This Is Queensborough - November 2019

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November 2019 . Volume 15 . Issue 11

AUTHORITY FIGURES AGENCY OVERSEEING MASSIVE AIRPORT PROJECTS WANTS THEM TO BE A BOOM FOR QUEENS BUSINESSES & RESIDENTS

“WE ARE TAKING VERY FOCUSED AND HIGH-PRIORITY MEASURES TO ASSURE THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS ACCRUE TO THE QUEENS NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND THE AIRPORTS.”

ALSO

• CHAMBER ADDS TWO NEW COMMITTEES • BUILDING AWARDS GALA RECAP • DON’T FALL VICTIM TO A WAGE LAWSUIT

PORT AUTHORITY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RICK COTTON

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November 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 11

A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

THE BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS OF QUEENS BUSINESSES Over the past 11 months, the celebrates the diversity of our borQueens Chamber has played host to ough through honoring a diverse numerous events that group of business provided an opportuleaders. nity to showcase our This year’s honorees varied members. In my are Tyquana Henderhumble opinion, our son-Rivers, president Business Person of the & CEO of ConnecYear Awards is indeed tive Strategies Associthe celebration of celates, Inc.; Alexandra ebrations.

Vassilaros, executive Each year we select vice president of Vasa limited number of silaros & Sons Coffee; individuals who rep- TOM SANTUCCI Chris Xu, president resent the best of the CHAIRPERSON of United Construcbest the Queens busition & Development ness community has to Group Corp.; and the offer. It’s a fact Queens is the most late Dimitros “Jimmy” Kaloidis, diverse area in the world, with 175 philanthropist, entrepreneur, and languages representing over 190 owner of Terrace on the Park. countries.

Each in their own right have Our Business Person of the Year exemplified business excellence

worthy of recognition. On Decem- their lives. ber 4, we’ll celebrate their achieveThe Queens Chamber is here to ments and accomplishments with a leverage that support and assist in night of elegance. helping shape your business growth.

To the numerWhether it’s To the numerous ous business advocating on owners in legislation, edubusiness owners in Queens who are Queens who are blazing cating you on the blazing a trail a trail for others within latest business for others within or offering your community, there trends, your community, exciting networkmay not be a grand there may not ing opportunities celebration in your be a grand celto build connecebration in your tions. We’re hard honor...yet. honor...yet. at work with you But the blood, in mind. sweat and tears you pour out on I’m grateful to serve as Board daily basis is being recognized by chair for an organization whose those you serve. You’re honored vision is prosperity resulting in a daily through the continuous sup- vibrant Queens community. port of individuals who have choThank you for supporting the sen to make your business a part of Queens Chamber of Commerce.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO GIVING BACK, BOTH PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY The days following ThanksgivDon’t get me wrong, we cham- there’s a lot happening in Noveming are the kickoff to the holi- pion businesses of all sizes in this ber. We kick off with a Career day shopping seabeautifully diverse Expo in partnership with Plaza son. My family and I borough known as College on the 7th. Organizations spend our fair share Queens, but the from healthcare, nonprofit and the reinvesting in local little guys are the corporate world will be on-hand small businesses on majority. with job openings for qualified the Saturday after Throughout the individuals.

Thanksgiving. course of any given Our volunteer committees have A little over a week, we’re facili- a number of presentations lined decade ago, Small tating opportunities up this month including “Show Business Saturday, designed to advo- Me The Money! Applying for an initiative launched cate on behalf of Government Funding” on the 15th

by American Express THOMAS J. GRECH all businesses. It’s at Queens Botanical Garden. to reinvigorate the PRESIDENT & CEO in our DNA. If you’re a nonprofit here’s your economy reeling due The educational chance to glean knowledge from a to recession, became components are panel of experts, including Assema reality. endless for both our members and blyman Michael DenDekker and Small businesses have been the future members, and networking Councilman Barry Grodenchik. heartbeat of our communities for rounds out what was established Early next month, we celebrate decades. These local our Business Person of mom-and-pop shops the Year at our Awards Don’t get me wrong, we champion contribute richly to the Dinner on the 4th. Rick economy and the fabric businesses of all sizes in this beautifully Cotton, executive direcdiverse borough known as Queens, but tor of the Port Authority of our community.

Small business is of New York & New Jerthe little guys are the majority essentially the Queens sey will be our keynote Chamber. Nearly 90 speaker. Make plans to percent of our total join us as we salute the membership of 1,125 organiza- in our bylaws nearly 100 years best of 2019, including: tions are businesses with fewer ago.

• Chris Xu, president, United than ten employees.

Mark your calendars, because Construction and Development

Group; • Alexandra Vassilaros, executive vice president, Vassilaros and Sons Coffee; • Tyquana Henderson-Rivers, president & CEO, Connective Strategies; and last but certainly not least • the late Dimitrios “Jimmy’ Kaloidis, owner of Terrace on the Park.

The holidays are a special time for everyone. It’s the time of the year when we slow down, give thanks and recognize those who have endeared our lives throughout the year.

As you’re out shopping, please make it point to give back to those small businesses who make our community thrive by shopping local.

If you’re interested in learning more about educational and networking opportunities that exist with Queens Chamber, contact us at queenschamber.org.

Thank you for your continued support of Queens Chamber and making our borough the best place to live, play, work and do business.

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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

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QUEENS QUICKLY SKYLINE TOPS OUT AS TALLEST IN QUEENS Skyline Tower topped out and is now officially the tallest building in New York City outside of Manhattan. Standing at 778 feet, the luxury condo in Long Island City boasts neverbefore-seen views of Manhattan’s most iconic buildings, like One World Trade Center and the

Empire State Building.

In September, Skyline Tower surpassed the height of neighboring Citigroup Building, which formerly reigned as the tallest building in Queens at 673 feet. Skyline Tower also surpassed the height of Tower 28, which at 637 feet was previously the tallest residential tower in NYC outside of Manhattan.

Designed by Hill West Architects, the building’s 358,538-square-foot translucent glass cur-

tain wall stands out architecturally and puts Long Island City on the map as a burgeoning neighborhood.

The team celebrated the building’s topping out ceremony last month on the 60th floor, placing items in a time capsule to showcase what life was like in Long Island City in 2019.

Items included Polaroid pictures of the project team, Modern Spaces market reports, and renderings of Skyline Tower. It will be reopened in approximately 50 years.

SPECTRUM OPENS ON AUSTIN STREET A new Spectrum store has opened in Forest Hills. Located at 71-40 Austin Street, it will allow customers to complete a variety of transactions, including account payments and upgrading or exchanging equipment.

The store will also feature Spectrum Mobile, a service launched a year ago that utilizes a combination of the nation’s largest LTE network and a nationwide network of Spectrum WiFi hotspots.

New customers can bring their phone or choose from among the latest mobile devices and accessories and activate service right in the store.

It will be open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. It’s located in the space once occupied by retailer New York & Company.

Spectrum already has several locations in Queens including Astoria, Bayside, Elmhurst, Flushing and Jamaica. The company expects to open 10 new stores in the city within the next two years, including one in Glendale.

“Our representatives will show customers the latest advances in technology, help them become familiar with using it and put together just the right package of Spectrum services for their home and family,” said Pattie Eliason, group vice president of Spectrum Stores.

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

Delta Opens Seven New Gates at LaGuardia Airport .......................................23

EXPERT ADVICE: Tips on How to Avoid a Wage Lawsuit ...............9

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

COVER STORY: Airport Projects Aim to Benefit Queens ................10

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

Chamber Events Highlight Korean, Burmese Communities ..............12 Chamber Adds Two New Member Committees .....................................14 Top Developments Honored at Annual Buildings Awards Gala .......16 EVENT: Four to be Honored at Business Person of the Year ............21 4

PUBLISHER Walter H. Sanchez

MANAGING EDITOR Shane Miller

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

November 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 11

INFRASTRUCTURE

$139M PROJECT TO RENEW FAR ROCKAWAY

BY SHOSHANA KHAN

Deputy Mayor Vicki Been and Councilman Donovan Richards joined numerous city agencies and elected officials recently to break ground on a $139 million project that will transform and revitalize Downtown Far Rockaway, bringing new streets with more pedestrian space, landscaping and green infrastructure, and improved stormwater drainage to an area of Queens that has not seen large infrastructure investments in decades.

The project is scheduled to take three years to complete, and will reinvigorate a neighborhood that was recently rezoned to allow for more housing, increased economic opportunity and better transportation options.

Work will take place on roughly 25 blocks centered around the local business district and transportation hub at Mott and Central avenues, where a new library is already under construction.

The project was designed and phased to closely align with over 2,000 affordable housing units under construction and planned over several developments.

Streets throughout the downtown area will be completely rebuilt and in many cases realigned to ease the flow of traffic and enhance pedestrian safety.

The landscape will be further transformed with new green infrastructure, including rain gardens to help with the natural absorption of stormwater, and other measures to minimize impacts on nearby wetlands and Jamaica Bay. Work will be performed in two phases of 21 months and then 13 months, beginning with new storm sewers near Horton Avenue. More than two miles of new storm sewers will eventually be installed to improve local drainage. More

Councilman Donovan Richards (center with hard hat) is flanked by Deputy Mayor Vicki Been (right), State Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr. (left), members of the community and representatives from DEP, DOT, EDC and DDC as they break ground on the $139 million project to revitalize Downtown Far Rockaway. than 120 new catch basins will be installed to capture storm water and direct it to the new storm sewers.

The project will also upgrade about 11,000 feet of existing sanitary sewers and replace about 10,000 feet of aging water mains. At least 39 new fire hydrants will be installed.

Several private utility companies are also contributing to the project cost in order for the city’s contractor to relocate or upgrade their equipment in the area.

An artist’s rendering shows the intersection of Mott and Central avenues after the $139 million project to rebuild streets and infrastructure in Downtown Far Rockaway

Also planned for Phase 1 is a new pedestrian plaza from Beach 21st to Beach 22nd streets, adjacent to the Far Rockaway-Mott Avenue subway station.

