This Is Queensborough - January 2019

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SHINE ON SUNNYSIDE BUSINESSES VOW TO BOUNCE BACK AFTER DEVASTATING FIRE

“It really showcases what is special about Sunnyside, and the fact that people here are very attached to the neighborhood”

ALSO

• LAGUARDIA EMPOWERS WOMEN IN AVIATION • QCC 2018 BUILDING AWARDS • CITY COUNCIL ADDRESSES SMALL BIZ AWNING ISSUES

SUNNYSIDE SHINES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JAMIE-FAYE BEAN

January 2019 . Volume 15 . Issue 1

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January 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 1

A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

QUEENS AT THE HEART OF THE NYC TECH BOOM I hope everyone had an enjoyable operated by the Queens Chamber, and wonderful holiday season. As the New York City tech ecosystem we ring in 2019, the Queens Cham- dwarfs San Francisco and is conber is ramping up efforts to bring tending with Silicon Valley. you an action-packed series of Amazon HQ2 will only add to events designed to generate more this transition, with Queens in parbusiness for your organization. ticular as the center of U.S. tech.

We want to make this year your best year yet, and we are also New York City Tech Boom very excited about the continued Per recent statistics, New York growth opportunities City’s tech ecosystem in our great borough of employs 291,000 peoQueens. ple, or 7 percent of the The economy in 4.27 million people Queens is thrivworking in New York ing, which equates to City. growing opportunities By comparison, the for local businesses. retail sector employs Nationally, the Decem354,000 people, or 8 ber 2018 jobs report percent of total workshowed 312,000 jobs ers, while healthcare created; much higher TOM SANTUCCI employs 665,000 peothan analysts predicted. CHAIRPERSON ple, or 16 percent of One of the great total workers. opportunities for our The hourly wage for borough is the tech sector. With a worker in the New York City academic institutions like NYU tech ecosystem is $39.50, which is Poly and Cornell Tech, the attrac- 49 percent higher than the average tion is certainly here for our tech- citywide hourly wage. savvy residents.

Furthermore, according to 2013 And with many other tech incu- data, the New York City tech ecobators in the works, including one system generated over $5.6 billion

in annual tax revenues to the city, which represented 12.3 percent of the total 2013 tax revenue.

By comparison, $2.5 billion comes from property taxes, $1.3 billion from personal income taxes, $900 million from sales and use taxes, and $900 million from corporation and business income taxes.

Small Biz and Startups

New York City tech firms are mostly small businesses that are productive employment generators.

For example, the Computer Systems Design and Related Services industry includes over half of all city tech industries firms.

Falling into this category are tech startups, which have an average firm size of 13 people. Such startups are experiencing exceptionally high growth in NYC.

Age and Gender

Recent college graduates are the most sought after in the New York City tech industry. The local tech ecosystem presents employment opportunities for all ages, but especially for college graduates.

Tech employs people predominately between the ages of 25 and 54, while the New York City economy has a greater share of people aged 55 and greater.

Gender distribution in New York City is generally even, except in the tech economy, which remains male dominated. This underrepresentation is in tune with national averages, where there exists a 20 to 50 percent difference between the number of male and female employees.

Why Queens now?

The over-performing New York City tech economy is due to the digital transformation of business.

As companies demand more accessible, instantaneous services, tech jobs increase as well.

And the more a company requires technology, the more that company will require additional tech support. Moreover, tech industries, most notably those associated with startups, are ushering in a new era of growth For an in-depth look at the findings, visit nyctecheconomy.com.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO DEDICATED TO MAKING AMAZON WORK FOR OUR MEMBERS Welcome to a great New Year! As lenges with the arrival of Amawe take stock of all that happened in zon’s HQ2 are a major focus of the 2018 and we celebrate the strength Queens Chamber. With 90 percent of the Queens busiof our 1,000-plus ness community, member organizaI wanted to pause tions having ten or to reflect and give fewer employees, it thanks to our Memis incumbent upon bers, our Board and, the Chamber to work most importantly, with Amazon on a our Staff. number of fronts to Without the dedisupport our Memcated professionbers: als that make up the • Buy local, shop day-to-day opera- THOMAS J. GRECH local: We will be tions and activities of PRESIDENT & CEO working with Amathe Queens Chamber, zon to encourage we would not be in them to buy the the strong position we are in as we goods and services they need as enter 2019. Thank you! they ramp up operations in Queens Both the opportunities and chal- from local suppliers, especially

members of the Queens Chamber of Commerce.

• Train, hire, train: As one of the 45 members of the Amazon Community Advisory Committee (CAC), I am committed to having those underserved in the community ready to be hired and then develop continuous improvement training on their skills as work requirements evolve over time.

• No more “soft skills”; they are “essential skills”: Soft skills might be the worst business colloquialism I have ever heard. We need to stop now. Having applicants job ready, showing up on time and being a dedicated and hard worker is what I hear time and time again from employers as an essential part of a hire.

It will be no different with Amazon. We owe it to our current generation of high school and college kids, whether they work for Amazon or any other organization, to be ready.

Lastly, we are happy to announce the formation of our tenth Member Committee, the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Committee.

Amazon has already committed to participate, and we have a number of Member volunteers working on the formation. Please stay tuned as developments unfold and events are scheduled.

As you can see, now would be a great time to join the Queens Chamber of Commerce and reap the full scope of benefits. Email or call me to get started.

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QUEENS QUICKLY

‘10,000 Small Businesses’ expands at LGCC

Empire State Development President Howard Zemsky, LaGuardia Community College President Gail Mellow and Chairman Lloyd Blankfein helped open the new Goldman Sachs “10,000 Small Businesses” Education Center at LaGuardia Community College last month.

Under Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s leadership, LaGuardia Community College was awarded $5 million to build the new center.

The new 10,000-square-foot space will provide a venue for trainings, lectures, alumni events, and more.

The funding for the project was provided

through New York State’s CUNY 2020 initiative.

The 10,000 Small Businesses program launched in 2010 as a partnership between LaGuardia Community College and Goldman Sachs to support and help local entrepreneurs grow their businesses and create jobs.

Often described as a “mini-MBA,” 10,000 Small Businesses provides training in business development, capital building, contract negation, systems management, and more.

To date, the program at LaGuardia Community College has helped more than 830 business owners. Based on this success, Goldman Sachs expanded the program. Today, it’s served nearly 8,000 small businesses across all 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.

Pictured is Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan (second from right) with 10,000 Small Businesses alumni (from left) Daniel Garcia of Salsa Caterers; Tony Yang of Gig Systems; Mary Molina of Lola Snacks; and Vanessa Best of Precision Healthcare Consultants.

New year, new city ban on styrofoam containers

Restaurants and food trucks will have to find new packaging for your quick-fix lunches and late-night snacks, as the city’s styrofoam ban went into effect on January 1.

“The 60 million pounds of styrofoam New Yorkers throw away each year clog our landfills and fuel the petroleum economy destroying our planet,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We’re ending this dirty practice so we can ensure a cleaner, fairer future for our children.”

The ban includes single-use styrofoam packaging made from expanded polystyrene (EPS).

All single-service cups, bowls, plates, takeout containers and trays will be prohibited.

Additionally, loose fill packaging, commonly referred to as “packing peanuts,” is also banned.

There is a six-month grace period in order for businesses to fully transition to eco-friendly packaging.

During this grace period, no fines will be imposed and representatives from the Department of Sanitation, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Department of Consumer Affairs will work with businesses across all five boroughs in an array of languages to help with the transition.

Because the cost of eco-friendly packaging may be higher, non-profits and small businesses with less than $500,000 in annual revenue may apply for hardship exemptions from the Department of Small Businesses.

The Department of Sanitation has already contacted over 129,000 retailers and food service establishments to educate them on the issue. During the grace period, the Department’s Commercial Outreach team will also provide a series of free in-person trainings and webinars in addition to on-site visits.

City officials promised the styrofoam ban was just the beginning.

“This long-overdue ban will put an end to styrofoam littering our streets and clogging our waterways,” said Mark Chambers, director

TABLE OF CONTENTS Promotions, Announcements & Appointments ........................................6

Queens Chamber of Commerce November Events .............................................21

EXPERT ADVICE: ShiftPixy and the Restaurant Industry ................7

Partners & Affiliates News and Happenings ........................................................23

TRENDS: The Future of Gaming ................................................................8

Chamber Welcomes New Members .........................................................................28

Small Cell Tech and the Borough of Queens, Part One ......................10 COVER STORY: Sunnyside in the Aftermath of Tragedy ................12 LaGuardia Program Empowering Women in Aviation .......................14 Chamber 2018 Building Awards Gala Recap .........................................21 4

PUBLISHER Walter H. Sanchez

MANAGING EDITOR Shane Miller

MARKETING DIRECTOR John Sanchez BQE Media, 45-23 47th St., 2nd Floor, Woodside, NY 11377 Phone: (718) 426-7200 Fax: (347) 507-5827

January 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 1

QUEENS QUICKLY

Zara gives over 1,000 presents to tenants in Jamaica In the spirit of giving, Zara Realty recently hosted a tenant holiday party at their main building in Jamaica, Queens.

The Queens Landlords gave over 1,000 presents, 3,000 LED light bulbs, and food to their beloved tenants at an all day appreciation event.

PHOTO: MAYOR’S OFFICE

Mayor Bill de Blasio discusses the new ban at a marine waste transfer station on New Year’s Day.

of the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability. “Now we must build on this progress by cutting out other

wasteful, outdated products like single-use plastic bags and plastic straws.”

Renowned chef to land at TWA Hotel Jean-Georges meets the Jet Age. World renowned chef JeanGeorges Vongerichten will premiere the Paris Café restaurant at the 512-room TWA Hotel at John F. Kennedy International Airport, opening in spring 2019.

The restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and cocktails at a medium price point.

Located in the heart of the iconic 1962 Eero Saarinen-designed TWA terminal, the Paris Café by JeanGeorges will encompass the entire footprint of the terminal’s original Paris Café and Lisbon Lounge, which have been dark since 2001.

As an avid traveler,” said Vongerichten, “I am very excited to be a part of recreating a culinary destination in this iconic landmark.”

The spaces were originally outfitted by famed Parisian industrial designer Raymond Loewy, the mind behind the 1955 Coca-Cola contour bottle, the 1959 TWA twin globes logo, the 1963 Studebaker Avanti, the 1962 Air Force One livery and the 1971 Shell logo.

Vongerichten’s take on the restaurant will help reignite the magic of the Jet Age throughout the TWA Hotel.

The restaurant’s name holds spe-

cial significance for Vongerichten: Raised on the outskirts of Strasbourg in Alsace, France, the chef trained in classical French cuisine at Auberge de I’lll in Alsace and L’Oasis in southern France before developing a passion for flavors of the East at luxury hotels in Bangkok, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Vongerichten now operates 36 restaurants, including ABC Kitchen in Manhattan, Mercato in Shanghai, and Simply Chicken in New York’s Madison Square Garden.

Connected to JetBlue Terminal 5 via the flight tubes made famous by the 2002 film Catch Me If You Can, the TWA Hotel features 512 ultraquiet guest rooms, 50,000 square feet of event space for up to 1,600 people, a 10,000 square foot fitness center, a rooftop pool and observation deck and a museum devoted to TWA and the mid-century modern design movement.

“Around the world, JeanGeorges is known for his delicious dishes and impeccable service,” said Tyler Morse, CEO and managing partner of MCR and MORSE Development. “He is the perfect chef to reinvigorate the legendary Paris Café.”

Even Santa made the trip to Jamaica to take photos with kids and families. Face painting and balloon making ensued.

“Our Zara community is filled with warm, good hearted people. When we all come together, it’s an event full of love and laughter,” said Tony Subraj, Zara VP. “We have the best tenants, and we love giving back. We are proud to serve the Jamaica community,” added Amir Sobhraj, Zara CFO. Holiday tenant parties are an often occurrence for Zara residents.

Just last month, Zara gave away hundreds of turkeys, chickens, and hams at their Thanksgiving appreciation event.

