This is Queensborough October Edition

this is...

October 2022 . Volume 18 . Issue 9

Building Safely and Reducing Red Tape Eric Ulrich’s approach to modernizing the department and working with the building industry

“The people (at DOB) are good. The problem is the process.”

INSIDE:

· High Line-esque park is coming to Queens · Queens Chamber Building Awards 2022 · A Slice of Queens: New York Pizza

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

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October 2022 • Volume 18 • Issue 9

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO

Working Past the Storm

It’s hard to believe we’re entering the fourth and final quarter of 2022. Sometimes life seemingly moves so swiftly past us and we find ourselves desperately trying to keep pace. All you can do is make the most of every moment and plan accordingly.

The events which occurred between October 29 – 30, 2012 was certainly something none of us could have fathomed nor adequately planned for.

I’m referring to Hurricane Sandy, unofficially referred to as Superstorm Sandy.

Over the course of those two days the deadliest, most destructive, and strongest hurricane of that season wreaked havoc across our region causing nearly $70 billion in damage and taking hundreds of lives.

My initial thoughts were, how do we bounce back from this

devastation? Are there sufficient area as well as numerous others resources set to undertake the were able to work past the storm recovery process which will takand reemerge stronger. enumerous years None of will to resurface? ever forget that Finally, I period of time thought, how do but collectively we even begin to we’ve moved forrebuild? ward together.

New Yorker’s Please join are resilient and Queens Chamber whatever doesn’t in collaboration kill us definitely with our commakes us collecmunity partners tively stronger. as we Breezy Point, the pause and comsmall Queens memorate the enclave, locatTHOMAS J. GRECH tenth anniversaed at the end of ry of this devasPRESIDENT & CEO the Rockaway tating event. The Peninsula was Rockaway Hotel one of the communities hardon Rockaway Beach Drive will est hit. But thanks to this comhost us, Thursday, October 27, as munity, federal, state and local we come together to reflect. resources working together, this Space is limited so don’t

miss out on your opportunity participate.

As with most months the Chamber has a full calendar of events designed to provide you with ways to build your network and resources so you and your business can continue to thrive.

Visit our website www.queenschamberorg to learn more.

I continue to share how much I love my job. Primarily because I along with our extremely talented staff work tirelessly on your behalf.

Thank you for your commitment and support.

Remember, we’re Queens STRONG!

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

The fall season has arrived and with it comes all the splendor associated with this time of the year.

For some it’s the anticipation of upcoming holidays, others it’s the shift in temperatures, seasonal beverages, and the opportunity to experience various festivals happening all around the community.

Whatever your reason, enjoy each and every moment the season offers.

This time of the year also means Queens Chamber will host one of their highly anticipated signature events, the 2022 Building Awards Gala.

This annual event awards and recognizes an industry that’s near and dear to my heart.

Architects, builders, engineers, interior designers’ and others who contribute to the beauty of the built environment in our

Building Queens

diverse community. celebrate their accomplishments.

I’ve always been amazed at the Thursday, October 13th the effort that goes iconic TWA into the design Hotel in the and construcEero Saarinen’s tionof a projlandmark 1962 ect from all the Flight Center various parat JFK will ties involves, once again host most of whom this spectacuwe’ll celebrate lar event with this month. The a 90 plus year effect that conhistory. struction has Queens on the econoChamber marks my is staggering its 111th year of HOWARD GRAF yet extremely advocating on positive. behalf of, proCHAIRPERSON Whether it’s a viding education new hotel, groto, and creatcery store, library or an addiing networking opportunities for tion to an existing structure, they its members as well as all within serve the residents and businessthe business community here in es in the neighborhood. They all Queens. bring value to our community Take moment and visit our and for this reason we pause to website www.queenschamber.org

for more information.

Thank you on behalf of the Board of Directors for your dedication and support of this wonderful organization.

Join the Queens Chamber of Commerce today.

To sign up visit queenschamber.org

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QUEENS QUICKLY A Queens Planetarium is On The Way

By Alicia Venter

aventer@queensledger.com “We love to tell our kids to reach for the stars, but we can’t reach for the stars if we can’t see the stars.”

Such is how Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris described his anticipation when he announced the development of the first planetarium in Queens on Thursday, Sept. 22.

With development underway at the Variety Boys and Girls Club of Queens located in Astoria, the new planetarium is anticipated to serve more than 10,000 children once it opens in 2026. Gianaris, an Astoria native and described

by VBGC CEO Costa Constantinides as “a space enthusiast,” allocated $1 million to the project.

“This planetarium will be a shining light to every child that you can shoot for the moon,” Costa Constantinides, CEO of the Variety Boys and Girls Club of Queens.

Currently, the nearest planetarium to Queens is Hayden Planetarium at the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan. However, as Gianaris described, “This project will make science more accessible to the children of our neighborhoods and open their minds to exciting new possibilities for their futures.”

NASA was in attendance at the announcement, represented by Amy Kaminski, Prizes and Challenges Program Executive. She expressed how her own interest in astronomy was fueled by her middle school education and the planetarium she was exposed to at a young age.

“Planetariums get our youngest members of society dreaming about how they can be part of the adventure of space exploration, whether as scientists, engineers or even astronauts.

Classrooms and textbooks are certainly important components of STEM education, but there is really nothing like sitting under a star-filled dome

to make you feel like you are part of that experience.”

Spending time in a planetarium, Kaminski explained, is a ticket to success in the STEM field, as it builds curiosity and knowledge. Queens having this planetarium is important to NASA as it continues its exploration of the cosmos.

“In order for us to keep up this work in the decades to come, we will need a new generation of scientists, engineers and space explorers,” Kaminski said. “I have no doubt that this planetarium has the potential to cultivate the talent NASA will be seeking.”

Kaminski has now joined the Education Committee of the Variety Boys and Girls Club of Queens. “Her passion for this oozes from her,” said Walter Sanchez, president of the board and development project leader at Variety. “And as a Program Executive and a Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA, Amy obviously has the knowledge and resources to help us develop the best programs possible for the STEM programs, including the planetarium.”

The Variety Boys and Girls Club has been in Astoria since 1955. The organization provides free after school programming to 4,000 young people annually, providing resources to as many children in the community as possible. While the ties to the community that stretch back 67 years are a source of pride and achievement for the club, there is an infrastructural downside — they have been in the same building since 1955. With over $300,000 spent on repairs since 2015, and limited space forcing children on waitlists, the Club has made a redevelopment plan to increase the number of children it can serve.

The new state-of-the-art facility that is under development for the club — a redevelopment

which will be carbon neutral — will also contain 229 affordable and supportive housing units as well as a newly constructed landmark of 123,000 sqft Club space.

“There are 8,000 young people below the poverty line here in Western Queens,” Constantinides said. “So many more need services every single day, and that number is growing every day. We can’t meet that demand unless we grow.”

The new building will be five stories, have a 1,000 seat sports arena, theaters, two pools, a non-profit and business incubator, career training amenities - including a teaching kitchen, education classroom space, art studios, a greenhouse and solar-panel equipped rooftop, alongside this planetarium.

“Queens is the worlds’ borough, and once this project is done we can say it's the universe’s borough, because you can see the universe from this planetarium,” Gianaris said.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Queens Quickly: Queens Planetarium, QueensWay............................ 4, 5 Creating a Digital Accessibility Playbook............................................................... 17 Promotions, Announcements & Appointments ........................................ 6 It’s in Queens: Fall Festivities...................................................................................... 28 Tech Spotlight: Zel Crampton of Diggs........................................................ 7 Get to Know the Chamber’s Newest Members .................................................... 28 Slice of Queens: La Villa Pizzeria & Restaurantl .................................... 8 Green Spotlight: Green Energy Technology by JGM.............................. 9 COVER STORY: Commissioner Eric Ulrich......................................10, 11 Chamber Building Awards 2022 ................................................... 12, 13, 14 4

PUBLISHER Walter H. Sanchez

MAGAZINE EDITOR Alicia Venter

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

October 2022 • Volume 18 • Issue 9

QUEENS QUICKLY

High Line-esque linear park on its way to Queens

By Jessica Meditz

jmeditz@queensledger.com After over a decade of advocacy, the QueensWay is slated to make its way into Queens.

The city plans to spend $35 million to begin phase one of construction for a linear park along 3.5 miles of abandoned railroad tracks that run through Central and Southern Queens, Mayor Eric Adams announced on Friday, Sept. 16.

Adams and other elected officials gathered on Trotting Course Lane in Forest Hills, just where the Metropolitan Hub, a portion of the QueensWay will be situated, to make the announcement.

QueensWay will be built along the former Rockaway Beach Branch line, which has not been utilized in more than 60 years.

Once completed, the project will connect the neighborhoods of Rego Park, Forest Hills, Glendale, Woodhaven and Ozone Park, and provide a 47-acre park and seven miles of greenway.

“Phase one will convert abandoned railroad tracks which have been used as a dumping ground into a five-acre linear park and provide a safe way for residents to walk, jog or to enjoy the open space. We've learned during COVID-19 how important it is to have good quality open space, and it can't be just in one part of the city…This park is going to be the center of the lives in this community,” Adams said.