The new plaza will include a stage for events, benches, trees, tables, water fountain, bike racks, wayfinding signage and an automated public toilet.

This multi-agency effort was informed by the CONTINUED ON PAGE 29

A new 15,000-square-foot pedestrian plaza will be created spanning Beach 21st and Beach 22nd streets

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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

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

PROMOTIONS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & APPOINTMENTS children and adolescents with congenital heart president and CEO of the Dormitory Authority Three pediatricians disorders and pediatric heart disease. of the State of New York (DASNY), as executive Bayle’s research has been published in peer- chair of The New Terminal One Development join staff at NYPQ reviewed journals, as well as presented at annual Project at JFK and chair of CAG Holdings.

NewYork-Presbyterian Medical Group Queens is pleased to add three experienced pediatric specialists dedicated to enhancing pediatric care throughout the borough.

They will practice at NewYork-Presbyterian Medical Group Queens offices in Flushing and Fresh Meadows, as well as at the hospital. “[We have] recruited top-quality physicians that meet the expectations of our patients and reflect the cultural diversity of Queens,” said Dr. Stephen Rimar, vice president and regional executive medical director for NewYork-Presbyterian Medical Group Queens and associate professor of Clinical Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medicine.

Dr. Angela KadenheChiweshe is a pediatric surgeon at NewYork-Presbyterian Medical Group Queens, an attending pediatric surgeon at NewYorkKADENHE-CHIWESHE Presbyterian Queens, and an assistant professor of surgery at Weill Cornell Medicine.

Kadenhe-Chiweshe focuses on all aspects of general and thoracic pediatric surgery, including neonatal anomalies, intestinal rehabilitation, hepatobiliary disease, pediatric cancer, and vascular anomalies.

She will see patients at 163-03 Horace Harding Expressway in Fresh Meadows.

Dr. Jules Beal is a pediatric neurologist at NewYork-Presbyterian Medical Group Queens, specializing in seizures and epilepsy, BEAL epileptic encephalopathies, and neurocutaneous disorders in addition to general pediatric neurology.

He is an assistant professor of clinical pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medicine and an attending pediatric neurologist at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens.

Beal will also see patients at 163-03 Horace Harding Expressway in Fresh Meadows.

Dr. Ken Bayle is an attending pediatric cardiologist at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens and an assistant professor of clinical BAYLE pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medicine. He provides comprehensive care to

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medical meetings and national conferences.

He will see patients at 56-34 Main Street in Flushing.

Banks joins board at New York Cruise Lines New York Cruise Lines, operator of the world-famous Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises, transportation and sightseeing company New York Water Taxi, luxury-charter fleet World Yacht, and the innovative maritime restaurant, North River Lobster Company, announced the appointment of John Banks to its Board of Directors.

With more than three decades of senior executive experience in the public and private sectors in New York City, Banks joins New York Cruise Lines’ leadership team in directing the company’s many industry-leading BANKS businesses.

Banks has a long history in public service, most notably as chief of staff and deputy director of Finance for the City Council. His 16 years of government service spanned portions of the Koch, Dinkins, Giuliani, and Bloomberg administrations.

Subsequently, he entered the private sector and had a distinguished 13-year career as vice president of Government and Community Relations for the Consolidated Edison Company of New York. In 2015, he was appointed president of the Real Estate Board of New York, serving until 2019.

Banks earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in government and economics from Manhattan College and a Master of Public Administration program at Baruch College.

“I remember taking my first ride on the Circle Line when I was a kid,” Banks said. “Now, after more than 30 years working in the public and private sectors, I have the opportunity to work with one of the most iconic brands in New York.”

Bushnell to lead Terminal One project The Carlyle Group’s global airport investment platform, CAG Holdings, announced the appointment of Dr. Gerrard P. Bushell, former

The PortAuthority selected the New Terminal One Development Project team to lead the redevelopment and expansion of JFK’s Terminal One. The New Terminal One Development Project team is a coalition of airlines, labor, minority- and women-owned businesses, and operating and financial partners.

BUSHELL “Together, we will deliver the world’s premier gateway to New York and the United States and support the Port Authority and their local communities in meeting their objectives,” Bushell said.

When completed, the proposed New Terminal One Development Project will encompass the sites of the current Terminal One, Terminal 2 and the former Terminal 3.

Bushell brings a wealth of experience from business, government and labor to the project. In 2015, he was appointed president and CEO of DASNY, a national leader in the municipal bond market and one of the country’s most prominent public builders with a construction portfolio valued at more than $6 billion.

Under Bushell’s leadership, DASNY issued more than $38 billion of municipal debt for public and private infrastructure projects across New York State for higher education, health services, science and technology and government justice clients.

Queens Chamber of Commerce 75-20 Astoria Boulevard, Suite 140 Jackson Heights, N.Y. 11370-1131 Entire Contents Copyright 2019 by Queensborough. All letters sent to the QUEENSBOROUGH should be brief and are subject to condensation. Writers should include a full address and home and office telephone numbers, where available, as well as affiliation, indicating special interest. Anonymous letters are not printed. Name withheld on request. No such ad or any part thereof may be reproduced without prior permission of the QUEENSBOROUGH. The publishers will not be responsible for any error in advertising beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Errors must be reported to the QUEENSBOROUGH within five days of publication.

Ad position cannot be guaranteed unless paid prior to publication. BQE Media assumes no liability for the content or reply to any ads. The advertiser assumes all liability for the content of and all replies. The advertiser agrees to hold the QUEENSBOROUGH and its employees harmless from all cost, expenses, liabilities, and damages resulting from or caused by the publication or recording placed by the advertiser or any reply to any such advertisement.

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EXPERT ADVICE

ARE YOU PREPARED FOR THE SHIELD ACT?

BY ANNA MERCADO CLARK The Stop Hacks and Improve Electronic Data Security Act (SHIELD Act) takes effect on March 21.

It expands data breach notification requirements, strengthens Attorney General oversight and imposes a requirement that businesses that own or license New York State residents’ private data employ “reasonable safeguards” to protect that information. The law also extends these requirements to businesses outside of New York State.

PRIVATE INFORMATION Private information was previously defined as any information that can be used to identify a natural person, plus one or more of the following: Social Security number, driver’s license or non-driver identification card number, account number, or credit or debit card number along with any required security or access code.

This definition now includes an account, debit card or credit card number alone if no additional information is required to access the account, biometric information (e.g., fingerprint, voice print), and a user name or e-mail address along with the relevant security information that would permit access to an e-mail account.

Publicly available information from government records continues to be excluded from the definition.

no actual acquisition of data, and sets forth guidelines to determine whether information is reasonably

individuals authorized to access the information and is unlikely to result in misuse or harm.

Additionally, individual notification is excused under the law if such notification already occurred pursuant to certain other laws, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. Notwithstanding the foregoing, notice to the Attorney General may still be required.

believed to have been wrongfully accessed.

LIMITATIONS & PENALTIES The Attorney General now has three years from the date of notice or when she/he becomes aware of a data breach notification violation to prosecute the violation.

Civil penalties for knowingly or recklessly failing to comply with breach notification obligations are increased from $10 to $20 per instance, capped at $250,000 (for-

NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS Any person or business that owns or licenses computerized data consisting of the private information of New York State residents is now subject to breach notification requirements, regardless of whether they conduct business within the

“ANY

and integrity of private information. Businesses that are required to comply with HIPAA, the New York State Department of Financial Services Regulations, or other data protection regulations may already be compliant with the SHIELD Act requirements.

Otherwise, businesses can comply by implementing a data security program that includes reasonable administrative, technical and physical safeguards.

Even small businesses (defined as businesses with fewer than 50 employees, less than $3 million in gross annual revenue over the preceding three years or less than $5 million in year-end total assets) are required to comply with this requirement, but such safeguards can be proportionate to the size and complexity of the business, the nature and scope of its business activities, and the sensitivity of the information at issue.

Governor Cuomo also recently signed the Identity Theft Prevention and Mitigation Services Act, which took effect on September 23. Consumer credit reporting agencies are now required to offer “reasonable identity theft prevention services and, if applicable, identity theft mitigation services” for five years at no cost if consumer information is breached or reasonably believed to have been breached.

Consumers must also be provided with all information necessary to enroll in such service and to request a security freeze.

A credit reporting agency is only relieved of this obligation if, after an investigation, it determines that the breach is unlikely to result in harm.

PERSON OR BUSINESS THAT OWNS OR LICENSES COMPUTERIZED DATA CONSISTING OF THE PRIVATE INFORMATION OF NEW YORK STATE RESIDENTS IS NOW SUBJECT TO BREACH NOTIFICATIONS.

DATA BREACHES A breach now includes unauthorized access of data, even if there is

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”

state.

Notification obligations to individuals are obviated, however, if the business determines and documents (such documentation must be kept for five years) that an inadvertent exposure was made by

merly $150,000) or $5,000 per violation, whichever is higher.

REASONABLE SAFEGUARDS The SHIELD Act further requires implementation of “reasonable safeguards” to protect the security

Anna Mercado Clark is a partner at Phillips Lytle LLP and leader of the firm’s Data Security & Privacy and E-Discovery & Digital Forensics Practice Teams. She can be reached at aclark@phillipslytle.com or (212) 759-4888 ext. 6466.

November 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 11

EXPERT ADVICE

KNOW YOUR OBLIGATIONS: AVOID A WAGE LAWSUIT

BY ANDREW A. KIMLER The continuous expansion of federal and state laws aimed at protecting the rights of workers has become a thorny trap for unwary employers. Lawsuits involving wage and hour violations are so frequent that they’re one of the most common matters occupying the courts’ dockets.

There are some common errors committed by employers that can trigger a lawsuit or labor department audit.

Hopefully these points will help you avoid such costly interruptions of your business.