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org Email your announcement or promotion to info@thisisqueensborough.com

PROMOTIONS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & APPOINTMENTS Juthani joins staff at NYPQ

Dr. Rupa Gopalan Juthani recently joined NewYork-Presbyterian Queens and the faculty of the Weill Cornell Medicine Brain & Spine Center.

Dr. Juthani sees patients and performs surgery at NewYorkPresbyterian Queens, as well as NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center in Manhattan. At NYP Queens, she joins a team at the forefront of emerging technology for minimally invasive procedures in neurosurgery.

She specializes in general neurosurgery, including all disorders and conditions of the brain and spine, primary and metastatic tumors JUTHANI of the brain and spine, and pituitary tumors, Cushing disease and other neurosurgical endocrine disorders.

Prior to her appointment, Dr. Juthani completed fellowship training in neurosurgical oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where she had previously spent time as a research fellow in human oncology and pathogenesis.

She has extensive clinical experience treating all disorders and conditions of the brain and spine.

Dr. Juthani received her M.D. from the University of Virginia School of Medicine and completed her residency in neurosurgery at the Cleveland Clinic.

Healy joins library board

Borough President Melinda Katz appointed attorney Pauline Healy to the Queens Library Board of Trustees.

A resident of Douglaston, Healy has served as director of Agency

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Standards of the Melville office of the New York Life Insurance Company since May 2015. She is responsible for ensuring the office’s compliance with the company’s rules and with state and federal laws.

“I’m committed to using my legal background and business and HEALY communication skills to ensure that the Queens Library is governed with transparency and fiscal soundness,” Healy said, “so that it may continue to provide quality service to the diverse residents of Queens who rely on their Libraries to provide a vast array not only of books and other media, but of educational, cultural and community programs.”

Healy has also served as board president and legal chair of the Douglas Manor Association form 2012 to 2014.

Healy’s responsibilities in that position included presiding over community meetings, negotiating contracts, addressing community concerns, settling legal disputes and overseeing the content of the Association’s newsletters and other publications.

Healy earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from New York University in 1987 and a Juris Doctor degree from the St. John’s University School of Law in 1993. After graduating from law school, Healy worked for two years as a law clerk to the Chief Judge of the United States Court of International Trade.

Olivares takes helm at WBID

Raquel Olivares has been named the new executive director of the Woodhaven Business Improvement District (BID).

She will oversee the day-today functions of the organization, including programming and ser-

vices for commercial tenants along a 25-block stretch of Jamaica Avenue that includes 369 ground floor storefronts.

Olivares previously served as program director for Cypress Hills Business Partners at the Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation.

During her tenure, she conducted a Commercial District Needs Assessment (CDNA) in partnership with the Department of Small Business Services and implemented a multitude of organizing, marketing, and revitalization programming based on needs identified through the CDNA. As part of her work, Olivares organized dozens of local merchants to not only report on their needs, but to take leadership of their community by forming a merchant’s association with over 50 active members.

Prior to her role at Cypress Hills, Olivares spent six years providing workforce OLIVARES development services as senior career advisor at ASA College. She holds an Associate’s Degree in Office Management from ASA and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Management from St. Joseph’s College.

Olivares succeeds longtime executive director Maria Thomson, who passed away in January.

EXIT’s Koo & Koo honored

Vincent Koo and Emily Koo, owners of EXIT Kingdom Realty in Forest Hills, were named the second-highest grossing office across the U.S. and Canada for EXIT Realty for the year. They were honored at EXIT Realty Corp.

International’s Annual Convention at the Gaylord National Resort &

Convention Center in Washington, D.C. “Discipline, focus and the personal touch are evident in the leadership of Vincent Koo and Emily Koo,” said Craig Witt, president of the U.S. Division for EXIT Realty International. “They continue to run top producing offices with our brand and we are so thankful for their affiliation with EXIT Realty.

They lead by example and maintain a reputation of excellence.”

KOO & KOO Queens Chamber of Commerce 75-20 Astoria Boulevard, Suite 140 Jackson Heights, N.Y. 11370-1131 Entire Contents Copyright 2019 by Queensborough. All letters sent to the QUEENSBOROUGH should be brief and are subject to condensation. Writers should include a full address and home and office telephone numbers, where available, as well as affiliation, indicating special interest.

Anonymous letters are not printed. Name withheld on request. No such ad or any part thereof may be reproduced without prior permission of the QUEENSBOROUGH. The publishers will not be responsible for any error in advertising beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Errors must be reported to the QUEENSBOROUGH within five days of publication. Ad position cannot be guaranteed unless paid prior to publication.

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January 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 1

EXPERT ADVICE TECH CAN FIX LABOR WOES IN RESTAURANT INDUSTRY

BY STEPHEN AUSTIN Amidst a crippling labor shortage coupled with an annual employee turnover rate of 73 percent in the restaurant industry, operators today are desperate for a solution to attract and retain talent.

With an already small pool of workers, filling last-minute shift openings can be incredibly burdensome, especially as managers struggle to find qualified, available labor and meet their customers’ demand for fast and efficient service.

The restaurant industry is becoming increasingly tech-driven, leveraging tabletop POS systems and services like Yelp reviews to create more efficiencies and enhance the brand experience, so it only makes sense that operators also use tech to solve two of the biggest challenges they’re facing: filling shift gaps and reducing employee turnover.

FILLING SHIFT GAPS

Artificial intelligence is a great tool that can innovate the entire employee onboarding process, serving especially useful for restaurant operators that need to find labor fast.

For example, AI-powered chatbots can address this challenge by engaging, screening and onboarding candidates with the highest matching scores, saving operators time spent sifting through resumes.

Candidates can then simply text information to the chatbot, allowing it to be automatically recorded and populated throughout the application/employee profile, without the need to reenter the same information multiple times.

In addition to streamlining employee onboarding, AI-enabled scheduling technology can automatically recognize shift openings based on the customer rush that is expected. When a last-minute gap is identified in a schedule, the shift can automatically be advertised to other available workers.

By handling the communication on behalf of the restaurant and its

employees, operators are relieved from constantly managing schedules and coordinating shifts.

OFFERING FLEXIBILITY

Today’s workforce increasingly values flexible schedules, which can be a major contributor in overall employee satisfaction. In a recent survey, 38 percent of workers reported that they would be more motivated in their positions if they were able to work on their own terms, which has fueled the growth of the gig economy.

In return, many companies have leveraged a gig economy model as an effective way to attract and retain workers. However, with the growth of this emergent employee model, many workers are considered “independent contractors” and not “employees,” thus stripping them of benefits and protections.

The gig approach’s impact in the restaurant industry has been particularly prevalent in food delivery, with services like Grubhub and UberEats deploying that model.

While it certainly alleviates a lot of concerns and headaches for operators, it can have a negative impact on the brand – ranging from the high fees these companies charge, to the gig workers not being as motivated as they should due to the lack of benefits.

This trend involving third-party deliverers is becoming increasingly relevant, as stories continue to emerge of drivers acting inappropriately towards customers - or even eating their food!

Companies like ShiftPixy have the tech infrastructure to solve these same issues but also ensure workers are protected and receive benefits, which ultimately helps the workers as well as protects the brand’s reputation.

ENHANCING THE OPERATOR EXPERIENCE As employee turnover remains a prominent issue for restaurant

operators, many will turn to the gig economy as a solution, but in doing so, lose control of their brand.

ShiftPixy can serve as the solution to the restaurant industry’s labor woes, flipping the gig economy on its head by prioritizing flexibility and benefits, all through automating as much of the HR stack as possible.

With administrative duties comprising 54 percent of a manager’s time, operators don’t have the bandwidth to monitor schedules, fill last-minute shift openings, or worry about a thirdparty deliverer potentially harming their brand.

With solutions out in the marketplace like ShiftPixy, restaurants are relieved of many administrative burdens, and are able to redirect

their time to focus on boosting their business’ productivity.

Steve Austin is a direct sales specialist for ShiftPixy. Contact him at (646) 866-1106 or at Steve.Austin@ShiftPixy.com.

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TRENDS FUTURE OF GAMING: PERFORMANCE WITHOUT CLUTTER

BY TRAVIS VERBIL In some regards, buying a new gaming PC is more complicated than buying a new car. While the latter may be exponentially more expensive, you can sleep well knowing that it will still get you from point A to point B ten years down the line.

Gaming PCs are a bit trickier. Rapid advancements in computing power make even the mightiest rigs susceptible to obsolescence.

This isn’t a new phenomenon by any stretch of the imagination. Back in 1965 Gordon Moore, the co-founder of Intel, famously theorized that computing power would double every two years.

Moore’s law (as it’s often called in computing circles) has largely rung true since, with transistors getting smaller and computers getting more powerful as the years pass.

These hard truths create an uncomfortable reality for hobbyists and gamers alike. While the polish, scope, and overall production value of games increase with each passing year, so does the likelihood that computer owners will have to upgrade their computer parts to get the best

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possible gaming experience.

While gamers were traditionally obligated to swap out parts or build a new rig entirely, new cloud-based services promise the frills of PC gaming without the fear of becoming obsolete.

One of these services is Shadow, a new product that allows users to rent remote, high-end gaming PCs. Developed by the company Blade, Shadow uses cloud technology to grant users access to a fully decked out PC from the device of their choosing.

After subscribing to Shadow, users simply download an app on their mobile phone, tablet, smart TV, or computer which then allows them to control one of Shadow’s powerful computers anywhere they please.

Similar to Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming options, Shadow allows players access to its arsenal of gaming PCs for a monthly fee of $34.95.

While this price may be costly for the average consumer, Shadow stresses that its PCs will be upgraded regularly, stating that subscribers will always receive top-of-the-line performance without having to foot the bill for run-of-themill upgrades and repairs.

“The ultimate goal with Shadow is to redefine gaming,” said Asher Kagan, president and co-founder of Shadow, in an email to This is Queensborough. “Gamers have made it very clear they want the freedom and flexibility to literally play any game, anywhere without interruption, while having the best performance. And that’s always been our mission.”

While services like Shadow look to bring cloud gaming hardware to consumers, traditional console manufactures have found success bringing cloud gaming software to the market.

PlayStation Now, a service available on Sony’s PlayStation 4 and PC, allows players to stream over 650 PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4 games for $99.99 a year.

Even Nintendo, the game company that spent the last 12 years forgoing cutting-edge hardware for experimental gameplay styles, allows players in Japan to stream technically demanding games like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Resident Evil 7 directly to their Nintendo Switch consoles.

Cloud gaming, by every imaginable metric, is only getting started. Whatever the future may bring, you can bet it will be digital.

January 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 1

TECHNOLOGY

BENEFITS OF SMALL CELL TECH IN EDUCATION Editor’s Note: This is Part One of a three-part series on how small cell technology will benefit the borough of Queens.

Technology innovates our lives – no city knows this better than New York where our wireless devices are vital in our everyday lives.

New 5G networks are expected to enhance mobile connectivity by offering unbelievably fast speeds no other network has offered before.

Except, Queens will need small cell networks to provide these reliable connections.

Typically installed on pre-existing infrastructure, like light posts or telephone poles, small cell technology is wireless infrastructure that transfers data to and from our wireless devices. Small cells quickly provide reliable wireless connectivity that families and busi-

nesses need every day.

The prevalence of technology in educational settings is transforming how our students learn, and is preparing them to join the workforce. Small cell infrastructure will ensure prosperity within our borough by providing the dependable connectivity students need to successful.

Our students need wireless connectivity to continue learning inside and outside of their classrooms, bridging the digital divide, and ensuring safety in our schools.

To thrive as a borough, we want our students to receive the best education. Small cell infrastructure will ensure our students have reliable connectivity to achieve educational goals.

Technology programs in our schools are innovating how our students prepare for their futures

inside and outside of their classrooms. For instance, the Department of Education recently implemented eleven Career and Technical Education programs (CTE) in ten of Queens’ high schools.

These programs are specifically designed to train students reflecting NYC technology market needs, such as AV technology and communication, health science, scientific research, and engineering. The city and state are also budgeting $383 million in state funding for wireless infrastructure and technology upgrades in New York City schools.

