
Contractors
Printing companies
Hardware and building-supply businesses
Cleaning companies
Security companies
Local vendors
Artists and entertainers
Allowing year-round operation would extend this economic activity beyond the Halloween season.

Investment in the Property and Neighborhood

Permanent zoning would give the business greater incentive and ability to make long-term investments in the property.

Instead of constructing a business model around temporary 30-day operating periods, permanent operation could support continued investment in:

Building improvements
Fire and life-safety systems
Accessibility
Professional interior buildouts
Security
Lighting
Property maintenance
Technology
Attraction infrastructure
Façade and property improvements
A stable business can plan years into the future rather than operating from permit to permit.

Keeping Entertainment Dollars in Southeast Queens

Haunted in Hollis attracts thousands of visitors.

Allowing the attraction to expand into year-round entertainment would help keep consumer spending within Queens and create another destination within Southeast Queens.

Escape rooms and other year-round attractions could bring customers to the neighborhood during months when the Halloween attraction is not operating, creating additional economic activity for the surrounding community.

Opportunities for Youth and Creative Professionals

The entertainment industry requires much more than actors.

Attractions utilize construction, carpentry, electrical work, graphic design, costume design, makeup artistry, lighting, sound engineering, set design, marketing, technology, customer service, and business management.

A permanent operation could create opportunities for young people to gain exposure to these industries and potentially develop internships, training opportunities, seasonal employment, and pathways into creative and technical careers.

Traffic and Crowd Management Are Already Addressed

The organizers utilize line-management personnel and on-site security to assist with pedestrian movement, customer lines, traffic concerns, and neighborhood safety.

These operational measures have been developed through years of experience and can continue to be strengthened as part of a permanent operating plan.

Year-round attractions such as escape rooms would also operate differently from the concentrated crowds associated with Halloween. Escape rooms typically operate through scheduled or timed admissions, allowing attendance to be spread throughout operating hours rather than concentrated into large seasonal crowds.

 

The Solution

We are asking the New York City Department of City Planning, Community Board 13, the New York City Department of Buildings, and other appropriate City officials to support a land-use solution for 211-17 Hollis Avenue that permits the lawful operation of Haunted in Hollis and compatible year-round commercial entertainment uses.

The goal is not simply to obtain another temporary Halloween permit.

The goal is to establish a safe, properly regulated, permanent neighborhood business that can continue its Halloween tradition while expanding into year-round entertainment such as escape rooms and other legally permitted uses.

Appropriate zoning would:

Provide legal clarity and long-term operational stability.
Reduce dependence on annual Temporary Use Permits.
Allow the business to create permanent and year-round employment.
Support additional seasonal employment during the Halloween period.
Encourage long-term investment in the property.
Generate additional economic activity for surrounding businesses.
Keep entertainment spending within Southeast Queens.
Provide additional recreational and entertainment options for local families.
Create opportunities for artists, actors, tradespeople, contractors, and young adults.
Allow the business to establish year-round partnerships and programming.
Support continued professional safety, security, and crowd-management practices.
Recognize an established attraction that has operated within the community for eight years.

 

Our Ask

We, the undersigned residents, visitors, customers, community members, and supporters, respectfully urge New York City officials to:

Support an appropriate rezoning or other permanent land-use action for 211-17 Hollis Avenue that allows Haunted in Hollis to operate lawfully as a year-round commercial entertainment business.

We further ask City officials to:

Recognize the attraction’s eight-year history and demonstrated community support.
Consider the economic benefits of converting a seasonal operation into a permanent local employer.
Recognize the existing traffic, security, and line-management measures implemented by the operators.
Allow for compatible year-round entertainment uses, including escape-room experiences, rather than limiting the property solely to seasonal Halloween operations.
Consider the additional jobs, local spending, property investment, and economic activity that permanent operation could generate.
Prioritize meaningful community input when evaluating the future of a business that has become an established Southeast Queens tradition.

 

Why We Can’t Wait

Haunted in Hollis should not have to spend every year wondering whether it will receive temporary permission to continue a tradition that thousands of families have come to know and love.

Without a permanent land-use solution, the future of the attraction remains uncertain.

That uncertainty affects much more than one Halloween season. It limits hiring, investment, construction, partnerships, programming, and the ability to build a sustainable business.

After eight years, Haunted in Hollis is asking for the opportunity to grow responsibly, operate legally, employ people year-round, invest in its property, support neighboring businesses, and continue serving the community for years to come.

This is an opportunity to preserve a Queens tradition while transforming it into a permanent economic and cultural asset for Southeast Queens.

Help Keep Haunted in Hollis Alive — and Help It Grow.

Sign this petition in support of a permanent zoning solution for 211-17 Hollis Avenue and the year-round future of Haunted in Hollis.