As most employers know, nonexempt employees must be paid overtime for hours of work in excess of 40 hours a week, at a rate of one-and-a-half times their pay. One frequent problem is that employers fail to maintain accurate records, making it difficult to determine appropriate overtime compensation.

In case of a dispute, the onus of proof falls on the employer.

Your records should be detailed and ideally entered on a daily basis, providing you with a clear defense against a claim of unpaid overtime. New York State law also generally requires you to keep all time and compensation records for a minimum of six years.

Another recurring issue in wage

and hour disputes is the definition of “hours worked.” To be clear, “hours worked” include all jobrelated activity.

Depending on the circumstances, this usually includes “unauthorized working time.”

of pay, if applicable.

Any allowance deductions that are taken as part of the minimum wage—tips, meals, lodging, etc.—must also be reflected in the written notice. Make sure each of your employees signs and dates the completed notice, and that each receives a copy.

If any information in VISHNICK MCGOVERN MILIZIO LLP IS OFFERING TO CONDUCT AN EMPLOYMENT the notice changes, you LAW COMPLIANCE CHECKUP FOR FELLOW should issue a new notice CHAMBER MEMBERS, FREE OF CHARGE. FOR and have them sign it.

MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT ANDREW KIMLER AT AKIMLER@VMMLEGAL.COM OR Likewise, you should 516-437-4385 X122. be issuing your employees a wage statement or pay stub listing, among You must compensate employ- other things, the hours worked, ees if you knew or had reason including overtime; rate(s) of to believe they were perform- pay; how the employee is paid; ing work outside normal business the employee’s gross and net hours, like coming to work earlier wages; itemized deductions; and than required. allowances and credits claimed Likewise, an employee must be by you. compensated for being “on call” Failure to provide employees if they’re required to remain on the work premises or are prevented from using the time effectively for their own purposes (for example, they can’t attend an event).

Travel time during the workday is also compensable, as are meal periods, unless they’re at least 30 minutes long and the employee is completely relieved of duties.

Another error involves the failure of employers to provide written notice to employees of their wage rates at the time of hire. The New York State Wage Theft Prevention Act requires that such notice be given to all new employees, detailing the rate or rates of pay and the overtime rate

with a written notice of wage rates and/or detailed pay stubs can result in up to $10,000 in liability per employee.

It’s important to note that the law provides for “liquidated damages” on up to 100 percent of unpaid wages, meaning that the court or the Department of Labor may impose penalties doubling any unpaid wages owed.

Finally, another frequently overlooked obligation involves the payment of what’s referred to as “spread of hours.” Generally speaking, you must pay an employee an additional hour at the minimum wage if their total shift is ten hours or more.

Clearly, as an employer you must be very careful how you address your obligations under federal and state wage and hour laws. Indifference can result in very costly consequences.

HAVE YOU BEEN INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT? YOU MAY BE ENTITLED TO A SUBSTANTIAL CASH SETTLEMENT FOR YOUR INJURY

Andrew Kimler is a partner at Vishnick McGovern Milizio LLP, where he heads the Alternate Dispute Resolution Practice and is a key member of the firm’s Commercial Litigation, Employment Law, and LGBTQ Representation Practices. He regularly writes and lectures on employment law matters.

Dev Banad Viswanath ATTORNEY AT LAW

FREE CONSULTATION 212.785.5115 DEV@MLDLEGAL.COM

Auto Accidents, Spinal cord Injuries, work related injuries, construction,accidents, wrongful deaths & brain injuries.

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COVER STORY

AIRPORT PROJECTS PUT FOCUS ON QUEENS

BY BENJAMIN FANG As the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey continues its $21 billion transformation of both New York City airports, the agency is paying special attention to Queens communities.

Whether it’s contracting, concessions or hiring, Port Authority executive director Rick Cotton said, the emphasis is local.

“We are taking very focused and high-priority measures to assure the economic benefits accrue to the Queens neighborhoods around the airports,” he told This Is Queensborough in a recent interview at the agency’s offices on the 24th floor of 4 World Trade Center.

According to the Port Authority’s count, nearly $400 million worth of business contracts, particularly in construction, have gone to Queens companies.

“Obviously, we’re in the middle of the construction process,” Cotton said, “so we anticipate that number will grow.”

Last December, when LaGuardia Airport opened its new 18-gate concourse on the western half of the new terminal, more than 60 percent of the 400 concessions jobs went to Queens residents.

At the seven-gate eastern concourse, opened at the end of October, more than 80 percent of the 120 jobs were local hires.

Beyond the concessions, Cotton said, the Port Authority has been working with the Council on Airport Opportunities (CAO) to ensure that there’s a local outreach partner.

The agency has already opened an office, in partnership with Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS), at Elmcor Youth and Adult Activities in Corona. The office provides a pipeline for Queens residents to stay abreast of and be hired for job openings, Cotton said.

Another community focus of the airport redevelopment projects has been education. The LaGuardia Redevelopment program, for example, has been working with

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PHOTO: GOVERNOR’S OFFICE

Port Authority Rick Cotton speaks with Governor Andrew Cuomo at last month’s concourse opening at LaGuardia Airport as Delta Airlines CEO Ed Bastian looks on.

Vaughn College to recruit students living in neighborhoods around the airport.

In April, Vaughn College awarded six scholarships to students from Queens. The scholarships were sponsored by the Port Authority.

“We intend to sponsor another round of those scholarships,” Cotton said.

This past summer, the agency sponsored a new science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) program at Langston Hughes Library for 50 middleschool students. The program introduced them to career paths that could lead to employment opportunities at the airports.

For the John F. Kennedy (JFK) Airport redevelopment, the Port Authority established an advisory council of local stakeholders to identify neighborhood priorities.

The council is co-chaired by Borough President Melinda Katz and Congressman Gregory Meeks.

Cotton said the council established four areas where they wanted to see additional economic activity, which were announced last month.

The first is a jobs recruiting pro-

gram for southeast Queens, with the target of 15,000 operating jobs at the airport and 4,000 construction jobs over a five-year period.

The hiring effort will be based out of the CAO office in Jamaica.

But in an effort to reach residents from the Rockaways, the redevelopment program will open a satellite office at the Rockaway Development and Revitalization Corporation in Far Rockaway.

Another initiative is reserving concession venues for New York City-based restaurants, particularly in Queens. The Port Authority will begin a training program to prepare businesses to compete for those opportunities.

The third focus is a $3 million initiative to support and expand STEM programs at York College.

In 2020, the college will host a summer program, along with Saturday sessions in the fall and spring.

Finally, Cotton said, the Port Authority will establish a secondchance employment office, which has been an emphasis for the advisory council. The agency will work closely with half a dozen organizations that specialize in identifying

candidates for jobs who have had previous involvement in the criminal justice system.

The employment opportunities will not only be at the airports, he said, but across all Port Authority facilities.

“That pattern and that outreach was really based on feedback from the advisory council,” Cotton said, “which we view as the avenue by which we can get direct feedback from the community.”

The Port Authority has faced its share of challenges with the development projects. Cotton said completely rebuilding LaGuardia, while also maintaining the full capacity of the existing airport, has been an “enormous challenge.”

The agency doesn’t tear down any of the old buildings until they have built additional capacity with a new operational facility.

“That means we have to follow what’s almost a hopscotch pattern in terms of development,” he To address traffic and congestion on the roads leading to the airport, the Port Authority established an Airport Operations Center. Cotton said every hour the airport is

November 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 11

COVER STORY

love WHERE YOU

open, there is a command center with banks of monitors watching “every square inch of the roadway network.”

Whenever the roadway becomes congested, the operations center makes judgements about readjusting traffic flow, sending vehicles to either arrivals or departure and ensuring no cars are double-parked.

They even have four tow trucks stationed around the clock at the airport in case a car breaks down.

“We can’t have a disabled vehicle on any roadways for any significant period of time,” Cotton said.

The challenges are worsened when peak construction meets peak travel times, especially on the days leading in and out of a weekend, summer and the holiday season.

“The level of effort that has gone into sustaining the operation of the airport while the construction is underway has been huge,” he said.

So far at LaGuardia Airport, the redevelopment has finished building a new parking garage, new 18-gate concourse on the western side of Terminal B and a new seven-gate concourse on the eastern side. Each took between nine to 12 months to complete.

By the middle of next year, a large arrivals and departures hall, which can be prominently seen from the Grand Central Parkway, will be opened on the western half

of the airport. After that, openings will shift back to the eastern side.

Cotton estimated that by the end of 2021 or beginning of 2022, the entire roadway network should be open.

“There will be a continuous integrated frontage of the whole new LaGuardia,” he said.

The LaGuardia AirTrain, which is currently in the environmental review process, is expected to begin construction 18 months from now and be complete by 2024.

At JFK Airport, the new 512-bed TWA Hotel is open and operational. With new passenger facilities, Cotton said he expects the first groundbreaking of the new Terminal 8, run by American Airlines and British Airlines, to be this fall.

“Once it starts, it’s going to gain momentum,” he said.

By mid-next year, there will be more groundbreakings. The first will be for Terminal 1, which is run by a consortium of four international airlines: Lufthansa, Air France, Japan Airlines and Korean Airlines.

After that will be the international terminal next to JetBlue’s existing terminal. They expect the first gates to open in late 2021 or early 2022.

“The scale of the JFK construction will be quite dramatic,” Cotton said, “as well as LaGuardia’s.”

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QUEENS CHAMBER NEWS & EVENTS

KOREA COMES TO QUEENS VIA BIZ EXPO

BY SARA KREVOY

“It’s sort of a smaller version of Silicon Valley,” said Soonouk The Queens Chamber of Com- Kwon, strategic planning director merce hosted a delegation of busi- for Spes Co. “If a company has a ness executives from Korea at patent or something technologiFlushing’s Daedong Manor for the cally better than other companies 2019 Global Business Festival. that you can get a patent for, the The October 19th expo provided Korean government is supporting attendees - from hospitality reps to these companies in many ways.” local realtors to curious commuSome of the exhibitors, like Spes, already have a presence in the Ameri“When we market in Europe can market. The comand the U.S., we focus more on functionality. In Korea, it’s pany, named after the more about the details and Roman goddess of design.” hope, has seen gradual - DASOM KIM, CEO OF POMETIC recognition stateside within the home haircare industry over the nity members – with the opportu- last two years. nity to meet more than 50 Korean Kwon explained that the goal is exhibitors from the beauty, skin- to expand their products to even care, fashion, food and technology more diverse demographics. industries.