However, the future of our students lies beyond the walls of our educational institutions. Students need consistent access to wireless connectivity, so they can learn in the technology sector.

Technology is commonplace in

the 21st century classroom, with 70 percent of American teachers assigning homework that must be completed online. However, not all students have reliable access to the internet at home.

Research shows that children in lower-income households do not have access to high-speed internet in their homes, making it difficult for them to complete their homework assignments on time. This creates a digital divide within our borough.

When students lack access to broadband, many turn to wireless internet to complete their assignments. According to Pew Research center, 35 percent of teenagers who lack reliable internet access at home complete their homework using their cell phones.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

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COVER STORY

SUNNYSIDE STILL SHINING: THE ROAD TO RECOVERY

BY BENJAMIN FANG On the cold morning on December 13, Jaime-Faye Bean woke up at 5:30 a.m. to terrible news.

She saw on the Citizen App, which provides users with instant crime and safety alerts, that a massive fire ripped through a row of stores on Queens Boulevard and 45th Street in Sunnyside. The fivealarm blaze started at around 2 a.m. the night before. Firefighters were still working on the flames by the time Bean arrived on site.

“I couldn’t believe it, I was just in complete shock,” said Bean, executive director of the Sunnyside Shines Business Improvement District (BID). “I knew I had to get into work as soon as possible. So I was out there along with a whole bunch of other people, just watching the place burn.”

When the smoke dissipated, the damage was revealed. Twelve people were injured, including seven firefighters, though all of the injuries were non-life threatening.

Six businesses were completely destroyed in the flames, including longtime eateries Sidetracks and New York Style Eats, Better Line Hardware, the newly opened Romantic Depot and a UPS store.

Sunnyside was devastated. As hundreds of onlookers watched the FDNY handle the aftermath of the fire, Bean and other business and community leaders sprang into action.

They began an online fundraising campaign on GoFundMe, which immediately took off. Donations came pouring in from residents. Many neighborhood businesses hosted their own fundraising events.

The following week, Sunnyside leaders hosted a large fundraiser at Sunnyside Community Services, featuring some of the best food, drinks and culture of the neighborhood. With cash donations and online ticket sales, the event raised more than $28,677.

The Queens Chamber Of Commerce was quick to jump in as well

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to support Sunnyside Shines and the business community.

“We spread the word via social media and via email blasts to our 17,000-plus distribution list,” said Chamber President and CEO Tom Grech. “Our Queens Chamber of Commerce Foundation quickly agreed to cut a check for $1,000 to the cause, and we are still working on getting the SBA to declare a limited state of emergency at the site” As of January 4, the fire relief efforts raised $163,000. When it’s all said and done, Bean expects the total to near $170,000. “I never doubted for a moment that if we offered a channel, there would be this community outpouring,” she said.

Bean called the community response “phenomenal,” not something often seen in local neighborhoods.

“It really showcases what is special about Sunnyside, and the fact that people here are very attached to the neighborhood,” she added.

“There is a connection to our neighborhood small businesses that you don’t always get in New York City anymore.”

The funds, managed by Sunnyside Shines, will be used as a shortterm emergency response for the 100 employees who were affected by the fire. In December, the BID dispersed $59,000 in the form of checks to the workers to “meet their immediate cash needs.”

In January, Bean will cut a second round of checks once Sunnyside Shines receives the GoFundMe funds. They will also distribute grocery vouchers to the employees.

Bean said she hopes to exhaust the emergency funds by the end of March.

The funds were put into a separate checking account that isn’t mixed with any of Sunnyside Shines’s other assets, she said. That account will be closed when the funds run out.

Bean, who worked in fundraising for 15 years before becoming executive director of the BID, said

she wanted to be “airtight” with how they handled the contributions. She has attorneys involved to make sure protocols followed IRS regulations.

Every donation they received, even if it was anonymous, was listed on both the Sunnyside Shines website and the GoFundMe page.

Bean will also have an independent auditor produce a financial review of the fundraiser that can be produced to the public.

“From the beginning, it’s been a huge mission of mine that this be meticulously handled,” she said, “that it be transparent and that it showcases the integrity of this organization.”

As for the small business owners who were impacted, Sunnyside Shines immediately connected

them with the city Department of Small Business Services Emergency Management Team. They provided many resources, including pro-bono legal support, lowinterest recovery loans and help with insurance claims.

Luckily, all of the businesses were insured. But Bean said that may not cover all of the financial costs. Dealing with the insurance companies will also be a “longterm project,” she said. One of the businesses, Better Line Hardware, is already working on reopening a new storefront on Greenpoint Avenue. Other businesses are at “different stages” of recovery.

Sidetracks and New York Style Eats, two restaurants that have been CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

January 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 1

COVER STORY

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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

COVER STORY IN WAKE OF TRAGEDY, BID CREATES DISASTER PROGRAM CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 in the neighborhood for decades, face a more complicated proposition of restarting a whole restaurant from scratch.

Tony Tang, who owns the UPS store, said since the fire, they have rerouted much of their business to another UPS location at 46-28 Vernon Boulevard in Long Island City.

Tang is also “working really hard” on opening a pop-up store at 40-14 Queens Boulevard, near Lowery Liquor. He expects the pop-up to open sometime in February or March. But the fire still lingers on his mind. Seven UPS employees were affected, all of whom are now out of work. Tang said when he first learned of the disaster, his system “totally shut down.”

“It was like someone put an arrow in my heart and head,” he said. “It was painful.”

Though he’s unsure what the landlord will do with the building once it’s rebuilt, he hopes to return to his original store. He estimated that

it may take two or more years to rebuild. “We want to be back,” Tang said.

A challenging, long-term issue is making sure all of the former employees find new work. Days after the fire, business leaders hosted a job fair, inviting local employers to discuss hiring opportunities. Roughly 30 workers attended that fair.

But according to Bean, as many as three-quarters of those 100 employees have not yet found work or are underemployed, only able to find part-time work. “That’s really the next phase,” she said. “There are still a lot of workers who haven’t been placed.”

Sunnyside Shines conducted a check-in after two weeks to see if the employees found employment.

They’re planning to do a check-in at the four-week mark, and another after eight weeks.

At the end of December, the BID announced the creation of their Business Community Disaster Program, an initiative to provide short-term relief for individuals “suffering a loss

of income or interest” in case there are any future emergencies like the Sunnyside fire or a natural disaster.

Bean said the organization wanted to make sure all the mechanisms they used this time are in place and well documented. In the event of another disaster, the BID would know how to respond, what to do and what not to do.

The executive committee of Sunnyside Shines’s board of directors can choose to activate the program in times of disaster. “We believe that, as much as we don’t want it to, there will always be disasters in the community,” Bean said. “You can prepare for the unexpected, but we’ve seen it.”

She added that Sunnyside Shines has a responsibility to local businesses and the larger community to be prepared during worst case scenarios.

“This is something we hope we don’t have to call upon anytime soon,” she said, “but I think it’s important to be forward-thinking about it.”

Reflecting on the recovery efforts nearly one month after the fire, Bean

“It was like someone put an arrow in my heart and head. It was painful.”

TONY TANG UPS STORE OWNER

12

said she felt confident Sunnyside Shines was the right organization to spearhead the initiative. Not only did they have the right capacity and staff, but they also had experience managing the financial, employee outreach and employee recovery aspects of it.

Looking ahead, the next steps for Bean include dispersing the rest of the short-term emergency funds, producing a financial audit and finding jobs for the employees. She’s also awaiting the fire marshal’s report, which will go into greater detail how the fire started in the first place.

In the next few weeks, the Sunnyside Shines leader will begin thanking the hundreds of organizations and individuals who were “very handson” in the recovery effort. She noted that the fundraisers had more than 1,400 total donors.

“That just underscores how this was a truly special group effort. It was truly something that was community driven,” Bean said. “It’s given me a lot of joy to see, in a fresh way, what a special community I have the privilege of working for.”

January 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 1

COUNCIL PASSES BILL TO ADDRESS AWNING FINES

BY BENJAMIN FANG Small businesses that were hit with steep fines for awning violations may soon receive muchneeded relief.

Earlier this month, the City Council passed the Awnings Act, a local law that would implement a two-year moratorium on violations and fines related to business signs.

Stores with outstanding fines for awning violations would have not to pay them. Those that already paid will only have to pay 25 percent of their permit fees for hanging new signs.

The bill also tasks the Department of Buildings, Department of City Planning and Small Business Services to create an education program for small businesses on sign regulations.

Finally, the legislation mandates a task force comprised of city agencies, small business owners, chambers of commerce, unions and others to evaluate current rules and practices.

The bill now heads to the mayor’s desk for his signature.

Brooklyn Councilman Rafael Espinal, the prime sponsor of the bill, said the measures will help small businesses thrive.

“We know it’s getting harder and harder every single year to be a business owner,” he said. “We need to do everything we can as a council to keep their doors open.”

In stores across the city, from Bay Ridge and Sunset Park in Brooklyn to Flushing and Woodhaven in Queens, small businesses were getting hit with steep fines for improper signage.

Since November 2017, more than 2,000 violations were reported to 311 across the five boroughs.

The violations included improper font size and listing a phone number on the awning.

“It was something I found to be highly suspicious, something that businesses across the entire district were complaining about,” Espinal said. “They did not understand why, after decades of having their signs up, they were being fined.”

Union Street in Downtown Flushing is a busy commercial strip

Councilmen Peter Koo and Rafael Espinal with business owner on Union Street in Flushing.

filled with mostly Korean and Chinese immigrant businesses.

Within a two block radius, there are more than 200 shops, including restaurants, clothing stores, beauty supply stores and hair salons, according to Councilman Peter Koo. But in the last several weeks, more than 60 percent have taken down their signs due to fears of receiving awning violations, Koo said. It cost the business owners between $400 to $1,000 just to take down their signs.

“This once vibrant commercial street has been reduced to a barren stirp of exposed brick and cement,” Koo said. “But the lasting impact is more severe. Profits suffer, reputations suffer.”

Ikhwan Rim, president of the Union Street Small Business Association, said the violation blitz began last winter. A DOB inspector came every two weeks, he said.

“Everybody’s thinking, am I going to be next?” Rim said. “It’s like a death sentence.”

Sometimes, an inspector would give one ticket to an entire commercial building. Other times, they would give fines to individual busi-

nesses. The penalty was anywhere between $5,000 to $8,000.

The uptick caused businesses to take down their signs. A few stores even went out of business and left Union Street.

“They say small businesses are the backbone of New York City, but it’s more like the piggy bank of New York City,” Rim said.

“They’re ruining our lives.”

The effect has not only been loss of business, but confusion among customers. Rim said a postal worker recently came to drop off mail, but couldn’t find his address because there were no signs.

Jo-Ann Yoo, executive director of Asian American Federation, which has been organizing small businesses in Flushing for the last several months, said she was “horrified” by the transformation on Union Street.

“I can’t recognize any of it, it looks like these weird commercial bunkers,” she said. “It takes away from the efforts of the people who first came here to build this economic corridor.”

City Hall did not respond to a request for comment. But a DOB spokesperson said last month that

for the safety of pedestrians walking underneath awnings, signs must be permitted by the city and put up by a licensed professional.

Espinal said the city has largely dropped that argument against the legislation, which was a primary point of opposition.

“The reason this bill is moving forward is because they see that there really haven’t been any safety concerns over the years regarding the awnings,” he said.

The Brooklyn councilman added that he had no new information about who was making so many anonymous 311 calls that led to the surge in awning violations.

But he did hear a rumor that it was someone who owns one of the sign-hanging companies in the city.

“Someone with a lot of time on their hands to be able to go to all five boroughs and make so many 311 complaints across the board,” he said. “I hope we get to the bottom of it.

“Hopefully, DOB and the city will be more sensitive when they seen an abuse of the 311 system being used against small businesses,” Espinal added.

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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

‘WOW’ FACTOR: GROUP EMPOWERS WOMEN IN AVIATION

BY BENJAMIN FANG In March 2015, LaGuardia Airport General Manager Lysa Scully began hosting an annual event recognizing Women’s History Month.