Along with benefitting physical and mental health, Adams cited air quality improvement, increased visibility for small businesses, creativity and better accessibility to public transportation as upsides to the park’s development.

He added that linear parks have proven to be successful, as seen by the Highline on the west side of Manhattan.

“We can have High Line and High Times in the outer boroughs as well, and that is why we’re bringing [QueensWay] to this amazing community here in Queens,” Adams said.

“Because of the density of our city, linear parks penetrate deep into neighborhoods, and don't just focus on one particular area, allowing us to go further in open space. It allows eyesores like what's behind us to go from an eyesore to an oasis.”

Councilwoman Lynn Schulman, who represents the neighborhoods of Forest Hills, Rego Park, Kew Gardens and Richmond Hill in District 29, has been a key force in getting QueensWay off the ground — advocating for the project since her days at Community Board 6.

“I can’t believe that we’re here today…We are

facing a once in a civilization public health challenge to save our planet from destruction within, and today's investment by Mayor Adams in a linear park right here in Forest Hills, Queens is a huge step and meeting this challenge,” Schulman said.

“It was 10 years ago that two friends and constituents…brought me their dream of creating a linear park where our kids could play, seniors could exercise and get fresh air and bicyclists could have safe bike paths. There were many obstacles to overcome, but I was determined when I took office in January that I would bring this extraordinary vision to fruition,” she continued. “The QueensWay will now become a reality.”

Approximately 322,000 people live within a mile radius of the QueensWay. The proposed project would connect residents to 10 bus lines and four subway stations.

In addition, there are 12 schools within a fiveminute walk of the QueensWay and two Little League field complexes directly adjoining it.

Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar expressed her support for the plan, as she represents District 38’s neighborhoods of Glendale, Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, Ridgewood, and Woodhaven.

“This is a great day for my district. It's a great day for South Queens,” she said. “QueensWay will draw 1 million visitors every year. It will generate $2.2 million in new revenue…also, all the major thoroughfares in my district will be connected to QueensWay. That includes Rockaway Boulevard, 101st Avenue, Jamaica Avenue and Atlantic Avenue. This is extremely exciting for my district.”

The announcement was met with some criticism

and slight heckling from advocates of the QueensLink, a proposed 3.5-mile long transit and park corridor in the same space, which would connect northern and southern Queens.

The plan calls for both transit and park space in the community, and puts forth the argument that building only the park would “block any future use of transit on the line and deprive Southern Queens residents of a faster commute and less traffic while reducing pollution and carbon emissions.”

“We can have both, but if they design the park first without knowing where the train’s going to be, they might have to tear up the park to put in the train later. It makes no sense,” Miriam Bensman, senior adviser at QueensLink, said.

“They're talking about transit, but they're not doing anything about it. So the key is, if you really do care about public transit, and it's not just a campaign slogan, then you need to take it seriously and study the integration of a Transit Link, which would be a subway and a park,” Rick Horan, executive director of QueensLink, said.

“Our goal is to try to see if there's enough value in this project to get it there. But the only way we can do that is to study it,” he continued. “So we've been promoting an Environmental Impact Statement for QueensLink, which includes rail entry.”

QueensLink penned a letter to both Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul last month in support of an EIS for the project.

Fifteen local elected officials signed off on the letter, including Rajkumar, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and Assemblyman David Weprin — who were all present at Friday’s announcement.

Rajkumar told The Queens Ledger that she is still in support of the QueensLink, and that both plans are needed for residents of Queens.

“Together, these plans both create green space and meet our transit needs. Constructing the QueensWay while also reactivating the rail line to create the QueensLink is perfectly feasible,” she said.

“Rail service combined with greenway, known as ‘rails-with-trails,’ is incredibly common: there are 343 rails-with-trails in the United States alone, with a combined length of almost 1,000 miles,” she continued. “In fact, building the QueensLink along the QueensWay would be very similar to plans to add rail service to Atlanta’s BeltLine elevated park. I continue to support an Environmental Impact Statement on the QueensLink, which would fill our transit desert with a vital north-south Subway corridor.”

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PROMOTIONS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & APPOINTMENTS to rebuild their lives.

Dog Show, boasting a pedigree spanning the Meet and Greet with struggling For additional event or venue information, Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus please email jdonado@queenschamber.org and “Late Night with David Letterman.”

MTA Chair and CEO Additional activities included a bouncy house,

On Thursday, September 22, dozens of business and community leaders gathered in the auditorium of the Bulova Corporate Center for a meet and greet with Janno Lieber, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

The event was hosted by the Queens Chamber of Commerce. Attendees heard opening remarks from Tom Grech, President and CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, who introduced Lieber.

Lieber, who has served as Chair of the MTA since January of this year after taking over as Interim Chair in July 2021, spoke to the audience about the MTA’s work on major projects including the Interborough Express, fixing Penn Station, signal modernization, congestion pricing and the Grand Central Madison project. He also reported on the authority’s increasing ridership numbers, decreasing crime in the subway system and work to make more of the system ADA accessible.

“I’d like to thank the Queens Chamber of Commerce for the opportunity to come and speak with all of you today,” said Janno Lieber, Chair and CEO of the MTA. “After a US Open that saw record attendance, and with the Mets headed back to the postseason, Queens is the place to be right now. I am thankful to the Chamber for giving me the opportunity to address their membership and discuss all the great work the MTA is doing to improve our mass transit system for Queens residents.”

“Janno Lieber is a friend to Queens and our business community, and we were thrilled to welcome him to the Chamber this afternoon to speak with our members," said Tom Grech, President and CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce.

“Though we may not agree on every issue, he is always willing to listen and hear the concerns of small business owners, and we know he is incredibly dedicated to improving mass transit for all Queens residents. I can think of no better person to lead the MTA at this critical time than Janno.”

Hurricane Sandy Rememberance

Join the Queens Chamber of Commerce along with our community partners friends of the for a commemoration of the Tenth Anniversary of the terrible Hurricane Sandy that created so much destruction and took some lives.

Let’s get together for a moment of prayer and silence as we reflect on those who are still

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NYC BEST Initiative If you’re a small business owner then you know that time is money you can save both with the NYC BEST Initiative from the NYC Department of Small Business Services.

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obstacle course, carnival games and face painters along with strolling clowns, balloon makers, stilt walkers and costumed characters.

Visitors also enjoyed a dance party with a DJ and giveaways throughout.

“Smile on Maspeth Day stands out to me over my 20 years here at MFS,” said Vice President & Director of Deposit Operations Victoria Grappone.

“To see the smile on children’s faces, it’s just an amazing day for everyone.”

MFS’ carnival returns

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

Maspeth Federal Savings (MFS) celebrated the return of the Smile on Maspeth Day carnival on Sunday, Sept. 18.

This is the first time the beloved annual event took place since the onset of the COVID19 pandemic.

Guests were entertained by various rides, games and roving artists, plus magic, comedy and circus acts — including a pirate-themed show on a 30-foot ship.

As the first Smile on Maspeth Day since 2019, this year’s event harkened back to its roots.

MFS created the carnival to lift spirits during the Great Recession of 2008. Since then, it has become a community favorite, attended by thousands every year.

“We founded Smile on Maspeth Day in 2008 to lift the spirits of our community. Its mission rings true today, and with this year’s event, we hope to give people a reason to smile and have some fun after these last few years,” said MFS President & Chief Executive Officer Thomas Rudzewick.

The event featured performers of Letterman and Ringling Brothers fame.

The Royal Hannaford Circus headlined an array of acclaimed performers, with several showings throughout the course of the day.

Performing since the 1600s, the Royal Hannaford Circus features spectacles like chair balancing, juggling and the R.H.C. Riders motorcycle globe.

Other acts included an interactive “piratetraining” show and tour for adults and children aboard a 30-foot pirate ship, the Captain Faust Magic Show featuring Vegas-style illusions and exotic animals and The Muttville Comedy

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In the September issue of This Is Queensborough there were 2 errors.

On pg. 26 David is listed as the President of the Maspeth Chamber of Commerce, which he no longer is.

On pg. 29, listed in the QCC Board of Directors, his last name is misspelled. It should be Daraio.

October 2022 • Volume 18 • Issue 9

TECH SPOTLIGHT

Kobina Ansah of COVERR financing may be a stronger pain point. Today COVERR provides specialized cash flow financing that helps gig economy workers smooth out the volatility within their daily business earnings or take care of small business-related emergencies.

This week’s featured tech entrepreneur is Kobina Ansah, president of COVERR, a company providing business cash advances customized specifically for gig economy workers.

Can you tell us a little more about your company and how you got your start?

of my service offerings.

What is your latest project and why are you excited about it?

While the gig economy represents one of the fastest growing labor segments in the U.S., traditional banks have not adequately updated their underwriting frameworks to meet the financing needs of this valuable segment. What excites me about COVERR’s mission is that as we continue to refine our model. We are able to get capital to dedicated workers who were previously overlooked and help them achieve their highest earning potential.

How did you get your start in tech?

