This Is Queensborough May 2018

this is...

May 2018 . Volume 14 . Issue 5

LICIC

TF CORNERSTONE’S INNOVATIVE NEW PROJECT ON THE QUEENS WATERFRONT

TF CORNERSTONE VICE PRESIDENT & PRINCIPAL JAKE ELGHANAYAN

May 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 5

A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

RETAIL TRENDS – WHAT’S HOT & WHAT’S NOT In the past, it was the retailer who determined what a customer should want to buy and how they should shop. Today, the customer is defining the shopping experience.

discovering great products and socializing with others — won’t be going away.

People will still make their way to physical stores, not because they want to “buy stuff,” but because they want to get experiences that they won’t find anywhere else.

Chore vs.

Experiential Retail Shopping As if it hasn’t already, the act of buying commodities (necessary MAYRA DIRICO household and person- CHAIRPERSON Social Media is al items) is becoming Key to Retail less of a chore. PlayThe rise of Instagram ers like Amazon and subscription Stories, Facebook Live, and mesbusinesses will make this part of senger apps will fundamentally retail easier through offerings like change how retailers interact with auto-renewals, one-tap purchases, consumers online. and same-day delivery.

Simply posting photos or updates In other words, the “chore” or to a branded social profile won’t routine component of shopping cut it anymore. Retailers will need will become more streamlined. to up their social media game and Meanwhile, the experiential side use social networks and apps to of retail — the part that involves tell stories and engage with fans in

real time.

Data Capturing Data’s role in retail decisionmaking will grow, especially as technologies like Big Data and machine learning continue to mature.

Forward-thinking retailers will keep exploring ways to collect and leverage data in their sales, marketing, customer service, and operations.

Brick-and-Mortars Actually NOT on the Decline Traditional store formats may be on the decline, but innovative stores — ones that offer great shopping experiences — will continue to emerge.

Industry data supports this.

According to the National Retail Federation, data from the IHL Group shows “a net increase in store openings of over 4,000 in 2017. In fact, for each company

“

FORWARD THINKING RETAILERS WILL KEEP EXPLORING WAYS TO COLLECT AND LEVERAGE DATA IN THEIR SALES, MARKETING, CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND OPERATIONS.

”

closing a store, 2.7 companies are opening stores.”

The Queens Chamber will continue our efforts to support local retail and brick-and-mortars, and provide our members the educational opportunities to thrive.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO

RETAIL CONTINUES TO GROW IN QUEENS With the proliferation of online troller’s office, retail trade in the shopping, retailers across the nation borough of Queens has gone up are challenged to come up with nearly 30 percent since 2000. This new and creative ways to attract is 8 percent higher growth than the foot traffic. Despite the nation- city average of 22 percent. wide decline in the retail industry, Queens features a diverse popuHow Can the Queens lation that enjoys Chamber Help retail, brick-andThe Queens Chammortar shopping. ber holds workshops In fact, as of to help owners or 2014, the retail secprospective owners tor represented 11.8 of retail storefronts, percent of total priincluding restauvate employment in rants, salons, daythe borough. In the care establishments, same year, Queens etc., learn about city also had the largregulations and gain est growth in chain THOMAS J. GRECH regulatory assisretail stores – 5.3 tance. percent – in all five PRESIDENT & CEO The chamber helps boroughs. educate owners in Further, according to the most- issues such as street maintenance, recent report by the city Comp- signage, license and permits, and

assists with resolving violations, as well as any emergencies that could interfere with a retailer’s business.

We can also arrange for compliance advisors to visit a retail location and provide on-site education about how to avoid common violations issued from agencies such as the Department of Health, Consumer Affairs, Sanitation, Environmental Protection and Fire Department.

International Council of Shopping Centers This past December, the Queens Chamber participated in a largescale event at the Javits Center hosted by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC).

This conference, second in size only to Las Vegas, attracted over 500 exhibitors and some 10,000 attendees.

Our role in the Public-Private Pavilion on the trade show floor was an effective part of our campaign to get the borough of Queens noticed by potential partners and investors. More info can be found at icsc.org “The Future of Retail” – June 6 at QCMl The Queens Chamber is hosting an event on June 6 at Queens Center Mall to address “The Future of Retail.” We will have two panels, one focusing on the tenant perspective and the other on the landlord.

This will be an event you won’t want to miss, as we will be inviting global, national, and regional retailers, banks, and city agencies.

As always, we value your support and readership. Please contact me directly for help growing your business.

3

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

QUEENS QUICKLY

LIC real estate growing across all sectors

The Long Island City Partnership released its annual “LIC Neighborhood Snapshot,” which found the area is experiencing tremendous growth across all real estate sectors.

More than 6,200 new residential units are slated to come online by 2019, which will bring the total number of new residential units built in Long Island City to nearly 22,000.

The also found that over the past 12 months, LIC has seen 1.2 million square feet of industrial and commercial space open to the market, with an additional 5.3 million square feet in the pipeline.

LIC, the city’s fourth-largest central business district, has also gained 160,000 square feet of new retail space over the past year, with another 536,000 square feet to be built by 2021.

“While previous Snapshots showed rises in individual sectors, this report revealed tremendous growth across all sectors in Long Island City,” said partnership president Elizabeth Lusskin. We anticipate even greater demand for space in LIC now that Cornell Tech is open and as the life sciences initiatives of the city and state take shape.”

Additional information in the report includes: • More than 10,200 residential units are currently in construction or proposed beyond 2020.

• A number of large employers are expanding or relocating to LIC, including: Altice USA, Boyce Technologies, Fidelis Care, J.Crew/ Madewell, Kaufman Astoria Studios, MANA Products, Ralph Lauren, and VaynerMedia.

• LIC is a neighborhood rich in healthy living amenities, with two destination climbing gyms, a new tennis and pickle ball facility, and a range of exercise, cycling, yoga, Pilates, dance and other classes.

• LIC is also a co-working neighborhood, with

five locations now existing and additional desks coming.

The report can be viewed at licqns.com.

SBS report highlights impacts of city’s BIDS The city’s 75 Business Improvement Districts (BIDS) invested over $147 million in New York City neighborhoods during fiscal year 2017, boosting over 93,000 small businesses.

“New York City’s 300 neighborhoods are as diverse as its over 8.5 million residents,” said Gregg Bishop, commissioner of the city’s Department of Small Business Services. “The city’s Business Improvement Districts are investing in the individual needs of neighborhoods to ensure that residents, business owners, and visitors can together enjoy a more vibrant city.”

A new report highlights the significant daily impact of BIDs on neighborhoods, businesses, and residents. During FY 2017, BIDs provided the following services in their districts: • Collected 4.0 million trash bags; • Removed over 108,000 instances of graffiti; • Held 4,719 public events for 12.1 million New Yorkers and visitors; • Maintained 127 public spaces; and • Sponsored 147 public art installations. BIDs also developed and launched projects to address local and citywide challenges this past year.

These projects include: The SBS FY17 Business Improvement Districts Trends Report also features comparative expenditure data and details sources of BID revenue. View the full report at nyc.gov/site/sbs.

“While supplemental sanitation might be the ‘bread and butter’ of BID services, this report showcases that public art projects, innovative marketing campaigns, neighborhood planning,

and community events are among the many ways BIDs are serving our neighborhoods,” said Meredith Phillips Almeida, co-chair of the New York City BID Association.

Chamber mag recognized at NY press convention

This Is Queensborough, the monthly magazine of the Queens Chamber of Commerce won third place in the state for “Best Magazine” at last month’s annual New York Press Association Convention in Albany. BQE Media has published the magazine since April 2017.

“The amount of business news, advice, columns, promotion news and events featured on a monthly basis are a good example of a Chamber/ print media collaboration,” said the judges.

“When going up against some of the best smaller daily and larger community weekly newspapers in New York State, it’s wonderful to be recognized by the New York Press Association for doing some top-notch work,” said publisher Walter Sanchez.

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

Upcoming Queens Chamber of Commerce Events ............................................21

MAY FOCUS: Queens Center Exec Talks Future of Retail ................8

Partners & Affiliates News and happenings .........................................................23

City’s Industrial Areas in the “Age of Amazon” ......................................9

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

COVER STORY: TF Cornerstone’s New Development in LIC .......12 Plaza College Opens New Community Dental/Clinic .........................16 First Look Inside New TWA Hotel at JFK Airport ..............................18 EXPERT ADVICE: Changes to Medical Malpractice Insurance ....21 4

PUBLISHER Walter H. Sanchez

MANAGING EDITOR Shane Miller

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

QUEENS QUICKLY Continue a Chocolate Tradition, or Start a New One

103-02 Metropolitan Ave. Forest Hills, NY Aignerchocolates.com Open 7 Days a Week

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

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

PROMOTIONS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & APPOINTMENTS for outstanding service and business manager in Con Edison’s World Trade Center, several Kothare joins results.

Distribution Planning department, industrial development districts, Northwell Allstate exclusive helped develop a model that uses and shipping ports in New York Dr. Sanjeev Kothare has been appointed as Northwell Health’s chief of the division of pediatric neurology. He will also serve as a professor of pediatrics and neurology at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/ Northwell.

KOTHARE “Having Dr. Kothare join Northwell Health really takes our program to another level given his high local and national profile in epilepsy and neurologic sleep disorders,” said Dr. Charles Schleien, chair of pediatrics. “We also expect to see a major uptick in research within the division as well as another level of excellence in teaching.”

Kothare is board-certified in numerous specialties, including child neurology, clinical neurophysiology, EEG/epilepsy and pediatric sleep medicine.

He most recently served at NYU Langone Medical Center as director of the pediatric sleep program and director of the quality improvement committee.

He was also a professor in the department of neurology and pediatrics at the NYU School of Medicine and an attending pediatric neurologist and epileptologist at Bellevue Hospital.

Kothare’s career includes stints as an attending neurologist, sleep specialist and epileptologist at Boston Children’s Hospital, an associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School, an attending pediatric neurologist at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Boston.

Pair from Allstate win awards A Kew Gardens Hills Allstate agency owner and financial specialist were recently recognized

6

agency owner Charles Alter and financial specialist David Bonner were recognized as one of the top Allstate Life and Retirement Partnerships in the ALTER state.

“It’s a tremendous honor to earn this prestigious award from Allstate,” said Don Rubbo, New York Regional sales leader.

“Charles and David are fully committed to helping Allstate’s customers better understand the risks BONNER they may face in their household and provide solutions that help meet those needs.”

Charles Alter’s agency is located at 72-73 Main Street, and can be reached at (718) 713-8400.

Five from ConEd honored Five Con Edison researchers have earned recognition for findings that help the energy industry manage solar projects, keep their systems safe from cyber attacks, and take advantage of the benefits of microgrids.

The employees earned the Technology Transfer Award from the Electric Power Research Institute, a national organization dedicated to the safe, reliable delivery of power.

“Rapid advances in technology give us new ways to serve customers, but also challenge us to understand complex, new concepts,” said ConEd president Tim Cawley. “The work our researchers have done with EPRI will help Con Edison and other energy companies keep their service safe and reliable as customer needs and technology continue to evolve.”

James Skillman, a project

data like energy prices, the cost of solar panels and income levels to predict the number of customers who will choose solar for their homes and businesses.

Andrew Reid, a senior planning analyst in Distributed Resource Integration, won for research into the planning, designing and operation of microgrids.

Microgrids are local energy networks that are able to separate from the larger electrical grid during extreme weather events or emergencies, providing power to individual customers and crucial public services such as hospitals, first responders, and water treatment facilities.

Three researchers developed a system to help energy companies evaluate the strength of their substation cyber security protections. Those winners were Arman Shiplu, a section manager in Protective Systems Testing; William Vesely, a project specialist in Control Systems Engineering; and Selena Ley, a technical specialist in Corporate Security.

Brezenoff to head NYCHA Stanley Brezenoff will serve as Interim Chair of the New York City Housing Authority, succeeding Shola Olatoye who will depart the post at the end of April.

Brezenoff served as president of New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation from 1981 to 1984 under Mayor Ed Koch, governing the world’s largest non-federal health care system.