Others used the event as a tool The Queens event was part of a for valuable research on the Amercoast-to-coast tour that included a ican market. Dasom Kim is CEO similar stop in Las Vegas. of Pometic, a company focusing “This is a wonderful opportunity on shower heads that filter water for your country and my country, while at the same time adding and your area and my area of Queens, which is the most diverse place in America,” Queens Chamber CEO and president Thomas The Queens Chamber of Grech told exhibitors. “There’s Commerce in conjunction with lots of businesses, and we want NYC Small Business Services to have as many of my members hosted the first Burmesetrade with you and other members American Business Resources of KTA and work together and be Day on October 19 at the Saint prosperous with us.”

James Episcopal Church in Exhibitors were sponsored on Corona. Over 200 people attendthe U.S. tour by the Korea Teched the event, which was free and nopark Association (KTA). The open to the public. government-involved research Attendees received a bag conorganizations provided the busitaining information from the nesses the funding and support Federal Trade Commission on to showcase their products on an how to avoid scams, a calendar international stage. of future events, and other busiThough the domestic market in ness-related information.

Korea is not very large, the govOver a dozen exhibitors, many ernment supports the innovation local, displayed traditional potthat Korean products are known tery, jade jewelry, Burmese for. coffee, and other foods. Other Evidence of this was abundant exhibitors included the Business at the expo. On display was everyCenter for New Americans thing from portable emergency car (BCNA) and Maspeth Federal starters and wireless home camSavings. eras doubling as porch lights, to The event featured a display of collagen-infused mouth strips and traditional Burmese dances and LED skincare patches.

Queens Chamber of Commerce CEO Thomas Grech joins representatives from Korea in kicking off the Global Business Festival. skin-enriching ingredients, such as Vitamin C. “I think Americans are more practical, in a good way,” she said.

“When we market in Europe and the U.S., we focus more on functionality. In Korea, it’s more about the details and design.”

Kim once tried to do business in the United Kingdom, but she

couldn’t find the financial assistance her company needed from private investors there. Working with KTA has given her the opportunity to branch out.

“The American market is a stage to test your product for many ethnicities,” said Kwon. “If this product works in the states, it will work everywhere.”

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS BURMESE COMMUNITY

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a series of lectures on financial management, loans, and importing and exporting.

Notable attendees included Queens Chamber president and CEO Thomas Grech, community organizer Moe Chan, Aung Lynn

ambassador to the United States from Myanmar in Washington (pictured), and Hau Do Suan permanent representative to the United Nations from Myanmar in New York City, and Assemblyman Michael DenDekker.

QUEENS CHAMBER NEWS & EVENTS

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QUEENS CHAMBER NEWS & EVENTS

CHAMBER ADDS TWO NEW COMMITTEES

BY BENJAMIN FANG The Queens Chamber of Commerce launched two new member committees last month.

The 10th committee will be the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Committee, which will be cochaired by former PropertyShark CEO Bill Staniford and former Amazon executive Michael Grella.

Staniford, who is also a former U.S. Marine Corps cryptologic and now the president of RealtyCrunch, said he’s mostly focused on new technologies in the property sector. He considers that sector, his core area of expertise, to be disrupting the largest industry on the planet.

At a launch meeting on October 23, Staniford told the committee that he’s primarily interested in the creation of incubators and accelerators in Queens.

“I would like to see these incubators and accelerators be broken up into different verticals, where it can specialize in different segments,” he said.

Grella, who was Amazon’s director of Economic Development before starting his own strategy firm, said his passion is big data and data analytics.

He said the committee can focus on the democratization of information to help not just grow the membership, but also help businesses grow. Data can be used to match in-demand occupations with college degrees, capture larger market shares, and identify collaboration opportunities, he said.

“How can we generate better outcomes for existing businesses in Queens?” Grella asked. “Data can better inform and guide you towards better outcomes.”

For example, his company, Grella Partnership Strategies, works with Fortune 500 companies, government entities and nongovernmental organizations and uses data to come up with policies, programs and tactics to generate better outcomes.

14

“I think if we combine our experiences and intellect, and combine that with the data that’s available, I think we can really start to form some really powerful strategies,” Grella said.

Assemblyman Clyde Vanel, chair of the Assembly’s Subcommittee on Internet and New Technology, joined the committee launch on October 23. Vanel, an Internet entrepreneur himself, said building and investing in an innovative ecosystem should be a focus.

“It’s very important for us to make sure that we try to build the next generation of entrepreneurs,” he said.

The 11th member committee, launched on October 30 at The One Boutique Hotel in Flushing, is the Arts and Entertainment Committee. That will be co-chaired

by Michelle Stoddart, director of Public Relations and Community Development at Resorts World

Jef Gross (far left) and Thomas Grech (far right) of the Queens Chamber with Bill Staniford and Michael Grella.

Casino NYC, and Jayson Simba, founder of Festival of Cinema NYC. Tom Grech, president and CEO of the Queens Chamber, said the

borough has many great cultural institutions, including museums, concert halls and sports venues.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 29

Pictured from left to right are Thomas Grech, Michelle Stoddart, Rob MacKay of the Queens Economic Development Corporation, and Jayson Simba.

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2019 QUEENS CHAMBER BUILDING AWARDS GALA

CHAMBER HONORS TOP DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

BY BENJAMIN FANG More than 400 business and government leaders attended the Queens Chamber of Commerce’s annual Building Awards gala last month, the chamber’s largest event in its history.

The chamber gave awards to 17 top construction and design projects in the borough, including three awards for the TWA Hotel at John F. Kennedy International Airport, where the event was held for the first time.

At the gala, the Queens Chamber honored new Buildings Commissioner Melanie La Rocca, a Queens native who previously served as vice president of development and external affairs at the School Construction Authority (SCA).

“It’s no surprise to anybody in this room that Queens is booming,” La Rocca said. “Your good business is our good business.”

According to the commissioner, in the second quarter of 2019, the city has seen the second highest number of building permits ever.

In Queens alone, more than 8,000 permits were issued.

“We’re here to make sure your projects get to yes,” she said. “The faster you get working, the faster you get working on your next project. That’s good for all of us.”

Tyler Morse, CEO and managing partner of MCR and MORSE Development, which brought the TWA Hotel to life, delivered the keynote address at the Building Awards.

Morse called the TWA Hotel, a project he worked on for five years, the single most important architectural building in the country.

“I always admired Eero Saarinen’s masterpiece, the TWA Flight Center,” he said. “It always struck me as tragic that it was dark for 15 years.”

According to Morse, Howard Hughes, who acquired TWA in 1939, was determined to build “the greatest airport terminal the world had ever seen.” Hughes, one of the richest people in the world, hired

16

Eero Saarinen for the job.

Hughes told Saarinen he didn’t care how much the project cost.

TWA never value-engineered the building, which came in at four times the original cost, Morse said.

“That’s why it’s a piece of art more than an airplane terminal,” he said. “I call it the eighth wonder of the world.”

The terminal ceased operations in 2001, and was almost torn down in 1995 and 2005.

Morse and his team of 7,000 people dealt with 22 government agencies, 14 preservationist groups and 178 consulting firms to put the project together. The 512-bed TWA Hotel is union built and operated.

One of the more remarkable aspects of the hotel is that it is completely off the city’s power grid.

MCR Development built its own power plant for the project.

Morse called the TWA Hotel the greenest building in New York City.

“We’re generating all of our own power,” he said. “We are really trying to do things differently here.”

The hotel will not only serve the traveling public, but the 40,000 people who work at JFK Airport and the local community as well. Morse said he subscribes to the European hotel model, in which hotels are a meeting and gathering place.

“That’s what I want TWA to be,”

Tyler Morse wants TWA Hotel to become a community hub. he said.

The hotel has a 200,000-squarefoot lobby, the largest hotel lobby in the world. It also has 500,000 square feet of meeting space and a rooftop infinity pool.

In six to eight weeks, TWA Hotel is installing a giant ice skating rink in front of its airplane. Morse said soon, visitors will be able to rent a pair of skates or play a youth hockey game.

He envisions ice dancers performing in front of stadium seating.

“This is just the beginning,” he said. “We’re going to have a lot of fun with this.”

They will also build a new tennis court next summer. The hotel will soon host ski jumping competitions.

Morse has spoken to ESPN about doing some version of their ESPY Awards at the TWA Hotel.

Morse wants the hotel to host a giant Christmas tree lighting and other holiday celebrations.

“We want this to be the Rockefeller Center of the Queens community,” he said. “Aren’t people tired of driving all the way into Manhattan?

This is where it’s going on.”

With 4,000 parking spots on site and public transit access with the AirTrain and Long Island Rail Road, all roads “lead to Kennedy,” he said.

“For the last 50 years, airports have been just a means to an end, not anymore,” Morse said. “Now, airports are a place for people to gather, a community hub.”

November 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 11

2019 QUEENS CHAMBER BUILDING AWARDS GALA

ALL PHOTOS: DOMINICK TOTINO

17

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QUEENS CHAMBER MEMBER NEWS TRAINING WEILL CORNELL: SERVING YOU IN QUEENS

CERTIFIED

Sharon Mahin is founder and CEO of Savoca Enterprises, a city and state-certified womenowned consulting firm focused on making connections between diverse business communities in the private and public sectors.

Founded in 1985, Savoca Enterprises has provided over 30 years of experience in a variety of industries and established a reputation as a taste setter for supply chain diversity.

