This Is Queensborough - June 2019

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“ONE THING I NOTICED IS THE FIELD IS DEFINITELY GROWING BOTH HERE IN THE CITY AND AROUND THE WORLD”

- STUDENT EMILY HAYDEN

June 2019 . Volume 15 . Issue 6

GUEST WORK

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June 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 6

A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

REFLECTING ON THE LAST TWELVE MONTHS

Twelve months ago, I was sworn ber of Commerce. Throughout in as chairman of the Board of the past 12 months, I’ve had an Directors of the Queens opportunity to lead the Chamber of Commerce. charge in advocating, On April 25, I took an educating and promotoath to confirm my secing on behalf of Queens ond full term as chair.

Chamber members.

During this time I’ve During my remarks at reflected on the definiour Annual Meeting & tion of the word volunElection as I entered my teer, which is a person second term, I reflected who freely offers to on all we have accomtake part in an enterplished as an organizaprise or undertake a TOM SANTUCCI tion and what 2019 has task. in store, not only for CHAIRPERSON I can say without a the Queens Chamber of doubt I’ve embraced Commerce but Queens every moment of freely offering County as a whole. my time and service to the enterAs I look across the borough I see prise known as the Queens Cham- redevelopment taking shape, and

that’s due in large part to a commit- or simply building your profesment made by Governor Andrew sional network.

Cuomo, our elected officials and, Taking time to reflect is rewardmost importantly, ing. It provides a our business com- Taking time to reflect is unique opportumunity to make rewarding. It provides nity to look back Queens the numa unique opportunity on what you’ve ber one destinaccomplished, to look back on what abut tion to live, work, most imporyou’ve accomplished, tantly gives you play, and visit. but most importantly the right perspecBeing a member of the Queens tive for moving gives you the right Chamber provides perspective for moving forward with puryou with tremen- forward with purpose. pose. dous opportunity Thank you for to gain exposure your continued to grow your organization, whether support of the Queens Chamber it’s learning new ways to build of Commerce. We can’t do any of your financial portfolio, taking this without our members, and I’m advantage of available contracts, grateful to serve on your behalf.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO

THE CLIMATE IN QUEENS IS TRANSFORMATIVE Last month, the Queens Cham- and out of New York City. ber of Commerce hosted our The best part is that it’s right here Annual Business Expo and wel- in Queens. comed nearly 2,000 to Citi Field.

Transformative is how I envision Throughout the day, what’s taking place one word stuck in my in Queens with $30 mind: transformative. billion in redevelopThat is indeed how ment projects across I view what’s happenthe borough, which ing with the develmeans opportunities opment taking place exist for every busiacross the borough. ness, regardless of One of the panel size. discussions during Here at the Queens the Expo was “TakChamber of Coming Off: LGA and THOMAS J. GRECH merce, we’re poised JFK Opportunities.” PRESIDENT & CEO to be a part of that It was standing-room transformation as we only as our five panelists dis- continually advocate, educate, and cussed opportunities that exist for promote our Chamber members.

MWBEs and other businesses at I’ve said it before and I’ll conboth our airports, which are under- tinue to say it: I have the greatest going significant transformations. job in New York City as the leader One of the recently completed of an organization that makes a projects is the new TWA Hotel, difference every day in the most which held a grand opening on diverse place in the world.

May 15. I was honored to be among This month we host our Queens those invited to the celebration.

Chamber Foundation Annual Golf This marks the beginning of a Outing and Dinner. Join us as we great new era for the hotel, and it honor Richard Dzwlewicz of TD will make JFK Airport more than Bank and Stephen Preuss of Cusha place for people to enter and exit man & Wakefield.

Queens, but a destination in its Other events on our calendar as own right for travelers coming in we move towards summer include

an Introduction to Business Credit workshop and a Chocolates, Cheese & Wine Networking event hosted by Aigner Chocolates in Forest Hills.

We close out the month with a bang - literally - as we sponsor for the first time the Annual Independence Day Celebration at Fort Totten under the direction of Councilman Paul Vallone.

As summer approaches, the staff at the Queens Chamber will be diligently working to bring you events that will offer opportunities to promote and grow your business.

Please visit our website at queenschamber.org for event details and to register.

Thank you for your ongoing support of the Queens Chamber of Commerce.

The TWA Hotel at JFK recently held its grand opening. It’s just one of the many big projects at the borough’s two airports that are transforming Queens. For more on the TWA Hotel, see page 22.

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QUEENS QUICKLY TF CORNERSTONE GRANT RECIPIENTS

TF Cornerstone announced seven grant recipients for its new Building Together grant program, which supports local nonprofits that are committed to enhancing the Long Island City community.

The program centers around three pillars community building, youth & education, and environmental sustainability - and each organization selected will play a key role in adding to the strength and vitality of Queens.

“We are honored to assist locally-based organizations that provide important services to the community, and we look forward to following the progress of these impactful programs that are aimed to bring people together and enrich the neighborhood,” said Ebony Young, vice president of Corporate Social Responsibility at TF Cornerstone.

TF Cornerstone, a real estate firm founded

by Queens natives Fred and Tom Elghanayan, has been providing philanthropic support to Queens-based community groups for over 50 years, including the Taste of LIC, LIC Arts Open, LIC Youthmarket, INSITU Dance Festival, Halloween parade, YMCA, HarborLAB, and more.

This year’s grant recipients include: • Community Building - Hour Children and Community Health Network will provide mental health services to formerly incarcerated women and their families, providing largely low-income populations the opportunity to heal and thrive in the Long Island City community.

Queensboro Dance Festival, in partnership with various performance arts venues, will expand its influence of the arts in Queens by providing the community with unique public events.

• Youth & Education - NYC Kids RISE, in collaboration with PS 111 and PS 76, will provide families the opportunity to save for college through an opt-out scholarship and savings program that automatically opens a 529 account for every student, offering financial assets to be used toward college or career training.

Rising Stars Youth Foundation, in partnership with Western Queens NYCHA housing in Queensbridge, Ravenswood, Woodside, and Astoria, is designed to bridge the opportunity gap in education by providing low-income middle-school youth academic and personal support aimed towards college and career preparedness.

Jacob Riis Center Queensbridge and United Negro College Fund have teamed up to provide local NYCHA High School and college students scholarships and the opportunity to increase college enrollment and retention.

• Environmental Sustainability - Hunter’s Point Parks Conservancy, in collaboration with Hunter’s Point Middle School and the Parks Department, will establish and operate an after-school gardening club to enrich the community by enhancing green spaces and the Queens waterfront.

Harbor Lab, in partnership with Western Queens NYCHA, CUNY, United Neighborhood Houses and Gantry State Park, will offer free introductory water safety, paddling lessons, and environmental training classes for youth and adults. The project will include lessons about water quality testing, pool safety, and shoreline cleanups.

SBS SIMPLIFIES MWBE CERTIFICATION

Minority and women-owned businesses (MWBE) now have an easier path to contract-

ing with the city.

SBS Connect (sbsconnect.nyc.gov) offers a more streamlined application process for minority and women-owned firms to become newly certified or re-certify if their certification has expired.

On June 11, the city will be hosting the 13th Annual Procurement Fair, where MWBEs can get more information on upcoming contracting opportunities and network with over 70 entities.

Register at procurementfair.nyc.

“I am confident our minority and women business entrepreneurs will benefit from SBS Connect,” said J. Phillip Thompson, deputy mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives. “This is a transformative tool that will streamline efficiency and shift the focus on growing local businesses and communities.”

SBS Connect has simplified the MWBE application by making built-in guidance available to users at every step. In addition, MWBEs can upload scanned copies of their required documentation in a secure environment, advancing toward a totally paperless system.

SBS Connect maintains user data in a business account that can be verified or updated as needed, eliminating the need to submit duplicative documentation, and serving as a document backup system in case of emergencies or routine transitions in digital filing systems.

UNITED LATEST TO FLY OUR OF TERMINAL B

LaGuardia Gateway Partners, the private entity operating and redeveloping LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B, announced that United Airlines began operating flights in Terminal B’s new Eastern Concourse on June 2.

United Airlines joins Air Canada and Southwest, which are fully operational in Terminal B’s Eastern Concourse, as well as American Airlines, which operates select flights in the new area.

With this move, 16 of the 18 gates in the

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

Chamber Foundation Hosting Annual Golf Outing in June .............................21

A Closer Look at Sussman Automatic in Long Island City ..................7

Partners & Affiliates News and Happenings ........................................................24

EXPERT ADVICE: Creating a True Multicultural Workplace ...........8

Chamber Welcomes New Members .........................................................................29

COVER STORY: Inside LaGuardia’s Hospitality Program ................10 Business Leaders Rally in Support of BQX Streetcar ...........................11 SBS Rep Discusses Chamber On-the-Go Program ...............................12 Chamber Hosts Annual Business Expo at Citi Field .......................15-18 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

June 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 6

QUEENS QUICKLY Eastern Concourse of the new Terminal B will be operational, with the final gates to open in 2020.

“Welcoming United into the new concourse is a major step towards completing our vision for a topclass visitor experience at LaGuardia,” said LaGuardia Gateway CEO Stewart Steeves. “United travelers can now experience the choice food and retail options in the Eastern Concourse, and we’re excited to continue our progress towards transforming Terminal B into a modern gateway New Yorkers can be proud of.”

The Eastern Concourse features 55-foot ceilings, pristine restrooms, and a park children’s play area.