Brezenoff became the City’s Deputy Mayor for Operations in 1984 and served as First Deputy Mayor from 1985 to 1990.

Brezenoff then served as Executive Director of the Port Authority, where he was responsible for administration of the Hudson River bridges and tunnels, the region’s four major airports, the PATH system, leasing and management of the original

harbor.

Br ezenoff was born in East New York, and majored in Philosophy at Brooklyn College.

BREZENOFF “ T h i s is one of the toughest jobs in America.

NYCHA has faced down enormous challenges, launched an enormous turnaround effort and improved the lives of residents,” said Brezenoff. “I’m committed to working with residents, finding new solutions and making progress that people will see and feel in their communities.”

"With a proven track record of transforming large agencies, I’m confident that Stanley Brezenoff will help to continue our progress while we search for a new chair," said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Queens Chamber of Commerce 75-20 Astoria Boulevard, Suite 140 Jackson Heights, N.Y. 11370-1131 Entire Contents Copyright 2018 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.

Produced by BQE Media 45-23 47th Street, 2nd Floor Woodside 11377• 718.426.7200 Send articles & photos to:

queensboroughmagazine@queensledger.com

May 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 5

APPOINTMENTS Plaza grad join stenographic firm

Subraj Family Honored for Decades of Charitable Work

Queens-native Daniel Joseph took his final stenotype exam, demonstrating his ability to type at a speed of at least 225 words per minute on a stenotype machine.

The next day, Joseph began his career as a court reporter at American Stenographic.

Stenographers provide verbatim transcripts and real-time captioning in courtrooms, schools, sports stadiums, and even homes.

Joseph first learned about the profession through a friend. After completing the admissions process and registering for classes, he attended the program orientation and “fell in love with it.”

The program combines liberal arts courses like English, mathematics, and professional development with stenotype classes. Students begin with a course on stenotype theory and advance through four additional courses, meeting speed milestones as they progress.

Of his experience at Plaza College, Joseph noted the “amount of patience and dedication the faculty showed” him as playing a significant role in his success in the program. He continued, if he had to do it all over again, he

would still choose Plaza College because “The faculty is one of a kind and they care about the student’s overall outcome,” he said. “My internship was a great experience that showed me the ins and outs of working in the legal offices, especially when it comes to planning and procedures.”

Joseph completed his internship with American Stenographic and took advantage of the opportunity to perfect his skills.

“I sat in with American Stenographic after completing my court hours and was very inquisitive about how my transcript should look and took to any criticisms that were made,” he said.

After meeting his 225 speed, he sought a permanent position with the agency and began working immediately.

A lucrative career with many paths that allow you to choose where and how often you’d like to work, court reporting is the perfect career for a diverse community.

However, Joseph said that anyone considering enrolling in a court reporting program should know that “sacrifice is the necessary component to your success.”

A school for 200 children opened in a rural village in India, thanks in large part to a philanthropic family in Queens.

of Guyana Barbara Atherly, Vrinda S. Jagan, (granddaughter of Cheddi B. Jagan) and Gloria Subraj (widow of George Subraj)

The school, in the village of Napaniya khijadiya in the Indian State of Gujarat, was built with a $100,000 donation made by the late Champalakshmi Narottamdas Lakhani. The school, which opened in February 2018, is housed in a brand new three-story building and is named for its benefactor, serving Grades 1 through 8.

“Whether it is building schools, so tomorrow’s future leaders can be educated for the world they will inherit or bringing vital medical treatment to parts of the world where people can’t afford life-saving care, it is so important for those blessed with good fortune to give back,” said Mr. Subraj.

Students at the school will be able to learn using the latest technology, purchased with a $5,000 grant from the Subraj Foundation, a charitable organization based in Queens, and and run

by Anthony Subraj (VP of Zara Realty), whose wife, Vibha Subraj, is Lakhani’s granddaughter.

Gujarat was the home of Mahatma Gandhi, who spearheaded the Indian independence movement against British colonial rule.

The Subraj Foundation was recently honored for decades worth of charitable work by the Indian Diaspora Council International, which recognized the medical missions it has sponsored in Guyana, including the country’s firstever kidney transplant.

Since 1992, the Subraj Foundation has also brought pioneering doctors and technology from leading American hospitals to conduct corneal transplants for impoverished people in Guyana who have little or no access to this type of medical care.

Anthony Subraj, center, is honored at the Indian Diaspora Council International celebration of the anniversary of the end of the Indian indenture system. From left to right: Consul General

“That is what my father taught me and what Vibha learned from generations of her own family.” The Subraj Foundation was started by the late George Subraj, who founded Zara Realty in 1982.

The firm, based in Jamaica, Queens, manages more than 2.7 million square feet of residential property and is one of the city’s premiere providers of affordable housing.

On March 18, at a ceremony in Queens Village, the Indian Diaspora Council International honored the late George Subraj and his family alongside luminaries such as the late Cheddi B. Jagan, a leading figure in Guyana’s independence from Great Britain and that country’s President from 1992 to 1997.

That event was held to mark the 100 th anniversary of the end of the Indian indenture system, in which people from India were sent to various locations throughout the British Empire, including Guyana, as debt-bonded servants.

The practice existed in Guyana from about 1838 to 1917.

The Champalakshmi Narottamdas Lakhani School was dedicated Feb. 17 and was built in partnership with Project Life, a global humanitarian organization. Three generations of the Lakhani family were present for the opening.

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

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

MAY FOCUS: RETAIL

FUTURE OF RETAIL: BLEND OF WEB AND BRICKS?

BY JEN KHEDAROO As online shopping continues to soar, there continues to be panic surrounding the future of brickand-mortar shops. But John Scaturro, senior manager of marketing at Queens Center Mall, is looking at the situation differently.

Instead of having to choose one or the other, Scaturro embraces the strategy of using aspects of both online and physical locations for the best shopping experience.

Decades ago, the local mall was the center of the shopping experience, a place where sometime as many as 100 retailers had a presence. The model today is similar, Scaturro argues, the difference being the emergence of the shopping convenience of the Internet.

“A lot of stuff is still being sold to people, it’s just being sold in different ways,” he explained. “Retail isn’t hurting. Americans are still buying things like crazy, but what’s changing is how are people making those purchases and how they are finding those products.”

In response to the growing prevalence of online shopping, more and more retailers are using Omnichannel methods to reach customers.

The Omnichannel approach contends that a customer values the ability to connect with a company on multiple platforms at the same time.

In other words, it’s no longer a choice between selling products in a store or online, it’s about fusing the two.

“There are retailers who started out exclusively online that are now looking to open stores, and there are retailers that have been traditionally stores that are now selling product online,” Scaturro said.

“Now there are all these combinations that blend the online retail world and the brick-and-mortar stores.”

And it goes beyond the choice of just buying in a store or online.

Shoppers now have options like buying online and picking up at the

8

store, or buying online and returning it to a store, to name two.

But there are challenges. If a customer orders online and chooses to pickup in store, does the store receive credit for that sale? Does a particular store location get penalized if a customer returns an item purchased online? Many retailers are still trying to work out these nuances.

“It’s all starting to shake out and retailers are trying to figure out how it all works,” Scaturro said.

Whereas companies such as Amazon have distribution centers around the country, other retailers can use the inventory in their physical stores to deliver to online shoppers. This ship-from-store trend allows retailers to evolve and adapt to the digital retail world.

“If you go online and you order something, the computer says they have the product in that color and size, but it happens to be at the Queens Center Mall store and then they ship it to the customer,” he said. “If you order something from Foot Locker, for example, it can come from the Foot Locker store at the mall.”

In this scenario, store employees have the responsibility of pulling items from the shelves and packing and shipping them off to customers. Essentially, the stores become the retailer’s distribution or fulfillment centers.

“The ‘XYZ’ retailer may have 400 store locations around the country with product in it that they sell, and if those stores have 10 or 12 orders in a day, it’s not a big deal, they just knock it out in the back room,” he said. “It helps with sales.”

Retailers that have both physical stores and an online presence are more likely to succeed because of easier inventory forecasting, higher sales, lower costs and faster delivery times.

While selling online is new, the concept isn’t. Years ago, people shopped by browsing and buying through catalogs. Today’s system is

JOHN SCATURRO

faster, however, and is made even quicker with the ship-from-store option.

According to UPS Compass, shipping directly from a retailer’s store allows for single-zone ground delivery, which puts the product in the customer’s hands quicker and reduces transportation cost.

And while there is a feeling in the general public that malls kill small local businesses, Scaturro insisted that isn’t the case. While most of the retailers at Queens Center Mall are permanent tenants with long-term leases, like Forever 21 and H&M, if there is a store that closes the mall can select from a group of temporary tenants.

The temporary tenants are usually smaller, locally owned businesses, like Quails, with a monthto-month lease that takes up any empty storefront in the mall. When a new permanent tenant wants a space, the temporary tenant moves to another part of the mall.

“If there is an empty store, we can fill it with one of the temporary tenants and continue to collect rent,” he said. “People like going to a mall with stores open, they don’t want to go to a mall with 20 stores with barricades on them, so it keeps the mall alive.”

A trend that Scaturro has noticed is millennials shopping popular

commercial avenues like Roosevelt, Myrtle and Jamaica. All of a sudden, stores typically found in the mall are starting to mix in with the mom-and-pop shops.

“It’s a good thing for mom-andpops because the national retailers are what’s going to draw people to the strip,” Scaturro said.

Social media can also help retailers increase foot traffic, but it depends on what the product is and who the consumers are.

Still, almost every major retailer is experimenting with social media.

Scaturro said the mall uses its social media accounts to bring light to community events, as well as sales that are happening in the mall.

Scaturro’s responsibilities center on driving traffic to the mall, which he appears to be successful at: last year Queens Center Mall attracted 27 million shoppers.

“Although the face of retail is shifting, morphing and blending, it’s still basically the same concept,” Scaturro said.

Queens Center Mall is working with the Queens Chamber of Commerce to host “The Future of Retail at Queens Center” event on June 6.

Two panels will discuss the future of retail as it undergoes an enormous transformation, specifically focusing on tenant and landlord issues.

May 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 5

MAY FOCUS: RETAIL

LOCAL RETAIL FACING MULTI-PRONGED CHALLENGES

BY BENJAMIN FANG Retail is hurting, and it’s not hard to see why.

Small businesses are facing stiff competition from not only big-box stores, but also e-commerce giants like Amazon.

Commercial rents are skyrocketing and wages are going up. Many older businesses, struggling to keep up with the changing landscape, are having a hard time staying afloat.

As a result, longtime businesses are closing up shop for good.

This trend is happening in many Queens neighborhoods, even in areas that appear to be booming.

Flushing, for example, has seen a recent explosion of housing and commerce.

But John Choe, executive director of the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce, said this “outwardlooking prosperity” has masked many of the underlying obstacles that small businesses face.

“There’s a sense that the challenges have grown so much that a lot of the small businesses, the mom-and-pop stores and retail that have been here for a long time, feel that the pressure may be too much to stay in business,” he said.

Choe explained that Flushing’s business landscape grew organically over decades from an influx of immigrant entrepreneurs. The neighborhood created a niche regional economy, offering products and services that people can’t find anywhere else.

That economic activity, combined with a robust transportation network, allowed Flushing to flourish as a cultural and commercial destination.

As the real estate value shot up, Choe said larger firms took advantage of it to build large-scale developments like Skyview Center and Flushing Commons. He said those hubs are beginning to price out longtime small businesses.

“If the only businesses that can rent on Main Street are national banks, Main Street is going to

become less and less of a local economy and more part of the national economy,” Choe said. “I think that’s a danger for neighborhoods like Flushing.

“Those businesses where people can find things you can’t find anywhere else, they can’t really afford to be here anymore,” he added. “I think there’s a danger that we’re losing our unique neighborhood character.”

Many of the restaurants along the Prince Street commercial strip, for instance, have been displaced.

Choe attributed part of that to the Fulton Square complex, which has attracted newer restaurants to the area.

“You’ll see vacant storefronts, which didn’t really exist a few years ago,” he said. “Those storefronts historically would’ve been quickly taken over by another business.”