As an active member of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, Savoca Enterprises was selected to provide an online single-source solution for Sexual Harassment Training.

As of October 9, every New York business is required to provide training that must be interactive and includes an explanation of sexual harassment consistent with the guidance issued by the Department of Labor.

The goal is to ensure that businesses are compliant and provide a safe and harassment-free working environment for everyone. This training allows businesses to qualify for the New York State’s Sexual Harassment Prevention Certificate with confidence.

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Weill Cornell Medicine is committed to excellence in patient care, scientific discovery and the education of future physicians in New York City and around the world.

The doctors and scientists of Weill Cornell Medicine — faculty from Weill Cornell Medical College, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, and Weill Cornell Physician Organization—are engaged in world-class clinical care and cutting-edge research that connect patients to the latest treatment innovations and prevention strategies.

Located in the heart of the Upper East Side’s scientific corridor,

Weill Cornell Medicine’s powerful network of collaborators extends to its parent university Cornell University; to Qatar, where Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar offers a Cornell University medical degree; and to programs in Tanzania, Haiti, Brazil, Austria and Turkey.

Weill Cornell Medicine faculty provide comprehensive patient care at NewYorkPresbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian Queens and NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. Weill Cornell Medicine is also affiliated with

Houston Methodist.

Weill Cornell Medicine physicians are providing care in various locations throughout Queens, offering residents access to unparalleled primary and specialty care doctors right in their backyards. They are also now offering same-day and next-day appointments for Kids and Adults at its newest Primary Care office at 5-31 50th Avenue in Long Island City.

To learn more about Weill Cornell Medicine’s locations and physician profiles, please visit WeillCornell.org or call 646-9629937. To learn more about Weill Cornell Medicine’s education and research missions, please visit Weill.Cornell.edu.

NONPROFIT NEWS

CWNY OPENING IN FORT TOTTEN Ann Jawin, founder of The Center for the Women of New York in 1987, announced the long-awaited grand opening of a new location in Fort Totten in Bayside is tentatively scheduled for November 17. Currently located at Borough Hall in Kew Gardens, CWNY’s new location in a newly renovated, landmark building at 207 Totten Avenue will allow expanded offerings of workshops, support groups, clinics, and conferences in support of women and women’s rights.

The new site will also host a library and “living” museum dedicated to documenting women’s struggle to attain full equality in society. The center also aims to be a full-service research “think-tank” working with educational institutions and community organizations to develop and demonstrate models for training women in all matters than can improve and enrich their lives.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will acknowledge and honor all those who contributed to and helped this project. A tour of the facilities will

follow, and refreshments will be available. Funds came from state and city officials, members of The Center for the Women of New York, and various private donors and citizens who wanted to see this historic center become a reality.

The building will be the only full service women’s center completely devoted to women’s equality between the New York City metropolitan area and

Seneca Falls in upstate New York.

Donations are needed and appreciated. They may be made online at cwny.org/donations.

CWNY is also seeking volunteers ahead of the grand opening of the Bayside location.

Those with office and business skills and other talents who are able to donate at least a few hours each week are asked to send their resumes or a simple letter to CWNY Chair Ann Jawin at centerwny@yahoo.com.

THE TASTE OF VARIETY

Local-turned-national restaurant chain Bareburger recently unveiled the “Variety Burger,” which is named after the Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens (VBGCQ).

For every burger sold, Bareburger will donate $1 to the Astoriabased club. Bareburger’s first restaurant was in the neighborhood.

“We are so proud to support the club,” said CEO Michael Pitsinos.

“Their impact on the lives of so many Astoria youth deserves to be celebrated. This is just our way of

recognizing their significance.”

The Variety Burger includes alfalfa, sriracha honey dressing, tempeh bacon, sweet potato patty, tomato, red onion, garlic aioli, and pickled jalapenos on a brioche bun.

“We wanted to be on-the-nose with the Variety,” said Nabeel Alamgir, marketing director at Bareburger. “We really put a lot of thought into this burger.”

The Variety Burger will be featured at all of Bareburger’s more than 30 locations nationwide.

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BEST ENTERTAINMENT IN NOVEMBER? IT’S IN QUEENS! With Election Day, Veterans Day, and Thanksgiving, November is steeped in national importance.

Queens fulfills these duties, but also finds time for a harmony explosion, Sesame Street celebration, macho Irish sport, gingerbread, and boy bands, among other fun events.

Nov. 7, Pride Night Out, 6:30 pm. The Queens World Film Festival screens three shorts ─ “BeYoutiful,” “Chosen Family,” and “Like Glass” ─ that address topics such as self-acceptance, safe spaces, and sexuality. Free Synagogue of Flushing, 136-23 Sanford Ave., queensworldfilmfestival.com.

Nov. 9, The Manhattan Transfer Meets Take 6, 8 pm. The Manhattan Transfer has performed for 50 years. The soulful-sounding a cappella group Take 6 has been around for almost 40 years.

They meet for a concert featuring harmonies of epic proportions by singers holding a total of 20 Grammy Awards. Colden Auditorium, Queens College, Reeves Avenue, Flushing, kupferbergcenter.org.

Nov. 10-24, Two Programs Celebrating 50 Years of Sesame Street. First up is a screening of the premier episode of “Sesame Street” followed by a discussion with people who created it on Nov. 10, the same date that “Sesame Street” broadcast for the first time in 1969, at 2 pm. Next up is an

afternoon of rare segments that never aired (i.e. Snuffy’s parents get a divorce), were shelved after initial broadcast (Margaret Hamilton’s appearance), or featured characters that were retired on Nov. 24 at 2 pm. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria’s Kaufman Arts District, movingimage.us.

Nov. 14, Newtown Creek, 6:30 pm. Mitch Waxman shares photographs from his recently published book, “In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” and discusses the area’s history, use, and environmental challenges. He has explored and photographed the architecture and landscape of Newtown Creek for decades. Roosevelt Island Historical Society, New York Public Library Branch on Roosevelt Island, 524 Main St., rihs.us.

Nov. 15-24, Barefoot in the Park. Nine presentations of this 1963 play by Neil Simon that was adapted into a blockbuster movie starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda in 1967. After a honeymoon at The Plaza, Corie and Paul move into their fifth-floor walkup with no bathtub and a hole in the skylight.

Straitlaced lawyer Paul and freespirit Corie didn’t know each other long before getting hitched, and day-to-day living puts a strain on the newlyweds. Hilarity ensues as Corie’s mother pops in from New

50 YEARS OF SESAME STREET

Jersey and an eccentric upstairs neighbor uses the couple’s window to crawl home. Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Ave. S., Flushing Meadows Corona Park, queenstheatre.org.

Nov. 16, New York Hurling Classic, 12:30 pm. An Irish sport comes to Queens for a three-game competition with 11-men squads from four Emerald Isle counties: Limerick; Tipperary; Kilkenny; and Wexford. Believed to be the world’s oldest field game, hurlers use wooden sticks (or hurleys) to hit small balls between goalposts and over crossbars. Citi Field, mets.com/hurling.

Nov. 16, Richmond Hill North: A Victorian Village in the Center of Queens, 1 pm. William Gati, an architect, licensed guide, and New York Institute of Technology

GINGERBREAD LANE

professor, leads a walk through a district with federal and state landmark status. Victorian houses, parks, churches, schools, and shops and are the list. More info at mas. org.

Nov. 17, Sunnyside Craft Show, 9:30 am to 5 pm. Local artists sell their leather, clay, textile, food, photography, art, paper, and jewelry items. Queen of Angels Parish Center, Skillman Avenue and 44th Street, Sunnyside, sunnysideartistsblog.weebly.com.

Nov. 23-Jan. 12, GingerBread Lane. This annual exhibition consists entirely of edible gingerbread, royal icing, and candy. The houses are drafted, designed, baked, planned, built, and decorated by chef Jon Lovitch. This year’s GingerBread Lane includes storefronts with quirky names like “Pickles and Ice Cream Pregnancy Boutique,” “6 Geese a Laying Brunch Café,” “5 Golden Rings Jewelry Store,” and “Deck the Halls Holiday Decorating Service.” There are related workshops and a giveaway on the final day. New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th St., Flushing Meadows Corona Park, nysci.org.

Nov. 23, The Boy Band Project, 8 pm. This interactive cover group reimages the sound, movement, and energy of such bands as NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, Hanson, One Direction, and Boyz II Men. The Lexington Center, 25-26 75th St., East Elmhurst, visitqpac.org.

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

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November 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 11

QUEENSBOROUGH CALENDAR OF EVENTS 11/12, 9 AM

NOVEMBER

RENT...STABILIZATION OF COST

11/6 12 TO 3 PM

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The Pop-Up Chamber offers a range of services including information on starting your own business, business financing and access to capital, city and state M/WBE certification, legal assistance, business planning and permits, as well as compliance issues across all city and state agencies.

Queens Library 214-20 Northern Blvd.

Bayside 11/7, 12:30 PM

CAREER EXPO

Open to members of the public, current students and alumni of Plaza College,attending participants will be able to meet employers who have career opportunities.

Plaza College Commons Area 118-33 Queens Blvd.

Forest Hills

PAYER - IMPLICATIONS FOR NEW YORK

DECEMBER

Queens Chamber Real Estate committee has assembled a panel with expertise in this area to discuss the ramifications of the Tenant Protection and Housing Stability Act of 2019.

Register at queenschamber.org Jamaica Performing Arts Center 153-10 Jamaica Ave. Jamaica

This discussion will focus solely on what the realities would mean for New York State. A panel of experts will share critical information from various perspectives.

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

Elmhurst

12/4, 6 PM

10/15, 9 AM

11/19 10 AM TO 2 PM

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN A CULTURALLY DIVERSE WORKPLACE

SHOW ME THE MONEY! APPLYING FOR GOVERNMENT FUNDS

If you’re a local Queens nonprofit interested in learning the process to apply for government funds this discussion is for you.