COVERR provides business cash advances that are customized for gig economy workers like Uber drivers or DoorDash delivery personnel. We initially started the business by providing auto loans customized for Uber drivers when we found out that many New York City drivers spent as much as $400-$500 a week to rent a car for work that

they would never own. While we wanted to empower drivers by creating an easier path to car ownership, we quickly found that many did not have the liquidity to pay the required $500 down payment, and that is when we realized cash flow

With my grandfather starting one of the first timber trading companies in Ghana, West Africa and my mother starting the first day spa in Ithaca, New York, entrepreneurship has always been in my DNA. Through the advent of increasingly accessible tech infrastructure, I have been able to use various technologies to scale and expand the reach

To learn more, visit https://www. getcoverr.com/.

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A ‘SLICE’ OF QUEENS

New Park Pizza of Howard Beach

By Robert Intelisano

Since 1956, New Park Pizza has been serving delicious slices from their same original location at 15671 Cross Bay Boulevard in Howard Beach, Queens. New Park was one of the first 10 pizzerias in Queens.

I have fond memories of going to New Park after baseball and basketball games, since I was a young boy.

Back in the day, the only option to order slices there was to wait in line in the storefront, and when it was your turn, lean forward and look through a small opening to order your slices. Originally, it was mostly a quick stop “grab and go” place for daytime workers and local customers.

Over the years, word travelled, and New Park Pizza expanded their seating by adding 36 seats in the back of the pizzeria, along with 2 indoor bathrooms. Their original bathrooms were outdoor. In the back, there are also numerous iconic old photos of Coney Island, Rockaway’s Playland, the World’s Fair, the Flatiron Building and the original Madison Square Garden to name a few.

One of the best things I love about pizza is you can order it in a variety of ways. New Park Pizza features a thin-crust New York style pizza with a crispy crust. Their crust is unique (the bottom is unlike any other pizza) because they throw salt in the oven which adheres to the bottom of the crust and helps it gain a beautiful char.

Their pies are cooked in 2 sets of old-school deck ovens at 500 degrees Fahrenheit, which creates the cheesy heat bubble char on the top without drying out the cheese.

Their sauce is savory and sweet. I prefer folding the slice because of the salty aftertaste flavor of the crust both on the upper and lower levels of the mouth.

For those who have a family or friends where some like the charred crust and some prefer a softer and chewy crust, that would be the time to order a whole pie instead of indi-

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vidual slices. New Park’s pie (see picture) typically will have 3-4 charred slices. For those who prefer only a charred slice, I suggest sitting in the back, picking out your slices, then take a seat and enjoy the ride to flavor town!

I was excited to meet up with George Russo, a longtime client and family friend, to enjoy a late August New Park lunch. George and his family have spent many years in the restaurant, catering and hospitality industry. George owns and operates Villa Russo in Richmond Hill as well as United American Title Agency on Lefferts boulevard across the street from the Villa Russo.

George and his family also have experience in the pizzeria business.

He gives back to the community as he is on multiple boards, and he is the current President of the board of the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Queens.

While I was waiting for George (I always arrive early and observe when doing my pizza reviews) I asked a longtime resident and patron what she thought of New Park. She said, “not only is it the best slice

in Queens, New Park came up big when needed most after Super Storm Sandy when they were giving out 2 slices and a soda for free to those that were affected.”

George hadn’t been to New Park in a while and was waiting in the front as I was waiting for him in the back. Old habits are hard to break as I was looking forward to sharing my New Park charred slice theory with him. He let me pick out the charred slices from the back and

said, “these slices are even better than I remember.”

An interesting point is that their top pizzaiola had called and would be coming in later that afternoon.

That being said, our slices were as good as ever! One of the many things I like about New Park is that they have remained faithful to their roots and haven’t tried to expand, franchise or open in places like Madison Square Garden like other pizzeria’s, which often sacrifices quality for profit.

In this pandemic and these inflationary times, New Park retains tremendous value as slices are still only $3.25 and a regular 8 slice pie is $21.50. There is a large parking lot in the back and New Park remains one of the few places open late on Cross Bay Boulevard as their hours are 11am-1am Monday-Sunday.

For those flying in from out of town, the best time to try New Park is either before or after flying into or out of JFK airport, as they are an 8–10-minute drive from the airport.

I have several out of state friends that DEMAND we go directly to New Park as soon as they land when visiting me. Of course, they don’t need to twist my arm. Buon Appetitto!

Email me at Rob@InsuranceDoctor.us to share your favorite Queens pizzeria and slice.

October 2022 • Volume 18 • Issue 9

GREEN SPOTLIGHT Green Energy Technology by JGM

The Queens is Green Initiative works to connect Chamber members and industry leaders in an effort to help businesses become more energy efficient and ensure that Queens is leading the way in the fight against climate change.

Through educating, advocating and networking the Queens is Green Initiative strives to make Queens the greenest county in the largest city in America.

This energy partnership will help Queens Chamber members conserve energy and save money.

Bringing together Chamber members Reliable Power Alternatives Co., SUNation Solar Systems, Green Energy Technology, CPower Energy Management, National Grid and Con Edison, we will help our businesses become more energy efficient and assure that Queens is the greenest and most energy efficient borough and county in New York.

This month’s Green Spotlight features the work of Chamber member Green Energy Technology by JGM.

Green Energy Technologies on the Queens is Green initiative and where we add value to the mission of decarbonizing Queens and being the “go to” resource for Queen’s Built Environment’s Renewable, Energy Efficiency and Resiliency needs Green Energy Technology by JGM (GET) is honored and privileged to be called upon to participate in the Queens is Green initiative along with our colleagues at SUNation Energy, RPAC, and CPower Energy Management, as

we collaborate to improve the environment by working toward the reduction of carbon emissions in the Queens environment. As a total turnkey solution provider for electric vehicle charging stations and their requisite infrastructure, GET has designed EVSE infrastructures in collaboration with the other members of the Chamber of Commerce as close to home for the Chamber as literally right outside the office headquarters with 10 ports about to be installed at the Bulova Building.

In our work with CPower, we have been introduced to a major real estate management company requiring electric chargers for installation at two of their local shopping centers with a total of nearly 800 parking spaces in Brooklyn off of the Belt Parkway and in Flushing, Queens, requiring 45-50 ports for electric vehicle support. GET is also in discussions with Resorts World Casino next to Aqueduct, school bus companies that run their vehicles through the street of Queens, and several organizations at JFK and La Guardia Airports with the same needs on grander scales.

SUNation Energy and GET are working on multiple sites to provide combined resources of solar energy and EVSE to work towards the same objective. And RPAC and GET are in contractual negotiations with significant national realty organizations with properties in Queens requiring EVSE. Why is all of this important?

Electric vehicles emit 60-68% fewer pollutants into the environment than their gas and diesel predecessors. That means cleaner air for the school children riding on buses on their ways to and from school, their parents as they wave them goodbye, shoppers in centers with cleaner vehicles, and on and on.

Together, we are working to improve the quality of the air and the quality of the environment to lead to a healthier and cleaner life for the citizens of a greener Queens.

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COVER STORY

Reducing red tape and building safely

By Matthew Fischetti

mfischetti@queensledger.com Eric Ulrich is the newest commissioner of the citywide Department of Buildings. And while he’s been in charge of overseeing the more than a million buildings in New York City since May, he sees his job as managing people and the overall culture rather than buildings.

“I'm not an architect or engineer, but my first deputy is and that's consistent with the law,” Ulrich said in an interview at the department’s office at 280 broadway, referencing his First Deputy Commissioner Kazmir Vilenchik, whose picture hangs in the walls of the department of buildings, as is traditionally only done for the head commissioner.

The former Queens Councilman represented Rockaway, Howard Beach, South Ozone Park and Woodhaven for eight years. The 37-year-old says he once contemplated the priesthood. Walking the halls with him at DOB offices, while he addressed teams in the department was eye-opening.

“These are the men and women who are inspectors,” he said, beaming with pride. “We know you are often viewed as the enemy, but I know you have a passion to make sure buildings are safe. You are all great people,” he said.

One of the first things Ulrich did when taking over the office was reorganize the department to make it more efficient. The licensing unit, responsible for issuing permits for 23 different types of trades people to do their work, had a backlog of over 1,000 a day and was organized under the deputy mayor for legal affairs.

“This backlog is unacceptable.

People's livelihoods are on the line.

If they don't have a license, and it's expired, they can't file for permits.

If they can't file for permits, they can't work, they can’t make money, their employees can't work and they're losing money,” Ulrich said.

10

Now, after some personnel changes the backlog is only 100 a day.

Ulrich said that he and his team are focusing on one or two units under the department every week in order to find inefficiencies and places to make improvements.

“If we can make a change there, imagine how much of a difference

“I went down to the record room, I went up to the planning room, I went to the inspectors,” Ulrich said. “But I wanted to meet literally every single person, even people that were hiding in the back, asking ‘Who are you? What do you do? Thank you for what you do.

My name is Eric. And I just want

we can make if we can make the right personnel decisions and also digitize and modernize the operations in every other unit,” Ulrich said.

But the job of being commissioner is much more than just finding bureaucratic issues and fixing them, it requires a personal touch.

He didn’t want the 1600 building department employees to just know him through a press release, so Ulrich spent time visiting each department.

to introduce myself, I’m the new commissioner. Feel free to reach out anytime I have an open door policy.’”

And Ulrich said that the approach is working. One woman in the record room said she had been there over 30 years and started to cry, as no commissioner had spent the time to come down to the department in years past, according to Ulrich.