There have also been concerns with parking. When a former municipal parking lot was sold to develop Flushing Commons, a massive mixed-use development, small businesses feared that loss would affect their bottom line.

Choe said the private developer in that case built back the parking, but set the terms, rates and discounts. “[Small businesses] are going to be outgunned by the national retailers who have much larger marketing budgets and branding, but also this advantage with parking,” he said.

Another challenge retailers face is adapting to the digital age, particularly in an area like Flushing that is still largely a cash economy.

Choe said there has been some resistance to connect to the online ecosystem because “there’s an older way of doing business” in Flushing. Those methods include word of mouth and more narrow channels based on language and culture.

Because small business owners are so concerned about their bottom line, Choe said they usu-

John Choe is executive director of the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce.

ally make an immediate calculation about whether it’s worth it to spend time and effort on becoming more digitally focused.

“There are so many things to do during the day just to survive,” he said. “If you think about the amount of time you spend maintaining your Facebook page, launching a website, sending out tweets and Instagram posts, that’s a lot of time, especially for older folks who may not be familiar with the technology.

The challenges are not confined to just Flushing. Ted Renz, executive director of the Myrtle Avenue Business Improvement District (BID) in Ridgewood, said retail is changing on many commercial strips nationwide.

Myrtle Avenue has always been home to national retailers like Children’s Place or Oshkosh B’gosh.

Renz said he sees these chain stores as a “pull” for customers to check out the rest of the mom-and-pop stores on the strip.

One change that will affect Ridgewood is the building of new residential towers nearby, which will bring hundreds of new families into the neighborhood. Renz said he hopes to tap into that population.

“The western end, traditionally weaker in the last 15 to 20 years, will rebound and you’ll see a different caliber because of the housing being built,” he said. “As those buildings become filled, it will help the retail climate.”

The BID is also facing a problem with empty storefronts on the strip.

Renz said when he talks to brokers, they tell him it’s because landlords are asking for astronomical rents.

“They want their prices off the charts and way unreasonable for what the market can make,” he said.

To address some of these challenges, groups like the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce are taking steps to help local retailers. Through a grant from the Department of Small Business Services, Choe has spearheaded a campaign called Flushing Fantastic to rebrand the neighborhood.

The campaign allows business leaders to envision what Flushing should look like as a retail and tourist destination, Choe said. They are targeting demographic groups such as millennials and young families to bring them to the area.

“We want to try and create a more holistic and complicated picture that really delves deeply into the rich history and culture that we have to offer,” he said.

In addition to creating a website and using social media marketing, the Flushing Fantastic campaign is offering assistance to small businesses. Experts host regular workshops to talk about marketing challenges, invite them to local events and will even organize a community expo.

The goal is that in the long run, the mom-and-pop stores will adapt CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

9

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

MAY FOCUS: RETAIL

THE CITY’S IBZ’S IN THE AGE OF AMAZON

BY MICHAEL DEVIGNE As e-commerce continues its meteoric ascent, the demand for last-mile logistics facilities in New York City’s outer boroughs will follow. The e-commerce revolution (a.k.a. the Amazon Effect) is transforming the retail experience and the industrial real estate market.

How will this new on-demand paradigm impact NYC’s Industrial Business Zones (IBZ’s)? Is the existing building stock up to the task? How will other industrial subsectors contend with skyrocketing real estate values?

While the Maspeth Industrial Business Association (MIBA) advocates for the interests of the entire industrial community, we also recognize that market dynamics present opportunities and challenges across industrial subsectors.

A re-evaluation of city industrial policy should consider how market demand can incentivise building stock modernization, upgrade infrastructure, and attract well paying jobs, while also ensuring there are affordable industrial spaces across subsectors.

In the past year Maspeth has been at the epicenter of the industrial real estate boom in NYC. These are only a few of the top industrial real estate transactions: • Home Depot purchased a 202,000-square-foot warehouse from the Coca Cola Bottling Company on Borden Avenue for $63 million.

• UPS signed a lease for a 474,000-sqaure-foot warehouse on 55th Avenue.

• LBA Realty purchasesda 385-square-foot development site from Cascades for $72 million.

• American Realty Advisors is negotiating acquisition of a 350,000-sqaure-foot FedEx warehouse on 57th Street for an estimated $350 million NYC’s active industrial real estate environment will likely result in other subsectors facing rising lease rates and greater competition

10

for space. Multi-story warehouses, however, are attracting considerable attention as a remedy. Throughout the outer boroughs, we are seeing plans for new multi-story facilities as well as an uptick in sales of existing multi-story buildings.

Upzoning, coupled with use group reform, could also unlock the potential for additional industrial floor area construction without the threat of non-industrial encroachment common in New York City’s IBZ’s.

In many instances, commercial real estate developers have leveraged their use group entitlements to locate in M-zones to the detriment of the IBZ’s. Additional floor area ratio (FAR) in industrial zones and tighter use group regulations could ease competition for limited space among industrial sub-sectors in the IBZ’s.

Incentives, tax credits, and grants available through both the city and state will also contribute to shaping Maspeth’s industrial building stock.

MIBA plays a role in helping businesses and property owners in Maspeth connect with incentives and grant opportunities such as ICAP, CEP and IDA benefits (to name few), which motivate owners to improve industrial properties and aim to unlock economic potential in the IBZ. These tools offer industrial businesses some relief, but they are not without flaws. ICAP, for example, has been cited as being too blunt an instrument that can also be leveraged to develop office spaces and hotels in the IBZ’s.

The Economic Development Corporation (EDC) recently relaunched its Industrial Developer Fund (IDF), which aims to create, modernize, and/or preserve industrial real estate while also increasing the capacity of not-forprofit organizations to develop industrial properties.

The IDF was originally introduced in 2016, but was criticized by some as having overly stringent requirements that made it

Home Depot recently purchased the Coca-Cola building in Maspeth.

inaccessible to most organizations.

The hope is that nonprofits can utilize the new and improved IDF to provide affordable spaces for manufacturing and other industrial subsectors despite escalating property values in the IBZ’s.

To maintain a diverse industrial economy, our city’s industrial policy will need to mediate the rise of e-commerce and its impacts on the real estate market. Already, smaller industrial firms in Maspeth and elsewhere are feeling the pressure from logistics behemoths.

Possible remedies run the gamut

from architecture to zoning and land use, from tax benefits to public funding; all are part of the experiment.

With so much on the line, the city needs to be proactive rather than reactive. Discussions about the exponential growth of the logistics sector and its impacts on industrial policy should begin now.

Michael Devigne is coordinator of the Maspeth Industrial Business Association (mibanyc.org) . Reach him at mdevigne@bocnet.org.

LOCAL RETAIL CHALLENGES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

and change to the competitive marketplace. They will transition to becoming both a local and online business.

If they don’t, Choe warned that the unique businesses that once made up Flushing will be priced out and displaced, sending the neighborhood into a “downward spiral.”

“People come to Flushing for a reason,” he said, “and if you take that reason away, you’re just another anonymous town or village in the United States.”

Should they fight back and compete against the growing forces of national retailers and online competitors, they will be able to grow the economy, employ more local residents, and generate more tax revenue for the local government.

Most importantly, Choe said, they will continue to play a social role of allowing new immigrants to come, make a living and become middleclass Americans.

“That’s something that has been a traditional role that Flushing has played,” Choe said. “We’re doing our best at the chamber to make sure that role continues into the future.”

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

COVER STORY TF CORNERSTONE LOOKS TO CREATE HOMES, JOBS IN LIC

BY MELISSA GOLDIN

Forest Hills and TF Cornerstone was one of the first developers The future site of TF Corner- to build in Long Island City, at a stone’s mixed-use development time when the area was relatively project in Long Island City is, at unknown to those in other parts of the moment, rather underwhelm- the city. ing. Though it sits on the “We believe in the neighwaterfront, with sweepborhood, we believe ing views of the in building up the Manhattan skyneighborhood,” “ line, other than “At the end of the Elghanayan told two nondescript This is Queensday, the commuDepartment of borough during nity is the people.

Transportation a recent walk People come in building and a around the site. and create the pair of local resThis next venenvironment.” taurants, the propture — dubbed erty is a glorified LICIC — is about parking lot. more than just adding Jake Elghanayan, the another towering develreal estate development firm’s opment to Long Island City’s senior vice president and principal, quickly burgeoning waterfront. In sees more for the borough in which fact, it is a long-term, capital-intenhis family — and its business — sive project – just the remediation has deep roots. His father and two of the site could cost $100 million uncles, who are among New York - that will deepen TF Cornerstone’s City’s most well-known develop- roots and investment in the comers, grew up on Rockrose Place in munity.

12

The project will be located on 44th Drive just north of Gantry Plaza State Park, where TF Cornerstone developed a seven-building site.

Responding to a call for proposals from the city’s Economic Development Corporation, TF Cornerstone plans to partner with local organizations to build a first-of-itskind project in New York City.

LICIC is the city’s experiment in using market-rate housing to not only fund affordable housing, but also light industrial uses, job training and cultural spaces. If successful, it could be replicated throughout the five boroughs.

“We really believe that this is a unique stretch of land,” Elghanayan said. “It has something that Manhattan can’t have because there is no vehicular structures along the waterfront. This can be a really exciting, 21st century environment.

In a lot of other cities, the city and its waterfront are one.”

LICIC will be 45 percent resi-

dential, including a quarter of affordable housing, but it will also encompass 100,000 square feet of industrial space for small manufacturers, a one-acre park on the water, 25,000 square feet dedicated to the arts, a 600-seat public middle school and 400,000 square feet for offices, retail businesses and startup incubators.

Elghanayan pointed out that there weren’t a lot of developers willing to take on the city’s challenge to do something so different in a neighborhood that has recently been known primarily for its residential offerings.

Among TF Cornerstone’s partners are Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center (GMDC), a nonprofit industrial developer, and Coalition for Queens (C4Q), a nonprofit founded in Long Island City that provides economic development and job training for the digital age.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

May 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 5

COVER STORY

GMDC PARTNERING ON LICIC’S INDUSTRIAL USES

BY MELISSA GOLDIN Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center (GMDC), a nonprofit industrial developer, is partnering with TF Cornerstone, a real estate development firm with roots in Queens, to create space for local manufacturing companies in a mixed-use development on an underused section of the Long Island City waterfront.

The project — LICIC — will include 50,000 to 100,000 square feet of affordable industrial space that will be managed by GMDC and create 50 to 100 local manufacturing jobs.

“There’s a significant shortage of industrial space even though there’s still significant demand,” GMDC CEO Brian Coleman said.

“We’re very confident that this new, modern space we would build on the site would be highly attractive to small manufacturers.”

Tenants in GMDC buildings often create custom products for hyper-local markets and need to be located in New York City, despite its high rents, to be in close physical proximity to their clients. A costume maker who creates pieces for Broadway shows, for example, or an architectural woodworker constructing a SoHo condominium.

The company currently manages five properties throughout Brooklyn, which are at capacity. A quarter of the manufacturers on GMDC’s waitlist are looking to move out of Long Island City due to a lack of space or rising rents.

Coleman describes GMDC as a “benevolent landlord” that exists to help small manufacturers. The company rents space at approximately 20 percent below market rate, which creates an affordable option, using city, state or federal tax credits to keep prices low.

Additionally, it offers the possibility of ten-year leases, giving manufacturers the ability to concentrate on their work instead of where they’ll be able to do it.

LICIC could also bring good,

blue-collar jobs back to Long Island City. The average salary of a manufacturing job in a GMDC building is $50,000 — a solid stepping stone toward the middle class.

In comparison, a retail job in New York City averages closer to $27,000, according to the New York Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Plus, creating jobs in the neighborhood would mean that people could live and work in the same community.

“You’re not leaving and going to another part of the city and then returning at night,” Coleman said.

“You’re actually living and working there.”

GMDC also works with a diverse range of tenants. Twenty-three percent of the businesses in its buildings are owned by women and 14 percent are minority-owned. More than a quarter of workers at GMDC properties speak English as a second language.