The event honored the “extensive female leadership base” at the airport, including the heads of American Airlines and Delta, the president of Vaughn College and others on the finance, business and commercial development side.

It also brought together younger female employees, like Michele Delgado, assistant manager of airport maintenance, and Madeline Arango, supervisor of airport transportation services, to connect with industry veterans.

Scully hoped that the women would share their stories and their challenges to inspire each other.

Despite the success of the annual events, she knew there was more to be done.

“Each year, I kind of felt a little empty afterward,” Scully said.

“There’s so much more that we could do rather than wait for a once-a-year-event.”

Last spring, the general manager met with Delgado and Arango, and started discussions about starting a female empowerment group for LaGuardia Airport. That idea eventually became Women Empowering Other Women (WOW), a support forum for women in aviation.

WOW, now more than 50 members strong, encompasses not just aviation operation professionals, but those who work in engineering, finance and other fields at LaGuardia. They meet regularly to share their successes and obstacles, but also give back to the local community.

Since June, Delgado and Arango have been developing the agendas for monthly forums. Delgado said an example of what they’ve discussed so far is opportunities for professional development through conferences and webinars. They plan to meet as a group for an upcoming webinar on “women embracing high ceilings.”

According to Arango, the group has also organized events and drives to benefit the local com-

14

Pictured from left to right are Madeline Arango, Michele Delgado and Lysa Scully.

munity. Over the holiday season, they collected nearly 50 coats that were donated to the King’s Inn, a temporary family homeless shelter in East Elmhurst.

WOW also hosted a toy giveaway for Our Lady of Fatima School, which is also near LaGuardia Airport. Arango said they learned that the Catholic school also has a girls development group, and is interested in partnering with WOW moving forward.

LaGuardia Airport already has a strong partnership with Vaughn College, according to Scully, who serves on the board of the East Elmhurst school.

By connecting with local schools and talking to young women about careers in science, engineering, math and art, WOW is strengthening the entire pipeline in the neighborhood. “2019 will be the year that we flourish and do a diversity of things,” Arango said.

In February or March, WOW will host industry trailblazer Jane Garvey, the first female chairwoman of United Continental Holdings and a former administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration

(FAA). Garvey is also the North America chairwoman of Meridiam Infrastructure, a global investor and asset management company.

Garvey is among 18 transportation leaders to share their stories in the book “Boots on the Ground, Flats in the Boardroom,” which was written in 2015. Scully said WOW purchased a copy for every member.

“We’re going to essentially do a book reading with her,” she said, “and talk about the book and her experiences.”

Moving forward, the group will also help Scully plan the annual Women’s History Month event in March, Arango said. They will also be involved in volunteer opportunities like Earth Day and Kiwanis Kids Day. Scully’s personal goal in spearheading this effort is to keep young female employees engaged and supported, so they stay in the industry. Though there are many other professional forums for employees, most are focused solely on learning the technical aspect of the job.

“It’s a tough business,” she said.

“Keeping really stellar young

ladies engaged and interested is important.”

Even Delgado and Arango have faced their share of challenges.

Delgado moved from airport operations to maintenance, a role dominated by men. Out of 85 staff members, only seven are women.

That means whenever she walks into a meeting, she’s almost always the only woman in the room, which can be daunting.

“But it also makes you work harder and know your stuff when you go into a meeting, and own it,” she said. “Take on the challenge and just do it even better.”

Many of the meetings Arango has with the operations teams are with engineers, who are often technical in their viewpoints. But Arango brings a different aspect to the conversation by remembering to think of the customer experience, like how families get around in the airport or having accessible restrooms.

“I think our voices are really valuable in that planning process,” she said.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

January 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 1

POLS: CONGESTION PRICING WILL HURT SMALL BIZ

BY BENJAMIN FANG As a congestion pricing proposal gains footing in Albany, a coalition of Queens elected officials, civic groups and business leaders is continuing to voice opposition.

Last month, the group spoke out against what they deem as a toll on the four free East River crossings: the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge and Williamsburg Bridge.

If passed in the budget, the congestion pricing plan would charge private vehicles and trucks entering the core business district in Manhattan south of 60th Street. The proposal would generate more than $1 billion annually to fund subway improvements for the MTA. Assemblyman David Weprin, an outspoken critic of congestion pricing, argued that his eastern Queens district doesn’t have accessible public transportation, so many residents rely on their cars to get to Manhattan.

“It is an expensive option already, and if this congestion tax is imposed, it will be a large burden on middle-class homeowners,” he said, “as well as small businesses that rely on the free bridges now for multiple deliveries.”

Weprin noted that the four bridges have remained free for more than a century, and believes they should stay a free option. Travelers still have the option of taking one of the city’s tolled bridges, such as the Queens Midtown Tunnel, which are often quicker, he said.

“We believe in consumer choice,” he said.

There are also many people with disabilities and seniors who can’t take mass transit, the assemblyman said, and need their cars for medical appointments, employment or to visit family members.

Rather than congestion pricing, Weprin recommended bringing back a commuter tax on people who live in New Jersey, Connecticut and the suburbs, but work in New York City. He argued that they benefit from police, sanitation and transportation services, but don’t pay their fair share.

Councilman Barry Grodenchik and Assemblyman David Weprin discuss their opposition to the congestion pricing proposal at the entrance to the Queensboro Bridge.

If marijuana is legalized in the state next year, which Governor Andrew Cuomo announced he would attempt, Weprin said he would consider taxing the industry to help fund the MTA’s capital needs as well.

“This is, by all standards, the worst regressive tax,” Weprin said.

“It shouldn’t be done on the backs of middle-class people who have no other choice than to drive into Manhattan.”

Councilman Barry Grodenchik said he was skeptical of the MTA, both in their ability to rein in overspending on projects and their promise to expand the system to reach his eastern Queens district.

When the councilman proposed an expansion of buses or rail service to Belmont Park, the MTA immediately rejected the idea, he said.

He has even circulated a letter to his colleagues, asking the MTA to include the entire borough of Queens on the subway map.

Right now, it’s “out of sight, out of mind,” Grodenchik said.

He also cast doubt as to whether congestion pricing would actually solve the congestion problem. Cars in the core area of Manhattan travel at an average speed of 4.7 miles per hour, and if passed, congestion

pricing would only increase speeds by 9 percent, or 0.43 miles per hour.

“You can, at a brisk walk, walk faster than that,” he said.

Councilman I. Daneek Miller, who represents the neighborhoods of southeast Queens, said the congestion pricing plan doesn’t address the transit needs of his district, which is an “extreme transportation desert.”

While other neighborhoods are getting ferry service, potential trolley service and other improvements, southeast Queens, which has among the longest travel times into Manhattan, gets nothing, he said.

“We have no options, yet we are the ones being asked to pay,” Miller said. “The burden continues to be on the people who suffer most.”

He was also skeptical of giving more money to an agency that “has proven itself not to be worthy of it.”

“There needs to be some level of performance that would justify any additional money going in,” he said.

Weprin added that the governor pushed for a congestion pricing proposal last budget session, but faced “overwhelming opposition”

by Assembly Democrats.

“I’m hoping that will stay together,” Weprin said. “There’s got to be better proposals.”

Last week, six state senators who joined the Democratic majority announced their support for congestion pricing, including Jessica Ramos from Queens and Andrew Gounardes, Zellnor Myrie and Julia Salazar from Brooklyn.

In a joint statement, they said they intend to deliver on their promises of bringing the MTA and its infrastructure into the modern era.

“Congestion pricing will offer them less crowded streets and offer the overwhelming majority of transit riders new signals, subway cars and hundreds of station elevators,” the statement read. “Without it, we will not achieve the revenue necessary to achieve these goals.”

The newly elected representatives pledged to hold the MTA accountable, watching closely how funds are spent in the best interest of riders.

“We must reach deep into subway deserts and suburban areas where commutes can be especially long and unreliable,” they added.

“The task before us is a big one, but completing it is central to restoring trust in government and cementing the economic future for all New Yorkers.”

15

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

2018 QUEENS CHAMBER BUILDING AWARDS CHAMBER HONORS EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE For nearly a century, the Queens Chamber of Commerce has hosted an annual building awards event honoring the top builders, designers and architects of the year.

This year, the chamber received close to 100 nominations, according to chamber president Thomas Grech, ranging from small, singlefamily homes to larger developments. Board members then voted for 20 winners based on a number of different criteria. Those winners were recognized at a gala on December 6 at Terrace on the Park.

“We’re thrilled to honor a number of our members tonight,” Grech said, “and seeing the builders and the architects come together and show the pride that they have for the things that they’ve built.”

Queens Chamber board chairman Thomas Santucci said what makes a house into a home or a hospital comforting for those who visit is how a building functions.

Developers, designers, engineers and architects have to put a lot of thought and preparation into everything they build.

He noted that Queens is continuing to grow every year. “The greatest art show is New York City skyline,” Santucci said, “and now it’s on both sides of the East River.”

The keynote speaker at the gala was John Banks, president of the Real Estate Board of New York.

He spoke about the impact that Amazon, which is bringing 25,000 high-paying jobs to Long Island City, will have on the borough and the city.

“That’s nothing to be shy about,” Banks said. “That is a fantastic

achievement that has come to the borough of Queens.”

No other project he has worked on has ever had a nine-to-one return on investment, which both the governor and mayor said Amazon will bring to New York, Banks said. With Google, Facebook and other companies making plans to expand, he predicted that New York City will continue to see tremendous job growth.

“It’s stunning,” Banks said. “New York is on the cusp of becoming a tech hub in the country.”

ANDREW & NICK BLANKE

KEVIN WOLFE & PAM BRODERICK JEREMY KOVACS & BRENDAN MCKENNA

JEFFREY CHYAU & HENRY WONG

XAVIER ROLIZ & BILLY RACKY

LAURA MANNO & JASMINE FREEMAN TIM HAO & STONE CHANG

CHRIS ODYSSEOS, LUCA DI CIERO, THOMAS SANTUCCI, ANTHONY LO VERN & ODYSSEAS ODYSSEOS

16

January 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 1

2018 BUILDING AWARDS NEW CONSTRUCTION • Commercial

FedEx Ground Sort Facility Owner – Fifty-Seven Avenue Investments, LLC Architect – Michael Messina/Baldassano Architecture, LLP Builder – Barney Reilly/Aurora Contractors, Inc.

• Hotels & Motels

Courtyard by Marriott Queens Fresh Meadows, NY Owner – East West United Realty Development Group, LLC Architect – Michael Kang/Michael Kang Architect, PLLC Builder – George Hsu/MC Superstructure Inc.

• Mixed Use – Residential/Commercial/Industrial

1st Place Winner – Verona Condominiums Owner – Park Construction/Robert Cerrone Architect – Angelo Costa/Meltzer, Costa & Associates, Architecture & Engineering, LLP Builder – Park Construction 2nd Place Winner – East West Tower Owner – East West Tower Architect – Anthony Ng/Angelo Ng & Anthony Ng Architects Studio Builder – Kenny Liu

• Public Buildings

Louis Armstrong Stadium Owner – USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Architect – Matthew Rossetti/Rossetti Builder – Billy Racky/AECOM Hunt Construction

• Religious Buildings

Han Ma Um Zen Center of NY Inc. Owner – No JumSoon Architect – Angelo Costa/Meltzer/Costa & Associates, Architecture & Engineering, LLP Builder – James S. Mitchell/James S. Mitchell & Sons

“What sets Ridgewood apart from other banks is their service. If I have a need, they take care of it.

I never have to worry.”

Jeff Ceraso Starving Artist Café & Gallery

• Single & Two Family Residences

The Bridges at Whitestone Owner – Fulcrum Real Estate Advisors Architect – Frank Petruso/Frank Petruso Architect, P.C. Builder – Timothy O’Sullivan/O’Sullivan Builders & Developers Inc.

INTERIOR DESIGN • Commercial

The Douglaston Club Owner – The Douglaston Club, Inc. Architect – Kevin Wolfe/Kevin Wolfe Architect, P.C. Builder – The Douglaston Club, Inc.