“I realized after that tour of all the offices that the problem with the buildings department is not the

“It's not about issuing tickets and violations. That's not the inspectors' goal…”

people, the people are good. The problem is the process,” Ulrich said.

That’s why Ulrich is working with 70 different stakeholder groups, ranging from industry experts to unions, to overhaul the department as part of the “Adams Commission: A Blueprint for a Better Buildings Department.”

“We’re trying to improve customer service, maximize productivity and efficiency and bring this agency into the 21st century,” Ulrich said about the commission and his main goals for improving the department.

The department is currently in the process of moving many of the department’s processes to digital portal through “DOB Now”, an online portal for filings, with a goal of having the agency be completely paperless by the end of next year.

In years past, Ulrich said that the customer service approach from the department has been lackluster, so one of the former councilman’s main focuses was to bring a

Continued on Page 11

October2022 2022• •Volume Volume18 18• •Issue Issue99 October

COVER STORY

One-on-One with Eric Ulrich

Continued from Page 10

constituent services approach to the agency. The offices, ranging from the main one in Manhattan to the borough offices, were closed to the public at noon according to Ulrich.

So when he stepped in on day one, he made it clear that people are to work in-person, to not rely on using Zoom or Microsoft Teams and be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“I serve at the pleasure of the mayor. But I also serve at the pleasure of the taxpayers who are paying my salary and I’m a public

will introduce themselves to community boards, churches and local businesses.

“The department thinks small businesses and homeowners should be able to work with us before they do alterations,” said Ulrich. “We can give them advice and set them on a path to a safe building.”

The Department of Buildings also hosts free in-person informations session on Tuesdays from 4:00 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the local borough offices, as part of the “Buildings After Hours program, where whether you’re a tenant or a building man-

“Now anyone can meet DOB personnel - Tuesdays from 4 to 7 p.m. at the local borough offices.” employee like everybody else. And what I tell them [DOB employees] constantly is we have to serve the public,” Ulrich said. “ We don’t get to pick and choose who our customers are.”

Ulrich also said that a major focus of the department is to create pathways for career development, as to not lose more civil servants to the private sector where they can make a lot more money, as well as trying to get the workers a raise with upcoming contract negotiations.

Ulrich and the Department of Buildings have also found ways to break the idea of the department being an agency that just issues violations.

Ulrich has hired Joseph Esposito, a former chief of police, as the Deputy Commissioner for enforcement. They will be rolling out a program in November, styled after the NYPD’s Neighborhood Coordination Officers, a neighborhood policing program, in order to bring greater ties with inspectors and the communities they inspect. It will be a ten person program starting with Brooklyn, the leading borough in construction, where they

ager the department will be able to provide information and answer questions.

On the Mayor’s second day in office, he signed an executive order for five agencies to cut pen-

alties and regulations, of which the Department of Building was included. So far, Class 2 violations, which are defined as having life threatening factors but don’t require immediate correction (and are the most common complaint) have been made curable, by having 60 days to fix the problem.

“Fix it, and then let us know – give people the opportunity of the benefit of the doubt,” Ulrich said.

“It’s not about issuing tickets and violations. That’s not the inspectors’ goal, ‘let me go out and give out 100 tickets today.’ The goal is to make sure that contractors are keeping themselves and the public safe.”

From Left to Right: Nadya Stevens (Chief of Staff), Eric Ulrich, Kazimir Vilenchik (First Deputy Commissioner), Guillermo Patino (Deputy Commisisoner, External Affairs)

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QUEENS CHAMBER NEWS & EVENTS

Chamber Building Awards 2022

Every year, the Chamber of Commerce recognizes buildings and projects in the world’s borough in different categories, such as residential, commercial, hotels, and mixed use.

Each building was recognized at the Chamber of Commerce’s building award ceremony, held on Wednesday, Oct. 13.

The “Historic Renovation” of the T Building

By Alicia Venter

The T-Building of Jamaica won their building award in the Rehabilitation, Readaptive Use (Residential/Commercial/Industrial).

Once a hospital primarily treating tuberculosis patients, the 10-story T-Building underwent a “historic rehabilitation,” said Jonathan Huang, the executive on the project shared.

“We had to save, restore and reuse a lot of elements of the building,” Huang said. “The entire facade was restored. There is a marble lobby and bronze storefront that was completely restored.

There is a historic library that we completely restored.”

Working with Dunn Development, the building was gutted, renovated and now serves as an affordable and supportive housing residential building.

The process took approximately two and a half years. Construction completed around the end of last year, and tenants were moved in during the spring and summer.

“We’re really excited that the building won the award,” he shared. “Most definitely, yes.”

Notable features of the building that Huang shared include restored balconies, open terrac-

The rooftop view at Beach 21st Plaza in Far Rockaway.

es, a playground, a wild lawn — a garden using native plants.

The building is located at 82-41 Parsons Boulevard. The 124 newly constructed apartments are available with preferences for municipal employees and Queens Community Board 8 members.

Two Rockaway Buildings Given Queens Building Awards

By Ryan Schwach

Two Rockaway buildings have been given special building awards by the Queens Chamber of Commerce: the Margaret O. Carpenter Women’s Health Center at Episcopal Health Services’ building on Beach 105th Street, and the new Beach 21st Plaza in Far Rockaway were given

The T-Building was once a hospital — now its affordable and supportive housing.

12

awards.

The Margaret O. Carpenter Women’s Center opened its doors last year, and has since brought much needed Women’s health services to the Rockaway community.

The center won the award in the medical facility category. It was designed by architect Thomas J. Mesuk, and constructed by the Facility Resource Group.

“I am so humbled and honored to be able to lead this initiative of providing care for women in this community,” said Rosemary Bonilla, Vice President of Physician Practices & Ambulatory Care and EHS. “We intend to help many people stay healthy, and we will save lives while we are at it.”

The older building, the newly opened Beach

Continued on Page 13

The interior of the Margaret O. Carpenter Women’s Health Center.

October 2022 • Volume 18 • Issue 9

QUEENS CHAMBER NEWS & EVENTS

Chamber Building Awards 2022

Continued on Page 12 21st Plaza in Downtown Far Rockaway, was given an award in the mixed use category.

The Plaza, part of a $234 million effort to revitalize the surrounding area, brings 10-stories of mostly affordable housing to Far Rockaway.

The architect behind the project is Urban Architectural Initiatives and constructed by Mega Contracting.

“It is so big for us,” said Mega Contracting Project Executive Boris Metavoy. “Just to be part of something so big, it's humbling.”

Metavoy said that the win came “out of the blue,” but that he was happy the work done by the contractors was honored, especially since much of the work was done in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Renaissance Charter 2 adds a rooftop playground to an urban school

By Matthew Fischetti

The new Renaissance Charter 2 school wasn’t an easy feat.

The four-story 69,000 square-foot kindergarten through 12th-grade school in Elmhurst was completed in 16 months through the heart of COVID. Despite the manpower shortages,despite the cost increases

and despite material delays – builder Scott Barone was able to pull it off.

“If you miss a day, you miss a year,” Barone said simply about his commitment to getting the project at 45-20 83 street off the ground so quickly.

Barone, the founder and principal of Barone Management, got into the charter school building business back in 2018. While it is financially rewarding, Barone said that his “bottomless appetite” for building charter schools, of which he currently has 11 in his portfolio, stems from the positive impact they bring.

“We're doing the right thing at the right time. Charter schools are fully public free schools that are overwhelmingly built-in economically disadvantaged communities, communities of color. So, there's just no question about that you're doing the right thing,” he said.

The building will house 1050 kids at full enrollment, complete with a multipurpose music performance space, a chemistry lab, and an inner courtyard. The first floor, which serves kindergartners, shares bathrooms between two classrooms to be more space efficient.

While the Department of Education says that you need at least 100 square feet of space per student, Barone approached the building

31-05 21st St. exterior

differently.

“We want our school operations teams to tell us what it is that they need inside the box. And whether that box is 70,000 square feet, 170,000 square feet, or 700,000 square feet – it's irrelevant. As long as we make sure to get them all of the uses that they need within the building, so that they can do their job educating these kids as best as possible,” he said. ”That's what we care about. We are far more focused in regard to the design of the building to be more purpose and function-driven than we are working to some type of arbitrary standard.”

Barone and leaders from Renaissance worked together throughout the process, to build a space with more amenities while delivering the same kind of education as the original Renaissance School, one of the oldest charter schools in the city, located at 35-59 81st street in Jackson Heights. Originally the New Vision Annenberg Challenge School, over 95 percent of parents and teachers voted to convert the school into a charter back in 2000.

Stacey Gauthier, the principal of Renaissance and Executive Director for both Renaissance and

Renaissance 2, said that because of their collaboration with the developers, they were able to deliver a quality facility for children in one of the most overcrowded school districts in the city.

“I think that because we were really involved in the design of the building, we learned some good lessons about things that were important in terms of a facility which included having ample outside space – especially when there's a school that has no school yard, because this is an urban school,” Guathier said.

Instead of having a traditional outdoor courtyard for kids to play, Renaissance 2 got creative. It features over 10,000 square feet of outdoor space, with a rooftop playground with rubberized roof pavers, an inner courtyard, a sunroof and a full-size court.