TF Cornerstone approached GMDC about the project in an effort to fulfill the city’s request

TF Cornerstone’s proposed development would replace this vacant lot across the East River from the Cornell Tech campus.

for an industrial component in the development.

GMDC was initially unsure whether it had the capacity to take on such a large-scale initiative — it’s the first construction project the company has worked on and the first that has to go through the public review process — but Coleman is positive about the progress

that’s been made.

LICIC will also feature affordable and market-rate housing, commercial and retail space, public areas and a middle school. In addition to GMDC, TF Cornerstone is partnering with C4Q, a nonprofit founded in Long Island City which provides economic development and job training for the digital age.

One parcel of the LICIC development site is currently home to a Department of Transportation facility.

13

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

COVER STORY

TF CORNERSTONE PROJECT FIRST OF ITS KIND CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 The firm is also working with the LaGuardia Community College and New York Foundation for the Arts, a nonprofit that provides resources for artists and arts organizations, and is open to partnering with other local groups. Part of LICIC’s arts space will be dedicated to incubating Queens dance companies.

GMDC will manage affordable industrial space on the site, which is expected to bring up to 100 local manufacturing jobs back to Long Island City, an area with a strong industrial history. Many businesses based in the neighborhood are currently being priced out and this development could create more local options. LICIC in its entirety is expected to create 1,500 permanent jobs in Long Island City.

Meanwhile, C4Q will run work-

force development, classroom and career training spaces that will serve adults from diverse and lowincome backgrounds.

“The city needs more housing, but I think people also rightly recognize that you don’t want to displace industry because industry produces good-paying jobs and that’s how people can afford to live in New York,” Elghanayan said. “Parts of this project will be able to be used in other neighborhoods, particularly the mixing of light manufacturing with residential housing.”

LICIC must be vetted through the city’s public review process.

TF Cornerstone has been working with residents, Community Board 2 and representatives from the Queensbridge Houses, staying open to recommendations. As part of a requirement set out by the city, the firm will find a replacement site for the Department of Transporta-

tion’s operations.

The project has an environmental component as well; TF Cornerstone will raise the site to help protect the area from major storms and flooding and will reduce its environmental impact by using sustainable practices.

It is hard to know what to expect from a development of this scale before it begins, Elghanayan said, but that TF Cornerstone is “much more careful now” thanks to important lessons it has gleaned from past projects.

The firm has a history of development in emerging neighborhoods.

In addition to Long Island City, it has played a significant role developing the West Village, Financial District, Chelsea and Battery Park City, and prides itself not only providing quality properties, but on having a good relationship in the community.

The company is also hoping to

“

I THINK PEOPLE ALSO RIGHTLY RECOGNIZE THAT YOU DON’T WANT TO DISPLACE INDUSTRY BECAUSE

INDUSTRY PRODUCES GOOD-PAYING JOBS AND THAT’S HOW PEOPLE CAN AFFORD TO LIVE IN NEW YORK.

”

14

break ground on a development in Hunters Point South by the end of the year that will be 60 percent affordable housing. Another recent project, 20 percent of which is affordable housing, opened at 33 Bond Street in Downtown Brooklyn last year.

LICIC is intended to create a neighborhood where residents can live, work and play, moving Long Island City away from its presentday reputation as a bedroom community with an industrial past and toward an area with an active street life.

Elghanayan believes the neighborhood’s unique mix of transportation, infrastructure and waterfront access is key to this goal, but that the secret ingredient is more organic.

“At the end of the day the community is the people,” he said.

“People come in and create the environment.”

May 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 5

VIRTUAL RESOURCES FOR A JOB IN REAL LIFE

BY AMY SORICELLI I’m sure some of us recall the job hunting days that included circled ads in the New York Times. This was generally followed by a speedy deposit into the mailbox with an anxious wait of seven to ten days in the hope of a positive response.

We know those days are long gone and the term “snail mail” is more often than not met with a snicker and raised eyebrows. So how does one navigate the jobseeking process now that the world is so different? What does job seeking in the virtual world look like and how can we turn it into a job in real life?

Online resources will assist you with the process of getting ready for your job search. What shape is your resume in? Have you taken the necessary steps needed to sort out the details of your resume, and do you have what is needed “mechanically” to make your vision into a document?

Once you sort out the details of resume construction, such as format, font and size, you can begin to construct a unique document that talks to your special skills and experiences and positions you for the next important step: the job application.

The ATS (applicant tracking system) can make the application process a little more daunting than we’d like, so it’s important to always keep the job posting in mind when constructing a resume.

Key words that mirror the words in a job posting are essential in order for the candidate to get recognized by a recruiter and to stand out among the sea of applications that come in hourly.

Word Clouds will allow the recruiter to see the specific skills that you have which is related to the position you are applying for. If there is no “connection” from your resume to the posting, that disconnect will prevent an interview from becoming a reality.

Nothing really happens today without networking. While some

of us shudder at the thought of standing in a room with strangers, LinkedIn is a good way to begin the process of networking in a non-threatening manner. In order to position yourself as a viable candidate, a strong LinkedIn profile is necessary and its relevance in today’s market cannot be underscored.

Ninety percent of all recruiters will first consult LinkedIn to view your profile before deciding to invite you in for an interview or before a phone screen is scheduled.

Ask for assistance with creating a

winning profile and use it correctly by connecting with those influential people in your industry who can assist with your journey.

When is the last time you shook someone’s hand and was it professional? How is your eye contact?

Were you just fidgeting with your pen? Do you know how to answer questions using STAR interviewing techniques? Do you know how to ask questions during an interview?

Are you comfortable having lunch with a recruiter? Have you ever interviewed in a group format?

There are endless resources online for the candidate looking for

a job. The key is curiosity, research, perseverance, and asking for help.

Everyone has looked for a job at some point in his or her life, and the success that he or she had with the process came from attitude, energy used and how many moving parts in the process come together to equal career success.

If you’re interested in some additional help with your job search – please take a look at this berkeleycollege.edu.

On May 1, Plaza College’s Community Dental Clinic opened to the public for preventive care dental hygiene services. The clinic, the first of its kind in Queens, is a community-based clinic that accepts all patients requesting dental hygiene services with no qualifying criteria.

Plaza’s clinic is a much-needed and valuable resource for the community, addressing the gap in oral healthcare services in the area.

“There is a well-documented need for oral healthcare prevention and treatment for patients of all ages, particularly the diverse population in the borough of Queens,” explains Dr. Laura Sleeper, Dental Hygiene program director.

All services at the Community Dental Clinic will be provided by students of the Plaza College Dental Hygiene program under the supervision of faculty members, including licensed dentists and registered dental hygienists.

The students will provide patients with a number of dental hygiene services, including baseline vitals, dental examinations and cleanings, routine x-rays, and oral cancer screenings. Patients will also be able to receive fluoride treatments and pit and fissure

sealants.

Additional services, such as mouth guards and whitening treatments, are provided to patients who qualify. The costs for basic services are: • Adult Exam/ Cleaning: $20 • Child Exam/ Cleaning: $10 • Full Mouth X-Rays: $20 • Panoramic X-Rays: $20 • Fluoride Treatment: $5

• Sealants (per tooth): $5 The clinic will only provide hygiene services, but it does have a vast network of local dentists to whom patients can be referred to seek dental procedures outside of the scope of the clinic.

“We’re prepared to treat our patients to the fullest extent possible and see them through the entire process of care,” explained Sleeper. “If they require additional services, we’re prepared to assist them in locating a dentist that can complete their treatment.”

Amy Soricelli is vice president of Career Services at Berkeley College.

PLAZA OPENS DENTAL CLINIC

15

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

TWA HOTEL PAYS HOMAGE TO JET AGE ROOTS

BY MARK GARZON Guests checking in at the TWA Hotel in JFK Airport next year will find themselves traveling back in time to 1962, during the height of the Jet Age. MCR Development CEO Tyler Morse recently led a tour of the ongoing restoration at the TWA Flight Center and revealed a model guest room of the new TWA Hotel.

The hotel, which is set to open in spring 2019, will be set in two lowrise buildings behind the terminal and will feature 512 guest rooms inspired by the terminal’s roots in the early days of air travel.

The TWA Flight Center, which was designed by Eero Saarinen, first opened at JFK Airport in 1962 and will serve as the centerpiece of the hotel after being closed down since 2001.

“We are putting a box around 1962 for this hotel and we’re bringing back the ethos of 1962 with everything we do here,” said Morse.

16

A tour of the model guest room designed by Stonehill Taylor revealed various highlights from the time period, including Knoll furnishings, brushed brass lighting, wood warm accents, a rotary phone, a Hollywood-style bathroom, and even a martini bar for guests to enjoy.

According to Morse, guests will also be able to enjoy views of the terminal or flights taking off from the comfort of their room without hearing them due to the hotel’s thick glass curtain walls.

The restored TWA Flight Center will serve as the hotel’s lobby for an estimated 10,000 visitors daily, and will be accessible to all terminals via AirTrain.

Guests will be able to visit rebuilt classic spaces such as the sunken lounge, Paris Café, Constellation Club, Ambassador’s Club, Lisbon Lounge, and even walk across the flight tubes that connect to JFK Terminal 5.

A Lockheed Constellation “Connie” L-1649A Starliner will be repurposed for a cocktail

MCR Development CEO Tyler Morse discussing the project.

lounge, and there will be a museum centered on the Jet Age, the mid-century design movement, and TWA. In addition, the flight center will contain amenities such as high-end retailers, rooftop pool, observation deck, fitness center, restaurants and bars that will be accessible to the public.

Morse explained the aesthetic throughout the hotel will allow visitors to appreciate and experience the excitement of air travel at the time.

“It’s a bit of stepping back in time to a magical period,” said Morse. “It was a terrific time for New York, it was a terrific time for America. Anything was possible, people were circling the Earth.”

May 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 5

ROBERT A. MIKLOS Medical Malpractice Attorney

WERE YOU OR A LOVED ONE A VICTIM OF MEDICAL MALPRACTICE? ARE YOU LOOKING FOR ANSWERS? CANCER ∙ SURGERY ∙ BIRTH INJURY HOSPITAL NEGLIGENCE CONTACT ROBERT MIKLOS TODAY (877) 4-MED-MAL ∙ rmiklos@ask4sam.net

DON’T LET IT HAPPEN TO SOMEONE ELSE Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, PC 600 Old Country Road Garden City, NY 11530 ATTORNEY ADVERTISING

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

NONPROFIT SECTOR

NO ONE IN NEW YORK CITY NEEDS TO GO HUNGRY

BY CRYSTAL WOLFE

Catering for the Homeless is a nonprofit organization that connects churches and other homeless nonprofits in the retrieval and distribution of the quality food that is being thrown out in every neighborhood of New York City every day by catering companies and restaurants.

Catering for the Homeless was founded in the beginning of 2017.

The NYC Rescue Mission (now the Bowery Mission) and the Coalition for the Homeless were the first organizations to commit to it.

Throughout 2017, food pickups were coordinated in Brooklyn and Queens through local entertainment studios. In 2017, Catering for the Homeless fed about 2,000 people through these endeavors.

The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and their catering company, Centerplate Catering, is a major nonprofit that is working with Catering for the Homeless. When I contacted the Jacob Javits Center in December of 2017, the managers of Centerplate Catering told me that my timing was perfect.

They had just finished installing a refrigeration system in their venue that would permit them to give out the food that they’d previously been throwing away to the homeless in Manhattan, while still complying with New York State food regulation and distribution laws.

In January of 2018, thanks to Centerplate Catering, we essentially exceeded an entire year’s worth of efforts in the first month of 2018.

The Jacob Javits Center has over 200 events each year. These events usually have a certain amount of quality, untouched food left over from these catered events that in the past have been thrown away.

Each event at a major catering venue like the Javits Center can provide on average of approximately 200 to 1,200 meals for the homeless in sandwiches, salads, wraps, yogurt, fruit, etc.

18

Two churches and two major homeless non-profits are making these food pickups from the Javits Center to immediately distribute to the homeless.

How does my nonprofit Catering for the Homeless differ from other nonprofits that feed the homeless?

Feeding America is a national nonprofit that is a network of 200 food banks, focusing predominately on food pantries and soup kitchens.