• Industrial

Andromeda Inc Owner – John Kalafatis Architect – Gerald J. Caliendo/Gerald J. Caliendo Architect RA AIA Builder – John Kalafatis/Skyline Restoration Inc. • Mixed Use – Residential/Commercial/Industrial The Nordic Owner – 23-67 31st JV LLC Architect – AKI Development Builder – AKI Development

• Single & Two Family Residences

Shim House Owner – Shim Yeong Architect – Suk Hwan Kim, P.E./ Design Group In H&K LLC. Builder – Sang Lee / Nextcom Construction, Inc.

REHABILITATION, ALTERATION OR ADDITION • Commercial

36-19 Broadway Owner – Peter Phillips Architect – John Glavic/Gerald J. Caliendo Architect RA AIA Builder – Marangos Construction Corp.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

From “Starving Artist” to Thriving Business.

As co-owner of Starving Artist Café & Gallery, Jeff Ceraso needed a bank that could keep up with the fast pace of his business. He turned to Ridgewood, where he found the flexible accounts, sophisticated technology and fast, responsive service he needed to move his business forward.

Get the solutions you need to save time and improve cash flow.

Speak with a Business Banking Relationship Manager today.

www.ridgewoodbank.com (844) 772-4722

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

2018 QUEENS CHAMBER BUILDING AWARDS TOM GRECH, KUSHIRO HEMRAJANI, JACQUELINE DONADO & JOANNE PERSAD

MARTIN BRUTON & JOHN METEKIDIS

• Health Care Related

1st Place Winner – Ferrara Family Center of Hospice Care Owner – Jamaica Hospital Medical Center Architect – William Selan/RBSD, Architects Builder – Sea Chang/Eeson Construction 2nd Place Winner - Long Island Jewish Forest Hills Hospital Owner – Northwell Health Architect – Ross Adam Cole/BAM Architecture Studio Builder – Aaron Melchior/The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company

• Mixed Use – Residential/Commercial/Industrial

Mikkeller Brewing NYC Owner – SEMB CF LLC Architect – Dan Bernstein/Kutnicki Bernstein Architects Builder – Mike Beirne/Hunter Roberts Construction Group RAPHAEL FORONDA & SANDY PEREDO MICHAEL ADLER, KARINA RUIZ & FRANK VERO, JR.

• Office Building

Andromeda Advantage, Inc. Owner – John Kalafatis Architect – Gerald J. Caliendo/Gerald J. Caliendo Architect RA AIA Builder – John Kalafatis/Skyline Restoration Inc.

• Schools & Colleges

UPK Q972 - Jackson Avenue Owner – New York City School Construction Authority Architect – Albert Aronov/RKTB Architects Builder – Nayan Parikh/ASHNU International

• Single & Two Family Residences

1st Place Winner – Zhao Residence Owner – Alex Zhao Architect – Tim Hao/HCD Architect PC Builder – Alex Zhao/Foreview Construction Inc. 2nd Place Winner – Chan Lee Residence Owner – Alice Chan & Lawrence Lee Architect – Kevin Wolfe/Kevin Wolfe Architect, PC Builder – Guy Bodenburg/Top 8 Construction Corporation

SUSTAINABLE BUILDING

• Mixed Use – Residential/Commercial/Industrial

Beach Green Dunes Owner – BGN Workforce LLC Architect – Mark Ginsberg/Curtis & Ginsberg Architects LLP Builder – Eric Bluestone/Banta Homes Corp.

18

January 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 1

this is...

July 2018 . Volume 14 . Issue 7

MASPETH FEDERAL

BANKING IN ...AND ON...

COMMUNITIES

MARKETING THE EXPERIENCE AT QUEENS CENTER MALL “We’re really a community company that happens to do some banking.”

PRESIDENT & CEO THOMAS RUDZEWICK

5

PAGES OF COVERAGE OF THE QUEENS CHAMBER BUSINESS EXPO

this is...

August 2018 . Volume 14 . Issue 8

SCRAP

METTLE

THE WOMAN BREAKING GENDER STEREOTYPES AT CITY SCRAP METAL IN LONG ISLAND CITY CHAMBER TAKES TO THE SEAS FOR ANNUAL NETWORKING EVENT

OWNER AND PRESIDENT MICHELE ROTHMAN

Profiling Queens’ Most Dynamic People.

They read it.... so should you!

This is Queensborough is published by

To subscribe to this monthly, glossy magazine, visit thisisqueensborough.com or call BQE Media at 718-426-7200. To place an ad, call BQE Media at 718-426-7200 19

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

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RED ENVELOPES, FILM PREMIERES & GREAT ART

January is the first month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars, and the coldest month in the Northern Hemisphere. It begins with an international holiday and ends with some of the planet’s most obscure celebrations (i.e. National Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day on January 29).

In Queens, January overflows with great music, ballet, art, films, and even free chunks of ginger bread. Here’s the top seven events in Queens this month to make your January a little warmer.

7. In Practice: Other Objects, January 14 to March 25. This exhibition presents new work by 11 artists and artist teams that probes the slippages and interplay between objecthood and personhood. SculptureCenter, 44-19 Purves St., Long Island City, sculpture-center.org.

6. An Afternoon of Chamber Music, January 19 at 2 pm. Musica Reginae, a local nonprofit that organizes and promotes concerts, presents an exploration of 21st century Romanticism with lyrical, soaring melodies, technical virtuosity, and beautiful sonorities. The Churchin-the-Gardens, 50 Ascan Ave., Forest Hills, musicareginae.org.

5. GingerBread Lane Giveaway, January 21 at 2 pm. GingerBread Lane is a multi-thousandpound construction consisting of many, many buildings made of ginger bread (naturally), icing, and candy. Unveiled on November 10, it

will be broken down, and the public will be able to take home chunks. New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th St., Flushing Meadows Corona Park, nysci.org.

4. First Look, January 11 to January 21.

This eighth annual promotion screens 40 brand new, innovative films. The lineup includes

features, shorts, documentaries, and narratives from China, France, Israel, Pakistan, Mexico, and other countries. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria’s Kaufman Arts District, movingimage.us.

3. Red Envelope Show, January 5 to January 27. This exhibition honors the Year of the Pig with work by professional visual artists and community members. It’s an homage to the red celebration envelopes the Chinese community distributes during the Lunar New Year. All pieces are for sale. Many envelopes include a special gift for only the buyers to see. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., flushingtownhall.org.

2. Dance Theatre of Harlem, January 20 at 4 pm. This world-renowned ballet troupe performs as part of a celebration of the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Queens College’s Colden Auditorium, 153-49 Reeves Ave., Flushing, kupferbergcenter.org.

1. The Havana Cuba All-Stars, January 27 at 7 pm. This high-energy group celebrates Cuban music and dance with rhythms and melodies from Cha Cha Cha to Rumba to Salsa. This year, the ensemble is accompanied by three of the Caribbean island’s finest dancing couples.

The Ralph & Ricky Lauren Theater at The Lexington Center, 25-26 75th St., East Elmhurst, visitqpac.org.

The “It’s In Queens” column is produced by the Queens Tourism Council. More info at itsinqueens.com.

20

January 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 1

QUEENSBOROUGH CALENDAR OF EVENTS JANUARY 1/22, 2 PM

TURN YOUR HOBBY INTO A BUSINESS: EMBROIDERY WORKSHOP

Learn how to embroider and discover ways you can use it to start your own business.

Centro Cultural Barco de Papel 40-03 80th St. Elmhurst, NY 11373 1/23, 10 AM

SMALL BUSINESS TAX: TOP 10 THINGS TO KNOW

Discuss 1099’s, deductions, LLC’s and more with Tshering D. Gurung.

Business Center for New Americans 78-27 37th Ave., Ste. 1 Jackson Heights, NY 11372 1/25, 2 PM

LAST CHANCE TO ENROLL FOR HEALTH

INSURANCE SEMINAR.

Find out if you are available for Medicaid, Essential Plan and/or Child Health Plus.

Queens Library at Lefferts 103-34 Lefferts Blvd.

Jamaica, NY 11419 1/29, 11:15 AM

SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCES LUNCHEON

Learn what resources and programs can help you grow you small business.

FREE Register at queenschamber.org Jackson Diner 37-47 37th St. Jackson Heights, NY 11372

FEBRUARY 2/6, 10 AM

USING FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM FOR BUSINESS

Learn how to use Instagram AND

Facebook to grow your audience, promote your brand and convert followers into customers with Catherine Ventura of Venn Diagram.

FREE Register at queenschamber.org Business Center for New Americans 78-27 37th Ave., Ste. 1 Jackson Heights, NY 11372 2/13, 8 AM

ANNUAL BREAKFAST WITH BOROUGH PRESIDENT MELINDA KATZ AND THE QUEENS BOROUGH BOARD

Hear about our thriving borough’s top economic priorities, initiatives and milestones. Take this opportunity to personally meet key administrators and members of the Borough President’s team as well as members of the 14 Community Boards of Queens.

Register at queenschamber.org Antun’s

96-43 Springfield Blvd.

Queens, Village, NY 11429 2/27, 8:30 AM

NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION

A quarterly event where members who joined in the previous quarter will attend a basic meet-and-greet and training seminar.

Queens Chamber of Commerce 75-20 Astoria Blvd.

Jackson Heights, NY 11372

MARCH 3/19, ALL DAY

QUEENS DAY IN ALBANY

A meet-and-greet with the Queens Assembly and Senate delegation, tours of the Capitol and Chambers, and a cocktail reception/food sampling of the finest Queens’ food and drink purveyors.

Register at queenschamber.org State Street Downtown Albany

The Queens Chamber of Commerce will host its Annual Breakfast with the Borough President on February 13.

For any registration or more information on these events or any other events please call us at 718.898.8500 or visit us on the web queenschamber.org

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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

QUEENS CHAMBER NEWS & EVENT

CHAMBER HOSTS MEMBERS-ONLY HOLIDAY PARTY

The Queens Chamber of Commerce had a merry time at its end-of-the-year celebration on December 20. Guests enjoyed food, drinks and good company to wrap up 2018.

Tom Grech & Donovan Richards

Steve Hawk & Neil Levin

Jake Dungca & Howard Swengler

Nicholas & Nick Tziazas

Sammy Familia & Dr. Ryan Letts

Mike Barry & Harlan Kahn

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January 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 1

QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES 82ND STREET PARTNERSHIP

37-06 82nd Street, Jackson Heights, NY 11372 Executive Director: Leslie Ramos 718.335.9421 82ndstreet.org QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $224,000 with more than 200 businesses under its umbrella.

The district is on 82nd Street from 37th Avenue to Baxter Avenue. The board meets quarterly with the annual meeting in June.

There are free immigration services every Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 71-29 Roosevelt Avenue. All services are free, confidential and open to any member of the community. Some of the services include DACA, TPS and document replacement and renewal. Call (212) 652-2071 with any questions.

Recently, Queens Council on The Arts commissioned eight Queens-based artists to create temporary public artworks throughout Jackson Heights through their first ever, public art commissioning program, ArtSite.

QCA partnered with the 82nd Street Partnership to connect artists with local businesses and organizations to locate sites for art throughout Jackson Heights.

“ArtSite has brought together talented artists and local business owners to gift the communi-

ty with visual expressions of their multicultural journeys.” Leslie Ramos, executive director of the 82nd Street Partnership.

The artwork will be on display through the spring. Learn more at queenscounilonthearts.org.

350 members.

Founded in 2007, the BID includes commercial property owners and residents on Bell Boulevard between 35th Avenue and Northern Boulevard, as well as a block east and west on 41st Avenue.

There will be a Holiday Parade on December 2. Any community group that wishes to march should contact the BID office at info@baysidevillagebid.com or contact Councilman Paul Vallone’s Office.

BUSINESS CENTER FOR NEW AMERICANS (BCNA)

“What We Carry” by Yvonne Shortt is currently on display in Dunningham Triangle.

BAYSIDE VILLAGE BID

213-33 39th Avenue, Bayside, NY 11361 Executive Director: Christine Siletti 718.423.2434 info@baysidevillagebid.com QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $218,000 and over

78-27 37 Avenue, Jackson Heights, NY 11372 Business Development: Tshering Gurung 347.730.6468 tgurung@nycbcna.org QUICK GLANCE: Since 1997, BCNA has been serving New York City entrepreneurs.