The shops and restaurants in the new concourse are inspired by New York. Food and beverage offerings include Shake Shack, Irving Farm Coffee Roasters, Osteria Fusco, La Chula Bar & Taqueria, Kingside Bar & Restaurant and Five Boroughs Market.

United passengers will also be able to enjoy the retail options in the new concourse, including the

latest New York City location for the legendary New York toy store FAO Schwarz, as well as offerings from SoHo-based independent bookseller McNally Jackson, M∙A∙C, District Market (with specialty Made in Queens products) and Spa Here.

Additionally, the post-security United Club will open on the mezzanine level for members to enjoy.

“This will provide substantial improvements in the amenities we are able to provide our customers,” said Jill Kaplan, United’s president of New York and New Jersey. “We are able to provide a new United Club that is 30 percent larger than our previous location and, most importantly, post-security.”

United’s move into the new concourse is the latest step in the overall LaGuardia Terminal B redevelopment. The transformation of Terminal B will continue to open in phases and includes a new 35-gate terminal, a parking garage, and a Central Hall, which will unify the airport by connecting to Terminal C, which is also being redeveloped.

CRYSTAL CLEAR Crystal Window & Door Systems, the award-winning national manufacturer located in Flushing, is playing a role in New York City’s efforts to solve its affordable housing crisis.

One of the newest buildings in the de Blasio Administration’s Housing New York Plan is 425 West 18th Street. It is part of the existing 1962-era Fulton Houses NYCHA complex in West Chelsea.

The new 18-story building has 160 studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom rent-stabilized apartments set aside for different tiers of income eligibility.

Crystal furnished the newly constructed building with 792 quality energy efficient aluminum framed windows. In most openings, the large windows

love WHERE YOU

live LETS BEAUTIFY JAMAICA TOGETHER ZARA'S PHILANTHROPY Involvement on community boards richmond hill hs computer lab Voices of Jamaica features community events Fundraising

were combined to provide apartments with dramatic seven-foottall nearly floor-to-ceiling vistas.

Luxury Apartments in Jamaica, Queens 166-07 Hillside Avenue Jamaica, NY 11432 718.291.3331 • application@zararealty.com

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

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

PROMOTIONS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & APPOINTMENTS Gazdick tapped to lead New York Edge New York Edge announced that Rachael Gazdick will be the organization’s new CEO. The Queens-based nonprofit is one of the largest providers of afterschool programs in the metropolitan region In her role as CEO, Gazdick will oversee initiatives on all administrative, programmatic and developmental functions, while leading the organization’s strategic planning process.

“New York Edge is on the forefront of providing groundbreaking programs that are closing the opportunity gap for young, underresourced students,” said Gazdick. “I look forward to working with the New York Edge team to continue growing our vast array of afterschool GAZDICK programming, while delivering positive educational outcomes for the more than 36,000 students we serve.”

Gazdick brings more than twenty years of experience in education advocacy to the job, having previously served as president and CEO of Colorado’s “I Have A Dream” Foundation (CIHAD), a nonprofit organization focused on empowering children from low-income communities to succeed in school, college, and career.

Before her time at CIHAD, Gazdick served as the executive director of Say Yes to Education Syracuse, a nonprofit community-wide partnership focused on supporting public school children to attain, afford, and complete a college or other postsecondary education.

Gazdick also served in numerous roles at Syracuse University, both as an assistant professor for the Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies and an adjunct faculty member in the School of Social Work.

From 2001 to 2008, she was associate director and then director of Syracuse University’s Office of Community Engagement and Integrative Learning, where she ran numerous community-focused programs and social justice initiatives.

Gazdick holds a master’s degree in education policy from Harvard University and a master’s degree in social work focused on community, organizations, planning, policy and administration from Boston College.

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For more than 25 years New York Edge, formerly known as the Sports & Arts in Schools Foundation (SASF), has addressed the needs and goals of under-resourced schools through customized, curriculum-based afterschool programming.

Three from Northwell recognized in Miami Three Northwell Health cardiologists were honored for their achievements in heart disease prevention at the National Lipid Association’s (NLA) annual meeting in Miami last month.

Approximately 800 physicians nationwide attended the NLA’s scientific sessions focused on the enhancement of lipid management in clinical practice.

Northwell cardioloHIRSH gists Dr. Guy Mintz, Dr. Eugenia Gianos, and Dr. Benjamin Hirsh were recognized at the event.

Specialists in lipidology, they have all received additional training in cholesterol management, cardiovascular risk assessment and intervention Mintz, director of cardiovascular health & lipidology at the Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital at North Shore University Hospital (NSUH) in Manhasset, was appointed to the Board of Directors of the National Lipid Association, as well as the executive board of the Northeast Lipid Association.

He also was awarded the Northeast Lipid Association President’s Service GIANOS Award, which recognizes a clinician for service and dedication to the NLA, and advancing the development of the specialty of clinical lipidology.

Gianos, director of cardiovascular prevention for Northwell Health and director of Women’s Heart Health at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan, was elected a member of the American Board of Clinical Lipidology and appointed to the executive board of the Northeast Lipid

Association.

She also was awarded the Northeast Lipid Association President’s Service Award.

Hirsh, director of preventive cardiology at the Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital at NSUH, was named a fellow of the National MINTZ Lipid Association. He also was selected as Northeast Lipid Association regional representative, which is intended for future leaders.

St. Louis promoted Dolores St. Louis has been promoted to vice chair of the Board of Trustees of Christ the King High School in Middle Village.

St. Louis was an original member of the “Committee to Save Christ the King” in the mid-seventies, when her sons were attending the high school.

That organization’s efforts resulted in the formation of the present school.

She has had numerST. LOUIS ous roles in the school community since then, including serving as executive assistant to the Board of Trustees, board member, and secretary.

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. Schneps Communications assumes no liability for the content or reply to any ads. The advertiser assumes all liability for the content of and all replies. The advertiser agrees to hold the QUEENSBOROUGH and its employees harmless from all cost, expenses, liabilities, and damages resulting from or caused by the publication or recording placed by the advertiser or any reply to any such advertisement.

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June 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 6

FIRST-PERSON ACCOUNT

SUSSMAN PIONEERS STEAM MANUFACTURING STEAM IS IN OUR DNA

Automatic.

By the middle of the 20th century, as changes in the garment industry reduced the market for industrial

BY MICHAEL PINKUS steam irons, Sussman Automatic reinvented itself to begin manuWhether you realize it or not, facturing a variety of new steamsteam plays a big role in our daily generating equipment. lives. It heats buildings, cooks Soon the company was supplying our food, removes wrinkles from steam power in shipyards for the our clothes, and sterilizes critical US Navy and producing innovative equipment in new steam boilhospitals. ers and generaSteam bathtors for commering offers a surprising variety of cial heating. By the mid-1950s, the potential health Manhattan-based and wellness bencompany had efits, from possibly expanded around reducing cold- and the world. allergy-like sympThe metamortoms to cleansing phosis of Sussman skin to soothing Automatic then sore muscles. continued with the One local expert launch of MrSteam on all things steam in 1960 to produce is my company, Michael Pinkus is president innovative boilers Long Island City- of Sussman Automatic and for both commerMrSteam. based Sussman cial and residential Automatic. Widely steam showers. known today for producing technoThe brainchild of then-president logically advanced steam shower Jay Wilsker, this new division of generators and accessories under the company was created with a the MrSteam brand, Sussman Auto- goal of bringing the wellness benmatic is the world’s largest manu- efits of steam bathing to the home. facturer of electric steam boilers.

Bucking the trend of off-shore The privately held company manufacturing, MrSteam and Susscan trace its history back to 1917, man Automatic relocated to a new when Arthur Sussman designed the 65,000-square-foot factory in Long world’s first electric steam iron for Island City in 1969. Today the New York’s garment industry. industrial boilers and the comBefore Sussman’s innovation, plete line of MrSteam commercial garment industry workers had two and residential steam generators unwieldy options for removing are still designed, engineered and wrinkles from new clothing. The assembled there. first was a heavy piece of metal This facility is also home to the or stone called a “sad iron” that company’s corporate offices, bringrequired constant reheating in a fire ing the total number of employees or stove. in Queens to about 60. A West The other, a “charcoal iron,” was Coast sales and service operation heated with burning coals held in a of MrSteam opened in the 1980s. small box inside the iron.

This classic New York City sucSussman invented the first elec- cess story was possible because trostatically powered industrial Sussman Automatic was - and consteam iron, which could supply tinues to be - ready and able to an endless amount of steam. To reinvent itself, always looking to produce his new industrial steam adapt to new market demands and irons, Sussman founded the Auto- opportunities. Today our nimble matic Steam Corporation, which company is on a growth spurt with would eventually become Sussman demand for our range of products,

Sussman Automatic Corporation is located at 43-20 34th Street in LIC.

from highly specialized commercial steam boilers to industry-first touchscreen steam shower controls.

With steam expertise embedded

in our DNA, Sussman Automatic is a growing company that continues to drive new innovations in Queens.

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EXPERT ADVICE

MULTICULTURALISM BENEFITS US ALL

BY DAYANA CABEZA & LILIANA TORELLA In an increasingly globalized economy, people from different cultures and backgrounds often find themselves working together or serving clients of different nationalities. However, having a significant number of foreigners on a payroll does not make an organization automatically multicultural.