“I just have to say that it's exciting to really see that the plans that we discussed and put on paper to have been realized,” Everett Boyd, Principal of Renaissance Charter 2, said in an interview.

This year is the second year Barone’s company has won recognition at the Queens Chamber building awards.

“Two years in a row feels pretty good,” Barone said. “We're already looking at what we can put on the slate for 2023.”

Caliendo scores with two building awards

By Alicia Venter

Architect Gerald J. Caliendo, R.A., A.I.A. has secured two wins in this year’s building awards.

In the New Construction – Multi Dwelling Residential Buildings category, Caliendo’s luxury apartments at 31-05 21st Street and 25-28 30th Drive — both located in Astoria — have received awards this year.

“I believe that the Queens

Continued on Page 14

The Renaissance Charter 2 school upgrades improve the learning experience.

13

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

QUEENS CHAMBER NEWS & EVENTS

Chamber Building Awards 2022 Continued from Page 13 Chamber saw the architectural qualities of the facade in conjunction with the context with the area,” Caliendo said regarding the location at 31-05 21st Street, which is eight stories with 23 units.

“It’s a wide street, with numerous additional new apartment buildings.”

With all the new buildings on 21st Street, the question lied with what made their building stand out.

Aron Chang, the project’s manager, shared his opinion on how 31-05 21st Street shines among the others.

“We have the duplex on the upper floors and an outdoor recreation space on the seventh floor,” Chang said. That’s our advantage.”

The project at 25-28 30th Drive bgan construction in 2020, project manager Rachel Bahn shared. It is a seven story building.

The buildings are energy efficient, with extra insulation with the state energy code.

They are also “solar ready,” which refers to designing and constructing a building in a way that facilitates and optimizes the installation of a rooftop solar photovoltaic system at some point after the building has been constructed.

“Everything [we do] is state of the art,” Caliendo shared with a laugh. “We have no choice but to do state of the art.”

Maspeth Federal Savings offers upgraded banking experience

By Jessica Meditz

Maspeth Federal Savings continues to live up to their well-known motto, “We treat you like family, ” by making further improvements to the services offered to customers.

Honored in the category of Rehabilitation, Readaptive Use, Alteration or Addition, Maspeth Federal’s Forest Hills location on Metropolitan Avenue contributes to the community atmosphere the historic neighborhood has to offer.

Their Forest Hills branch has changed a lot since its grand opening in 1974 and grand reopening in 2011.

Its most recent improvements include the relocation of outdoor drive-up lanes, the addition of a 24-hour drive-up ATM with an overhead canopy and the installation of two electric vehicle charging stations.

In addition, the bank opted to remove fencing,

14

The interior of Caliendo’s 25-28 30th Dr. apartment building.

upgrade existing utilities, install a generator, repair the roof, add an additional egress, install new, larger second-floor windows and a new clock, as well as beautify the grounds.

Architect Michael Macaluso of MJM + A and builder Vincent Massina of HM Hughes were instrumental to the process.

“These new additions contribute to the customer experience of Maspeth Federal because it adds increased convenience and accessibility for the customer. The drive-up ATM and generator provide uninterrupted service,” said Jill Nicolois, Community Affairs Director.

“The enhancements put in place with this project enable us to offer an upgraded banking

experience to the Forest Hills community,” she continued. “Plus, it looks amazing.”

The additions and improvements took about nine months to complete, which was a major accomplishment, especially during the pandemic.

“It’s absolutely amazing to get this recognition because it’s always our goal to contribute to the communities that we serve,” Nicolois said.

“I can’t tell you how many people from other businesses have said, ‘You guys did some job over there.’ It’s really noticeable, so we really elevated our exposure,” she continued. “I feel like we did make a positive impact on the existing footprint.”

Maspeth Federal’s improved Forest Hills location.

October 2022 • Volume 18 • Issue 9

this is...

The Business News of Queens & The Official Magazine of The Queens Chamber of Commerce

THE LATEST ON THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN QUEENS Your inside scoop straight from the business community’s top leaders

Profiling Queens’ Most Dynamic People.

They read it.... so should you!

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

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QUEENS CHAMBER NEWS & EVENTS

Queeens Chamber, Councilmember Won and Brook Jackman Foundation give away 1,000 free backpacks

One thousand children in Western Queens headed back to school with new backpacks and school supplies, thanks to the Queens Chamber of Commerce, New York City Councilwoman Julie Won and the Brooke Jackman Foundation.

Council Member Won reached out to The Queens Chamber of Commerce, the borough’s oldest and largest business association, for help getting supplies to students in her district ahead of the school year. The Chamber connected Council Member Won to the Brooke Jackman Foundation, who were able to donate 1,000 backpacks for back-to-school drives across Won’s district, which covers the neighborhoods of Long Island City, Sunnyside, Astoria, and Woodside.

Students also received back to school supplies thanks to donations.

“Thank you to The Queens Chamber of Commerce and the Brooke Jackman Foundation for providing 1,000 backpacks for our kids in Sunnyside, Woodside, Long Island City, and

16

Astoria,” said Council Member Won. “With your partnership, we were able to host backpack giveaways at our schools, family shelters, and community events, and ensured that our students were ready for a successful school year!”

The Brooke Jackman Foundation sponsors programs that promote literacy and learning for children-in-need in the name of Brooke Jackman.

Brooke lost her life at the age of 23 in the World Trade Center terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001.

“We were proud to partner with the borough of Queens to ensure that 1,000 children were able to start school with the necessary tools and supplies needed to have a successful school year.” said Erin Jackman, Executive Director of The Brooke Jackman Foundation.

“Supporting our borough’s children in their educational pursuits is imperative to building strong communities,” said Tom Grech, President and CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce.

“We are so happy that we were able to partner with Council Member Won and the Brooke Jackman Foundation to help ensure that students in Queens feel prepped and prepared as they head back to school.”

About the Brooke Jackman Foundation:

The Brooke Jackman Foundation was established by family and friends after Brooke lost her life at age 23 in the World Trade Center terrorist attacks on September 11th. The Foundation was created in Brooke’s memory to sponsor programs that promote literacy and learning for childrenin-need. Since 2002, over 70,000 Brooke Packs, backpacks filled to the brim with school supplies and reading books, and over 650,000 books have been distributed to date to disadvantaged children not only in the Tri-state area, but also to Florida and beyond.

October 2022 • Volume 18 • Issue 9

QUEENS CHAMBER MEMBER NEWS

Can All of Your Current and Potential Customers Access Your Website/Documents?

5 Steps to Developing a Digital Accessibility Playbook to Ensure Your Content is Fully Inclusive

sites and apps checked for usability by stakeholders.

By Michael Caprara, Chief Information Officer, The Viscardi Center

Do you truly understand your organization’s responsibility to provide accessible digital content for people with disabilities? Digital accessibility is something many businesses are aware of, but most haven’t addressed.

No matter the type or size organization you are, it is likely that a decent chunk of your customers and employees want or need accessibility. Almost 61 million Americans (or 1 in 4) have a disclosed disability. People with disabilities shop, read, engage, and work just like everyone else, so why wouldn’t they need access to your digital environments?

In fact, your business is leaving money on the table if your website and digital assets cannot be accessed by all potential customers.

For example, if websites and online applications are not accessible, people with certain disabilities may be excluded from making a purchase or applying for a loan.

On the employment recruitment side, we’re constantly hearing about labor shortages.

If your recruiting process includes an inaccessible application, you’re leaving an untapped group of qualified employees out of the candidate pool.

Over the past decade, one of the most concerning legal trends for organizations in the U.S. has been digital accessibility lawsuits. It has been especially prevalent in certain states; California, New York, and Florida.

The complaints included organizations having websites or documents inaccessible to screen readers, or video content not captioned & audio described.

As a result, there is an urgent imperative for organizations to pro-

Ensure Continuity of Accessibility Planning

Digital environments will ostensibly keep changing. As such, organizations must make sure that accessibility is continuously considered in any digital iterations, to avoid falling back out of compliance.

actively make their digital content accessible or suffer the financial and social consequences associated with these lawsuits.

For organizations trying to avoid the risks of maintaining inaccessible digital environments, there is already a well-established playbook.

Following these five steps is paramount for any size organization to avoiding costly litigation.

Create a Plan

First and foremost, organizations should check with their legal counsel to ensure that accessibility is a priority, and that a comprehensive compliance plan and accessibility policy is developed and made available to the public.

The compliance plan should include steps to assess and remediate accessibility for websites, apps, documents and videos, along with a dedicated, accessible method of contact for users who are experiencing accessibility issues.

In conjunction, internal IT teams or vendors should be consulted to make sure they are aware of their responsibility to make digital environments accessible, and that the accessibility plan includes training for those teams.

Assess Current Digital Assets

Most organizations with web properties should have their sites and apps audited for accessibility by an outside organization to get a baseline of what is needed. The ensuing reports will help guide future training and remediation efforts and will prove crucial in prioritizing work.

As far as digital accessibility goes, it’s not a sprint, but a marathon. A partner, like The Viscardi Center, can help you develop a playbook that ensures ongoing compliance, which will reduce liability and maintain an inclusive environment.