BCNA is an approved Small Business Administration Intermediary Lender and a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). BCNA’s Microloan program is the cornerstone of its services. They provide small business loans and microloans to business owners who are not able to obtain loans from traditional lenders.

The Business Center for New Americans is

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES hosting several events in conjunction with the Queens Chamber this month. See page 21 for more information.

FOREST HILLS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

PO Box 751123, Forest Hills, NY 11375 President: Leslie Brown 718.268.6565 FHChamber11375@gmail.com FHChamber@aol.com QUICK GLANCE: Re-formed in 1995, the group has over 225 members.

Chamber meetings are held on the last Wednesday of the month at 9 a.m. at the West Side Tennis Club, 1 Tennis Place, in Forest Hills. This month’s meeting will take place on January 31.

GREATER FLUSHING CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

39-01 Main Street, Suite 511, Flushing NY 11354 Executive Director: John Choe john@flushingchamber.nyc 646.783.8985 flushingchamber.nyc QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 2014 and representing over 200 businesses.

On Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Chamberorganized Greenmarket returns to Maple Playground at 136-50 Maple Avenue.

The Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce

invites anyone who is interested to march with them in the 2019 Lunar New Year Parade on Saturday, February 9, at 11 a.m. Chamber members will gather at historic St. George’s Church from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. to connect and stay warm with hot coffee and refreshments before heading to the parade site together.

GREATER JAMAICA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

GREATER WOODHAVEN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WOODHAVEN BID

84-01 Jamaica Avenue, Woodhaven NY 11421 718.805.0202 gwdcbid@hotmail.com woodhavenbid.com QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $257,000 with more than 350 businesses under its umbrella.

On Jamaica Avenue from Dexter Court to 100th Street, the BID features six supermarkets. They are providing free benches for store owners along Jamaica Avenue. They also provide 2.5 and 5 percent home improvement loans.

JAMAICA CENTER BID

90-04 161st Street, Jamaica, NY 11432 President: Hope Knight 718.291.0282 www.gjdc.org QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1967, the group has 75 members.

GJDC’s work expands economic opportunity and improves quality of life for the ethnically and economically diverse residents of Jamaica and for the region at large, which benefits from rational, wellplanned, and sustainable metropolitan growth.

161-10 Jamaica Avenue, Suite 419 Jamaica, NY 11432 718.526.2422 jamaica.nyc @JamaicaAvenue QUICK GLANCE: Budget of over $1 million.

Founded in 1979, the Jamaica Center BID serves over 500 businesses on Jamaica Avenue between Sutphin Boulevard and 169th Street.

The BID’s goal is to promote and maintain Downtown Jamaica as a thriving business hub and an enjoyable destination to shop, work, live and visit.

The BID’s sanitation team is out on Jamaica Avenue 360 days a year. The BID offers marketing and promotion for the district, including a value card program, banner and rubbish bin sponsorship opportunities, and supports business owners in opening or expanding their operations.

The BID is the proud recipient of a three-year, $300,000 Avenue NYC grant and is currently conducting a Commercial District Needs Assessment (CDNA), which will inform future programing.

JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The LIC Partnership and Urban Upbound hosted a Career Open House, sponsored by the TD Charitable Foundation, last month at the Jacob Riis Neighborhood Settlement. Nearly 80 residents interested in exploring career opportunities at local businesses, such as manufacturing, construction, transportation and warehousing, met with more than 25 business owners and their employees who gave short presentations sharing experiences working in their current positions and how they entered the industry.

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616 Duke Street, Westbury, NY 11590 Executive Director: Mercedes Altman 516.492.0513 jfkairportchamberofcommerce.org QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1978, the group has over 200 members.

JFK Airport is the only airport in the country to have its own chamber of commerce wholly dedicated to the airport business community, which employs 35,000 people. The airport handles more than 50 million passengers a year, using almost a half-million square feet of warehouse space to handle more than a million tons of air freight cargo a year.

Upcoming events include: • Wednesday, February, at 8:30 a.m. - The JFKCoC Directors General Monthly Meeting at JFK International Airport, Building 14 Conference Room A. Guests are welcome but must RSVP. Light breakfast will be served.

January 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 1

QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES LONG ISLAND CITY PARTNERSHIP

President: Elizabeth Lusskin 718.786.5300 longislandcityqueens.com Founded in 1979, the Long Island City Partnership advocates for economic development that benefits LIC’s industrial, commercial, cultural and residential sectors. The goal is to attract new businesses to the neighborhood, retain those already here, welcome new residents and visitors, and promote a vibrant and authentic mixeduse community. The LIC Partnership operates the LIC Business Improvement District and the LIC Industrial Business Zone.

Upcoming events include: • Tuesday, January 29, 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. - LICP is hosting a Business Breakfast with the NYC Department of Buildings to present the new features of the DOB NOW self-service online platform. These features will streamline the filing process for building owners and others. RSVP is required. Free for LICP members, $25 for nonmembers. 41-21 27th Street, Long Island City.

MASPETH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

P.O. Box 780265, Maspeth, NY 11378

President: David Daraio 718.335.1300 maspethchamberofcommerce.org QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1953, they have 120 members and a budget of $115,000.

Tuesday, Jan. 8, 12 p.m. - Maspeth Chamber of Commerce’s monthly meeting will take place on Tuesday, January 8, at noon at Connolly’s Corner at 71-15 Grand Avenue.

MASPETH INDUSTRIAL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION (MIBA)

BOC: 96-11 40th Road, Corona, NY 11368 Coordinator: Quincy Ely-Cate 718.205.3773 qelycate@bocnet.org mibanyc.org QUICK GLANCE: Roughly 600 businesses with 30 active members.

The Maspeth Industrial Business Association, a project of the Business Outreach Center Network, provides a collective voice in advocating the needs and interests of industrial and manufacturing businesses in Maspeth.

They help companies in the Maspeth Industrial District in developing workforce, accessing tax credits, obtaining financing, navigating government regulations and, in some cases, finding real estate.

Financing Your Business is a free workshop presented by BOC Capital and Maspeth Industrial Business Association. For anyone currently operating a business or looking to start one, this workshop will teach various skills from how to utilize a business plan to resources for start-ups. It will take place at 96-11 40th Road in Corona on Tuesday, January 8 from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

MIDDLE VILLAGE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

79-47 Metropolitan Ave., Middle Village, NY 11379 President: Salvatore Crifasi 718.894.8700 Sal@Crifasi.com QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $8,000 with 35 businesses under its umbrella.

Formed in 1929. MVCC meets annually and focuses on the Metropolitan Avenue shopping district between 69 and 80th streets. Annual membership fee is $150, and they are looking to gain momentum through attracting new members. The mission is to improve the area and assist local businesses if they have any concerns or needs.

MYRTLE AVENUE BID

62-14 Myrtle Avenue, Ridgewood, NY 11385 Executive Director: Ted Renz

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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES 718.366.3806 QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $500,000 with over 300 retail and service businesses under its purview.

Board meetings are held four times a year with the annual meeting in June. The district includes Myrtle Avenue in Ridgewood between Fresh Pond Road and Wyckoff Avenue. Program support is provided by the Ridgewood LDC. One of the longest running BIDs is also one of the more innovative in its approach to helping maintain an active business corridor by helping landlords rent vacant properties. The website ridgewood-ny.com shows properties that are currently for rent in the district.

The BID has also been involved in a zoning initiative for Myrtle Avenue. Executive Director Ted Renz is working with, and has the approval of the community board, to preserve the integrity of the business feel of Myrtle Avenue by making it a special zoning district. City Planning is looking at the request now. The plan seeks to keep the look of the two- and three-story commercial infrastructure in tact.

QUEENS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION 12-55 Queens Boulevard, Room 309

Kew Gardens, NY 11424 Executive Director: Seth Bornstein 718.263.0546 queensny.org QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $1.5 million and

a resource for over 2,000 businesses in the borough of Queens.

Funded by Department of Small Business Services, they strive to create and retain jobs via programs that grow neighborhoods and assist small businesses. QEDC assists by providing one-on-one consultations, hosting workshops, operating training courses and networking events.

Upcoming events include: • Saturday, January 5, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Queens StartUP! is a holding a Business Operations and Management workshop to learn how your busi-

GJDC BOARD MEMBERS MEETING

ness plan will operate and how to include long-term goals. Topics include technology management for business efficiency and others. 41-17 Main St. Wednesday, January 9, 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. - Queens StartUP! is holding an Idea to New Venture workshop to help participants develop their business strategies and organize their start-up process. 41-17 Main St. • Thursday, January 10, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. - Queens StartUP! is holding a Considerations for Start-Up Businesses workshops to teach on rules and regulations on starting a business. 41-17 Main St. • Saturday, January 12, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Queens StartUP! is holding a All About Business Planning and Research workshop to teach initial steps and foundation of starting a business. 41-17 Main St. • Thursday, January 17, 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

- Women’s Power Networking Breakfast: Tax Bootcamp for Entrepreneurs will be joined by the CEO of Choice Tax Solutions Abby Eisenkraft for a fast-paced presentation and free food. 90-40 160th Street.

• Saturday, January 19, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

- Queens StartUP! is holding a Creative Sales and Marketing Strategies training session to teach developing sales and marketing strategies, gathering metrics and more. 41-17 Main St. • Saturday, January 26, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Queens StartUP! is hosting a Developing Financial Statements session on how to review and handle financial statements for their business. 41-17 Main St. • Thursday, January 31, 10 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Doing Business with the Government: Getting M/ WBE Certified with NYC and NYS will teach minority women how to obtain government contracts and certifications. RSVP required. 36-46 37th Street.

ROCKAWAY BUSINESS ALLIANCE

info@rockawaybusinessalliance.org QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $40,000 and a resource for over 200 businesses.

The Rockaway Business Alliance was founded in 2012 after Hurricane Sandy. RBA’s vision is to create business corridors that are clean, safe, and welcoming, with shopping, dining, attractions, and engagement for the local community and the visitors drawn to Rockaway’s beaches and open spaces. RBA seeks to create and curate an inviting atmosphere for all to enjoy year round.

The Greater Jamaica Development Corporation (GJDC) held its semi-annual meeting of board members. Featured speaker, restaurateur Dawn Kelly of the Nourish Spot restaurant in Jamaica gave a report to board members on her successful participation in this fall’s “Res Tech Boot Camp,” which the GJDC along with Goldman Sachs and Con Edison jointly sponsored. The event was a two-day intensive workshop that empowered small to mid-sized Jamaica restaurants to leverage technology and restaurant growth strategies to compete and thrive in Jamaica. Pictured from left to right are board chair Peter Kulka, GJDC CEO Hope Knight and GJDC CFO Todd Benenson. (Photo: Walter Karling)

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ROCKAWAY DEVELOPMENT & REVITALIZATION CORPORATION

1920 Mott Avenue, Far Rockaway, NY 11691 President: Kevin Alexander 718.327.5300 www.rdrc.org QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1978, the group has 30 members.

Founded in 1978, the Rockaway Development &

January 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 1

QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES Revitalization Corporation (RDRC) was established to promote the revitalization of the Rockaway’s economic base and neighborhoods by creating long-standing partnerships with city and state agencies. RDRC is governed by a twelve-member board of directors and a five-member merchant advisory board.

RDRC’s current city and state collaborations include the Downtown Far Rockaway Storefront Improvement Program, The Downtown Far Rockaway Public Wi-Fi Project, The Rockaway East Workforce Development Program and most recently, the planned $288,000,000 Downtown Far Rockaway Redevelopment Project.

With over 250 businesses and 61,000 or 53 percent of the Rockaway’s entire population living within 2 miles of downtown Far Rockaway, one of RDRC’s goals is to reduce the over $91 million in market leakage to neighboring downtown shopping districts.

To address this challenge, in 2014 RDRC rejuvenated the Rockaway East Merchants Association (REMA).