Multiculturalism refers to companies that reflect, through their values and policies, the contributions and interests of the various cultural and social groups that work in them.

These organizations are distinguished by their openness and integration, which work to reduce prejudice and reward capacity and professionalism over race, cultural origin, gender or sexual preference.

Understandably, numerous challenges are presented by multiculturalism. Among these are different styles and reactions towards authority, decision making, conflict management, reaching agreement and coordinating actions; different communication styles; and language barriers related to accents and fluency.

In an organization where multiculturalism is not well managed, employees can become less engaged and motivated and feel left out or unrecognized. Lack of multicultural awareness can cause low morale, frustration and interpersonal conflict, and limit knowledge transfer between teams.

All of these can contribute to lower productivity and return on investment.

It seems clear that leaders who identify and manage these challenges well have better success.

Companies that choose to manage multiculturalism and diversity report benefits that may seem imperceptible at first, but in the long run, will differentiate them from their competitors.

Some of the advantages are:

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• Diverse cultural ideas and perspectives provided by well-managed multicultural teams create favorable environments for creativity and innovation.

• Organizations benefit from hiring professionals with a varied set of skills. Drawing from a culturally diverse talent pool rather than only hiring locally, can prove especially useful.

Usually, well-managed multicultural organizations hire more qualified personnel, with greater sensitivity to perceive the needs of their internal and external clients.

• Multicultural teams can also be professionally enriching, exposing people to new skills and approaches to work, allowing others to learn about global perspectives and traditions, recognizing and bonding with similarities, and abandoning prejudices or biased views of the world.

• A multicultural workforce can increase the competitiveness and profitability of an organization by expanding into new markets.

Multiculturalism awareness is not a human resources strategy,

it is a business strategy. Leading organizations and teams with challenges associated with multiculturalism is a complex task, which requires the involvement of leaders and top management.

To be successful, leaders must immerse themselves within different cultures, be able to communicate and relate to them, understand what is important for them, and embrace differences.

This is a long-term objective and cannot be achieved overnight.

Organizations can start by taking small steps, working with small teams to build a culture of awareness and respect to one another through multiculturalism and communication training.

These then can be replicated in the rest of the organization.

For this, the support of an expert consultant always facilitates the process, and can help an organization quickly achieve the multiculturalism that will benefit both employees and employers.

Dayana Cabeza and Liliana Torella are co-founders of Be Growth Consulting. Learn more at begrowthconsulting.com or contact@begrowthconsulting.com.

June 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 6

INFRASTRUCTURE

$84M PROJECT TO REDUCE FLOODING IN SE QUEENS

BY SHOSHANA KHAN

The city is improving drainage and street conditions in Brookville much to the relief of neighborhood residents. The area experiences persistent flooding, with wet basements and puddles that last for days after a rainstorm, but that’s about to change.

Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Department of Design and Construction (DDC) has started a $84 million project to upgrade infrastructure, improve street conditions and alleviate flooding.

The project is being funded by DEP, managed by DDC, and scheduled to be completed in summer 2021.

Work will take place on 21 blocks near Idlewild Park. More than two miles of water mains, some dating to before World War II, will be replaced with new pipes ranging from 8 to 20 inches in diameter.

Twenty-five fire hydrants will be replaced, and fire protection will be enhanced with 11 additional fire hydrants installed at new locations.

There will be 8,200 feet of new storm sewers and 3,700 feet of new combined sewers added to the neighborhood, ranging in size from 15 inches in diameter all the way up to rectangular sewers that are 16.5-feet wide by 8-feet high.

A total of 96 new catch basins will also be installed to capture stormwater and direct it to the new storm sewers.

During the job, existing sanitary sewers will also be replaced, with 7,600 feet installed ranging in size from 10 to 24 inches in diameter.

The project will create a doublebarrel storm sewer system that outlets to Idlewild Park, and which will serve as an outlet for additional projects yet to be built as part of the southeast Queens program.

As part of the final street restoration, 5,900 feet of curbs will be replaced, 65,000 square feet of sidewalks will be reconstructed, and 21,000 square yards of new asphalt will be laid down over a concrete base.

The new curbs and sidewalks will be graded to help guide stormwater to the area’s new catch basins to ensure adequate street drainage during storms.

“I had a sump pump and a water sensor installed, which prevents water from entering the house,” said homeowner James Salvio.

“Since the curbs are low, the water doesn’t have proper guidance to go to the catch basins to get out of the street, so it accumulates.

“Many times it goes into the basements of homeowners,” he added. “Down the road by 148th Avenue there’s a lot of flooding and there’s water from one side of the street to the other. We are looking forward to finally getting flood relief in the area.”

“It gets bad when it rains,” said resident Daniel Woods. “Around the corner, the water just doesn’t go down for days. I hope that the new sewers take care of the issue, it’s been this way for quite some time. There’s still a pond of water there from when it rained four days ago. They often have to stop the school buses from going down that road when it rains because it floods

Crews move new water and sewer lines into place in SE Queens. so badly.”

The project is part of a $2.2 billion investment by the de Blasio Administration to build a comprehensive drainage system and alleviate flooding in neighborhoods throughout southeast Queens. The program, the largest of its kind, consists of 45 projects overall,

including 10 that are substantially completed and 11 that are in active construction.

Shoshana Khan is an assistant public information officer with the Department of Design and Construction.

DANIEL WOODS

JAMES SALVIO

A flooded street in Brookville following a particularly heavy spell of wet weather.

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COVER STORY

MAKING QUEENS FEEL LIKE HOME

BY SHANE MILLER

Last month’s grand opening of the TWA Hotel at JFK Airport was the most anticipated hotel opening in the borough in decades, but Queens is adding new hotel rooms at a fast pace. Today, there’s over 100 hotels in the borough, according to Professor James Giordano.

“Long Island City is booming and the airport hotels are doing well,” he told This Is Queensborough during a break from one of his classes. “It’s a major contributor to the borough’s economy in terms of taxes and employment opportunities.”

For 25 years, Giordano has been a professor in LaGuardia Community College’s two-year Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Management program, where he trains the next generation of hospitality professionals.

“It traditionally was strong on the travel agency side,” Giordano said of the program’s focus. “But as that business changed, the hospitality and hotel management side became the primary motivation for students to enter the program.”

Giordano said after graduation students either go straight into the hospitality industry or pursue a four-year degree in the field, with many going to City Tech, the only CUNY school with a four-year hospitality program. Some do both.

“The students really focus on their careers,” he said. “They’re not sure exactly how they fit in, but they know they want to enter this career and that motivates them.”

That includes students like Emily Hayden. The second-year student first developed an interest in the field working a front-desk job at a Midtown hotel. She currently works at Public Hotel in the Lower East Side, and hopes to pursue a career in sales management.

“Working at the hotel made me want to get into the field further, and I decided to go back to school and make it my major,” she said.

Students are also required to complete an internship, which

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Professor James Giordano with students in the Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Management program.

often leads to a full-or part-time position. Second-year student Kristina DeSena is interested in events planning and is currently interning with Four Seasons Event Planning in Whitestone.

“My internship has been a good experience because it’s a smaller company and they’re new, so I’m getting to do a lot with them,” she said. “I’m also taking the Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Marketing class, and I’m learning skills that I can use in any field.

“One thing I noticed is the field is definitely growing both here in the city and around the world,” Hayden added. “The program is great at LaGuardia and I’d love to see it grow even further.”

Students learn everything from hotel and front office management, marketing for tourism, the technology and software used in various sectors of the industry, and convention and event management. A group of Giordano’s students were able to experience the latter firsthand when they visited the Queens

Chamber of Commerce’s annual Business Expo at Citi Field in May. They also learn what motivates people to travel.

“They learn about different parts of the world and countries and what attracts tourists, weather it’s weather, culture, natural environment, or the food,” said Giordano.

First-year student Stacy Mendoza, who has been working in the industry in various roles since she was 14 years old, said her class has discussed ways the travel and tourism industry is changing. One surprising influence is climate change.

“Some places that are usually cold may have milder temperatures and places that are normally warm are colder, so it affects where people choose to travel,” she said.

Giordano said the program stresses customer service. Good people skills, he said, is the most important trait employers in the hospitality industry are looking for.

“It’s something we try to teach, but it’s a challenge of course,” the professor said. “Especially with

technology, everyone wants to go online and text and email. In the program, we put an emphasis on presentation skills, so in every class they have to complete a presentation to overcome that anxiety of speaking to a group or strangers.

“It helps chisel away at their reluctance,” Giordano added. “It’s like a muscle, you have to exercise it to build it up. Typically, by the time they graduate they have more confidence.”

With two major airports, over 100 hotels, and the focus on attracting tourists to visit restaurants and cultural attractions in the outer boroughs, graduates from the program have plenty of opportunities.

“The industry is growing at a rate of 6 percent a year in New York City, more than double the rest of the country,” said Giordano. “But so many of the skills they are learning here are transferable to just about any field.”

Jen Khedaroo contributed reporting to this article.

June 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 6

GOVERNMENT

BQX SUPPORTERS RALLY BEFORE COUNCIL HEARING

BY BENJAMIN FANG Supporters of the proposed Brooklyn-Queens Connector (BQX) streetcar rallied on the steps of City Hall last week prior to a City Council hearing on the project.

A coalition of public housing leaders, unions and business organizations made its case for the light rail, which would run 11 miles from Red Hook to Astoria.