With a growing focus on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), efforts are expanding more than ever to include disability. This expansion means organizations need to be conscious of meeting all accessibility standards, including digital media.

Train & Educate Teams

Whether the accessibility fixes will be done by internal IT teams, the current IT vendor, or a digital accessibility focused vendor, organizations should ensure that those responsible for making them are well-versed in digital accessibility: what the issues are, what changes need to be made, and how to implement them.

Make Changes & Reassess Once the accessibility issues have been identified and teams have been trained in how to fix them, organizations should begin making changes prioritizing the most trafficked pages and documents to have the greatest immediate impact. Once the issues have been addressed, it is strongly recommended to have those

Michael Caprara is the Chief Information Officer at the Viscardi Center.

17

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queenschamber.org

QUEENS CHAMBER MEMBER NEWS

Councilmember Ung, Queens Chamber of Commerce partner to guide small business owners

Council Member Sandra Ung joined Queens Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tom Grech today to announce a partnership to provide free guidance to small business owners through the Small Business Resource Network (SBRN).

On the first and third Thursday of each month Suzan King, the Chamber’s Small Business Recovery Specialist, will be at the Council Member’s District Office in Flushing from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to provide a variety of services and assistance to local small businesses.

Assistance will be offered in both English and Mandarin.

“The pandemic had a devastating impact on the business community here in Flushing, as it did across the city,” said Council Member Sandra Ung. “I encourage local small business owners to take advantage of this opportunity to speak directly with an expert and learn about the many resources available to not just help you recover, but prosper. I want to thank the Queens Chamber of Commerce and President and CEO Tom Grech for bringing these vital services to our community.”

“Small businesses are the heart of Queens and we want to ensure all small business owners have the resources and information they need to grow and succeed,” said Tom Grech, President and CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce.

“This partnership with Council Member Ung will help to provide crucial information and advice to these small businesses and help them to continue to contribute to Queens economic growth well into the future. We would like to thank Council Member Ung for being a staunch advocate for our small business community.”

At the free sessions for business owners, King will be offering assistance and guidance in the areas of financing, grants, tech support, legal counseling, and business coaching at Council Member Ung’s Flushing office.

“I am delighted to be joining Council Member Ung at her office to provide guidance and support to small business owners in both English and Mandarin,” said King. “I am ready to get started and help these small business owners get access to resources integral to their growth and success.”

Business owners interested in a free 30-minute consultation should make an appointment through Council Member Ung’s Office at district20@ council.nyc.gov or (718) 888-8747. The office is located at 135-27 38th Avenue, Suite 388, in

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Pictured from left to right are Marianna Lo, Anna Lo, Council Member Sandra Ung, Queens Chamber President & CEO Tom Grech & SBRN Specialist Suzan King.

Flushing.

The Small Business Resource Network is a public-private partnership between the New York City Economic Development Corporation, Partnership for New York City, Peter G. Peterson Foundation, and the Chambers of Commerce in each of the five boroughs. Mayor Eric Adams recently announced a $1.5 million investment in the initiative, which extends its programming through 2023.

Since its inception in 2020, the SBRN has assisted over 10,000 small businesses citywide, with 76 percent of those being minority or women-owned.

Meanwhile, the Chamber’s Open + Online team has completed over 750 projects that have improved the digital presence of local businesses, including designing websites and logos and SEO consultations.

With the help of SBRN Specialist King, Anna Lo recently secured a $10,000 grant for her company, DMA Consulting. She used the money to pay back rent and cover other miscellaneous expenses.

“I encourage other local business owners to take advantage of this opportunity to speak with an expert and explore the many different ways to help your business grow and thrive,” said Lo.

October 2022 • Volume 18 • Issue 9

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October 2022 • Volume 18 • Issue 9

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October 2022 • Volume 18 • Issue 9

QUEENSBOROUGH CALENDAR OF EVENTS OCTOBER

NFP COMMITTEE EVENT: PRO JOIN THE RETAIL INDUSTRY’S BONO LEGAL ASST. AND BOARD LONGEST RUNNING VENDOR ACCELERATOR PROGRAM BUILDING Oct. 20, 2022 from 12 p.m. - 1 p.m.

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DESIGN THINKING ENTREPRENEURS

October 24, 2022 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

The Workshop at Macy’s can help boost your business! Apply by November 30 to join the retail industry’s longest running vendor accelerator program dedicated exclusively to diverse-, Women-, LGBTQ-, and veteran-owned businesses. Learn from experts who’ll provide tips, tools & resources to help grow your brand.

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Discover how to create a collaborative environment where everyone is responsible for the design.

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THE BUSINESS OF WE (WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS) 2022 ENTREPRENEUR SUMMIT October 22, 2022 from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

ALL DAY EVENT Saturday and half-day on Sunday for Entrepreneurs & Small Business Owners You will receive concise content and rapid-fire information to navigate today’s changes and elevate your business to a higher level of success.

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REAL ESTATE FINANCING: UNDERSTANDING CHALLENGES OF THE PROCESS October 25, 2022 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Queens Chamber Real Estate committee invites you to join them for a conversation about “Commercial Real Estate Financing”.

The focus is to help individuals by answering any questions or challenges they may be having in getting their financing accomplished. True experts in this space meet with their clients, get a full understanding of their needs, create the opportunities, and show how one can negotiate the right deal with the right institution.

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“NYC SUMMONSES – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW October 26, 2022 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

OATH, the NYC Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings, is the City’s independent administrative law court where hearings are held on civil summons issued by almost every city enforcement and inspection agency. OATH is independent from the city agencies that conduct inspections and issue the summonses. Come learn more about OATH directly from OATH’s Commissioner and Chief Administrative Law Judge, Asim Rehman.

Business owners will receive information on the process for challenging summonses and about resources available to businesses who want to have a hearing at OATH. Multilingual printed materials will be available.

After listening to the OATH Commissioner, businesses can meet and greet with some of the agencies that file their summonses at OATH, the agencies can provide one-on-one sessions for small businesses and individuals regarding what they need to do to remain in compliance and avoid receiving a summons. Agencies will include the Department of Sanitation,

Department of Buildings, the Fire Department, and others.

75-20 Astoria Boulevard, Jackson Heights, NY Register at queenschamber.org

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT COMMITTEE PRESENTS: COSTUME MIXER 2022 October 26, 2022 from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Queens Chamber Arts & Entertainment cordially invites you to join them for a pre-Halloween evening of mingling and networking.

Show us what you got, come dressed in your favorite costume.

LIVE entertainment throughout the evening and other special surprises will be on hand.

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with a number of individuals who represent the arts industry in Queens.

Complimentary food and beverages.

King Manor Museum, 150-03 Jamaica Avenue, Queens, NY Register at queenschamber.org

LAUNCH YOUR BUSINESS WITH CUSTOMER-FOCUSED MARKETING Oct. 27, 2022 from 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.

As a new entrepreneur, you’ll need more than good products or services to grow your business. It’s also important to have strong customerfocused marketing strategies to reach your audience and turn them into loyal customers.

VIRTUAL Register at queenschamber.org

10 YEARS LATER: HURRICANE SANDY REMEMBRANCE Oct. 27, 2022 from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Join the Queens Chamber of Commerce along with our community partners friends of the for a commemoration of the Tenth Anniversary of the terrible Hurricane Sandy that created so much destruction and took some lives.

Let’s get together for a moment of prayer and silence as we reflect on those who are still struggling to rebuild their lives.

Complimentary admission - RSVP a must Space is limited Appetizers will be served courtesy of the The Rockaway Hotel + Spa. Cash bar.

The Rockaway Hotel + Spa, Rockaway Beach Drive 108-10, Rockaway Register at queenschamber.org

23

THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

IT’S IN QUEENS

By Rob MacKay, Director Public Relations, Marketing & Tourism, Queens Economic Development Corporation For many Queens residents, October is the best month of the year. It begins with colorful leaves and ends with spooky scenes.

In between, it explodes with apple picking, hot cocoa, pumpkin spice products, and cuddling to stay warm.

It’s also a great month for local activities with everything from a moonlight maze to forest bathing on the schedule.

To find out more, please read on.

Maze By Moonlight Oct. 15 - Oct. 27 Navigate the Amazing Maize Maze in darkness. Bring a flashlight and try to find your way out of the labyrinth. Maze is open on Oct. 15, 20, 22, and 27 with sessions starting at 5:30 pm.

Queens County Farm Museum, 73-50 Little Neck Pkwy., Glen Oaks.

Sunnyside Restaurant Crawl Oct. 16 @ 2 p.m.

More than 35 restaurants and breweries will provide samples of their products to participants who can take trolleys or an ADAcompliant bus to visit them.

Theatre For All Professional Actor Training Program Oct. 17 - Oct. 28

Workshops and panel discussions for deaf and disabled performers on such topics as acting, auditioning, improvisation, movement, musical theater, and voice.

Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Ave. S., Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

Philadelphia Freedom Oct. 21 @ 8 p.m.

Full of joy and unlimited energy, Doug Delescavage transforms into Elton John as he was in his twenties. He owns the stage with his domineering fashion sense that rivals no one but Mr. Captain Fantastic himself.