Today with RDRC as its administrator, REMA membership now includes 40-plus local businesses with an active calendar of events that includes an annual merchant’s fair, talent show,

fashion event, holiday tree lighting and live concerts.

REMA membership meetings are held on the fourth Monday of the month at 1 p.m. at RDRC, located at 1920 Mott Avenue in Far Rockaway.

built around assisting and helping local business and professionals by providing resources to increase business, safety and historical preservation.

STEINWAY STREET BID

45-56 43rd Street, Sunnyside, NY 11104 Executive Director: Jaime-Faye Beam 718.606.1800 director@sunnysideshines.org sunnysideshines.org QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $480,000 with more than 250 businesses under its umbrella.

The BID is still looking for sponsors for Sunnyside Street Banners along Queens Boulevard and Greenpoint Avenue. There are still a number of locations still available, call the office for more info.

Companies that are not located in Sunnyside are invited to participate as well. Sponsorships start at $350

25-69 38th Street, Suite 1C, Astoria 11103 Executive Director: Marie Torniali 718.728.7820 info@steinwaystreet.nyc steinwaystreet.org QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1991, the BID has over 300 members.

Board meetings are held seven times a year. The BID’s vision is to make Steinway Street user friendly, while highlighting the local businesses on the street and bringing together the Astoria community in a positive way.

SUNNYSIDE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

PO Box 4399, Sunnyside, NY 11104 President: Patricia Dorfman 718.729.4688 www.sunnyside-chamber.org QUICK GLANCE: Annual budget of $55,000.

The chamber is an organization

LAGUARDIA WOW PROGRAM CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14 The challenges rise all the way to the upper management and senior levels, areas Scully said are still “quite lacking” when it comes to gender parity. She noted that it takes a long time to become a senior executive in any industry.

However, over her 30 years in the industry, Scully has seen the window of opportunity expand.

“It’s not even a window anymore, it’s the whole side of the building open for young female professionals to move and grow in the business,” she said. “Some of the hurdles that my predecessors may have faced, I didn’t face coming into it.”

The LaGuardia general manager said she’s hopeful about the future because so many women are choosing aviation as a career path.

She encourages women to be more willing to take risks and opportunities.

For example, Scully has seen throughout her career that men are often more successful at putting themselves out and taking a chance on a job that they may not be fully prepared for.

She’s noticed that women tend to want to be 150 percent prepared for jobs they apply for, often resulting in years lost waiting for that preparation.

“I think that’s changing,” Scully said. “I think ladies here are risk takers, they’re willing to stretch themselves much more than when I started 30 years ago.

“The pendulum has definitely swung in the right direction,” she added. “I think we’re going to get there in another decade, or maybe sooner.”

SUNNYSIDE SHINES

and last for one year.

Upcoming events include: • Wednesdays, Jan. 9 and 16, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. - Planning for the Business Owner with NY Life agents is a series of free workshops hosted by Sunnyside Shines and Woodside on the Move. The workshops will focus on the impact of the loss of key employees on the business owner, employee rewards systems, estate planning and more.

The workshop on the 9th will be presented in English and the 16th will be presented in Spanish. 39-42 59th St., Woodside.

• Wednesdays, Jan. 16 and 23, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. - Financial Literacy with World System Builder agents. The workshops will focus on strengthening financial literacy for both small business and their owners. The workshop on the 16th will be presented in English and the 23rd in Spanish. 39-42 59th St., Woodside.

SMALL CELL TECHNOLOGY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 Wireless infrastructure in Queens’ neighborhoods will bridge the digital divide by providing students the internet access they need to complete their assignments on time. Closing the gap to internet access ensures all children in Queens have equal opportunities to have successful futures in the borough.

As our students are the future innovators of our borough, ensuring safety in our schools is a top priority for our overall success.

Small cell infrastructure can ensure the safety of our students and teachers.

Small cells improve cellular network capacity, which means it can handle more calls without getting overloaded, dropping calls, or delaying text messages. In emergency situations, there is no time for dropped calls, especially since 80 percent of 911 calls are made from cell phones.

As preparation for emergency situations, a majority of American teachers and school administrators download apps to alert

first responders of emergencies.

With small cell infrastructure, these alerts will be sent to first responders instantly – a necessity for protecting our children.

To keep students, teachers, and administrators safe at schools, small cell infrastructure will provide the resilient network that is needed for all kinds of emergency situations.

There are more than 275,000 students enrolled in K-12 public schools in Queens, and there are thousands more private, charter schools, and college students in the borough.

As our borough continues to prepare our students for the Queens’ workforce, small cells will support more technology sector opportunities, help close the gap on the digital divide, and keep our schools safe; all of these factors are key to investing in our emerging business growth.

Small cells will provide the networks our children need to encourage their advancements in education, and will build a prosperous future for the economic well-being of our borough.

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NEW IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

NORTH SHORE FARMS FINALLY OPENS IN QUEENS

BY SHANE MILLER The long wait is over.

North Shore Farms officially opened its doors in Whitestone Plaza on 10th Avenue just in time for Christmas. It is the eighth location for the Long Island-based store, but it’s first location in Queens.

Residents have been waiting for a supermarket to open in the old Waldbaum’s since it closed in 2015, leaving local residents without a nearby option for buying groceries.

News broke that North Shore Farms would be moving into the space in October 2016, but the opening was continually pushed back due to extensive renovations.

“It’s been a long path,” said company spokesperson George Tsiatis on Friday morning as store employees welcomed the first customers. “The biggest issue was the infrastructure of the old store was just too old. We had to change almost every wire and every piece of plumbing.”

The old Waldbaum’s space was also too large, and it took a CVS moving into half of the old supermarket to make the space suitable for North Shore Farms business model.

Residents were also concerned about the slightly higher prices at North Shore Farms. Some even started a petition requesting that the owner of the building not subdivide the space, which could rule out bringing in a larger and more budgetfriendly supermarket.

But concerns of higher prices didn’t keep shoppers from filling the store on opening weekend. And Tsiatis said North Shore

28

Farms offers products to fit anyone’s budget.

“We leave it up to the customer to decide what they want to pay up for, and what they want to save on,” he said.

North Shore Farms prides itself on its fresh produce, as well as its extensive deli and ready-to-eat foods.

There’s is also an impressive seafood section run by an enthusiastic Captain Joe Catalano.

“It’s not easy to put out a display of fresh fish everyday,” he said as he touted the fresh fish to his customers.

Captain Joe shows off the fresh seafood for sale at the new North Shore Farms.

FAMILY-STYLE ITALIAN ON GRAND

BY TRAVIS VERBIL It doesn’t take a foodie to realize that the number of Maspeth eateries has stagnated over the years.

While new additions to the Grand Avenue scene like El Pollo Real and Homemade Taqueria have brought delightfully fresh fares to Maspeth, the majority of Maspeth’s dining options are the tried-and-true neighborhood classics.

Enter Patrizia’s, an Italian restaurant that looks to give Maspeth residents another choice when it comes to grabbing a bite when it opens in the first weeks after the New Year.

For some Maspeth residents, Patrizia’s can’t come soon enough. Alaio says he regularly receives calls from locals asking him when the new location will open.

“It’s something different for people to try,” said Antonio Alaio, owner of Patrizia’s’ new Maspeth location. “I hope it’s a success.”

Located at 69-35 Grand Avenue, formerly the site of a McDonald’s, Patrizia’s Maspeth location seems like the next logical step for the local restaurant chain.

Spanning two floors and a spacious 2,400 square feet, Patrizia’s new location looks to tap into the same homey, yet elegant charm that made its other locations so successful.

With 12 Patrizia’s locations throughout New York City, Long Island, and New Jersey, Alaio said the decision to come to Maspeth was a no-brainer.

“Maspeth is a hardworking, blue-collar neighborhood,” Alaio said.

While the restaurant offers traditional, singleserving entrees, Alaio said a majority of customers prefer Patrizia’s familystyle fares.

Some of the most popular menu items include the restaurant’s signature Burrata All’ Amalfitana (mozzarella stuffed with cheese), Grilled Baby Polpo alla Fuorigrotta (grilled octopus), and Fioretti alla Boscaiola (stuffed pasta in a mushroom with

a mix of four different kinds of cheese presented in a mushroom prosciutto sauce).

Maspeth residents can hope that Patrizia’s move to McDonald’s old Grand Avenue signifies a renaissance for the commercial strip. Alaio pointed out that Patrizia’s Williamsburg location opened nine years ago, right around the same time the neighborhood began to take off.

“Instead of people leaving the neighborhood to eat, they’ll have something here to try,” Alaio said.

January 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 1

NEW MEMBERS MAJOR CORPORATE

government-owned entities.

JFK Terminal One

Ackman-Ziff

CORPORATE

Ackman-Ziff Goodwill Industries of New York & Northern New Jersey, Inc. GF55 Partners Plastic Surgery of New York New York + Atlantic Railway JFK Terminal One

JFK International Airport Terminal One, Building 55 Jamaica, NY 11430 cagholdings.com The Carlyle Global Infrastructure Opportunity Fund (CGI) invests in infrastructure assets and related businesses in global developed markets such as North America, Europe and OECD Asia. These investments may include leveraged buyouts, joint ventures with strategic partners and privatizations of

In honor of the late George Kaufman, founder of Kaufman Astoria Studios, The Astor Room has been renamed George’s.

The 3,500 square-foot restaurant seats 70 in the main dining area, 40 in the private Valentino dining room and 25 at the bar.

Private events can be hosted in the 73-seat screening room, renovated as the Zukor Theater.

Make a reservation at George’s and take a trip decades back in time and revisit the old Hollywood charm still alive in the city today.

Live music weekly!

Visit website for performance schedule.

347-983-6491 www.georges.nyc 35-11 35th Ave., Astoria NY 11106

711 Third Avenue, 11th Floor New York, NY 10017 ackmanziff.com Ackman-Ziff Real Estate Group is the industry’s preeminent boutique real estate capital advisory firm. In business for over 90 years, the privately held company offers a wide variety of cutting-edge commercial real estate capital markets solutions, including debt and mezzanine financing, preferred and joint venture equity, sponsor equity, and investment sales.

Goodwill Industries of New York & Northern New Jersey, Inc.

4-21 27th Avenue Queens, NY 11102 goodwillny.org Goodwill Industries empowers individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment to gain independence through the power of work.

GF55 Partners

19 West 21st Street New York, NY 10010 gf55.com GF55 Partners is the partnership of David E. Gross, AIA, Leonard Fsusco, AIA and Shay Alster, AIA dedicated to the practice of Archi-

tecture and Interior Design. Founded in 1984 as GF55 Architects, the firm offers a complete range of architectural design services. Based in New York City with an office in Miami Florida, GF55 has successfully completed projects throughout the United States.

Plastic Surgery of New York

107 Northern Boulevard, Suite 203 Great Neck, NY 11021 plasticsurgeryofnewyork.com At Plastic Surgery of New York, we care for our patients with complete dedication and absolute expertise—the foundation of great care and beautiful results. With their extensive training and vast experience in all elements of plastic surgery, our doctors perform everything from office-based excisions to cosmetic makeovers to complex reconstruction with unparalleled precision. Thanks to this uncommon versatility and extraordinary skill, our team continually offers the best and most comprehensive care for all of our patients.

New York + Atlantic Railway

68-01 Otto Road Glendale, NY 11385 anacostia.com Anacostia Rail Holdings Company owns and operates freight railroads in the United States. Our services provide our customers with neutral access to the larger Class 1 railroads. Our services also include car switching for intermodal terminals and various industries, track maintenance and repair, freight trans-loading, and train dispatching.

Statement required by the Act of August 12, 1970, section 3685. Title 39, United States Code, showing the ownership, management and circulation of Queensborough magazine, published 12 times per year, and owned by the Chamber of Commerce of the Borough of Queens, 75-20 Astoria Boulevard, Suite 140, Jackson Heights, New York 11370. Statement filed September 1, 2018. Publisher: Chamber of Commerce of the Borough of Queens Editor: Thomas Grech Known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders owning or holding one percent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages or other securities, none. Extent & nature of circulation: Avg. each issue, Actual single issue, Preceding 13 mos., (Nearest to filing date). Total number of copies 3,110 (3,009). Paid and/or requested circulation: Dealer, carrier sales 579 (607), Mail subscriptions, 1,937 (2,002), Total 2,516 (2,609). Free Distribution By mail 0 (400), By other means 198 (200), Total 198 (200). Total distribution 2,714 (2,809), Office Use, leftover, spoiled 396 ( 2 0 0 ) , Return from news agents 0 (0), Total 3,110 (3,009), Percent paid 92.70 (92.88).