They do not retrieve prepared food.

City Harvest no longer works directly with the homeless. Their mission has changed. The food waste they pick up is mainly from local farms and major grocery, the bring it to places like farmer’s markets around the boroughs of New York City. They do not pick up food for churches or other homeless organizations as they once did.

In the past, City Harvest picked up food donations just a few times a year from the Jacob Javits Center, but prefers not to because their focus has shifted. They are an organization that rescues about 59 million pounds of fresh produce a year.

Catering for the Homeless spe-

There are thousands more catercifically focuses on ready-made food that can be distributed for ers throwing out perfectly good food throughout New immediate consumpYork City. As more tion. The Coalition for caterers, nonprofits, the Homeless and the and churches get on Bowery Mission feed board, the capacity for the homeless, but these Catering for the Homedistributions are only less to feed the homein Manhattan. Caterless, and less fortunate ing for the Homeless individuals, families, is focused on becomand children is unliming a canopy for a ited. new method of rescuCrystal Wolfe is The only limit is for ing food, with a new founder of Catering people to do that little network of feeding for the Homeless. extra work to get this people prepared food Her new book is food to the people who going to waste. There call Our Invisible Neighbors. really need it. are billions of pounds For more informaof prepared food being tion to donate, volunthrown away each year, while one in seven people in teer, or to get on board go to America experience hunger on a cateringforthehomeless.com, email daily basis. cateringforthehomeless@gmail.

It is reasonable to estimate com, or like Catering for the Homethrough this one caterer and this less on Facebook and Twitter. one venue —Centerplate Catering The Good Samaritan Law proand the Jacob Javits Center — that tects caterers, churches, and homeat least 100,000 additional meals less nonprofits in the food distriwill be donated to the homeless in bution of donated items. Caterers Manhattan in 2018 through local can receive a tax write-off for food churches and nonprofits. donations.

LET’S END THE SCOURGE OF MALARIA

BY DR. GEORGE ONUORAH During the March 20 Queens Day trip to Albany, where a group of business, civic and nonprofit organizations converged to meet state legislators to advocate for their organizations, members of the When In Need (WIN) Foundation called for a concerted effort to end the scourge of malaria in Nigeria and Africa.

As a nonprofit organization and member of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, WIN focuses on three key sustainable areas, health, education and agriculture, but is presently addressing the issue of malaria in Nigeria. Malaria is the cause of 300,000 deaths annually, many of whom are vulnerable children and

women.

The WIN Foundation is gearing up for a free medical mission to Nigeria in May. By no means are these medical missions easy.

Resources are, for the most part, the biggest challenge.

Dr. Chetachi Dunkley-Ecto, WIN Foundation CEO, discussed some of the humanitarian challenge at a recent Rotary Club of New York meeting at the Union League in Manhattan.

Queens Day in Albany was an opportunity to highlight the importance of those in government to support the work of nonprofit entities to enable the continuation of charity work in various communities in need.

In April 2017, State Senator James Sanders, Jr. travelled with

WIN to Nigeria and saw firsthand the difficulties faced by remote, impoverished villages where standard of living is still very poor and abysmal.

In Albany, the WIN Foundation was joined by EMU Health CEO Daniel J. Lowy and Hannah Stein, Cynthia Davis and Brian DiPaolo of the Floating Hospital.

A highlight of the March trip was a visit to the legislative chambers. Some of the legislators whose offices we visited included State Senator Michael Gianaris, Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan, Assemblywoman Vivian Cook, Assemblyman Clyde Vanel.

Sanders addressed the lunch plenary on some of the big investments state government is presently undertaking by JFK Airport and some opportunities for MWBE businesses in Queens.

May 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 5

EXPERT ADVICE IS TRADE CREDIT INSURANCE RIGHT FOR YOUR COMPANY?

BY FRANK DORIA Financial executives must continuously balance the cost of doing business with the risk of doing business. Each time a dollar of revenue is produced, all costs of generating that dollar have been thoroughly analyzed in an effort to maximize the profit margin, including costs associated with accounts receivable management.

However, the hundreds of billions of dollars in losses associated with bad debt charge-offs in recent years have brought new attention to managing trade receivables from a risk perspective.

Accounts receivable, which typically represent more than 40 percent of a company’s assets, are naturally a vital component of a healthy business. If a major customer is unable to pay its obligations, or if several customers are unable to pay their invoices, there will be a negative impact to cash flow, earnings, and capital.

In a worst-case scenario, this could literally put a company out of business. These risks require thorough analysis.

Trade credit insurance is a business insurance product that indemnifies a seller against losses from nonpayment of a commercial trade debt. With trade credit insurance in place, the seller/ policyholder can be assured that non-disputed accounts receivable will be paid, either by the debtor or the trade credit insurer within the terms and conditions of their policy.

Trade credit insurance is a financial tool which manages both commercial and political risks that are beyond a company’s control.

Balance sheet strength is ensured, cash flows are protected, and loan servicing, costs, and asset valuation are enhanced.

A trade credit insurance policy also allows companies to feel secure in extending more credit to current customers, or to pursue

new, larger customers that would have otherwise seemed too risky.

It significantly reduces the risk of entering new markets.

The protection it provides allows a company to increase sales with existing customers without increasing its exposure. Insured companies can sell on open account terms, where they may be without restricted today, or only sell on a secured basis. For exporters, this can provide a major competitive advantage.

While protecting capital, cash flow, and earnings are what most companies recognize as the main reasons to purchase trade credit

insurance, the most common reason to invest in insuring their accounts receivable is because it helps them increase their sales and profits.

The ultimate goal is not simply to indemnify losses incurred from a trade debt default, but to help the business avoid catastrophic losses and grow the business profitably. The key is having the right information to make informed credit decisions and therefore avoid or minimize losses.

A trade credit insurance policy does not replace a company’s credit practices, but rather augments and enhances the job of a credit professional. The best credit insurers will invest heavily in the

development of proprietary credit and financial information. Having access to this information allows companies to make more informed decisions about how much credit to extend to which buyers.

More importantly, it enables companies to avoid losses through the close monitoring of their customers.

For more information on how Trade Credit Insurance can help protect and grow your company, please contact me.

Frank Doria is assistant vice president and trade credit specialist for Sterling Risk. He can be reached at fdoria@sterlingrisk.com.

NEW WORLD OF MEDICAL MALPRACTICE

BY WES MERRITT

New York doctors.

Doctors have become accustomed Over the last 22 years I have to receiving renewal bills from those specialized in medical malpractice carriers and just paying the premium insurance. In that time, I have been without looking at their options. In the president of a many cases, doctors malpractice insurance don’t even know that company, senior vice they have options or president for one of are reluctant to hear the world’s largest them. insurance brokerages Many have the and a 2016 “Power thought that if Broker” finalist they never had in Insurance and a problem with Brokers Magazine. their carrier, “why My experiences look elsewhere?” have given me a The answer is to unique insight into potentially save the relationship premium and/or get between doctors, Wes Merritt is president more comprehensive brokers and insurance coverage. of Merritt Insurance companies, and I In recent years, Services, Inc. have seen countless new carriers such as changes to the NY MedPRO, Coverys, Medical Malpractice insurance ProAssurance and others have market. New York is vastly different come to the New York market and today than it was even a year ago, are offering excellent coverage and companies, coverages and and premium options. These new premiums are changing regularly. carriers are Risk Retention Groups Historically, New York has (RRGs). essentially had two stand-out RRGs are domiciled in other states medical malpractice insurance and are licensed to do business in carriers, MLMIC and PRI. New York. However, these entities Until fairly recently, those two are not “Admitted Carriers” and are companies accounted for insuring not regulated by the State Insurance approximately 80 to 85 percent of Department like MLMIC and PRI.

Therefore, they do not have the protections of the NY Guaranty Fund, but they do have the financial backing and protection of national, top-rated insurance companies.

As “Non-Admitted” carriers, these RRGs have more underwriting flexibility and can offer more significant discounts to qualified doctors. One example is that the same doctor can receive a premium discount in excess of 35 percent from one carrier and no more than 12.5 percent from another, if they have never had a claim reported against them.

Understanding the details of each company’s rating rules and guidelines is where a broker can be the most effective. A doctor’s practice is constantly changing, whether it’s new staff, new procedures being performed, perhaps a new claim being opened or closed and so on.

Doctors should be open to work with an insurance professional and get in the habit of looking at their options on a regular basis, because as their practice changes, so could the best insurance company option.

As a broker, Merritt Insurance Services and its colleagues can help doctors find the best malpractice CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29

19

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

A FAMOUS PHOTO WITH A QUEENS TWIST History is going to repeat itself, albeit with some unique Queens flavors.

On August 12, 1958, freelance photographer Art Kane took a photo of 57 jazz musicians in front of a brownstone on 126th Street in Manhattan for the cover of Esquire magazine.

Dubbed “Harlem 1958,” the black-and-white image of Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, and other music legends symbolized the genre and the neighborhood’s moment as the world’s center of jazz.

Fast forward to May 19, 2018, and Art’s son, Jonathan Kane, is going to honor the 60th anniversary of this iconic snapshot by taking his own visual portrait in front of the Unisphere in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

Kane, who is also a professional shutterbug, lives in Jackson

20

Heights.

Working with the Queens Tourism Council, Kane plans to assemble dozens of Queens residents for about three hours on Saturday, May 19, from 8 to 11 a.m. They will enjoy breakfast, provided by Redwood Deli in Forest Hills, and each other’s company before posing in the same basic “T” formation as seen in “Harlem 1958.”

Kane is going to rent a riser from Queens Theatre as a stand-in the brownstone steps in the original photo.

People who want to participate in the event, which is entitled “A Great Day in Queens,” should contact Rob MacKay, who runs the Queens Tourism Council, at rmackay@queensny.org.

All participants will receive a free copy of the photograph, but there is no other form of compensation, except for the free breakfast.

Wearing traditional garments is encouraged, but not required.

“Queens is the most diverse county on the planet. We speak more than 100 languages and profess countless faiths and creeds, and I am so proud that we all get along so well,” said MacKay. “‘A Great Day in Queens’ will brand our borough for generations.

The likeness could be used for any number of purposes, including education, tourism, fundraising, decoration, marketing, and general pleasure.”

“It’s long been a dream of mine to recreate the image, but with a social and conceptual twist,” said Kane, who has been shooting location photography and producing video for the automotive and trucking industries since 2008. “We are living and celebrating everything that’s great about America every day, and it’s time to share that with

the world in a bold and dynamic way.”

Kane will actually take several shots. The Queens Tourism Council will choose 12 of them and publish a 2019 calendar entitled “A Great Day in Queens.”

All borough residents are invited.

MacKay ahs already recruited people from Afghanistan, Albania, Argentina, Anguilla, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Chile, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, England, Finland, France, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Guyana, Haiti, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Korea, Martinique, Mexico, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Serbia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, The Philippines, Togo, Trinidad & Tobago, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Vietnam.

May 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 5

QUEENSBOROUGH CALENDAR OF EVENTS MAY 5/3, 8:30 TO 10:30 AM

NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION

Learn about member benefits, how to utilize the Chamber website, and serving on committees.

Queens Chamber of Commerce 75-20 Astoria Boulevard Jackson Heights, NY 11370 5/10, 6 TO 8:30 PM

AN EVENING OF HOSPITALITY: FOOD AND DRINK TASTING

Join the Queens Chamber of Commerce Restaurant and Hospitality Committee as we host the second in a series of events designed to feature and promote the fine restaurants and hotels in Queens.

FREE Aloft New York LaGuardia Airport 100-15 Ditmars Blvd.

East Elmhurst, NY 11369

al levels.

FREE Register at queenschamber.org Queens Center Mall 90-15 Queens Blvd.

Elmhurst, NY 11373

across Queens at the Chamber’s Annual Trade Show and Business Expo.

