There are a few cold hardy palm trees that, with proper care, will grow in the Northeast. Many people have had success with them, including myself. To have it growing by itself is pretty cool.

You know where in Rockaway beach in Queens is palm bush located at?

I wonder if these "palm bushes" from 2009 made it. Rockway beach is located within the most southern NYC limits with apartment buildings planted right in the sand. They have less snow and more wind/rain in our winter coastal storms. With the Rockaways direct proximity to the ocean, a needle plam or even a Tracky planted close to the building facing south would not even need winter shelter. The Ocean temp rarely drops below the mid-upper 40s at its cold peak.

Sounds like some Needle palms.

They could be needle palms, but I would imagine that they would have to be taking a ridiculous amount of neglect. Most bullet proof cold hardy trees cant grow along the beach (Ive only seen hollies and pines growing close to the water around here) so for a marginally hardy palm tree to be growing well is pretty impressive.
Any chance that they weren't yuccas. They are very very popular here (I have seen at least 10-20 species) and they can handle a lot of neglect. A pic might help a lot or at least a location so someone can check them out!
-Alex

I think its probably yuccas. ive seen them growing wild at a beach in Staten island

Spent a whole lot of time in the Rockaways back in the day. If you get the chance, check out the ruins of Fort Tilden. Tons of old bunkers that are mega overgrown. Has an Indiana Jones/Everglades feel to it.

The apartment buildings there are a few blocks from the ocean and if a needle plam was planted facing south with the building sheilding it from north winds it would survive there. Maybe the person mistaken a yucca for a palm but I would think someone on this forum may know better. Perhaps someone planted another type of palm that did not make it.