I certify that the statements made by me above are correct and complete. Thomas J. Grech, Editor

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

EXECUTIVE COMMMITEE

CHAIRPERSON’S ADVISORY COUNCIL

EXECUTIVE STAFF

Thomas Santucci

Richard Dzwlewicz

Thomas J. Grech

Brendan Leavy

Howard Graf

Fran Biderman-Gross

Joanne M. Persad

Jacqueline Donado

Chairperson

Associate Treasurer

Vice Chairperson

Associate Secretary

Treasurer

Immediate Past Chair

Patrick Yu Nash Roe

Mayra DiRico

President & CEO

Chief of Operations

Alejandra Espejo

Business Development Manager Strategic Program Coordinator

Financial Controller

William Blake Dominick Ciampa Joseph Farber Louis D. Laurino

Joseph M. Mattone, Sr John E. Roe, Sr. George Rozansky Gerard Thornton

QUEENSBOROUGH (ISSN0033-6068 is published 12 times a year for $12.50 annually by the Queens Chamber of Commerce of the borough of Queens. 75-20 Astoria Blvd, Suite 140, East Elmhurst NY 11370-1131.

Periodicals postage paid at Flushing NY and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Queens Chamber of Commerce 75-20 Astoria Blvd., Suite 140, East Elmhurst NY 11370-1131.

Secretary

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Fran Biderman-Gross Joshua E. Bienstock Michael Billia Susan Browning Kenneth J. Buettner Charles E. Callahan KY Chow Adam Cohen

Carol Conslato Sal Crifasi Mayra DiRico Richard Dzwlewicz Thomas Eagar Joseph R. Ficalora Tamara Gavrielof Howard Graf

Raymond Irrera Peter Klein Kenneth Koenig Henry Kuykendall Neil Levin Jeffery E. Levine Carl Mattone Patricia Mezeul

Michael Moran Michael Onghai Jeffrey Owens Nayan Parikh Albert F. Pennisi Vincent L. Petraro Esq Adam Reece-Cohen Nash Roe

Jeffrey Rosenstock Juan Santiago Thomas Santucci Mark Scheinberg Caryn Schwab Sher Sparano Michelle Stoddart Terri Thomson

Henry Wan Swain Weiner Patrick Yu Daniel Zausner

CORPORATE MEMBERS A & L Cesspool Services Corp.

AAA Northeast AARP ADP Major Accounts Ackman-Ziff Adria Hotel and Conference Center Aflac Airlogix AKI Development Alcott HR Alma Bank American Lions, LLC Amna Construction Corp.

AmTrust Title Andromeda Antun’s of Queens Village Apple Bank for Savings Ashnu International, Inc. Atco Properties Accounts Payable Aurora Contractors, Inc. Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP Bank of America Merrill Lynch Bank of Hope BankUnited, N.A Berkman, Henoch, Peterson, Peddy & Fenchel Bethpage Federal Credit Union Borchert & LaSpina, P.C. Boyce Technologies Inc. Bridgehampton National Bank Broadway Stages Cactus Holdings Inc. Capital One Bank CareConnect Insurance Company, Inc. Cathay Bank CDS-Mestel Construction Center for Automotive Education & Training Cerini and Associates, LLP. Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP

Charney Construction & Development Ciampa Organization CityMD Complete Orthopedic Services, Inc. Conference Associates, Inc. Cord Meyer Development, LLC Cornell NYC Tech Corporate Development Systems, Inc. Court 16 Courtyard by Marriott CPEX Real Estate Crescent Properties, Inc. Crown Castle Curaleaf Cushman & Wakefield Daniels, Norelli, Scully & Cecere P.C. DGC Capital Contracting Corp.

Douglas Elliman Real Estate DY Realty Services, LLC E Central Medical Management East Coast Energy Group ELE Sleep Disorder Center Elite Palace Emigrant Mortgage Company EMU Health Services ENT and Allergy Associates, LLP Enterprise Fleet Management Enterprise Holdings Exit Realty New York Metro Fabiani Cohen & Hall, LLP Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. (FREE) Fantasy Forest Amusement Park Farrell Fritz Financial Resources Group Investment Services, LLC First American International Bank Flushing Bank Forest Hills Financial Group Inc. GF55 Partners

Goodwill Industries of New York & New Jersey, Inc. Grand Rehabilitation & Nursing at Queens Grassi & Co. Greater NY Automobiles Dealers Association Greenberg Traurig Greenpoint Manufacturing & Design Center (GMDC) Greiner-Maltz Company of NY Gum Studios HAKS Hampton Inn by Hilton JFK Airport Hanover Community Bank Healthy Corner Pharmacy Inc. Heart Vein NYC – Dr. Back Kim HF Management Services HighTower Advisors HiLine Construction HK Capital Holiday Inn LaGuardia Airport Home2Suites Long Island City/Manhattan View HSBC Bank Hyatt Place Flushing Hyatt Place Long Island City/NYC INDA, Association of Nonwoven Fabric Industry Innovative Lending Platform Association Innovo Property Group International Asbestos Removal Inc. James F. Capalino & Assoc.

Jaros, Baum & Bolles JetBlue Airways Corporation Jetro/ Restaurant Depot JFA Insurance Brokerage & Associates Inc. JRT Realty Group Inc.

COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATIONS Joshua Bienstock NYIT bienlaw@aol.com

ENERGY

Marshall Haimson E-Capital Development marshall@e-capitaldevelopment.com James Sheuchenko PM Advisors js@pmadvisors.co

HEALTHCARE & WELLNESS

Susan Browning Long Island Jewish Forest Hills sbrowning1@northwell.edu Evangeline Rosado-Tripp Queens County Medical Society ertripp@queensmedicalsociety.org

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HOSPITALITY

REAL ESTATE

Jim Quent Statewide Public Affairs jquent@statewidepublicaffairs.com Michael Zayas Real Hospitality Group michael.zayas@rhgcorp.com

Martin Cottingham Avison Young martin.cottingham@avisonyoung.com Michael Wang G8 Real Estate / Flushing Chamber mwang121@gmail.com

MANUFACTURING

TECHNOLOGY

Geoffrey Smith NY Grant Company Geoffrey@nygrants.com Thomas Powell Boyce Technologies tpowell@boycetechnologies.com

Bobby Giurintano TGI Office Automation bgiurintano@tgioa.com Eugene Erichsen Connect Me Voice Eugene@connectmevoice.com

NONPROFIT

TRANSPORTATION

Larry Grubler Transitional Services of NY lgrubler@tsiny.org Maria Odysseus Investors Bank modysseus@myinvestorsbank.com

Kris Amato TD Bank Kristin.amato@td.com Tammy Petsios VHB tpetsios@vhb.com

Justworks Kasirer Consulting Kimco Realty Corporation LaSalle Solutions Lee & Associates Lessing’s Food Service Management Levine Builders LimeBike Lockman Inc. Luna Park in Coney Island Lyons Mortgage Services, Inc. M & T Bank M & V Provision Company Madison Realty Capital Main Street Radiology Mazars USA, LLP McBride Consulting & Business Media Press MedPlex Mega Contracting Group, LLC MetroPlus Health Plan Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade Mikkeller Brewing NYC Molloy College Mount Sinai Hospital of Queens Mr. T Carting Corp.

MTA Long Island Rail Road Muss Development Company New York + Atlantic Railway New York Building Congress New York LaGuardia Airport Marriott New York Oil Heating Association New York Racing Assn. Inc. New York Safety and Training New York Times Next Wave Safety North Shore-LIJ Health System Northfield Bank OneGroup OTJ Architects Patrick B. Jenkins & Associates Petro Home Services Plastic Surgery of New York Portnoy, Messinger, Pearl & Associates, Inc. Premier Payroll Solutions Prime Storage Progressive Waste Solutions/IESI NY Corp.

QSIDE Federal Credit Union Quadlogic Controls Corporation Queens Center Mall Queens Public Communications Corp.

Queensborough Community College Quontic Bank Radisson Hotel JFK Register Abstract Co. Inc.

Related Retail Corporation Royal Waste Russo’s On The Bay Sabre Real Estate Group Samuel Goldstein & Co., PC Santander Seagis Property Group, LP Shiftpixy Signature Bank Silvercup Studios Simon Baron Development Skyline Risk Management, Inc. SL Green Realty Corp.

Solomon Agency Corp.

St. Francis Preparatory School St. John’s University Staples Sterling Risk Structural Engineering Technologies, P.C. SUNation Solar Systems Sutton Alliance Teachers Federal Credit Union TGI Office Automation Thales USA Inc. The ALLCOT Group, LLC The Durst Organization The First National Bank of Long Island The Heskel Group The Parc Hotel The Sweet Construction Group Treasure Island Storage Triangle Equities TSC Training Academy, LLC Ultrasound Solutions Corp.

United Airlines United Nations Federal Credit Union United Public Adjusters & Appraisers, Inc. USTA National Tennis Center, Inc. Valley National Bank Vanguard Insurance Agency Venture House Vic Kessler Signs, LTD Villa Russo Vornado Realty Trust Waste Management of New York, LLC WATCH GUARD 24/7, LLC Welby, Brady & Greenblatt, LLP Wells Fargo WeWork Windstream Enterprise York College - CUNY Zara Realty

We hope you are enjoying the newly designed, expanded Queensborough, the monthly publication of the Queens Chamber of Commerce. We, the Chamber, direct and approve all content deciding what stories are covered in each issue, editing all copy and forwarding information that is contained in the publication.

BQE Media produces it for the Chamber. We look forward to continuing to highlight the outstanding business persons, services and activities that make our borough unique. We welcome all your letters, manuscripts, etc. Please send all materials to the Queens Chamber of Commerce at 75-20 Astoria Boulevard, Suite 140, Jackson Heights, NY 11370 or call 718.898.8500 for more information.

We reserve the right to edit for space limitations. Your support of the magazine is critical to its success. We encourage you to include Queensborough in your advertising plans. To place your ad, please call BQE Media at 718.426.7200.

January 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 1 MAJOR CORPORATE MEMBERS

31

ANNUAL BREAKFAST WITH THE HONORABLE MELINDA KATZ AND THE QUEENS BOROUGH CABINET

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Antun's

of Queens Village 96-43 Springfield Blvd Queens Village, NY 11429

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Registration and Networking

9:00 AM

Program & Breakfast

TICKETS

Single Ticket -$75 Table of 10 Tickets -$695 Attend at no charge (Breakfast

not included, registration required)

Company:

Platinum Sponsor - $5,000 Fax:

Gold Sponsor - $2,000 5 tickets, seat at dais to my

Card #:

Name on the card

Meet District Managers and members of the 14 Community Boards of Queens

10 Tickets, seat at dais

Email:

Exp. Date:

Take the opportunity to personally meet key administrators and members of the Borough President’s team.

Diamond Sponsor - $7,500 (Exclusive Sponsor) 20 Tickets and Remarks, seat at dais

Address:

You may charge $

Hear about our thriving borough’s top economic priorities, initiatives and milestones.

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Name:

Phone:

Melinda Katz

Queens Borough President

MasterCard Visa AmEx

Silver Sponsor - $1,000 2 tickets

All sponsorships include pre/post publicity sign and banner recognition

CVV Please make checks payable to

Queens Chamber of Commerce

Mail to: Queens Chamber of Commerce 75-20 Astoria Blvd. Suite 140 Jackson Heights, NY 11370

Enclosed is a check for $ QCC is a 501 (c)(6) organization. See tax consultant if a portion of your contribution is-tax-deductible

Registration and Sponsorship 718.898.8500 ext 123 | jpersad@queenschamber.org | www.queenschamber.org