Queens Botanical Garden 43-50 Main St. Flushing 11/19, 9 AM

REALITIES OF SINGLE

POP-UP CHAMBER

The Pop-Up Chamber offers a range of services including information on starting your own business, business financing and access to capital, city and state M/WBE certification, legal assistance, business planning and permits, as well as compliance issues across all city and state agencies.

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Terrace on the Park 52-11 111th Street Flushing 12/5, 9 AM

This program will provide the necessary skills to manage and resolve conflict from a cultural perspective so that you can thrive in an increasingly diverse world.

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JOBS INITIATIVES IN JFK REDEVELOPMENT

BY BENJAMIN FANG The Port Authority has unveiled a slew of new hiring and jobs initiatives as the $13 billion redevelopment of John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport gets underway.

Last month, Port Authority executive director Rick Cotton, local elected officials and members of the project’s advisory council gathered at the JFK Redevelopment Community Information Center in Jamaica for the announcement.

Cotton said the four initiatives are the result of dialogue and recommendations from the advisory council, which is co-chaired by Borough President Melinda Katz and Congressman Gregory Meeks.

“We really are focused on ensuring that when we do major infrastructure projects, that we do them with the community,” he said.

The Port Authority leader said he wants the JFK Redevelopment project to be a “national model” for large-scale projects that ensure community benefits for surrounding neighborhoods.

“We want to be a model starting from the very beginning of the project,” Cotton said.

The first initiative is a jobs recruiting program to match southeast Queens residents with job openings for the redevelopment.

The target is 15,000 operating jobs at the airport and 4,000 construction jobs expected during the five-year construction period.

The hiring effort will be based out of the Jamaica office of the Council for Airport Opportunity (CAO), a nonprofit trade association that identifies employment needs in the neighborhoods surrounding local airports.

By spring 2020, the Port Authority will open a new JFK Career Center at the Rockaway Development and Revitalization Corporation in Far Rockaway, which will have four staff members focused on connecting local residents to employment opportunities.

The next initiative is the creation of a new Office of Second Chance Employment (OSCE) within the Council for Airport Opportunity to

22

Community and business leaders joined Borough President Melinda Katz and Port Authority executive director Rick Cotton (both behind podium) to announce the new programs and partnerships.

provide opportunities for formerlyincarcerated individuals.

The office will work with existing organizations and forge new partnerships with groups like the Fortune Society, Thomas White Jr. Foundation, 100 Suits for 100 Men, Exodus Transitional Services, LIFE Camp and more.

Five major employers with the redevelopment, including operations contractors and the Port Authority itself, have committed to interviewing qualified candidates for at least 25 percent of eligible jobs.

“This means changing patterns on all sides of the hiring process,” Cotton said, “and we are committed to do that.”

Next, the JFK Redevelopment project will support the launch of a Science and Technology Education Program (STEP) for local students in grades one through 12. The program will be run by York College, and will serve 300 students every summer.

The summer program, which relaunches in 2020, will provide four weeks of full-day sessions, along with Saturday sessions in the

fall and spring.

This $3 million initiative builds off York College’s Science Engineering Mathematics and Aerospace Academy (SEMAA) program, which was first established in 1999 with funding from NASA. SEMAA has been at risk of being eliminated due to federal budget cuts.

“The program will focus not only on STEM in general, but will highlight aviation and aeronautics,” Cotton said, “and can hopefully inspire the next generation of home-grown Queens aviation experts.”

The last initiative is a commitment from the new Terminal One to reserve at least 50 percent of food and beverage concession venues for New York City-based restaurants, with a specific focus on Queensbased businesses.

In addition, the Port Authority will launch a new training program to prepare Queens companies to compete for these concession opportunities.

All of these initiatives, Cotton said, are focused on job creation, small business outreach and capacity-building, education for local

residents and environmental stewardship.

All of them will be implemented before the first project of the JFK Redevelopment breaks ground at the end of the year.

“We view the announcements today as a beginning,” Cotton said. “Stay tuned for additional announcements.”

Katz praised the hiring initiatives as the “perfect opportunity” to prove that big organizations and government entities can respond to community needs.

“The initiatives are groundbreaking, it is a prototype,” she said.

“We should hold other organizations accountable to the standards we have set here.”

Thomas Grech, president and CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, who is a member of the advisory council, said this is only the beginning of a “lovely relationship” for “business opportunities.”

“It’s great to have the chamber as part of this council to help get the word out to our members and others,” Grech said, “so they can benefit from this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

November 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 11

SEVEN NEW GATES OPEN AT LAGUARDIA

BY SARA KREVOY Once compared to a third-world country by former vice president Joe Biden, LaGuardia Airport is getting a long-overdue upgrade.

“We are in a competition and the airports are the new front door,” said Governor Andrew Cuomo at the unveiling of the first concourse to be opened as a part of LaGuardia’s new Delta terminal.

“We are better than what LaGuardia is, and denial is not a life option,” continued Cuomo, “If you deny a problem, you will never solve it.”

Delta CEO Ed Bastian was joined by Cuomo and other officials - and even Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard - for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 29 . Seven gates are now operating flights to

Boston, Chicago and Washington from the new concourse.

Upon completion, the $3.9 billion terminal will feature 37 gates across four concourses, all converging at a centralized hall where passengers can check-in and go through a security checkpoint.

Renovations also cover dual taxiways to reduce gate congestion that often causes delays on the tarmac.

In addition to installing a larger Delta Sky Club that includes a Sky Deck, the airline did not skimp on amenities. Travelers on Delta’s 275-plus departures from its LaGuardia hub will dine at an enlarged concession area featuring local favorites like H&H bagels and Birch Coffee, while taking in sweeping views of Flushing Bay and Citi Field.

The modernized gate areas are

equipped with electrical outlets between seats, so passengers can charge their devices while waiting to takeoff.

Construction to replace Terminals C and D began in August 2017, and is part of a planned $8 billion wall-to-wall overhaul of the entire airport.

The project involves taking down and rebuilding each terminal, except the landmark Marine Air Terminal, making LaGuardia the nation’s first totally new airport in 25 years.

“At a time in this nation that we are in many ways adrift and have lost our sense of confidence,” said Cuomo, “if you doubt our ability, if you think we’ve lost our mojo, just look to New York and we will light the way.”

Once finished, LaGuardia Air-

port will be a single, integrated airport from end to end. The first new concourse opened in Terminal B last December, and featured 18 gates and 55-foot floor-to-ceiling windows.

The next component will be an expansive arrival and departure hall for Terminal B scheduled to open in mid-2020, shortly followed by the terminal’s second concourse and additional gates.

On October 25, the Port Authority’s Board of Commissioners formally authorized the funding needed for a LaGuardia AirTrain.

The project will provide two stations, one at the center of LaGuardia and one serving Terminal C, directly connecting the airport to Penn Station and Grand Central in Manhattan via the LIRR and subway stops at Willets Point.

PHOTO: GOVERNOR’S OFFICE

Representatives from the New York Mets, including pitcher Noah Syndergaard, joined elected and airport officials for the grand opening.

23

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES 82ND STREET PARTNERSHIP

37-06 82nd Street, Jackson Heights, NY 11372 Executive Director: Leslie Ramos 718.335.9421 82ndstreet.org QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $224,000 with more than 200 businesses under its umbrella. The district is on 82nd Street from 37th Avenue to Baxter Avenue. The board meets quarterly with the annual meeting in June.

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

BAYSIDE VILLAGE BID

213-33 39th Avenue, Bayside, NY 11361 Executive Director: Christine Siletti 718.423.2434 info@baysidevillagebid.com QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $218,000 and over 350 members.

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

BAYSIDE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

41-16 Bell Boulevard, Bayside, NY 11361 President: Ed Probst Vice President: Judith Limpert 718.229.2277 info@baysideba.com baysideba.com 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.

BUSINESS CENTER FOR NEW AMERICANS (BCNA)

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

BCNA is an approved Small Business Administration Intermediary Lender and a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). BCNA’s Microloan program is the cornerstone of its services.

They provide small business loans and microloans to business owners who are not able to obtain loans from traditional lenders.

24

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.

On December 2, the Chamber will host the annual Celebrate Winter event on Austin Street.

GATEWAY JFK

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

GatewayJFK is seeking sponsors for banners on Rockaway Boulevard. Participating sponsors will have their logo displayed on the lower portion of the banners for one full-year. Sponsoring the banner will cost $1,000, but sponsoring three or more banners costs $750 per banner. If interested, contact GatewayJFK at 516-730-3400 or scott@gatewayjfk.org.

The BID recently launched the GatewayJFK Rideshare portal to match commuters with others who live and work close to each other.

Commuters are free to choose how frequently they want to carpool and with whom. If you are a member who regularly carpools and you need to leave work in an emergency, the free Guaranteed Ride Program will get you to your destination for free by public transit, taxi, Lyft or Uber.

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.

Upcoming events include: • Grow NYC Greenmarket - Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. - Visit the GrowNYC Greenmarket at Maple Playground at 136-50 Maple Avenue.

GREATER JAMAICA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

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

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

JAMAICA CENTER BID

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

Founded in 1979, the Jamaica Center BID serves over 400 businesses on Jamaica Avenue between Sutphin Boulevard and 169th Street.

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

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

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

The Down to Earth Farmers Market is held every Friday on Parsons Boulevard between

November 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 11

QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES Jamaica and Archer avenues and every Saturday on 160th Street between Jamaica and 90th avenues until November 23.

JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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

has over 200 members.

JFK Airport is the only airport in the country to have its own chamber of commerce wholly dedicated to the airport business community, which employs 35,000 people. The airport handles more than 50 million passengers a year and more than a million tons of air freight cargo.

LONG ISLAND CITY PARTNERSHIP

President: Elizabeth Lusskin

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

WBID WELCOMES NEW PLANTERS

BY BENJAMIN FANG

Motorists, cyclists and pedestrians traveling down Woodhaven Boulevard will now see colorful and lovely new planters along the corridor.

