6 minute read
Group Pushing for Permanent Outdoor Eating on 37th Avenue
QUEENS CHAMBER NEWS & EVENTS PUSH FOR PERMANENT SIDEWALK CAFES
BY BENJAMIN FANG
For more than a decade, Jackson Heights activist Alfonso Quiroz has pushed for sidewalk cafes in his neighborhood, but to no avail.
“You can trip over them anywhere you go in Manhattan,” he said. “But for some reason, Jackson Heights, and really a lot of places in Queens, do not have them.”
After the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Quiroz relaunched his advocacy for restaurants on 37th Avenue to have outdoor dining. Now that many restaurants have set up sidewalk cafes for the summer, he wants the city to allow them to stay permanently.
“We want an area where people can come and eat safely outside while still social distancing,” he said.
Quiroz started the grassroots group 37th Avenue Sidewalk Cafe Coalition, made up of local merchants and residents. He created accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
On the coalition’s social media pages, restaurants can find out the latest information about rules and regulations. Residents can also find news about local restaurant openings, specials or menus.
Quiroz said businesses along 37th Avenue have faced some difficulty adjusting to the new regulations early on when they were in flux. He also noted that restaurants that were affected by the pandemic were short on cash.
“A lot of these small businesses do not have any money left over,” he said. “To create something like this costs $10,000. It’s not cheap to pull this all together.”
On July 30, the 37th Avenue Sidewalk Cafe Coalition teamed up with the Queens Chamber of Commerce to hand out masks, gloves and face shields to local businesses in front of Hombres Lounge in Jackson Heights. They also distributed the personal protective equipment (PPE) to residents and passersby.
The coalition founder said he’s worked with the chamber in the past, so when he called to ask about a collaboration, they did not hesitate to accept.
In addition to handing out PPE, Quiroz collected signatures for a petition to make the sidewalk cafes on 37th Avenue permanent. He has already collected hundreds of signatures, including on an online petition.
Although the city officials he has pitched the idea to seem to be receptive, Quiroz said the “devil is in the details.” In the meantime, before the sidewalk cafes are removed in the fall, the local activist wants to build enough support, and collect enough signatures, to take the idea to the mayor.
“We need to build a little bit of momentum, which we’ve been doing so far, so it’s been good,” he said.
Quiroz noted that not only are building and installing sidewalk cafes expensive, but also time consuming. He said he wants the city to lower the costs, while also cutting red tape to ensure the process is easier for small businesses.
Jackson Heights activist Alfonso Quiroz (left) is collecting signatures to make sidewalk cafes permanent on 37th Avenue.
Most of the small businesses along the 37th Avenue commercial corridor are not large chains, he said, but rather immigrant-owned enterprises.
“They came here, they wanted to make something of their lives and now they’re being squeezed out by the virus,” Quiroz said. “We need to have a better dialogue with small businesses to try to help them out, and not make it so difficult for them to succeed. That’s all we’re saying.”
QUEENSBOROUGH CALENDAR OF EVENTS
AUGUST
8/3, 2 PM GETTING BACK ON TRACK
Join our Hospitality & Restaurant Committee for this informative webinar designed specifically for those in the restaurant industry. We’ll discuss strategic ways to drive revenue via E-commerce and guide you through the process of applying Paycheck Protection Program loans.
VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org
8/5, 10 AM FIRST WEDNESDAY - COFFEE, COMMERCE & CONNECTIONS
Here’s an opportunity to gain insight on returning to your physical workspace from a Human Resources prospective. In addition, you’ll make new business connections all while enjoying your favorite cup of morning brew. The guest speaker is Leah Riegel of Atlantic Human Resources Advisors.
VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org
8/5. 11 AM OPEN RESTAURANTS - SIDEWALKS & STREETS
Learn about programs designed to assist existing food establishments that have been authorized by the State of New York to re
The New York Hall of Science is going Hollywood. From August to October, the Flushing Meadows Corona Park educational/ cultural center will host Queens Drive-In, screening a mix of first-run and classic films outdoors.
Organized in partnership with the Museum of the Moving Image and Rooftop Films The schedule has yet to be announced. Visit queensdrivein.com to register for an email list.
The doors will open around 7:30 p.m. each night with the event running from 8:30 to 11 open under Phase Two and want to use outdoor areas on a temporary basis.
VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org
8/11, 10 AM FINANCING YOUR BUSINESS
This free workshop will serve as a guideline to help you start on the right track for your start-up or operating business. You will walk away with information about the importance of utilizing a business plan, various financing options, resources for start-ups, and an overall better understanding of the fundamentals for business.
VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org
The Rockaway East Merchants Association (REMA), supported by the Queens Chamber of Commerce will be distributing face masks and other information to the local business community in downtown Far Rockaway.
VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org
8/12, 11 AM SMALL BUSINESS TAXES: PLAN & PREP
Tax preparation is more than just filing your p.m. As part of the fun, the Hall of Science will present live demonstrations and other educational experiences that connect to each night’s theme.
Organizers will follow city and state health guidelines to ensure the safety of all attendees. Tickets for Queens Drive-In will be available in the coming weeks. Prices start at $35 per car (up to four passengers). A portion of the proceeds will go to Elmcor, a Queens-based nonprofit that administrates the Louis Armstrong Recreational Center.
AT THE DRIVE-IN
tax returns. It is important to understand the tax implications for your small business and plan ahead. Presented by Paul Rosenblum of Numerex Services
VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org
8/14, 9:30 AM THE ART OF MANAGING CONFLICT & STRESS
A one-hour workshop on how to manage the stress and conflict generated by these unsettling circumstances we find ourselves being forced to cope with. This workshop will help you manage balancing your working remotely and commitment to your clients, customers, vendors and colleagues in these competing worlds of commitments.
VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org
8/20, 11 AM CORONA SIDEWALK OUTREACH
The Queens Chamber of Commerce will be distributing face masks and other information to the local business community.
VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org
SEPTEMBER
9/15, 11 AM INCREASING YOUR HAPPINESS
With this workshop, participants will be able to engage in unique and helpful ways to increase their happiness, which will have a robust effect on both their professional and personal lives.
VIRTUAL
Register at queenschamber.org
9/29, 11 AM WORK-LIFE BALANCE: BALANCING CAREER & HOME
Join the Queens Chamber of Commerce and Worldwide Veterans and Family Services Inc. for a webinar on the importance of maintaining your work-life balance.
VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org
EN ESPANOL
8/11, 2 PM FINANCIANDO SU NEGOCIO: ALTERNATIVAS FINANCIERAS PARA SUPERAR LA CRISIS
Este seminario le servirá como guía para saber cuáles son los recursos disponibles para financiar un negocio.