Resorts World New York City, 110-00 Rockaway Blvd., South Jamaica.

Concierto del Amor Oct. 22 @ 8 p.m.

A concert by a 16-time Grammy and Latin Grammy nominee, who isknown as “El Sonero de la Juventud.” Victor Manuelle likes to put his romantic twist on Tropical music.

Queens College’s Colden Auditorium, 153-49 Reeves Ave., Flushing.

QWANQWA: The Ethiopian Supergroup Oct. 29 @ 8 p.m.

QWANQWA combines elements of rock, psychedelic, and regional beats from Addis Ababa (Ethiopia’s capital) for its unique sound. Members are Endris Hassen (masinko), Bubu Teklamariam (bass krar), Kaethe Hostetter (violin), Misale Leggese (kebero), and Selamnesh Zemene (vocalist).

Flushing Town Hall, 137-35

Theatre For All is hosting a professional actor training program with workshops and panel discussions for deaf and disabled performers.

Northern Blvd.

Halloween Harvest Festival Oct. 29 @ noon The second annual Flight of the Gourds pumpkin-carving contest and compost launch headlines a day of pumpkin art workshops, creative costume making, face painting, andthe cutest and spookiest dog costume contest.

(Rain date: Oct. 30) Socrates Sculpture Park, 32-01 Vernon Blvd., Long Island City.

Totten Trot 5K Run/Walk Oct. 30 @ 9 a.m.

A friendly or competitive race with cash prizes for the top three finishers (male and female) and a prize for best costume.

Antique cars and trucks will be on display. Bayside Historical Society, 208 Totten Ave., Fort Totten, Bayside.

For more information, visit www.itsinqueens.com.

đġĥĨĤġĞı ĞĭĦĜī ĥęĦęğĝĥĝĦĬ įġĬĠ āęĨġĬęĤ čĦĝ ăīěĪħį ăİĨĪĝīī ćĞ ıħĭƷĪĝ ĤħħģġĦğ ĞħĪ ę īĬęĬĝÐħĞÐĬĠĝÐęĪĬ ĮġĪĬĭęĤ īĭĚÐęěěħĭĦĬġĦğ īıīĬĝĥ Ĭħ ĠĝĤĨ ıħĭ manage and track escrow funds easily and efficiently Ĥħħģ Ħħ ĞĭĪĬĠĝĪ ăīěĪħį ăİĨĪĝīī ġī ĬĠĝ ĨĝĪĞĝěĬ ĬħħĤ ĞħĪ ęĬĬħĪĦĝıī ĨĪħĨĝĪĬı ĥęĦęğĝĪī ĪĝęĤ ĝīĬęĬĝ ęğĝĦĬī ęĦĜ ęĦı ħĪğęĦġIJęĬġħĦ ĬĠęĬ ĦĝĝĜī Ĭħ ĠęĦĜĤĝ ĞĭĦĜī ĞħĪ ĥĭĤĬġĨĤĝ ěĤġĝĦĬī įġĬĠ īĝĨęĪęĬĝ ęěěħĭĦĬġĦğ īĬĪĭěĬĭĪĝī ĕġĬĠ ăīěĪħį ăİĨĪĝīī ıħĭ ĜĝěġĜĝ įĠĝĦ įĠĝĪĝ ęĦĜ Ġħį ıħĭ įęĦĬ Ĭħ Įġĝį ıħĭĪ ĨħĪĬĞħĤġħ ĥęĦęğĝ īĭĚÐęěěħĭĦĬī ĥęģĝ ęĤĤħěęĬġħĦī ęĦĜ ĬĪęĦīĞĝĪī ĪĭĦ īĬęĬĝĥĝĦĬī ęĦĜ ĥħĪĝ ĎĤĭī ıħĭƷĤĤ ĝĦĢħı īĬĪĝęĥĤġĦĝĜ ġĦĬĝĪĝīĬ ĨĪħěĝīīġĦğ ęĦĜ Ĭęİ ĪĝĨħĪĬġĦğ ĭĨÐĬħÐĬĠĝÐĥġĦĭĬĝ ęěěĝīī Ĭħ ĚęĤęĦěĝī ęĦĜ ĬĪęĦīęěĬġħĦ ĜĝĬęġĤī ěħĥĚġĦĝĜ ĥħĦĬĠĤı īĬęĬĝĥĝĦĬī ęĭĬħĥęĬĝĜ īĨĤġĬÐġĦĬĝĪĝīĬ ĨĪħěĝīīġĦğ ęĦĜ ĝİĨĝĪĬ īĝĪĮġěĝ ĞĪħĥ ħĭĪ ĝīěĪħį īĨĝěġęĤġīĬī

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Sharif Khalek ċęĪģĝĬ đęĤĝī ăİĝěĭĬġĮĝ ĀĭīġĦĝīī ĀęĦģġĦğ īĠęĪġĞ ģĠęĤĝģâěęĨġĬęĤħĦĝ ěħĥ ( &Ð("!Ð##$

capitalone.com/small-business-bank

Check out the Maze by Moonlight starting at 5:30 p.m., seeing the Amazine Maize Maze in darkness.

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ČħĪĥęĤ ěĪĝĜġĬ ĩĭęĤġNjěęĬġħĦī ęĨĨĤı ĎĪħĜĭěĬī ęĦĜ īĝĪĮġěĝī ħljĝĪĝĜ Ěı āęĨġĬęĤ čĦĝ Č ÿ ċĝĥĚĝĪ ĄĂćā ĐħĭĬġĦĝ ħĪ ĭĦīěĠĝĜĭĤĝĜ ĥęġĦĬĝĦęĦěĝ ĥęı ġĥĨęěĬ ęěěĝīīġĚġĤġĬı ƣ! ! āęĨġĬęĤ čĦĝ āęĨġĬęĤ čĦĝ ġī ę ĞĝĜĝĪęĤĤı ĪĝğġīĬĝĪĝĜ īĝĪĮġěĝ ĥęĪģ ÿĤĤ ĪġğĠĬī ĪĝīĝĪĮĝĜ

October 2022 • Volume 18 • Issue 9

NONPROFIT NEWS

By Jessica Meditz

Metro Village Hosts Second Annual Community Day

jmeditz@queensledger.com On Saturday, Sept. 10, community residents from all walks of life gathered on Metropolitan Avenue in Forest Hills to celebrate Metro Village Forest Hills’ second annual Community Day. Metro Village Forest Hills is a small business alliance founded by Rachel Kellner of Aigner Chocolates and Eileen Arabian of DEE’S Wood Fired Pizza + Kitchen, which was born out of high tensions amid the pandemic.

It was during this time where the businesses got the idea to host their first Community Day on the Avenue, and hope to continue the tradition for years to come.

“Aigner’s was robbed a few years ago during the pandemic, and the businesses really came out to support us. We decided to create an informal business alliance to provide support to each other and to preserve the richness of the community here,” Kellner said.

“We want to keep those businesses around, and so during the pandemic, obviously events had to be outdoors. So we had this idea to do a Community Day and we did it last year with 30 businesses participating,” she continued. “It went so well that we decided to keep it going. Now it’s going to be a tradition here.”

The Community Day spanned from Royal Collectibles to DEE’S, with businesses up and down the Avenue offering various treats, gifts and positive greetings to visitors.

In addition, 29 businesses participated in a scavenger hunt, where guests received a series of clues and had to guess which business corresponded with that clue, who would then mark it off.

The bingo board-like template was created by community member Samantha Weitzberg.

Rachel Kellner and Mark Libertini, the husband and wife team behind Aigner Chocolates.

All guests who filled out their cards completely were entered into a drawing to win a $100 gift certificate to DEE’S and Aigner Chocolates. The winner will be announced by Metro Village this week.

Additionally, 150 prizes were given out at random throughout the day at all the scavenger hunt loca-

tions to participants.

Local elected officials took the time to soak up one of the final days of summer sun in Forest Hills, including Councilwoman Lynn Schulman.

“It’s so important to have days like this with people coming out to see all the different kinds of stores, it’s very eclectic,” Schulman said.

Crystal and James of Wagging Tails handed out goodies.

“It’s so nice to have local owners and it’s really important to help them,” she continued. “It’s just such a community atmosphere here, and everybody’s just so nice and welcoming.”

Arabian is proud to celebrate the success and accomplishments of businesses on the Avenue, including DEE’S, which just relaunched its weekend lunch service since the start of the pandemic. She believes that this year’s Community Day had an even bigger turnout than last year’s, and hopes to see the event continue to grow.

She admires the diversity of the businesses and all that Metropolitan Avenue has to offer.

“This day brings a lot of exposure to Metropolitan Avenue, which is so important because everyone knows about Austin Street, and they don’t always know about Metropolitan,” she said.

“It really has everything to offer: retail, restaurants, barber shops and hair salons, nail salons, butcher shops, attorneys, everything. So it’s a great way to draw people in and open up the doors of opportunity for other businesses.”

25

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.

ASIAN AMERICAN FEDERATION

120 Wall Street, 9th Fl., New York, NY 10005 aafederation.org QUICK GLANCE: The Asian American Federation’s mission is to raise the influence and well-being of the pan-Asian American community through research, policy advocacy, public awareness and organizational development.