On Monday, Councilman Eric Ulrich, the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Queens Botanical Garden (QBG) announced a new project to install 15 planters along Woodhaven Boulevard from 86th Road to 88th Avenue.

“We’re really trying to add some green, beautiful space to the concrete jungle,” said Ulrich, who funded the installations. “A very busy place where I think it’s really needed.”

QBG will maintain the planters over the next year. After that, the planters will be permanently adopted by the Woodhaven Business Improvement District (BID).

“I think it’s a brilliant project that makes improvements for the residents who live here and the businesses,” said Susan Lacerte, QBG’s executive director.

There will be a number of plant species within the 15 planters, including Yucca Color Guards, Dwarf Manchurian Lilacs and Juniper Blue Stars.

The planters are also filled out with perennials like Liriope Big Blue, Sedum Stonecrop Autumn Joy and Lady’s Mantle, according to Ulrich’s office.

“We have very resilient, colorful plants,” said Carlos Miguel Espinal, a horticulture associate with QBG. “We don’t have to worry about replacing them all the time.”

Raquel Olivares, executive director of the Woodhaven BID, said the organization understands how important these projects are for neighborhoods and local merchants.

“For us, they not only add beauty and color,” she said. “It’s amazing what a few planters can do in a space like this. In fact, we’ve been getting positive feedback from the community.

“This is something we hope we can expand later on to Jamaica Avenue to attract foot traffic,” Olivares added. “Not only that, but attract

The Queens Botanical Garden partnered with the Woodhaven Business Improvement District to bring decorative planters to Woodhaven Boulevard.

more businesses to our district.”

The south Queens councilman said these types of planters were first installed last year on Broad Channel as a pilot program. They not only add aesthetic beauty to an area, but also play a larger role in community revitalization.

“They’re not low enough to the ground to get damaged by the salt from water or exhaust from cars,” Ulrich said. “The fact that they’re a little higher up allows them the ability to survive better.”

For Deputy Queens DOT Commissioner Jason Banrey, the planters are one component to beautify the Woodhaven Boulevard corridor.

The planters are placed on median tip extensions, which will eventually be built in concrete.

They provide safety for pedestrians crossing the highly-used boulevard.

“It shortens the crossing distance,” Banrey said. “Not only does this design do that, but the planters add a protective calming measure to

vehicles that are coming into the approach.’

DOT is currently in talks with QBG on possibly implementing similar planters in the Howard Beach and Lindenwood areas by the co-ops, Banrey said.

Ulrich, who professed to have a love for plants and a “green thumb,” said growing up his grandmother had a beautiful garden in the backyard. The councilman also takes care of a tree pit in front of his office.

“In a big city like New York, the more we can introduce green space in urban communities, the better off we are,” he said.

He predicted that when drivers notice the planters, they’re going to smile and like what they see.

“They’re going to feel good about the place where they live and work,” Ulrich added. “It’s all about quality of life and helping people appreciate their surroundings.”

25

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES and the LIC Industrial Business Zone.

On November 19, the Partnership will host LIC Summit: Inspiring Innovation at the Museum of the Moving Image at 36-01 35th Avenue from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. This year’s Summit will explore how LIC is paving the way for innovative leaders in the fields of co-living and co-working, entrepreneurship, life science, and mobility thanks in part to all that LIC has to offer.

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 Chamber’s Monthly Meeting will take place on Tuesday, November 26, at noon It will be held at Connolly’s Corner at 71-15 Grand Avenue.

MASPETH INDUSTRIAL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION (MIBA)

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

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

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

MIDDLE VILLAGE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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

Formed in 1929. MVCC meets annually and focuses on the Metropolitan Avenue shopping district between 69 and 80 th streets.

Annual membership fee is $150, and they are looking to gain momentum through attracting new members. The mission is to improve the area and assist local businesses if they have any concerns or needs.

MYRTLE AVENUE BID 26

62-14 Myrtle Avenue, Ridgewood, NY 11385 Executive Director: Ted Renz 718.366.3806 QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $500,000 with over 300 retail and service businesses under its purview.

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

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

On November 30, the BID will host a holiday event featuring pictures with Santa, festive music and surprises for the kids. It will take place at 71st Avenue and Forest Avenue from 12 to 3 p.m.

QUEENS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

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

Funded by Department of Small Business Services, they strive to create and retain jobs via programs that grow neighborhoods and assist small businesses. QEDC assists by providing one-on-one consultations, hosting workshops, operating training courses and networking events. Upcoming events include: • Business Information Session for Veterans on Tuesday, November 5, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. - This will be an opportunity to meet with experts in both group and one-on-one settings and get help with all areas of starting or growing a business: Writing a Business Plan, Capital Access, Marketing, Government Contracting, Exporting, Buying Property and Equipment; Credit; Accounting; Growth and Succession Plans. It will take place at the Fort Hamilton Army Reserve Center at 212 General Lee Avenue in Brooklyn.

• Queens StartUP! Introduction: Your Business

Idea on Tuesday, November 5, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - This workshop focuses on providing tools and framework for you to test your startup idea and identify risks before deciding whether or not to pursue the business opportunity. It will take place at the Queens Library at 41-17 Main Street in Flushing.

• Queens StartUP! Testing Your Business Model on Tuesday November 12, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - This workshop focuses on using Business Model Canvas to run experiences and help you figure out how your startup creates and delivers value. It will take place at the Queens Library at 41-17 Main Street in Flushing.

• Queens StartUP! Startup Marketing on Tuesday, November 19, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

- This workshop will help you lay the foundation of what’s needed in a successful startup marketing strategy. It will also cover common channels and best practices. It will take place at the Queens Library at 41-17 Main Street in Flushing.

• Get Business From New York City and State Government on November 21 from 10 a.m. to Noon - Learn about getting certified as a Minority/Woman Business Enterprise and what you will need to do to obtain government contracts. It will take place at The Entrepreneur Space at 36-43 37th Street in Long Island City.

• Queens StartUP! Entrepreneurial Financing on Tuesday, November 26, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - This workshop focuses on providing financial model templates to help earlystage entrepreneurs with forecasting so they can be equipped to submit the application for the StartUP! Competition. It will take place at the Queens Library at 41-17 Main Street in Flushing.

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.

Business Person of the Year Awards Honoring

Tyquana HendersonRivers President/CEO Connective Strategies Associates, Inc.

Alexandra Vassilaros Executive Vice President Vassilaros & Sons Coffee

Terrace on the Park

HALL OF FAME HONOREE & KEYNOTE SPEAKER Rick Cotton Executive Director The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey

Chris Xu President United Construction & Development Group Corp.

December 04, 2019

AWARDED POSTHUMOUSLY

Dimitrios "Jimmy" Kaloidis Philanthropist, Entrepreneur, Co-owner of Terrace on the Park

6:00pm - 11:00pm

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES Diamond Sponsor - $20,000

Bronze Sponsor - $1,500

20 tickets, Remarks, Award Presenter, inside front cover of Awards Journal, pre/post event publicity

2 tickets, 1/4 page ad, pre/post event publicity

Platinum Sponsor - $10,000 15 tickets, Remarks, Award Presenter, premium full-page ad placement, pre/post event publicity

Gold Sponsor - $5,000 10 tickets, full-page ad, pre/post event publicity

Silver Sponsor - $2,500 5 tickets, 1/2 page ad, pre/post event publicity

Single Ticket - $175 Table of 10 - $1,500

ADS Full page - $799Â Dimensions 5.5"w x 8.5"h

Half page - $599Â Dimensions Vertical - 2.75"w x 8.5"h Horizontal - 5.5" w x 4.25"h

Ad Deadlines Space reservation by Nov 05, 2019 Non-camera-ready materials due Nov 09, 2019 Camera- ready artwork due Nov 12, 2019 Publication date Nov 26, 2019 email ad file to jpersad@queenschamber.org High Resolution PDF - preferred format Adobe PDF preset PDF/x-1a:2001 or press quality, Please submit files as 300dpi, CMYK or gray scale with embedded fonts

Please make checks payable to Queens Chamber of Commerce Mail to: Queens Chamber of Commerce 75-20 Astoria Blvd, Suite 140, Jackson Heights, NY 11370

Visit queenschamber.org or call 718.898.8500 for sponsorship and ticket information.

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

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QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES ROCKAWAY DEVELOPMENT & REVITALIZATION CORPORATION

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

Founded in 1978, the Rockaway Development & Revitalization Corporation (RDRC) was established to promote the revitalization of the Rockaway’s economic base and neighborhoods by creating long-standing partnerships with city and state agencies. RDRC is governed by a twelve-member board of directors and a fivemember 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 the corporation’s office at 1920 Mott Avenue in Far Rockaway.

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. Upcoming events include:

SUNNYSIDE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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

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

SUNNYSIDE SHINES

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

The BID is still looking for sponsors for

Sunnyside Street Banners along Queens Boulevard and Greenpoint Avenue. There are still a number of locations still available, call the office for more info. Companies that are not located in Sunnyside are invited to participate as well. Sponsorships start at $350 and last for one year.

Upcoming events include: • Sunnsyide Shorts International Film Festival from 1 to 3 p.m. at Sunnyside Reformed Church, 48-03 Skillman Avenue.

• Annual Holiday Lighting 2019 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at 46th Street and Queens Boulevard.

SUTPHIN BOULEVARD BID

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

The Air Train Jazz takes place on Sutphin Boulevard every Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Jamaica AirTrain Station. There will be no performance on Thanksgiving.

STEINWAY ASTORIA PARTNERSHIP BID

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

The Steinway Street Business Improvement District encompasses all 300 business located on Steinway Street from 28th Avenue to 35th Avenue. National chain stores such as Victoria’s Secrets, The Gap, Benetton, and Express are side by side with local family owned shops some of them fixtures on the street for some 50 years.

Board meetings are held seven times a year.