“It can connect our communities along this fast-growing corridor, and create a new spine of our city,” said Jessica Schumer, executive director of the Friends of the BQX. “It will create jobs, opportunities and equitable transit.”

The project is currently in the midst of a two-year environmental impact review, with the goal of going into the land use process, Schumer said.

It’s expected to enter a formal public review in April 2020, finish final design by 2024 and be operational by 2029.

“This is a big project, no one is saying this would be easy,” she said. “But it’s an important enough project that it does take a hard fight.”

Schumer noted that 300,000 people work near the BrooklynQueens waterfront, while 400,000 people live along the proposed corridor. The BQX is expected to serve 50,000 riders a day, she said.

It’s also expected to have a dedicated right of way, which means it won’t be impeded by cars, and won’t be disrupted by utility work or construction.

“We’re seeing other cities use this mode for a reason,” Schumer said. “It gets people around in a more efficient way and faster than a bus.

“It costs a lot less than constructing a subway,” she added. “It’s a good middle ground.”

Thomas Grech, president and CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, said going back to the turn of the century, goods and services went east to west, from Queens and Long Island into Man-

hattan.

But with the growth of Queens and Brooklyn as residential and commercial centers, there needs to be more north-south connections.

“Things have changed over the last 100 years,” Grech said. “Our transportation system, sadly, for the most part, has not.”

He called the BQX a “great opportunity” to link the burgeoning Long Island City to the Brooklyn Navy Yard and other job hubs along the corridor.

“This is one of the most important projects that we have,” he said.

Borough President Melinda Katz stressed the importance of having inter-borough connections.

“It’s important to think outside the box when we talk about real, effective transportation alternatives,” she added.

For Claudia Coger, president of the Astoria Houses Residents Association, traveling to other boroughs, including Brooklyn, takes too long and usually requires going through Manhattan. The nearest subway station to her apartment, which is on a peninsula, is 30 blocks away.

“With the BQX, that is most certainly an asset that we need,” she said. “We see it as a plus.”

On the Brooklyn side, business leaders argued that the borough needs better transit. Hector Batista, president and CEO of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, said companies need to be able to transport their employees more efficiently.

Regina Myer, president of the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, said the area has seen record new employment, but there are still not enough mass transit connections along the waterfront.

“Forward-thinking projects like this are the future,” she said. “We need to think of transit for the 21st century.”

Inside the City Council chambers, the City Council’s Task Force on the BQX, chaired by Brooklyn Councilman Carlos Menchaca, held a public hearing on the project’s origins, costs, status and changes.

Menchaca said the task force was

Borough President Melinda Katz expresses her support for the a streetcar connecting the Queens and Brooklyn waterfronts. formed to shed light on the planning process for the streetcar.

“I hope there’s an opportunity for everyone to leave here today with the facts of the proposal themselves,” he said.

Seth Myers, executive vice president and director of project implementation for the city’s Economic Development Corporation (EDC), said that despite the addition of Citi Bike and NYC Ferry, there still remains “serious gaps in connectivity” in the bus and subway network.

He testified that the current cost estimate of the project is $2.7 billion, which is $200 million more than the initial price tag. Approximately half of the capital budget, $1.3 billion, is expected to be generated through value capture.

The city will likely pursue federal funding to make up the rest of the cost, he said.

“We are following all of the requisite processes to make this a qualifying and competitive project,” Myers said.

The environmental review will not only examine impacts and potential mitigations, but also pos-

sible alternatives to the project, including Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).

Councilman Antonio Reynoso argued that a Select Bus Service (SBS) system with a dedicated route could provide an alternative that is more short-term, but more cost-effective.

Christopher Hrones, director of strategic transit initiatives with the Department of Transportation (DOT), responded that as part of the technical analysis, a screening of all potential modes is “standard practice.”

A preliminary study reviewed not just BRT, but also subway expansion and an aerial tram. Hrones admitted that those options were screened out due to cost, but BRT remains a viable alternative.

“It was found that the streetcar was the preferred option,” Hrones said, due to ridership, time savings and ability to generate revenue. “However, a bus rapid transit option was identified as the second-ranking one, and one that was worthy of more exploration.”

During the hearing, Councilman CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

11

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

QUEENS CHAMBER NEWS & EVENTS

AT MIXER, LYONS SHARES NEW LENDING OPTIONS

BY SALVATORE ISOLA

For more than 20 years, Lyons Mortgage Services has provided commercial and residential lending in the metropolitan area. The company recently unveiled three new products aimed at small business development.

Last month at Terrace on the Park, Lyons hosted a mixer event in conjunction with the Queens Chamber of Commerce to introduce the new products to over 100 realtors and others working in the financial sector.

“What we’re trying to do is get everybody together in the community to enjoy the mortgage product and knowledge we’re pushing out there,” said Steve Horasan, a national sales manager with Lyons.

One of the new products are nonqualifying mortgages, designed specifically for the self-employed

business owner. These loans are safe for borrowers by prohibiting several high-risk features, like limiting excessive up-front points or fees.

The loans are aimed at “small community businesses that have no access to credit through the large financial institutions,” according to Lyons co-founder George Sophocleous.

One such loan is an interest-only mortgage, which offers lower payments for the first ten years than a typical mortgage, since only the interest and no principal is being paid.

These type of loans work well with jumbo loans, which are loans above an area’s loan-conforming limit, which in New York is set at $726,525. Among the biggest beneficiaries are individuals who do not intend on holding a piece of property for a long period of time.

Another product is an acquisition fix-and-flip rehabilitation loan. It takes into account the value of a property after a future renovation, and freeing up more money to finance the renovation process. These loans have short-term financing up to one year.

Lyons has also introduced a foreign national program that permits loans up to $10 million.

“If applicants have a work visa or another type of visa, they can still purchase homes,” Horasan said.

Additionally, qualified applicants can receive gift funds from relatives that can be used for down payments.

“In the five boroughs, we realize that we have such a diverse community where we have to meet the needs of these communities, and they obviously have diverse needs,” Sophocleous said. “Our product line is not based on what

we decide, it’s based on what our customers need.

“We don’t feed our clients, our clients tell us what they want to eat,” he added. “We believe in communication, and we are a company based on relationships.”

For 23 years, Lyons has offered commercial and residential lending not only in the metropolitan area, but also in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and California.

“We are a true lender where we underwrite the loans locally here at our offices, and we service all of our businesses.” Sophocleous said.

“In other words, the customers are going to come and pay Lyons, they’re not going to pay somebody else.”

For more information, visit elyons.com. Contact a loan specialist at (800) 448-8101 or contact@elyons.com.

The team from Lyons Mortgage Services discussed new lending options for small businesses at a mixer hosted by the Queens Chamber.

12

June 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 6

QUEENS CHAMBER NEWS & EVENTS

CHAMBER ON-THE-GO HELPS SMALL BIZ THRIVE

BY SALVATORE ISOLA Small businesses in New York continue to thrive, but for many entrepreneurs the joy of a grand opening is quickly eclipsed by the hard work of trying to sustain their business amid growing competition and overwhelming regulations.

Since 2015, the city Department of Small Business Services’ “Chamber On-the-Go” program has provided resources to thousands of small businesses. On May 10 in conjunction with the Queens Chamber of Commerce, they were in the borough to educate business owners on what the program can offer the.

“We are here for business owners who want assistance to open your business and to make sure that you are growing,” said program manager Paola Martinez at The Harvest Room in Jamaica. “We can provide you with legal and financial assistance, and we can also educate you about access to incentives and other benefits that the city has to help you.”

When small businesses use Chamber On-the-Go, they are immediately connected to a trained business specialist, who will visit the business and engage in a lengthy conversation to analyze where improvement is needed and where.

Client managers will then connect business owners to resources aimed to help them thrive, as well as navigate the minutiae of city rules and regulations.

Resources include legal assistance, access to alternate lenders, and employee training. If a business needs to add staff, the program offers recruiting and screening from a pool of qualified candidates.

Chamber On-the-Go also offers free business courses, either at New York University or online through Coursera.

“You don’t have to leave your business to complete the courses,” said Martinez.

Attendee Moe Liu spoke about the problems a friend faced when opening a Chinese restaurant,

Paola Martinez (center) of Small Business Services with event attendees and members and Chamber staff. including accruing thousands in fines.

“He was hit over the head with regulations,” Liu said. “These kinds of things kill small business. Many businesses have run from New York City” Martinez responded that such situations are common, and that’s why Chamber On-the-Go collects feedback on challenges that businesses face so they can tackle the

issues before fines force new businesses to close.

“My work is to help you and connect you with resources to help you grow and to make sure that your business is thriving,” Martinez said.

“We are lucky to partner with the Queens Chamber of Commerce to conduct door-to-door outreach and organize events to make sure that people know about our services.”

Carlos Diaz, a managing partner

at the small IT service provider Vulcan Business Solutions, stayed after the presentation to network.

“It gives us an opportunity to meet potential clients, and also to network with other like-minded individuals who want to find ways to creatively grow our businesses,” he said.

Learn more at nyc.gov/chamberonthego.

CITY COUNCIL EXAMINES BQX PROPOSAL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 Jimmy Van Bramer questioned the de Blasio administration’s commitment to the project, given that federal funding would be difficult with a hostile federal government.

“How do you anticipate overcoming that barrier if we continue to have a hostile occupant of the White House?” he asked.

“I don’t pretend to be an expert on the Trump administration or Washington D.C.,” Myers

responded. “We think we have a lot of merit for the project.”