Citi Field 123-01 Roosevelt Ave. Flushing, NY 11354

6/6, 9 AM TO NOON

6/10, 8:05 PM

6/21, 10:30 AM

This event will be hosted by the Queens Center Mall where we will have two panel discussions focusing on the following: • Tenant Issues (Global, National, and Regional Retailers, Financiers, NYC Agencies, and Tech Tools) • Landlord Issues (Malls, Shopping Centers, Leasing Companies) This is a one-of-a-kind event where you will hear from industry leaders on the national and region-

Join the Chamber for the first Queens Chamber/NY Mets Day for a game against the New York Yankees.

Register at queenschamber.org.

Citi Field 123-01 Roosevelt Ave. Flushing, NY 11354

This presentation introduces Google My Business, a free tool to manage your business information across Google. This event will take place during the Chamber’s annual expo. Bring your laptop and Google login for extra help during the seminar.

Meet at the Main Auditorium Citi Field 123-01 Roosevelt Ave. Flushing, NY 11354

Complimentary parking Queens Chamber of Commerce 75-20 Astoria Boulevard Jackson Heights, NY 11370

JUNE

THE FUTURE OF RETAIL

QUEENS CHAMBER DAY

6/21, 9 AM TO 3 PM

QUEENS BUSINESS EXPO

Network with companies from

GET FOUND

5/11, 9 AM

QUEENS AIR SERVICES DEVELOPMENT OFFICE AVIATION NETWORKING EVENT & TRADE SHOW In this “reverse” trade show, buyers and major contractors staff tables, while vendors and service suppliers visit each table sharing information on products and services that are available locally.

The event is free, however, reservations are required. Call (718) 244-6852 for more information.

Russo’s on the Bay 162-45 Cross Bay Boulevard Howard Beach, NY 11414 5/25, 8:30 AM

WORKPLACE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM: TIME, STRESS & ANGER MANAGEMENT AT THE WORKPLACE

Mismanagement of time, stress and anger not only hurts productivity but also put the health and safety of employees and customers at risk. Manage all three, you have a more effective workplace.

Free & open to the public

The Queens Chamber of Commerce will host its Annual Trade Show and Business Expo at Citi Field on June 21. Learn more at queenschamber.org.

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

21

A STRONG, REPUTABLE BANK IS NOW OPEN IN BAY TERRACE

1.90 APY %

*

1-Year Savings

1-Year CD 3-Year CD 5-Year CD 7-Year CD 10-Year CD

2.10% APY** 2.55% APY** ** 2.80% APY 3.00% APY** 3.25% APY**

Plus, Receive a Free Gift! ÂŽ

23-88A Bell Boulevard, Bayside, NY 11360 (929) 409-6100

Terms & Conditions *Platinum Savings: The Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is fixed for one year and then subject to change without notice. To earn the advertised APY, 1) - the Platinum Savings Account must be opened with a minimum/maximum deposit of $500.00/$2,000,000.00; 2) - and a checking account must be opened with a minimum balance of $100. The $100.00 balance must be maintained for the first year of the Platinum Savings Account, or penalties will apply. Promotion ends on May 21, 2018 and is only available in the Bay Terrace Branch. New money only. The free gift will be provided at account opening, subject to availability. In the event that the gift is not available, the branch will contact you once it is available for pickup. A 1099-INT form will be issued to you for the value of the gift. Federal Regulations limit the number of electronic and telephone transactions that you can make on this account to six withdrawals per statement cycle. If you exceed these limits, fees may be imposed. Fees may reduce earnings. This offer may be modified or withdrawn at any time without notice. Other restrictions may apply. Speak to our branch representative for additional details. **CD: The Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is subject to change without notice. To earn the advertised APY, 1)- the CD must be opened with a minimum/maximum deposit of $500.00/$2,000,000.00; 2) - and a checking account must be opened with a minimum balance of $100. The $100.00 balance must be maintained during the first year of the CD term. Promotion ends on May 21, 2018 and is only available in the Bay Terrace Branch. New money only. The free gift will be provided at account opening, subject to availability. In the event that the gift is not available, the branch will contact you once it is available for pickup. A 1099-INT form will be issued to you for the value of the gift. Penalties may apply for early CD withdrawals. This offer may be modified or withdrawn at any time without notice. Other restrictions may apply. Speak to our branch representative for additional details.

May 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 5

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.

The 82nd Street Partnership has a robust schedule of events throughout the year, including Viva La Comida, Halloween parade, holiday tree lighting, back-to-school activities, the “A Walk With A Doctor” event. The latter takes place in October through a partnership with Elmhurst Hospital.

Doctors demonstrate life-saving tips in cases of disasters and everyday accidents.

But currently Leslie Ramos is concerned with what she says is the city’s lack of understanding of the needs and concerns of small business owners. In mid-March, the city eliminated parking on Roosevelt Avenue between Broadway and 90th Street between 7 and 10 a.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. for a six-month pilot program aimed at mitigating traffic and congestion.

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.

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.

Loans range from $500 to $50,000 with terms up to three years. Loan officers help clients with creating business plan and financial statements, and offer credit counseling to help clients understand, improve and repair credit. They offer workshops on small business management, social media, credit building and home ownership.

The 7th Annual Immigrant Heritage Week Awards was held on April 19, with keynote speakers including Aline Sara, co-founder of Na Takallam, and Gregg Bishop, commissioner of the Department of Small Business services.

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.

The next event on the Chamber’s calendar is the Forest Hills Festival on Sunday, June 10.

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.

Litter in the area is rampant, and the chamber is making it a priority. The chamber is partnering with the city for locations for up to 50 new garbage cans in Downtown Flushing.

The QDR Queens Marathon will take place on Sunday, May 6, from 7 a.m. to noon inFlushing Meadows Corona Park. It costs $95 per perrunner.

A free Business Marketing Workshops with the Department of Small Business Services, Mastering Marketing (Session 1), will take place on Monday, May 8, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the chamber offices. This series of workshops are designed to be helpful to start-ups and expanding businesses bringing a new product to the marketplace.

BAYSIDE VILLAGE BID

213-33 39th Avenue, Bayside, NY 11361 Interim Executive Director: James Ellis 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.

The first-ever St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Bayside took place on Saturday, March 24, on Bell Boulevard.

BUSINESS CENTER FOR NEW AMERICANS (BCNA)

78-27 37 Avenue, Jackson Heights, NY 11372 Manager of Business Development: Tshering D. 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

The Greater Jamaica Development Corporation held its annual Prom Dress and Suit Giveaway on April 21. The event, co-sponsored by the Bellmore Merrick School District, NYPD Queens Patrol South, and Jamaica YMCA was held at the Jamaica Market in Downtown Jamaica. (Photo: Walter Karling)

23

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES For more information visit nycruns.com The Chamber recently welcomed several new board members. They include Reverend Richard McEachern of Macedonia AME Church; COTS Travel owner Bianca Ng; Queens College vice president Elizabeth Hendrey; Austin Yeung, managing director of Capital Partners Accounting; EZ Tax owner Carlos Bustamante; and Kevin Louie, senior associate at Cushman Wakefield.

GREATER JAMAICA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

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

GJDC’s work expands economic opportunity and improves quality of life for the ethnically and economically diverse residents of Jamaica and for the region at large, which benefits from rational, well-planned, 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, the BID features six supermarkets. They are providing free benches for store owners along Jamaica Avenue. They also provide 2.5 and 5 percent home improvement loans.

sion. The BID is currently looking for a sponsor for their banners and trash can program along Jamaica Avenue.

The BID is helping to promote the York College Summer Camp. There are two schedules offered, both which includes breakfast and lunch. They are Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. More info at conted@york.cuny.edu.

JAMAICA CENTER BID

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

JFK Airport is the only airport in the country to have its own chamber of commerce wholly dedicated to the airport business community, which employs 35,000 people. The airport handles more than 50 million passengers a year, using almost a half-million square feet of warehouse space to handle more than a million tons of air freight cargo a year. Upcoming events include: • ASDO’s 36th Aviation Networking Event will take place on May 11 from 9 a.m. to Noon at

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

Founded in 1979, the district includes 300 stores on Jamaica Avenue between Sutphin Boulevard and 160th Street in Jamaica. They offer a value card and support business owners in their expansions and openings.

Valerie Stevens is director of Business Services and Operations, supporting member businesses in their marketing efforts. Stevens has been focusing on social media to assist with branding and expan-

JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

DOT FOCUSING ON AUSTIN STREET CONGESTION

BY JEN KHEDAROO To ease congestion and parking woes on Austin Street, the Department of Transportation (DOT) has several proposals it would like to test over the upcoming months.

Representatives from DOT proposed several crosswalk, parking and loading zones improvements at last week’s Community Board 6 meeting.

For some time now, the agency has received feedback from the Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce and the CB6 Transportation Committee regarding which of their proposed measures would best suit the area.

For instance, while they originally proposed a street design that would move angled parking on 70th Road to the west side of the street and define a commercial loading zone for restaurants along the east side, the community feedback has encouraged DOT to scratch that idea.

But there are several proposals they hope to test to help ease congestion, balance curb space, open up parking spaces and provide safer crossings.

“We know that there’s a lot going on on Austin Street,” said DOT project manager Matt

Garcia. “If you have to find a parking spot, it’s really difficult. If you’re a pedestrian, it’s difficult to cross Austin Street because there are so many long blocks and a lack of places where you can safely cross.”

DOT utilized a time-lapse camera at several places along the corridor, recording the traffic patterns for a week. It showed tremendous con-

“

to Garcia, is to limit space to promote deliveries during off-peak hours.

“We want to dedicate commercial space at the curb so trucks can do their deliveries and keep moving,” Garcia said. “Because customer parking is so important to the businesses on Austin Street, these commercial spaces at the curb will revert back to passenger parking as the day progresses.

“It’s really difficult to restrict trucks from coming when they come, we don’t have any control over that,” he added. “So on the one hand, it’s difficult for us to target them at a certain time period, but the DOT’s new offhours program encourages truck drivers to deliver in times of lower demand.”

Barry Rothenburg, a real estate developer and property owner with about 100 feet of store frontage on Austin Street that includes Sephora and Shake Shack, said he is against the idea because people won’t know when it’s okay to park on the street.

“Once those signs are up, no one will park there,” Rothenburg said. “People have a fear of it and it will effectively kill the street.”

WE WANT TO DEDICATE COMMERCIAL SPACE AT THE CURB SO TRUCKS CAN DO THEIR DELIVERIES AND KEEP MOVING.

24

”

gestion caused by double-parked trucks and cars forced to go around them.

One suggestion is 12 new 60-foot loading zones from Monday through Friday between 7 and 11 a.m., which would provide 36 spaces for trucks for a 30-minute limit.

Between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., there would be eight loading zones providing 24 spaces, and between 1 and 4 p.m. there would be three loading zones with nine spaces. The goal, according

CONTINUED ON PAGE 29

May 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 5

QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES Russo’s on the Bay, 162-45 Cross Bay Boulevard in Howard Beach. In this “reverse” trade show, buyers and major contractors staff tables, while vendors and service suppliers visit each table, sharing information on products and services that are available locally. The event is free of charge but RSVP is required. Please call (718) 244-6852 or register online at asdoonline.com.

• The JFK Air Cargo Expo 2018 has been rescheduled for Thursday, May 17, at Russo’s on the Bay, 162-45 Cross Bay Boulevard in Howard Beach from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information visit jfkaircargo.net.

LONG ISLAND CITY PARTNERSHIP

President: Elizabeth Lusskin 718.786.5300 www.longislandcityqueens.com Founded in 1979, the Long Island City

Partnership advocates for economic development that benefits LIC’s industrial, commercial, cultural and residential sectors. The goal is to attract new businesses to the neighborhood, retain those already here, welcome new residents and visitors, and promote a vibrant and authentic mixeduse community. The LIC Partnership operates the LIC Business Improvement District and the LIC Industrial Business Zone.

The Partnership will hosts its 5th Annual LIC Springs community block festival on Saturday, May 12, from noon to 5 p.m. on Vernon Boulevard between 46th and 50th avenues. Celebrate Long Island City and enjoy live music, dance, and theater performances, plus interactive lessons, art & sculpture making, fitness classes, outdoor dining, and more.