28

On October 19, the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation held its 19th annual Harvest Festival on 160th Street in downtown Jamaica outside the famed Harvest Room. Pictured is Bobby Wall of The Prest4Time band entertaining the crowd. (Photo: Walter Karling)

November 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 11

NEW MEMBERS MAJOR CORPORATE

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Rochdale Village Community Center

169-65 137th Ave, Room 14 Jamaica, NY 11434 rochdaleevents.com The Rochdale Village Community Center is

a multifaceted, multi-service center, serving the social, cultural, recreational and educational needs of the Rochdale Village community and its surrounding neighbors. The Rochdale Village Community Center is the core “hub” of activity, special events, forums, community meetings and gatherings.

TD Electric

17-20 Whitestone Expressway, Suite 302 Whitestone, NY 11357 tcelect.net New York City’s premier electrical contractor in the infrastructure construction market. They specialize in successfully delivering complex electrical systems for public and private organizations, with deep roots in transit systems and a proven history of success across all electrical disciplines.

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NEW COMMITTEE TO PUT FOCUS ON ARTS IN QUEENS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

One of the members of the committee is the New York Mets.

“We want to make sure everybody in Queens know these institutions exist, and that they flourish,” he said. “There’s really no comparison to Queens County. We have it all here.”

Katha Cato, executive director of the Queens World Film Festival, is a member of the committee. She said the arts are “really the legacy”

of the borough, especially for filmmaking.

With the explosion of technology, anybody can make a film anywhere, she said, but it’s still hard to get them screened.

“So joining a committee like this really brings all these artists together,” she said. “We can network with each other and lift each other up.

“I’m really hoping what they do is raise the visibility of all the individual artists,” Cato added, “and all of the arts organizations creat-

FAR ROCKAWAY PROJECT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

community-driven Downtown Far Rockaway Roadmap for Action (PDF). A former DOT Municipal Parking Lot plays a central role in the neighborhood’s transformation as the future site of affordable housing, new retail and community space for residents and the new plaza.

To manage the needs of residents and businesses during construction, DDC has two Community Construction Liaisons (CCL) assigned to the project who will work on-site to keep the neighborhood apprised of construction progress, coordinate street closures and utility shutoff and arrange special requests such as deliveries to local homes and businesses.

Continuous access will be maintained to the area’s two commuter train stations, while the

seven bus routes that traverse the construction zone will be detoured periodically.

The project was bid using the joint bidding method of contracting, a more efficient contracting process that incorporates City work and private utility work in one bid package and contract.

The city has set goals for the project for awards to Minority- and Women-Owned Businesses Enterprises (M/WBEs) of 15 percent to women-owned businesses and 15 percent to minority-owned businesses.

Shoshana Khan is Assistant Public Information Officer for the Department of Design and Construction.

ing incredible work in Queens.”

Simba added that his goal of the committee is to establish the borough as a place where people can enjoy various entertainment events, whether it’s concerts, films or even gambling.

They’re already planning events to shine a spotlight on these industries.

“We feel that Queens has more potential than what it’s given,” Simba said. “With this committee, we want to push the envelope in bringing the awareness that Queens deserves.”

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

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

29

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH EXECUTIVE COMMMITEE

queenschamber.org EXECUTIVE STAFF

Thomas Santucci

Richard Dzwlewicz

Thomas J. Grech

Brendan Leavy

Nash Roe

Fran Biderman-Gross

Joanne M. Persad

Jacqueline Donado

Chairperson

Associate Treasurer

Vice Chairperson

Associate Secretary

Treasurer

Immediate Past Chair

Patrick Yu

Susan Browning

Mayra DiRico

Secretary

President & CEO

Business Development Manager

Chief of Operations

Strategic Program Coordinator

Alejandra Espejo

Jef Gross

Financial Controller

Neil Wagner

Business Service Program Manager

Manager of Committee Development

CHAIRPERSON’S ADVISORY COUNCIL William Blake Dominick Ciampa Joseph Farber Louis D. Laurino

Joseph M. Mattone, Sr George Rozansky Gerard Thornton

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Patrick Yu Daniel Zausner

CORPORATE MEMBERS A&E Real Estate A&L Cesspool Services Corp A. Giannopoulos Architects AAA Northeast AARP Ackman-Ziff ADP Major Accounts Adria Hotel and Conference Center Aeroterm Alma Bank Amna Construction Corp AmTrust Title Andromeda Antun’s of Queens Village Apple Bank for Savings Apple-Metro, Inc. Ashnu International, Inc. Atco Properties Accounts Payable Aurora Contractors, Inc. AYC Properties LLC Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP Bank of America Merrill Lynch Bank of Hope BankUnited, N.A Bellozino Bethpage Federal Credit Union BNB Boyce Technologies Inc. Broadway Stages Capital One Bank Center for Automotive Education and Training Cerini and Associates, LLP. Ciampa Organization Cipico Construction, Inc. ClearCell Power

Conference Associates, Inc Cord Meyer Development LLC Corporate Development Systems, Inc. Courtyard by Marriott CPEX Real Estate Crescent Properties, Inc Crown Castle Cushman & Wakefield Daroga Power, LLC E Central Medical Management East Coast Energy Group Ecosave Inc. Edge Auto Inc. Elmhurst Hospital Center Emigrant Mortgage Company EMU Health Enterprise Fleet Management eXp Realty: Andrew Wu Exquisite Construction Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. (FREE) Farrell Fritz, P.C. Flushing Bank Flushing Council On Culture & The Arts Forest Hills Financial Group Inc. GF55 Partners Global Industrial Goldenwood Property Advisors Goodwill Industries of New York & Northern New Jersey, Inc. Graf & Lewent Architects Greater NY Automobiles Dealers Association Greenberg Traurig Greenpoint Manufacturing &

Design Center (GMDC) Greiner Maltz Company of NY Gum Studios Hampton Inn by Hilton JFK Airport Hilton Garden Inn Long Island City New York HK Capital Manhattan View Hyatt Place Flushing INDA, Association of Nonwoven Fabric Industry Innovo Property Group International Asbestos Removal Inc. iRCM, Inc. James F. Capalino & Assoc.

Jaros, Baum & Bolles Jason Office Products JetBlue Airways Corporation JFA Insurance Brokerage & Associates Inc. JGM Construction Development, LLC Jones Lang LaSalle Kasirer Consulting Kaufman Astoria Studios Inc. Kimco Realty Corporation Klein Weath Management/ Hightower Advisors Laffey Real Estate Laser Bounce of Brooklyn Inc. Lessing’s Food Service Management Levine Builders Lime Luxury Office Suites LLC Lyons Mortgage Services, Inc. M&V Provision Company

Madison Realty Capital Main Street Radiology Manpower Marriott International, Inc McBride Consulting & Business Medisys Health Network Mega Contracting Group LLC MetroPlus Health Plan Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade MicroGrid Neworks, LLC Molloy College Mount Sinai Hospital of Queens Mr. T Carting Corp.

Muss Development LLC NEOLEDGE Neuman’s Kitchen New York + Atlantic Railway New York Health Plan Association New York Oil Heating Association New York Restaurant Association New York Safety and Training NYC Ferry Operated by Hornblower Northwell Health OneGroup Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation Patrick B. Jenkins & Associates Patrizia’s Italian Restaurant Petro Home Services Plastic Surgery of New York Portnoy, Messinger, Pearl & Assoc., Inc. Premier Paint Roller Co LLC

COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Michelle Stoddart Resorts World NYC michelle.stoddary@rwnewyork.com Jayson Simba Festival of Cinema NYC FestivalofCinemaNYC@gmail.com

COMMUNICATIONS Joshua Bienstock, NYIT bienlaw@aol.com Dayana Cabeza Be Growth Consulting contact@begrowthconsulting.com

ENERGY

Marshall Haimson E-Capital Development marshall@e-capitaldevelopment.com James Hendon Energy Economic Development Corp. jhendon@energyedc.com

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ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION Bill Staniford bill@staniford.com Michael Grella Grella Partnership Services mike@socialquityventures.com

HEALTHCARE & WELLNESS

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

HOSPITALITY

REAL ESTATE

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

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

MANUFACTURING

TECHNOLOGY

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

NONPROFIT

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

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

TRANSPORTATION

Kris Amato TD Bank Kristin.amato@td.com Nadir A. Jones MTA Small Business Development nadjones@mtahq.org

Premier Payroll Solutions Priority 1 Security LLC QSIDE Federal Credit Union Quadlogic Controls Corporation Queens Center Mall Queens Public Communications Corp.

Radisson Hotel JFK RCG Mortgage Related Retail Corporation Rochdale Village Community Center Royal Waste Services, Inc. Russo’s On The Bay Safeguard Global Samuel Goldstein & Co PC Seagis Property Group, LP Signature Bank Silvercup Studios Simon Baron Development Sive, Paget & Riesel P.C. Skyline Risk Management, Inc. SL Green Realty Corp.

Solomon Agency Corp.

Spring Hill Suites New York Jamaica/JFK Airport Squad Security Inc. St. Francis Preparatory School St. John’s University Structural Engineering Technologies, P.C. Sussman-Automatic Corporation Target TC Electric Terrace On The Park TFCU TGI Office Automation Thales USA Inc. The Botanist The Durst Organization The First National Bank of Long Island The Heskel Group The Marcal Group The Sweet Construction Group T-Mobile Treasure Island Storage TSC Traning Academy, LLC Ultrasound Solutions Corp.

United Airlines USTA National Tennis Center, Inc. Valley National Bank Vanguard Insurance Agency Vassilaros & Sons Coffee Vic Kessler Signs LTD Vishnick McGovern Milizio LLP Waste Management of New York LLC Watch Guard 24/7 LLC WellLife Network Wells Fargo WeWork White Coffee Corp Windstream Enterprise York College - CUNY Zara Realty

November 2019 • Volume 15 • Issue 11 MAJOR CORPORATE MEMBERS

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.

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SR19 Rezoning_Ext_Queens_QueensBorough Magazine November-01.pdf

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