Elected officials also brought up more local issues at the hearing.

Councilman Costa Constantinides said he was concerned about worsening gentrification in his district, particularly along the BQX route.

“Homes are being torn down, there’s a real affordability crisis in this district,” he said. “That will only make the challenges in Astoria even greater.”

He was also concerned about safety along 21st Street, which is a

truck route that moves more than 2,000 cars per hour.

Hrones responded that DOT “fully recognizes” the challenges of the thoroughfare, and wants to do more to put in safety measures.

Despite the many questions facing the project, including the funding piece, advocates are hopeful the project will stay on track.

“I’m optimistic this project will get completed,” Schumer said.

13

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June 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 6

BUSINESS EXPO 2019

CHAMBER HOSTS EXPO

Chamber CEO Thomas Grech moderates the “Why Tech Needs Queens” panel discussion. Seated from left to right are Julie Samuels, Elizabeth Lusskin and Thomas Donovan. (Photo: Dominick Totino)

BY SALVATORE ISOLA While the Mets were on the road on May 16, Queens business leaders headed to Citi Field for a day of networking.

The Queens Chamber of Commerce held its annual Business Expo & Luncheon in the stadium’s Foxwoods Club, and over 140 exhibitors from all areas of commerce showcased their products and services.

“We have established relationships with the leaders and the major organizations and BIDs in Queens,” said Thomas Grech, president and CEO of the Chamber. “We believe in the power of unity and working together for the common good.”

The event was beneficial to newer companies, such as first time attendee RCG Mortgage, who said the connections they made would benefit the company in the long run.

One of the expo’s most popular assortment of tables was the food pavilion, with Ben’s providing latkes and pastrami on rye, The Smokehouse serving Jamaican jerk chicken, and Uncle Jack’s Meat House sampling meatballs, to name a few.

Before the end of the day, former

Mets catcher Paul Lo Duca and Mr. Met made the rounds, speaking to exhibitors and posing for photos with attendees.

A panel called “Why Tech Needs Queen” featured Chamber vice chairman Thomas Donovan, Long Island City Partnership president Elizabeth Lusskin, and Julie Samuels, executive director of Tech:NYC. “You as talent running the company, you will be happy here,” Lusskin said of doing business in Queens. “This is a pragmatic place and a practical place, but it’s also cool and funky and exciting. You will be able to get other people to come work with you and do the great things that you want to do.”

When the floor was opened to questions, an attendee commented that Queens “lost our Disney,” referencing how Times Square’s transformation was enabled only

by Disney opening a store there.

“We don’t know who’s going to be the next Disney, so what we want to do is make sure that this is a place where all business is welcome,” said Lusskin.

“If you have a vibrant startup culture, you got a bunch of CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

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BUSINESS EXPO 2019

16

ALL PHOTOS: DOMINICK TOTINO

June 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 6

BUSINESS EXPO 2019

WHY TECH NEEDS QUEENS AIRPORT OPPORTUNITIES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 small, young companies, then the big ones will come,” Samuels added. “Because they are going to want to hire the people working at those small companies, and they’re going to, frankly, want to buy those small companies.”

One of the biggest challenges the borough faces, according to Grech, is making Queens a des-

tination.

He recalled attending the opening of the TWA Hotel the day before and marveled at how successful the $286 million gamble has been at stirring buzz and excitement for the borough.

“Business people can be flown in internationally for meetings in one of the most beautiful hotels anywhere in the world,” Grech said. “That’s about destination.”

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18 working with organized labor, entrepreneur programs, business training, and youth programs are all possible benefits generated from the council.

“At the end of the day, we don’t have a monopoly on good ideas,” he said, “and we don’t know these communities as well as members of this council.”

The JFK redevelopment team also

established a community office in Jamaica to keep local businesses informed. The office will help the project meet its 30 percent participation goal, which is applied for all procurement categories.

“Opportunities are going from the entire life cycle of the project,” Bathers-Taylor said, including construction, maintenance, operations and concessions. “With that foundation, there is work for you.”

17

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

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BUSINESS EXPO 2019

OPPORTUNITIES TAKING OFF AT LGA, JFK PARTICULAR FOCUS ON LOCAL BUSINESSES, MWBE’S

BY BENJAMIN FANG With both LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy airports undergoing multibillion dollar renovations, opportunities for local firms and contractors are booming.

At the Queens Chamber of Commerce’s annual Business Expo at Citi Field on May 16, chamber president Thomas Grech called the projects “transformative, monumental and incredible.”

“To make an omelette, you have to break some eggs,” he said. “But what an omelette it’s going to be.”

At the expo, a panel of experts who are currently working on the projects provided updates on the status of both airports and the job opportunities they will provide.

George Guillaume, deputy program director at Delta Air Lines, said the projects are putting New York “back on the world stage where we belong.”

“These projects give New York the facilities they deserve, bringing back the grandeur of flying,” he said. “These projects will make traveling more efficient and make our passengers feel a sense of home when they’re waiting at our facilities.”

LaGuardia Airport is in the midst of an $8 billion transformation, the first significant redevelopment project there in two decades.

The $4 billion Terminal B project is a public-private partnership between the Port Authority and the private entity LaGuardia Gateway Partners. The project includes a new 35-gate terminal, a central hall, parking garage, new roadways and infrastructure.

According to Tracy Sandford, senior director of Communications with LaGuardia Gateway Partners, Terminal B was first built in 1964 to accommodate 8 million people per year. Today, over 15 million people fly through the terminal.

“We’ve seen record passenger

18

numbers,” she said. “And we are rebuilding while keeping the airport operational.”

When the new Terminal B eastern concourse opened late last year, the Port Authority announced that its concession partners hired 374 employees. About 55 percent of them were from Queens.

Sandford added that the second phase of the project, which includes the new “headhouse” and western concourse, will be completed by 2020.

“Things are moving fast,” she said.

Delta Air Lines has been tasked with developing, operating and maintaining a new $4 billion Terminal C, which broke ground in August 2017.

Suzette Bather-Taylor, senior program director of Strategic Capital Initiatives with the Port Authority, said the redevelopments are focusing on not just minority and women-

owned business enterprise (MWBE) participation, but local hiring as well.

So far, the MWBE participation for the LaGuardia project has reached over $1.2 billion across 890 contracts. The local participation is above $390 million, Bather-Taylor said.

JFK Airport, meanwhile, is undergoing a $13 billion program, with $1 billion in seed money from the Port Authority and $12 billion in private funding. The redevelopment would create a new Terminal One and JetBlue’s Terminal 6.

Officials expect the project to produce 9,600 direct jobs and more than 15,000 total jobs.

Bathers-Taylor said the Port Authority is still negotiating lease agreements with its private partners.

Construction is expected to begin by 2020, with an anticipated completion date in 2025.

Quentin Brathwaite, senior vice president at McKissack & McKissack, which is leading strategic engagement for the New Terminal One team, said they are already

building partnerships and building capacity.

“We’re focused on being in the community and meeting folks,” he said.

Part of that engagement is the JFK Redevelopment Community Advisory Council, co-chaired by Congressman Gregory Meeks and Borough President Melinda Katz.

The council includes local elected officials, community boards, local clergy, civic and business organizations.

Bathers-Taylor said the group is tasked with identifying what’s most meaningful to the community and how to communicate those opportunities.

“The advisory council creates a structured framework for participation,” Brathwaite said. “It allows us to focus on the resources in the most efficient way.”

David Garten, senior vice president of infrastructure investment and emerging sub-markets at RXR Realty, added that jobs training, CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

A panel of experts discuss business opportunities related to redevelopment of the two airports in Queens.

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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

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INTERNATIONAL FEST PART OF BUSY MONTH OUTDOORS Tokyo hosted the first one in 1946. It was a hit and quickly spread to more than 100 cities around the world, and now it’s coming to Queens!

The Water Lantern Festival is set for Flushing Meadows Corona Park on June 1. In honor of dearly departed relatives, participants design lanterns with positive messages inside and launch them into the water.

The festival kicks off a jampacked month with fun in every corner on Queens. Most events are scheduled for the great outdoors, but some indoor action can be found.

Apollo 11: First Steps Edition.

Timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the first-ever moon-landing, this 2D documentary shows the real-life moments of NASA’s Apollo 11 mission.

With never-before-seen footage and newly discovered audio recordings, the filmmakers reconstruct the historic trip’s preparation, liftoff, landing, and return. The movie screens daily at 2 pm until June 14. Then it screens daily at 3 pm until Jan. 21, 2020. New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th St., Flushing Meadows Corona Park, nysci.org.

June 15, Queens Symphony Orchestra, 7:30 pm. The borough’s oldest arts group presents a masterworks concert with music WATER LANTERN FESTIVAL

by Stravinsky, Vivaldi, and Mozart.

Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., flushingtownhall. org.

June 15-16, Starring Diana Ross. The Motown superstar just turned 75, and she’s celebrating with a national tour. But Diana Ross was also a screen sensation. This three-film retrospective, which happens just before her NYC concert, screens “Lady Sings the Blues,” “ M a h o g a n y, ” and “The Wiz.” Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria’s Kaufman Arts District, movingimage.us.

June 17, Met Opera Recital, 7 pm. Talented young Metropolitan Opera members perform arias and duets from a variety of operas.

Socrates Sculpture Park, 32-01 Vernon Blvd., LIC, socratessculpturepark.org.