A Member-to-Member Seminar presented by Partnership member GridMarket will take place on Wednesday, May 23, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at

the LIC Partnership office at 27-01 Queens Plaza North, 9th Floor, Long Island City. Continental breakfast will be served.

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.

The next chamber meeting is on Tuesday, May 8, at noon at Connolly’s Corner, 71-15 Grand Avenue. The majority of their budget is spent on holiday lights, banners, beautification and festivals, including replacing the street banners on Grand Avenue. There has recently been a push to form a BID on Grand Avenue.

The annual Maspeth Memorial Day Parade will

NOW CASTING BUSINESSES The Profit is returning for its sixth season and Marcus Lemonis, CEO of Camping World, is searching nationwide for businesses who could use his help! If you own a business that is struggling or stagnant and in need of Marcus’ help and business acumen, then we would love to hear more about your business.

If you think Marcus could help either turn your business around or help your business turn a corner, then please apply today! www.theprofitcasting.com

25

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES take place on Sunday, May 27, at 1 p.m. on 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.

The next MIBA Breakfast will be held on May 18 at 8:30 a.m. at Petro Heating at 55-60 58th Street. The guest speaker will be OSHA compliance associate specialist Heinz Wardoff. RSVP at qelycate@bocnet.org.

MIDDLE VILLAGE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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

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

MYRTLE AVENUE BID

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

26

ten stores looking for tenants.

QUEENS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

12-55 Queens Boulevard, Room 309 Kew Gardens, NY 11424 Executive Director: Seth Bornstein 718.263.0546 queensny.org QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $1.5 million and a resource for over 2,000 businesses in the borough of Queens.

Funded by Department of Small Business Services, they strive to create and retain jobs via programs that grow neighborhoods and assist small businesses. QEDC assists by providing one-on-one consultations, hosting workshops, operating training courses and networking events. Upcoming event include: • New Idea to New Venture Workshop on May 7 from 6 to 7 p.m. at WeWork, 27-01 Queens Plaza N, 13th Floor, Long Island City. This workshop helps participants develop their business idea, organize their start-up process and create a strategy to launch their business. It also covers key elements of how to start a business including: financing, business registration, permit & licenses, and tax related issues.

RSVP at events.constantcontact.com/register • Doing Business with the Government: Getting M/WBE Certified with NYC & NYS on Thursday, May 31, from 10 a.m. to noon at The Entrepreneur Space, 36-46 37th Street Long Island City. Learn about getting certified as a Minority/Woman Business Enterprise with the city and state, what you will need to do to obtain government contracts, and how you can leverage your certification to get more business.

ROCKAWAY BUSINESS ALLIANCE

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

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

The Allicane is hosting Weekend Walks Events on Beach 116th on Friday, May 11, and Friday, May 18, from 6 to 10 p.m. Weekend Walks is a DOT-sponsored program that allows community organizations to activate New York City streets with free, community-oriented programming.

The events will take place between the boardwalk and Rockaway Beach Boulevard. The streets will be closed to traffic for live music, games, and fun for the community. If you are interested in becoming a programming partner, email info@rockawaybusinessalliance.org.

EatShopSurfRock on May 19 will highlight the Rockaway Peninsula in advance of Beach Opening Weekend on May 26.

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.

RDRC 32nd Annual Tribute and Gala Dinner is on Wednesday, May 16, at Russo’s on the Bay, 162-45 Cross Bay Boulevard, Howard Beach. Cocktails at 6 p.m. Deadline for submitting journal ads and payment is April 24. RSVP form is online at rdrc.com or contact Valerie West at (718) 327-5300.

STEINWAY STREET 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.

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.

May 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 5

QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES The BID works to improve sanitation, marketing, security, holiday lighting, beautification and Internet access along this famous street in Queens.

SUNNYSIDE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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

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

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.

Upcoming events include: • Beasts in Bliss kicks off on May 1st with games and a performance by Panambi Vera paraguayan Dancers. Future performers include Jax Gabriel (May 8), Dance Matters NYC (May 12),

Ali Bello and the Sweet Wire Band (May 29).

Bliss Plaza is located at 46th Street under the 7 train.

• Spring Merchant Happy Hour - Meet guest speaker Shin Otake of NYC Business Solution – Queens Center and come catch-up and network with other merchants, entrepreneurs, neighbors, and BID staff and members.Ida’s Nearabout, 43-13 Queens Blvd.

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

The Sunnyside Shines BID’s annual Taste of Sunnyside will take place on May 22 in the parking lot of PC Richard’s at 50-02 Queens Boulevard.

Dev Banad

U.S. Immigration & Nationality Law Consultations by Appointment

Employee Benefit Solutions For decades we have been taking an honest an innovative approach to providing winning employee benefit strategies that aid employers with cost efficiency and recruiting. With a focus on education, our concepts reduce health insurance and benefit costs while creating strategies that stabilize them permanently.

By educating employers one employee at a time, our solutions increase ROI and employee satisfaction. Our approach is designed specifically for each of our clients through extensive review of their business goals and a dedication to developing long lasting relationships.

516-872-2017 • contact@vgdny.com

We Supply and Install an array of exterior home improvements such as Windows, Doors, Siding, Roofing, Stone Work, Attic Insulation, Awnings, Carports and Porticos.

Call us at (888) 631-2131 to schedule a FREE in-home estimate!

WATCH GUARD 24/7 is a leader in providing security and private investigation services

800.247.0622 WATCH GUARD 24/7 was formed in 2009 by John Rafferty, a retired lieutenant from the NYPD.

Banad Law Offices, PC 718.361.5999 banadlaw.com

Beacon Eldercare

Beacon Eldercare provides services such as Medicaid applications, live-on or hourly home aid service providers, nursing service, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and we even provide referrals for Eldercare Attorneys.

We provide knowledge of the variety of choices and options there are as you decide what the best course of action is for our health care. We want you to be protected so that you preserve your assets, while still obtaining quality care for a loved one . The best way to protect yourself and/or loved ones is to work with Beacon Eldercare, Inc., and let us help your cherished elders deal with the aging process.

718-406-9500 • info@beaconeldercare.com

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES

STATION SQUARE TO UNDERGO RENOVATIONS

BY JEN KHEDAROO Station Square is about to undergo a major renovation.

The Forest Hills Gardens Corporation board of directors informed residents on April 6 that the entire square east of Continental Avenue will be closed to all vehicular traffic due to the renovation project.

Work will involve more than just the restoration and leveling of the road surface. All public utilities will be upgraded as the bricks are removed and the roadway is opened.

The renovation is slated to begin mid-April and will continue throughout the rest of the year. The square will be closed off to all vehicular traffic, except for emergency vehicles, throughout the project.

“This project has been on the drawing board for many years and we are excited to embark on this unprecedented event for our community,” a statement from the board read. “We understand that this will be an inconvenience, but after much discussion it was decided there was no other way to safely proceed with this project if the square was not closed to the public.”

The sidewalks around the square, however, will remain open to accommodate pedestrians who live in the area and those who need to access the Long Island Railroad.

The red-brick streets of Station Square and it’s picturesque medieval-style buildings were designed by architects Grosvenor Atterbury and Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. in 1912.

It features a double staircase leading to an elevated embankment and the Long Island Railroad. The square also connects the private community to the commercial corridor of Austin Street.

Roland Meier, president of the West Side Tennis Club Foundation, welcomed the renovation.

“I think this is fabulous that this is finally happening, it will further improve the image of Forest Hills, which is awesome,” Meier said.

“Of course, if the construction is going to be a year some people will be affected, but I think they’ll cope with it.”

On a daily basis, residents are picked up and dropped off in the square, but Meier believes they will be able to make new arrangements.

And when concert season comes to Forest Hills Stadium, he has faith in the 112th Precinct.

“Usually the police have a very strong presence here on concert days anyway, and they will just have to park their equipment in other areas. I don’t think it’s going to be a huge disruption,” he added. “As far as Forest Hills Stadium goes, I’m sure they will find a solution.”

28

The Department of Transportation, which is looking into ways to alleviate traffic on Austin Street believes the traffic caused by the Station Square renovation will help the agency in its six-month study.

“The construction on Station Square underscores the need to address the double

parking and truck loading in the middle of the travel lane on Austin Street even more,” said Queens DOT deputy commissioner Al Silvestri at last week’s Community Board 6 meeting. “The double-parked trucks on the one travel lane on Austin Street create a dangerous roadway, and we want to fix that.”

AUSTIN STREET CONGESTION CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24

Both Rothenburg and members of the Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce said they’d like to see more parking included in the proposals.

Current meters only allow for two-hour parking, but due to Austin Street’s nightlife, including restaurants and a nearby movie theater, DOT want to allow longer parking “Some people need more than two hours,” Garcia said. “The idea is that if you want the third hour you can have it at a higher rate of $2, and if you don’t want the extra hour everything stays the same.”

To create turnover and prevent people from parking and leaving their cars overnight, the DOT is looking to expand current evening meter hours from 7 to 10 p.m.

To make things safer for pedestrians, DOT is proposing dedicated crossings at four intersections that don’t have stop signs or stop lights.

Improvements include daylighting, high visibility crosswalk markings, ADA compliant pedestrian ramps, and pedestrian warning signs.

The proposed intersections are at Austin Street and 70th and 72nd avenues and 72nd and 71st roads.

DOT hopes to observe how the traffic and parking situations fare during a six-month period. After six months, the DOT will gather its own data and listen to the community’s feedback, as well before presenting their findings.

“We feel like this collection of proposals will start to chip away at the problems on Austin Street,” Garcia said. “We want to see how this works.”

May 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 5

NEW MEMBERS

Antun’s of Queens Village MAJOR CORPORATE

Madison International, Inc. CORPORATE

Antun’s of Queens Village MedPlex INTRODUCTORY

Passage JouleSmart Buildings AME Insurance Services Sustainable Development Investment Financial Partnership of New York Mason Technologies, Inc. The Asta Group LLC Steven S. Korman, P.C. Marsh & McLennan Agency

9643 Springfield Blvd.

Queens Village, NY 11429 antuns.com 718.468.6400 Antun’s Dedication to excellent service and warm hospitality has insured Antun’s success for over 65 years. Antun’s promises Quality, Value and Service from the moment you walk in the door until your function is over. They believe that your special occasions should be trouble free and help to make your dreams come true. Antun’s is one of a few catering halls who can proudly proclaim that they hosted a couple’s wedding reception and then their 60th wedding anniversary.

MedPlex

150 East Sunrise Highway Lindenhurst NY, 11757 medplexllc.com 941.356.1665 Starting up, slowing down or growing your practice? Interested in trying out a new town or opening a satellite office? MedPlex is the answer to your needs! Let them help you effectively grow your practice with options that offer flexibility and affordability. There is no need to facilitate startup costs or take from your retirement fund to house your practice. Utilize all that MedPlex has to offer at no risk and let them help you accomplish your professional goals.

Don’t rent an office seven days a week when you are only using it part time. No longer is it all or nothing thanks to MedPlex. You can now rent office space at your leisure. They offer the luxury of a full-service facility with staffing (if desired) and flexible lease options as short as one year.

Madison International Realty 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, 2017. 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 3,712 (3,500). Paid and/or requested circulation: Dealer, carrier sales 1,785 (532), Mail subscriptions, 611 (1,937), Total 2,396 (2,469). Free Distribution By mail 187 (400), By other means 0 (0), Total 187 (400). Total distribution 2,583 (2,869), Office Use, leftover, spoiled 1,129 ( 6 3 1 ) , Return from news agents 0 (0), Total 3,712 (3,500), Percent paid 92.76 (86.05).

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

410 Park Ave, 10th Floor New York, NY 10022 madisonint.com 212.688.8777 The firm was founded in 2002 by Ronald M. Dickerman, Madison’s President, with the idea of building a world-class global investment platform focused on providing liquidity to real estate owners and investors who otherwise had few options for facilitating early exits from their illiquid real estate ownership positions or monetizing embedded equity.

Today, with offices in New York City, London, and Frankfurt and more than 40 professionals dedicated to the sourcing, underwriting, acquisition, asset management, and investor relations for the firm, Madison has become a global leader in providing equity capital in a diverse range of real estate transactions involving class A properties and portfolios.