June 22, Stonewall 50: Celebrating the LGBTQ+ Civil Rights Movements in Queens, noon to 5 pm. This event features Drag Queen Story Hour, short films

by Caribbean Equality Project’s oral history project; a workshop on spiritual medicine, one-minute plays; a performance by Taranng Dance Troupe; and a panel discussion on LGBTQ activism. Queens Museum, NYC Building, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, queensmuseum.org.

QUEENS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

June 28, Broadway in the Boros, noon. Cast members and musicians from the Broadway hits “The Prom” and “Be More Chill” perform on a stage at the intersection of 77th Street and 37th Road in Jackson Heights, nyc.gov/theatre.

June 28, Traditions Festival, June 30, noon to 4 pm. This fourthannual, three-day event mixes food, music, art, and crafts from the 18th century with those of modern times.

Expect broom-making, blacksmithing, spinning, loom weaving, and

down hearth cooking as well as Filipino calligraphy, Mexican dressmaking, and Korean cooking. King Manor Museum, 150-03 Jamaica Ave., Jamaica, kingmanor.org.

June 28-July 5, Passport to Flushing. This is a food crawl organized by the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce. Crawlers get “passports” and visit participating restaurants and cultural venues for discounts and special offers. In conjunction with the effort, official Queens historian Jack Eichenbaum offers two walking tours, both of which start at 6 pm. On June 28, he treks through Flushing’s Korean community. On June 29, he explores the area’s Chinese community, flushingfantastic.nyc.

June 29, Smells Like Summer Music Festival, noon. This free, five-hour blowout features two singer-songwriters from Astoria, a Brazilian Rock Band, a Soul Funk band with deeps roots in New Orleans, and three groups that’ve been a part of the local music scene for more than 30 years.

George Seuffert Sr. Bandshell, Forest Park, facebook.com/ Loss4WordsProductions.

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

20

June 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 6

QUEENSBOROUGH CALENDAR OF EVENTS JUNE 6/6, NOON

#TRENDING...

MARKETING VIA SOCIAL MEDIA LUNCH & LEARN

The guest speaker for this event will be Jake Oliver of Anat Gerstein, Inc. Register at queenschamber.org TD Bank 108-36 Queens Boulevard Forest Hills 6/6, 6:30 PM

BUILDING A FINANCIAL FOUNDATION A multilingual (English/Korean) workshop about how to build your financial foundation.

FREE Register at queenschamber.org Prince Street Financial Center 39-07 Prince Street, Suite 6A Flushing 6/7, 3 to 7 PM

103-02 Metropolitan Avenue Forest Hills 6/24, ALL DAY

QUEENS CHAMBER FOUNDATION ANNUAL GOLF OUTING & DINNER

Join the Chamber Foundation for a day of golf and professional networking. Attend for the full day, or just join for the dinner and awards ceremony.

Register at queenschamber.org Garden City Country Club 206 Stewart Avenue Garden City 6/26, 6 PM

5TH ANNUAL FORT TOTTEN PARK INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION

Join the Queens Chamber for a night of live music and a fireworks display over Long Island Sound in a celebration of our nation’s

independence.

Fort Totten Totten Ave. & 15th Rd. Bayside 6/27, 9 AM

HOSPITALITY IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Given the fact the hospitality and restaurant industry is based on the cooperation between a wide range of services and products, the benefits of the digital revolution in the sector are quite obvious. The Chamber has assembled a panel of industry experts who will explore what this means for the industry.

LaGuardia Community College 31-10 Thomson Avenue E Building - Room E500 Long Island City

JULY 7/11, 9 AM

BREAKFAST SPEED NETWORKING EVENT

A fast-paced event that guarantees you’ll build your professional network and increase your business bottom-line. Within a matter of twenty minutes you’ll be introduced to at least 20 new contacts.

FREE Register at queenschamber.org Queens Chamber of Commerce 75-20 Astoria Boulevard Jackson Heights 7/17, 5 to 8 PM

QUEENS CHAMBER SUMMER BOAT CRUISE

Tickets include three-hour open bar, appetizers and carving station, and prize giveaways and raffles. This event will take place rain or shine. $85/$75 (Member) Register at queenschamber.org World’s Fair Marina Marina Road 1 Flushing

BALANCING LIFE & BUSINESS

Complimentary holistic wellness event. Enjoy special organic treats, organic chocolates, healthy drinks, aromatherapy oils and lots more.

Genesis Tree of Life Yoga & Wellness Center 102-06 Metropolitan Avenue Forest Hills 6/12, 10 AM

INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS CREDIT

Learn the difference between personal and business credit, understanding a business credit score and improving your credit.

Business Center for New Americans 78-27 37th Avenue, Suite #1 Jackson Heights 6/13, 6 PM

CHOCOLATES, CHEESE & WINE NETWORKING EVENT

Event includes a tour of the chocolate kitchen and a demo of the magic that is behind their famous GOT Dragon Eggs.

Register at queenschamber.org Aigner Chocolates

The Queens Chamber Foundation will again hold its annual Golf Outing & Dinner at Garden City Country Club. This year’s event takes place on June 17. (Photo: Dominick Totino)

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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TWA HOTEL AT JFK WELCOMES ITS FIRST GUESTS

BY SHANE MILLER Heads finally hit beds as the TWA Hotel finally welcomed its first guests last month.

Check-in began at 3 p.m. on May 15 following a morning-long ribbon-cutting ceremony. The 512bed TWA Hotel is the only hotel actually located within JFK Airport.

Two new hotel wings are centered around the iconic TWA terminal, which closed for good in 2001.

When the Eero Saarinendesigned terminal opened in 1962, it epitomized the glamour of the Jet Age. It has been painstakingly restored to look as it did on the day it first opened.

Former TWA flight attendants Steven and Joseph LoBosco-Hammer, who combined worked in the terminal for 65 years, said it looked as magnificent as when they used to work there.

The two met while working a flight to Madrid. Now living in Florida, they were among the first guests to stay there on the first night.

“This is probably the first two minutes I haven’t been crying,” Steven said after the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “We spent so much time here.”

Susan Stevens was a TWA flight attendant from 1970 to 1974.

While she wasn’t among the lucky people to have a reservation for the first night, she plans to come back in the summer.

“It’s so exciting,” she said.

“What wonderful memories it brings back.

Billie O’Hagan, a flight attendant for Alaska Airlines since 2000, was staying the night.

“I got tickets on February 15 right after they went on sale,” she said. “I’m originally from the Midwest, and TWA was always a hometown favorite.”

MCR and Morse Development were behind the massive project to convert the abandoned terminal into a world-class hotel.

Without a single right angle in the entire building, the restoration overlooked no detail, from the tiles Saarinen used throughout the space to the split-flap boards, which were manufactured by Solari di Udine in

Italy, the company that made the terminal’s original boards.

“This terminal was built as a cathedral to aviation,” said Tyler Morse, CEO and managing partner of MCR and MORSE Development. “No detail went overlooked, from the millwork by Amish artisans to the custom font inspired

by Saarinen’s own sketches to the one-of-a-kind manhole covers.”

The red-carpeted Sunken Lounge was also restored, as were the iconic tubes that were featured in the movie Catch Me If You Can. “The attention to detail is everything,” Governor Andrew Cuomo said. “You have brought a creativity and brilliance to this project that is going to make it internationally spectacular.”

But there are some new modern amenities, too. There is 50,000 square feet of event space, a rooftop infinity pool, the world’s biggest hotel gym, and high-end retail shops, from Warby Parker to Shinola, a custom watch bar and leather good stores.

The guest rooms feature the second-thickest glass windows in the world to block out the airplane

noise from JFK’s runways.

To add even more flavor from the golden days of aviation, a Lockheed Constellation “Connie” L-1694A, which was used as a drug plane in South America after its commercial aviation days were over, was brought to the site and transformed into a cocktail lounge.

“Thank god for the drug dealers,” Morse joked. “They installed a giant cargo door in the back of the plane so they could airdrop the weed, but that giant entry is now our ADA entrance to the plane.”

The hotel’s first guests were primarily former airline employees and those looking to get a firsthand look at the architectural marvel.

But the hotel aims to be more than just an Instagrammable locale.

“Whether airline customers are looking for a hotel room before an early morning flight or after a redeye or are just interested in seeing this piece of aviation history before heading to their flight, the TWA Hotel will provide a variety of options to make the JFK experience even better,” said Robin Hayes, CEO of JetBlue, whose terminal is connected to the hotel.

Airport and government officials join Tyler Morse (fourth from left) for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

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(1) A cocktail lounge in the hotel. (2) The terminal’s spacious interior. (3) The iconic red-and-white tubes. (4) A split-flap board at the terminal’s entrance. (5) “Connie” is parked outside the terminal and serves as another cocktail lounge. (6) Beatles impersonators entertain the crowd on the terminal’s bridge. (7) An Australian travel writer tries out Connie’s cockpit. (8) Steven and Joseph LoBosco-Hammer met while working for TWA. (9) Billie O’Hagen (left) and former TWA flight attendant Susan Stevens.

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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.

The 82nd Street Partnership is hosting several community wellness events this month in Dunningham Triangle, which is located at 82nd Street and Baxter Avenue in Elmhurst. On Saturdays in June (6/8, 6/15, 6/22, 6/29) from 10 to 11 a.m. there will be meditation classes. On June 3 from 9 to 11 a.m. and June 7 from 10 a.m. to noon there will be free zumba classes.

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 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.

On May 19, the BID hosted the popular Bell Boulevard Food & Music Festival, featuring live music, family activities and food tastings from 35 Bayside restaurants.

BUSINESS CENTER FOR NEW AMERICANS (BCNA)

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.

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 June 26.

The next major event for the chamber is the Forest Hill Festival of the Arts on Sunday, June 9. On Austin Street there will be live music, unique merchandise, gourmet food and rides for the kids.

GATEWAY JFK

Executive Director: Scott Grimm-Lyon info@GatewayJFK.org GatewayJFK.org QUICK GLANCE: Formerly the Greater JFK Industrial BID and founded in 2016, the group seeks to provide support to the off-airport air cargo and services district through supplemental services and improvements, technical and professional services for its members, and advocacy and administration.

GatewayJFK is seeking sponsors for banners on Rockaway Boulevard. Participating sponsors will have their logo displayed on the lower portion of the banners for one full-year. Sponsoring the banner will cost $1,000, but sponsoring three or more banners costs $750 per banner.

Sponsors have the chance to make 57,000-plus daily impressions if located in the southern section of the district, and 24,000-plus in the northern section. If interested, contact GatewayJFK at 516-730-3400 or scott@gatewayjfk.org.

STRINGER TAKES A STROLL ON MYRTLE AVENUE

BY BENJAMIN FANG To gain a better understanding of the problems facing local retail corridors, Comptroller Scott Stringer toured businesses on Myrtle Avenue last Wednesday afternoon.

He was joined by several community leaders, including Myrtle Avenue Business Improvement District (BID) executive director Ted Renz and Community Board 5 chairman Vincent Arcuri, Jr. Starting at Joe & John’s Pizzeria, Stringer later stopped by Tasty Diner, retail store Pants Pantry, and ended his visit at Rudy’s Bakery & Cafe.

The Myrtle Avenue BID has been in operation since 1988, and is home to 345 retail and service establishments.

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“It’s important for him to come out and visit individual BIDs,” Renz said, “and talk to the merchants about what the common problems are and what problems are specific to them.”

One issue the Ridgewood thoroughfare is facing is storefront vacancies. Several chains, including Payless, have gone out of business.

“We’re working with the landlords we have relationships with to try and get a proper mix of tenants for the district,” he said.

Renz added that some businesses have been on the avenue for eight decades, while others are just starting out.

“We have a good mix of nationwide chains and mom-and-pop stores,” he said.

Comptroller Scott Stringer met with business owners in Ridgewood.

June 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 6

QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES The BID will host its annual meeting on June 13 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the new TWA Hotel at JFK Airport. The meeting is open to the public and free dinner will be served, but you must RSVP via the BID’s website.

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.

In May, the chamber welcomed the greenmarket back to Maple Playground on Kissena Boulevard.

It is open on Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Chamber is hosting its second annual Flushing World’s Fair expo to showcase the diverse business community in the neighborhood.

It will also include presentations and workshops, as well as showcase resources for entrepreneurs and local businesses.

At the event, the chamber will launch the Passport to Flushing 2019, a food and culture crawl with discounts and prizes. It will take place on June 28 and June 29 at both Queens College

and the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel. Learn more at worldsfair.nyc.

owners along Jamaica Avenue. They also provide 2.5 and 5 percent home improvement loans.

GREATER JAMAICA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

JAMAICA CENTER BID

90-04 161st Street, Jamaica, NY 11432 President: Hope Knight 718.291.0282 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.

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. They are providing free benches for store

161-10 Jamaica Avenue, Suite 419 Jamaica, NY 11432 Executive Director: Jennifer Furioli 718.526.2422 jamaica.nyc @JamCenterBID (Twitter) @jamcenterbid (Instagram) @Jamaica Center BID (Facebook) QUICK GLANCE: Budget of over $1 million.

Founded in 1979, the Jamaica Center BID serves over 400 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 con-

20% discount on lodging for all new business booked in the months of June and August!

Groups looking to host workshops, summer camps, international travel programs, and conferences can take advantage of this offer while enjoying use of their onsite dining facilities and classroom/meeting venues as well.

Call Cheryl for a quote today!

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QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES ducting a Commercial District Needs Assessment (CDNA), which will inform future programing.

The BID recently announced that Jennifer Furioli will be the next executive director, taking over for Whitney Barrat. Furioli most recently served with the New Rochelle Downtown Business Improvement District (NRBID), where she was responsible for overseeing the New Rochelle Grand Market, NRBID events and external NRBID communications.

The BID will be hosting its Sidewalk Sales Days 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. over three weekends this month: June 7-10, June 12-14 and June 19-21.

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: • June 12, 8:30-10 a.m.: JFK CoC Directors General Monthly Meeting. JFK International Airport, Building 14 – Conference Room “A”.

Guests are welcome but must RSVP. Light breakfast will be served. Contact JFKCoCExec@gmail. com to confirm the date.

JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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 mixed-use community.

The LIC Partnership operates the LIC Business

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

LONG ISLAND CITY PARTNERSHIP

Improvement District and the LIC Industrial Business Zone.

On June 25 from 8 to 10 a.m., the partnership will a Business Breakfast at the LIC Conference Center at 41-21 27th Street. In collaboration with Bank of America Merrill Lynch, the event will feature a discussion on trade, tariffs and taxes. Registration required.

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.

• June 9 - The Maspeth Chamber of Commerce will sponsor the annual Maspeth Street Fair on Grand Avenue with vendors, food and rides for the kids.

• June 11 at 12 p.m. - The Maspeth Chamber of Commerce’s monthly meeting will take place 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.

MIDDLE VILLAGE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The growing dessert scene in Flushing has welcomed its latest addition. On May 24, Councilman Peter Koo, the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce, and other business leaders welcomed Taiyaki NYC to the neighborhood. Hundreds of people lined up on Friday to get their hands on the sweet treat. The shop features Unicorn Floats and Japanese-style fish-shaped waffles. The popular Japanese street vendor snack contains red bean filling at the bottom and ice cream on top. Taiyaki NYC will operate a pop-up shop at Queens Crossing food court until October 21.

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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 80 th 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.

June 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 6

QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES MYRTLE AVENUE BID

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

From June 13-16, the BID will host it Father’s

Day Sidewalk Sales. BID merchants on Myrtle Avenue and adjacent side streets from Fresh Pond Road to Wyckoff Avenue will display their merchandise in front of their businesses.

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 oneon-one consultations, hosting workshops, operating training courses and networking events.

Upcoming events include: • June 14 from 6 to 8 p.m. - QEDC will celebrate the 8th anniversary of The Entrepreneur Space in Long Island City. It will take place at E-Space at 36-46 37th Street.

• June 20 from 10 a.m. to Noon - QEDC will host an 8(a) Certification Workshops. The 8(a) Business Development Program is a business assistance program for small disadvantaged businesses. It will take place at The Entrepreneur Space at 36-43 37th Street in Long Island City.

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.

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QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES 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 & Revitalization Corporation (RDRC) was established to promote the revitalization of the Rockaway’s economic base and neighborhoods by creating longstanding 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.

SUNNYSIDE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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

The chamber is an organization built around assisting and helping local business and professionals by providing resources to increase business, safety and historical preservation.

At its recent annual meeting, Chamber members elected Vanessa Ceballos, owner of Firefly Petite Cafe & Bistro on 43rd Avenue, to serve as 2019-20 president.

SUNNYSIDE SHINES

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 and last for one year.

This month, the Beats in Bliss Plaza returns to Sunnyside with free performances, crafts and games in the plaza at 46th Street and Queens Boulevard under the 7 train on select Thursdays. This month’s schedule includes Dance Matters NYC (6/6) and Rioult Dance Company (6/27).

Sunnyside Outdoor Movie Nights return to the neighborhood this month. On June 7 at 7 p.m. at Lou Lodati Playground at Skillman Avenue and 42nd Street there will be a screening of short films by Queens filmmakers.

On June 14 at 7 p.m., there will be a screening of The Muppets Take Manhattan at 7 p.m. at Noonan Playground at Greenpoint Avenue and 43rd Street.

SUTPHIN BOULEVARD BID

89-00 Sutphin Boulevard, Suite 204C Jamaica, NY 11435 Executive Director: Glen Greenridge 718.291.2110 sutphinblvdbid@verizon.net QUICK GLANCE: The BID was founded in 2004 and represents 134 businesses, 56 properties and 39 property owners along Sutphin Blvd. between Hillside and 94th avenues.

The BID is currently accepting applications for vendors interested in taking part in the 2019 Harvest Festival. It will take place on Saturday, September 21, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

STEINWAY ASTORIA PARTNERSHIP BID

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.

The Steinway Street Business Improvement District encompasses all 300 business located on Steinway Street from 28th Avenue to 35th Avenue.

National chain stores such as Victoria’s Secrets, The Gap, Benetton, and Express are side by side with local family owned shops some of them fixtures on the street for some 50 years.

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.

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The sixth annual LIC Springs! Festival and street fair last month drew hundreds of local residents and visitors for a full lineup of festivities. It featured interactive art lessons, live music, and food showcasing the diversity and talent of Long Island City. It was organized by the Long Island City Partnership with support from local businesses and groups.