Madison focuses on capital partner replace-

ments, equity monetization’s and recapitalizations of class A properties and portfolios located throughout the US, UK and Western Europe as well as investments in public/private companies owning similar quality properties. Since inception, Madison has raised over $4.4 billion in capital commitments from more than 150 institutional investors around the world.

TF Cornerstone

387 Park Avenue South, 7th Floor New York, NY 10016 www.tfc.com 212.984.1704 TF Cornerstone has been in the real estate business for more than 40 years, with an expertise in its field and unsurpassed success in the New York City area. TF Cornerstone Inc.’s principals are two brothers, Tom and Fred Elghanayan. The Company is focused on acquisition, development, construction and management of fine residential, commercial and retail properties. TFC’s property portfolio includes a solid, fully-operational collection of Class A, luxury residential buildings, modern office spaces and highly visible retail locations totaling over 8 million square feet throughout New York City and Washington, D.C.

MEDICAL MALPRACTICE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

options for them and their practice and there is no cost involved. Whether a doctor works with a broker or not, the premium they pay to an insurance company is the same. A broker will get a commission from the insurance companies directly.

With access to New York’s top insurance companies, doctors can be sure that they are seeing the best options available. Even if a doctor is looking for an insurance professional and advocate to work with their existing carrier, that can be done as well.

Medical malpractice insurance is an enormously important piece of every practice and should not overlooked from a premium or coverage perspective. The current market for New York doctors allows for more options than ever before. Every carrier is not for every doctor and vise versa, but every doctor has a best fit based on their practice and experience.

Our goal is to help you find your best fit.

If you would like to benefit from the services offered by Merritt Insurance Services and its colleagues, contact Wes Merritt at (516) 9467388 or visit MerrittInsServices.com where you can download a quick quote form or schedule a complimentary coverage review.

29

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

EXECUTIVE COMMMITEE Mayra DiRico

Fran Biderman-Gross

Howard Graf

Richard Dzwlewicz

Chairperson

Associate Treasurer

Vice Chairperson

Associate Secretary

Treasurer

Immediate Past President

Henry Wan Nash Roe

Albert F. Pennisi

Secretary

CHAIRPERSON’S ADVISORY COUNCIL

EXECUTIVE STAFF Thomas J. Grech

Cathy Berger

Development Director

President & CEO

Jacqueline Donado

Dorothy Owermohle Bookkeeper

Strategic Program Coordinator

Financial Controller

Membership Outreach Coordinator & Member Engagement

Brett Swanson

Alejandra Espejo Fatena Williams

Business Development Associate

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.

Brendan Leavy

Business Development Manager

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Andrew Barnes Fran Biderman-Gross Joshua E. Bienstock Michael Billia Willa Brody Susan Browning Kenneth J. Buettner Charles E. Callahan

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

Howard Graf Raymond Irrera Peter Klein Kenneth Koenig Kelly Koukou Henry Kuykendall Neil Levin Jeffery E. Levine

Carl Mattone Patricia Mezeul Michael Moran Michael Onghai Jeffrey Owens Nayan Parikh Albert F. Pennisi Vincent L. Petraro Esq

Adam Reece-Cohen Nash Roe Jeffrey Rosenstock Thomas Santucci Mark Scheinberg Caryn Schwab Sher Sparano Michelle Stoddart

Terri Thomson Henry Wan Swain Weiner Patrick Yu Daniel Zausner

CORPORATE MEMBERS AARP ABS Partner Real Estate Age Well New York AKI Development Alma Realty Corp.

Aloft Long Island City Manhattan View Hotel Aloft Hotel New York LaGuardia Airport Alphapointe Altria Client Services Inc. Amna Construction Corp.

AmTrust Title Anchin, Block & Anchin Ashnu International, Inc. ATCO Properties & Management Baker Tilly Virchow Krause LLP Bank of America Bank United Berkeley College Berkman, Henoch, Peterson, Peddy & Fenchel, PC Bethpage Federal Credit Union Better Home Health Care Borchert & LaSpina, PC Boro Hotel Boyce Technologies Inc. Broadway Stages Capital One Bank Cathay Bank Care Connect Insurance Co. Inc. Carmel Car & Limo Service CDS Mestel Construction

Center for Automotive Education & Training Cerini & Associates Certilman Balin Champion Elevators Chaney Construction & Development Charles Schwab Ciampa Organization City MD City Scrap Metal Cleaning Systems Co. Clickable CoAdvantage Constant Contact Construction Safety Network Inc. Cord Meyer Development LLC Cornell NYC Tech Corporate Development Systems, Inc. Costco Wholesale Court 16, Inc. CPEX Real Estate Crown Container Cumming Corporation Cushman & Wakefield FedCap D&B Engineers & Architects, PC Daniels Norelli Cecere & Tavel PC DY Reality Services, LLC Dignity Memorial Funeral Provides of Queens E. Gluck Corporations East Coast Energy Group

Edible Arrangements Elite Palace Elmhurst Hospital Center Emigrant Mortgage Co. Empire Merchants EMU Health Services, LLC. Enterprise Holdings Exit Realty Lewis & Murphy Fabini Cohen & Hall, LLP Fantasy Forest Amusement Park Farrell Fritz, PC Fedcap Fidelis Care New York Financial Resources Brup Investment Services LLC Firecom, Inc. First American International Bank First Central Savings Bank Flushing Bank Forest Hills Financial Gerard T Dolan Agency Farmers Grand Rehabilitation & Nursing at Queens Greater New York Auto Dealers Association Inc. Greiner-Maltz of NY GUM Studios HF Management Services Haks Hanover Community Bank Healthplex, Inc. Health Republic Insurance Healthy Corner Pharmacy, Inc. Hilton Garden Inn/ LIC

Manhattan View Holiday Inn LaGuardia Airport Home2Suite LIC Hyatt Place Flushing Ibis Styles New York LaGuardia Airport Hotel INDA Association of Nonwoven Fabric Industry International Asbestos Removal Inc. J.F.A. Insurance Brokerage JRT Realty Group, Inc. James F. Capalino & Associates Jaros Baum & Bolles Jetro Resataurant Depot JustWorks Kasirer Consulting Inc Kaufman Astoria Studios Inc. Kimco Realty Corporation Klein Wealth Management HighTower LaGuardia Plaza Hotel La Technology Group Lee & Associates Levine Builders Lessing’s Inc. Luna Park in Coney Island Lyft Lyons Mortgage Services, Inc. M&T Bank M&V Provisions Co, Inc. MCR Development LLC MTA-Long Island Rail Road Madeline Chocolate Novelties Marriott NYC Airport Hotels Mazars USA LLP

Merritt Engineering Consulting PC Metroplus Health Plan Metropolitan Taxi Cab Board of Trade Melrose Credit Union Metro Franchising Commissary Molloy College Mortgage Depot Moses & Singer LLP Motiva Networks Mount Sinai Hospital of Queens Mr. T Carting Corporation Muss Development Company National Supermarket Association Newtown Creek Trusted PRI USD New York Building Congress New York Life New York Oil Heaing Association Inc. New York Racing Association Northfield Bank Northwell Health Northwestern Mutual NY Building Congress OnForce Solar Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care & Rehab Patrick B. Jenkins & Associates People’s United Bank Petro Energy Solutions

Portnoy, Messinger, Pearl & Associations, Inc. Prager Metis CPAs, LLC Premier Payroll Solutions Progressive Waste Solutions Qside Federal Credit Union Quadlogic Controls Corp.

Queens Center Queens Ledger Queensborough Community College Quontic Bank Radisson Hotel JFK Airport Register Abstract Co. Inc. Related Retail LP Rent A Throne Royal Waste Services Inc. Russo’s On The Bay SL Green Realty Corp.

Sahn Ward Coshchignano PLLC Sandrine Capital LLC Seagis Property Group Sears Maid Service Sholom & Zuckerbrot Realty LLC Signature Bank Silvercup Studios Simon Baron Development Sleep Numbers Solomon Agency St. John’s University Sterling Risk Structural Engineering Technologies PC Suffolk County National Bank Suation Solar Systems

Super-Tek, Products, Inc. Sutton Alliance Terrace on the Park Thales USA, Inc. The Durst Organization The New York Times The Parc Hotel Trinity Solar TSC Training Academy LLC Tully Construction Co. Inc. United Airlines United Health Care United Nations Federal Credit Union United Public, Adjusters & Appraisers, Inc. USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Valley National Bank Van Guard Insurance Agency Verizon VHB Engineering Surveying & Landscape Architecture Vic Kesser Signs, LTD Victory Pharmacy Villa Russo Venture House Vornado Realty Trust Waste Management of NY LLC Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Welllife Network WeWork York College Zwanger Pesiri Radiology LLP

COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATIONS Joshua Bienstock NYIT bienlaw@aol.com ENERGY Marshall Haimson E-Capital Development marshall@e-capitaldevelopment.com James Sheuchenko PM Advisors js@pmadvisors.co HEALTHCARE & WELLNESS Susan Browning Long Island Jewish Forest Hills sbrowning1@northwell.edu Evangeline Rosado-Tripp Queens County Medical Society ertripp@queensmedicalsociety.org

30

HOSPITALITY Jim Quent Statewide Public Affairs jquent@statewidepublicaffairs.com Michael Zayas Real Hospitality Group michael.zayas@rhgcorp.com MANUFACTURING 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 REAL ESTATE Martin Cottingham Avison Young martin.cottingham@avisonyoung.com Michael Wang G8 Real Estate / Flushing Chamber mwang121@gmail.com TECHNOLOGY Bobby Giurintano TGI Office Automation bgiurintano@tgioa.com Eugene Erichsen Connect Me Voice Eugene@connectmevoice.com

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

May 2018 • Volume 14 • Issue 5 MAJOR CORPORATE MEMBERS

31

WATCH QUEENS PERSPECTIVE PRESENTS:

ST. PATRICK'S DAY WITH THE QUEENS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE If you would like to see how the Queens Chamber of Commerce celebrated St. Patrick’s Day just tune in to Queens Perspectives as we re-cablecast this vibrant program Keynote Speaker, James Patrick O'Neill Police Commissioner of the City of New York

KEYNOTE SPEAKER POLICE COMMISSIONER JAMES PATRICK O'NEILL

Melinda Katz Queens Borough President

Tune in to enjoy the rich culture of Ireland and to listen to the Police Commissioner’s message about neighborhood policing, the reduction of crime, and the importance of police and community relations.

Tom Grech, President & CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce held the celebration of Irish history at Terrace on the Park in Flushing, Queens. Borough President Melinda Katz attended the luncheon and introduced the keynote speaker, James Patrick O’Neill, Police Commissioner of the City of New York. The presentation of colors by NYPD Community Affairs Bureau Post #3100.

Benediction by Rev. William Hoppe, Pastor, Roman Catholic Church of St. Leo, Corona, NY; and David Stanton T.D., Minister for Equality Immigration & Integration came from Ireland to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with the Queens Chamber of Commerce. Live music provided by the band Brogue with authentic food and Irish step dancing courtesy of Fitzpatrick Academy of Irish Dance. They performed to a full house of business executives and members of the community.

Queens Chamber of Commerce Thomas J. Grech

April and May Cablecast Dates

Fr. William Hoppe Church of St. Leo, Corona

Claire Schulman Queens Borough Pres., 1986 - 2002

Queens Chamber of Commerce

Fitzpatrick Academy of Irish Dance

Hon. David Stanton Minister of State for Justice Rep. of Ireland

Patti Ann McDonald Wife of Steven McDonald

Roslyn Nieves TV Host, QPTV

Day

Date

Time

Spectrum

RCN

FIOS

Saturday

4/21/18

10:00 AM

1997

85

37

Tuesday

5/01/18

7:00 PM

34/1995

82

34

Tuesday

5/08/18

7:00 PM

34/1995

82

34

Tuesday

5/15/18

7:00 PM

34/1995

82

34

You can view this program on QPTV’s channels or online at qptv.org/queensperspectives http://qptv.org/content/queens-perspectives-st-patr icks-day-queens-chamber-commerce