June 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 6

NEW MEMBERS MAJOR CORPORATE

Staples CORPORATE

A&E Real Estate AYC Properties, LLC Bellozino eXp Realty: Andrew Wu Laser Bounce of Brooklyn, Inc. NEOLEDGE Neuman’s Kitchen Priority 1 Security, LLC Sussman-Automatic Corporation INTRODUCTORY

Amie Gross Architects Be Growth Consulting Bell Electrical Supply Co., Inc. BlueCross BlueShield Community Options, Inc. Farmers Insurance Fast Track Mobility, LLC loanDepot Meltzer Accounting Service Mg O’Hare Law Savoca Enterprise, Inc. The Shillelagh Tavern Untethered, LLC. Staples

500 Staples Dr. Framingham, MA 01702 staples.com The line between work and life is blurring. We have solutions to keep your teams productive, connected and inspired, wherever and whenever. Whether you know exactly what you need, or you’re looking for tools and inspiration to hit

your goals, Staples is here for you.

A&E Real Estate

1065 Avenue of the Americas, 31st Fl. New York, NY 11018 ae-re.com

AYC Properties, LLC

27-01 Queens Plaza North Long Island City, NY 11101 aycproperties.com AYC Properties is a privately held real estate investment and development firm. Established in 2017, the company seeks adaptive re-use properties with a specific focus on commercial and mixed-use assets in New York City.

Bellozino

72-11 Roosevelt Ave. Jackson Heights, NY 11372 bellozino.com At Bellozino, we take care of the requirements of the individuals and also offer personalized cooking and catering services including Asian, Italian, Mexican or Southern foods. We arrange a gratifying ambiance along with excellent services to meet and exceed the expectations of the clients. We promise to turn any celebration of yours into something extraordinary.

eXp Realty: Andrew Wu

400 Townline Road Hauppauge, NY 11788 lib.exprealty.com/agents/40474/Andrew+Wu Our focus on core values is essential to providing our customers with tools, service and innovation that helps them focus on the bottom line and driving real business results.

Laser Bounce of Brooklyn, Inc.

80-28 Cooper Ave. Glendale, NY 11385 laserbounce.com Laser Bounce is great for Groups and Camps of all ages, from toddlers to teens and adults we have it all.

NEOLEDGE

25 W. 39th St., 14th Fl. New York, NY 10018 illico.neoledge.com/en At Neoledge, we support companies in their digital transition and have been encouraging innovation for almost 25 years. Discover our team!

Neuman’s Kitchen

35-02 48th Ave. Long Island City, NY 11101 neumanskitchen.com The joy of our business is to start each day

handling the freshest, most beautiful ingredients and then to have the privilege of transforming them into deliciously inspired cuisine designed to make an emotional connection with your guests. We started the business over 30 years ago to live at the intersection of food, art and commerce. The only thing that has changed is our perspective and experience. Our mission is the same: to delight, inspire and be inspired.

Priority 1 Security, LLC

1407 Nostrand Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11226 priority-1security.com New York City is the crossroads of the world and a city requiring the very best in safety and security. Priority-1 Security is one of the leading licensed security guard agencies in New York, and stands ready to service clients in a host of industries throughout the Five Boroughs and beyond. Our team of professional agents is ready for every job, managing site safety and security with the skill and experience our clients are entitled to expect. We always stand behind our work, with customer security and client satisfaction being our number-one priority. Contact us to discuss your needs and learn more about our how our team can help you.

Sussman-Automatic Corporation

43-20 34th St. Long Island City, NY 11101 sussmanautomaticcorp.com MrSteam has been in the “feel good” business since 1917. A champion of SteamTherapy and a company committed to making wellness a way of life. Focused on innovation while continually offering the finest quality products and services, MrSteam embraces the core idea that “We feel good when you feel good.”

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

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EXECUTIVE COMMMITEE

CHAIRPERSON’S ADVISORY COUNCIL

EXECUTIVE STAFF

Thomas Santucci

Richard Dzwlewicz

Thomas J. Grech

Brendan Leavy

Nash Roe

Fran Biderman-Gross

Joanne M. Persad

Jacqueline Donado

Chairperson

Associate Treasurer

Vice Chairperson

Associate Secretary

Treasurer

Immediate Past Chair

Patrick Yu

Susan Browning

Mayra DiRico

President & CEO

Chief of Operations

Alejandra Espejo Financial Controller

Secretary

Business Development Manager Strategic Program Coordinator

Jef Gross

Committee Development & Member Engagement Manager

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.

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

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

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

Jeffrey Owens Nayan Parikh Albert F. Pennisi Vincent L. Petraro Esq Nash Roe Jeffrey Rosenstock Juan Santiago

Thomas Santucci Mark Scheinberg Caryn Schwab Sher Sparano Michelle Stoddart Terri Thomson Henry Wan

Patrick Yu Daniel Zausner

CORPORATE MEMBERS A&L Cesspool Services Corp A. Giannopoulos Architects AAA Northeast AARP Ackman-Ziff ADP Major Accounts Adria Hotel and Conference Center Airlogix 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 Carmel Car and Limo Service Center for Automotive Education and Training Cerini and Associates, LLP. Ciampa Organization Cipico Construction, Inc. Complete Orthopedic Services, Inc Conference Associates, Inc

Cord Meyer Development LLC Cornell NYC Tech Corporate Development Systems, Inc. Courtyard by Marriott CPEX Real Estate Crescent Properties, Inc Crown Castle Curaleaf Cushman & Wakefield DGC Capital Contracting Corp.

Douglas Elliman Real Estate DY Realty Services, L.L.C. E Central Medical Management East Coast Energy Group Ecosave Inc. Edge Auto Inc. Elmhurst Hospital Center Emigrant Mortgage Company EMU Health Services ENT and Allergy Associates, LLP Enterprise Fleet Management Exquisite Construction Fabiani Cohen & Hall, LLP Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. (FREE) Farrell Fritz, P.C. Financial Recources Brup Investment Services LLC First American International Bank Flushing Bank Flushing Council On Culture & The Arts Forest Hills Financial Group Inc. GF55 Partners Global Industrial Goldenwood Property Advisors Goodwill Industries of New York & Northern New Jersey, Inc.

Grassi & Co. Greater NY Automobiles Dealers Association Greenberg Traurig Greenpoint Manufacturing & Design Center (GMDC) Greiner Maltz Company of NY Gum Studios Hampton Inn by Hilton JFK Airport Healthy Corner Pharmacy Inc. HiLine Construction Hilton Garden Inn Long Island City New York HK Capital Home2Suites Long Island City/ Manhattan View HSBC Bank Hyatt Place Flushing INDA, Association of Nonwoven Fabric Industry Innovative Lending Platform Association Innovo Property Group International Asbestos Removal Inc. iRCM, Inc. James F. Capalino & Assoc.

Jaros, Baum & Bolles JetBlue Airways Corporation Jetro/ Restaurant Depot JFA Insurance Brokerage & Associates Inc. JGM Construction Development, LLC JRT Realty Group Inc. Kasirer Consulting Kaufman Astoria Studios Inc. Kimco Realty Corporation Klein Weath Management/ Hightower Advisors

COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATIONS Joshua Bienstock NYIT bienlaw@aol.com

ENERGY

Marshall Haimson E-Capital Development marshall@e-capitaldevelopment.com

HEALTHCARE & WELLNESS

Susan Browning Long Island Jewish Forest Hills sbrowning1@northwell.edu Bert Lurch E Central Medical Management bertl@ecmmgt.com

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HOSPITALITY

REAL ESTATE

Jim Quent Statewide Public Affairs jquent@statewidepublicaffairs.com Laura Altimari Fine Taste NYC finetastenyc@gmail.com

Martin Cottingham Avison Young martin.cottingham@avisonyoung.com Michael Wang Politan Real Estate mwang121@gmail.com

MANUFACTURING

TECHNOLOGY

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

NONPROFIT

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

Bobby Giurintano TGI Office Automation bgiurintano@tgioa.com Fred Canone Telehouse mwang121@gmail.com

TRANSPORTATION Kris Amato TD Bank Kristin.amato@td.com

Lessing’s Food Service Management Levine Builders Luxury Office Suites LLC Lyons Mortgage Services, Inc. Madison Realty Capital Main Street Radiology Marriott International, Inc Mazars USA LLP McBride Consulting & Business Medisys Health Network MedPlex Mega Contracting Group LLC MetroPlus Health Plan Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade MicroGrid Neworks, LLC Mikkeller 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 Business Corporation New York Health Plan Association New York Oil Heating Association New York Racing Assn. Inc. New York Restaurant Association New York Safety and Training New York Times, The Northwell Health OneGroup OTJ Architects Patrick B. Jenkins & Associates Petro Home Services Plastic Surgery of New York Portnoy, Messinger, Pearl & Assoc., 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 RCG Mortgage Related Retail Corporation

Royal Waste Services, Inc. Russo’s On The Bay 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 Episcopal Hospital St. John’s University Structural Engineering Technologies, P.C. Target Terrace On The Park TFCU TGI Office Automation Thales USA Inc. The ALLCOT Group LLC The Durst Organization The First National Bank of Long Island The Heskel Group The Sweet Construction Group T-Mobile Treasure Island Storage TSC Traning 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 Vassilaros & Sons Coffee Venture House Villa Russo Waste Management of New York LLC Watch Guard 24/7 LLC Welby, Brady & Greenblatt, LLP WellLife Network 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.

June 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 6 MAJOR CORPORATE MEMBERS

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