Established in 1989, the Federation is a panAsian non-profit organization representing a network of community service agencies in the Northeast. These agencies work in the fields of health & human services, education, economic development, civic participation, and social justice.

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 QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1997, the Bayside

Business Association services all of Bayside business to address issues and concerns those businesses have with regards to running their businesses.

ACCOMPANY CAPITAL (FORMERLY BCNA)

78-27 37 Ave., Ste. 1 Jackson Heights, NY 11372 Business Development: Tshering Gurung 347.730.6468 tgurung@accompanycapital.org QUICK GLANCE: Accompany Capital is an

award-winning Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and Small Business Administration (SBA) micro lender that provides small and micro business owners in New

26

York City with low-cost loans, access to business training & technical assistance, and one-on-one counseling.

Accompany Capital has disbursed over $34 million in loans and assisted over 10,000 immigrant and refugee entrepreneurs in New York City since its founding as Business Center for New Americans (BCNA) in 1997, as well as provided workshops and one-on-one advice on business management and marketing to over 10,000 businesses.

BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER NETWORK (BOC, INC.)

85 S. Oxford Street #2 Brooklyn, NY 11217 718.624.9115 bocnet.org QUICK GLANCE: Business Outreach Center Network’s mission is to improve the economic prospects of traditionally underserved groups, with a focus on low- and moderate-income entrepreneurs and their communities, and thereby create genuinely brighter futures.

At the heart of our mission is the belief that whatever their differences, people and communities share a common goal: to achieve economic stability and growth. Working in partnership with culturally diverse individuals and organizations in support of this shared goal is the hallmark of BOC.

CHHAYA CDC

37-43 77th Street, #2 Jackson Heights, NY 11372 718.478.3848 chhayacdc.org QUICK GLANCE: Core to our strategy is organizing and advocating for systemic changes that remove the barriers to well-being, housing stability, and economic mobility for our communities. For over 20 years, Chhaya has served tens of thousands of individuals and led the charge on key policy issues for immigrants, such as basement legalization, language access, tenants’ rights, and more.

CHINATOWN DISTRICT MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (CHINATOWN PARTNERSHIP)

217 Park Row, 2nd Floor, Suite 9 New York, NY 10038 chinatownpartnership.org QUICK GLANCE: Chinatown Partnership, led

by Wellington Chen, was formed in 2006 as new start-up from grounds up to bring residents, business owners and community groups together to rebuild Chinatown following 9/11, and to preserve the neighborhood’s unique culture while ensuring its vitality in the future through strategic positioning.

With the highly popular Weekend Walks street festive series, Mid-Autumn Festival, One Day in NYC, annual Beautification/Earth Day, East West

Parade with Little Italy, Double Valentine’s Day to promote the softer side of Chinatown and the Jewelry District and all the cafes, eateries in the area. Explore Chinatown marketing initiative, Lunar Stages outdoor film screenings, and Taste of Chinatown street events, Chinatown Partnership helps promote the area as a special destination to live, work, and visit.

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.

GATEWAY JFK

Executive Director: Scott Grimm-Lyon 516.730.3400 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.

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 repre-

senting over 200 businesses.

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

October 2022 • Volume 18 • Issue 9

QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES 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: Founded in 1979, the Jamaica

Center BID serves over 400 businesses on Jamaica Avenue between Sutphin Boulevard and 169th Street. With a budget of over $1 million, 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.

JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

P.O. Box 300687, Jamaica, NY 11430 Executive Director: Clorinda Antonucci President: Al DePhillips Vice President: Joseph Morra JFKCoCExec@gmail.com jfkairportchamberofcommerce.org QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1978, the group has

over 200 members. The chamber was chartered in 1978 by a group of business people in and around JFK Airport. It is the only airport in the nation to have its own Chamber of Commerce. The chamber seeks to create an environment in which members of the business community can work together to enhance the growth, well being and economic development of the airport community and its aviation industry.

LONG ISLAND CITY PARTNERSHIP

718.786.5300 longislandcityqueens.com QUICK GLANCE: 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 and the LIC Industrial Business Zone.

MASPETH CHAMBER OF

COMMERCE

QUICK GLANCE: Budget of $500,000 with over

120 members and a budget of $115,000.

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.

MASPETH INDUSTRIAL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION (MIBA)

QUEENS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

nesses with 30 active members, the Maspeth Industrial Business Association 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.

resource for over 2,000 businesses in the borough of Queens. Register online for upcoming virtual events, including:

P.O. Box 780265, Maspeth, NY 11378 President: David Daraio 718.335.1300 maspethchamberofcommerce.org QUICK GLANCE: Founded in 1953, they have

BOC: 96-11 40th Road, Corona, NY 11368 Coordinator: Quincy Ely-Cate 718.205.3773 qelycate@bocnet.org mibanyc.org QUICK GLANCE: Covering roughly 600 busi-

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 busi-

nesses under its umbrella. Formed in 1929. MVCC meets annually and focuses on the Metropolitan Avenue shopping district between 69 and 80th streets. The mission is to improve the area and assist local businesses if they have any concerns or needs.

MURRAY HILL MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION OF NY

P.O. Box 1897 New York, NY 10156 212.886.5867 murrayhillnyc.org QUICK GLANCE: Murray Hill is a unique residential neighborhood in midtown Manhattan.

While there is no formal boundary for the neighborhood, the area served by The Murray Hill Neighborhood Association and its sister organization the Manhattan East Community Association (MECA) extends from Fifth Avenue eastward to the East River and from 42nd Street down to 26th Street (encompassing the 10016 postal code).

MYRTLE AVENUE BID

62-14 Myrtle Avenue, Ridgewood, NY 11385 Executive Director: Ted Renz 718.366.3806

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

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.

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 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.

ROCKAWAY EAST MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION (REMA4US)

1032 Beach 20th Street Far Rockaway, NY 11691 rema4us.org QUICK GLANCE: REMA 4 US, Inc. seeks to engage in economic development and revitalization in the Rockaway Peninsula. To strengthen our community revitalization programs and community development efforts in the Rockaway Peninsula REMA works alongside businesses, civic groups, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. REMA works to inform the public about opportunities that exist to strengthen the community, and to create a welcoming and safe environment to help expand economic opportunity in the Rockaway Peninsula.

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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

NEW MEMBERS CORPORATE At Your Side Home Care Service 69 Broadway Hicksville, NY 11801 https://www.atyoursidehomecare.com Contact: Nicole Kawaleski, Nicolek@atyoursideHc.com Whether it’s due to injury, illness or aging, sometimes older adults need a little extra help, especially at home. However, family members and friends can’t always be there 24/7 to assist with their aging loved ones. That’s where At Your Side Care comes in. Our personalized care plans and compassionate caregivers help seniors live independently in their own home and continue to do all the things they love.

Barn Truck Rental 57-05 Broadway Woodside, NY 11377 https://www.barntruckrental.com Contact: Benjamin Schulman, ben@ barntruckrental.com Serving the New York City area since 1939, Barn Truck Rental is your premier resource for box trucks, sprinters, and cargo vans. Our goal is to make your move as convenient and pain-free as possible.

Elite Builders and Management 1841 Broadway Street Astoria, NY 11105 https://www.elitesbm.com Contact: Christella Xu, christella@ elitesbm.com

Because we built our operation at the intersection of steel structure design-build, steel fabrication and installation, we curate methodologies and advance each of our clients’ interest projects where risk are high and the problems are very real.

Emcor NY/NJ 5 Dakota Lake Success, NY 11042 Contact: Tim Murphy, tmurphy@ emor.net Vorea 44-02 11 th Street, Suite 312 Long Island City, NY 11101 https://www.vorea.com Contact: p.papamichael@vorea.com The VOREA Group (VOREA), established in 2009, is a multifaceted real estate company, equipped to perform mid to large scale development projects throughout the Tri-state area.

VOREA’s uniquely vertically integrated enterprise includes a thesis-based investment team, a construction management division focused on marrying bestin-class management with best-in-class technology, and an end user platform focused on weaving small business into the fabric of community.

Contact: Anthony Cavallaro, anthonyc@amabenefits.com Anthony A. Ferrante, Attorney at Law 455 Utica Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11203 Contact: Anthony Ferrante, anthonyferrante@gmail.com BTB Renovations 72-45 60 th Lane Glendale, NY 11385 https://www.btbrenovations.com Contact: Alias Melendez, btbrenovations718@gmail.com Dance Entropy, Inc. 37-24 24 th Street, Suites 211-212 Long Island City, NY 11101 https://www.danceentropy.org Contact: Valerie Green, vgreen@ danceentropy.org European Johnny’s Café 60-39 Fresh Pond Road Maspeth, NY 11378 Contact: Marta Pawelic, eurocafe@ gmail.com Flushing House 38-20 Bowne Street Flushing, NY 11354 https://www.flushinghouse.com Contact: Nancy Rojas, Nancy@uam. org

Icorp Technology 300 Trade Center, Suite 6540 Worburn, MA 01801 https://www.icorps.com Contact: Deon Moore, dmoore@ icorps.com Persist Media 225-16 Francis Lewis Blvd Cambria Heights, NY 11411 https://www.persistprint.com Contact: Khalil Perry, persistprint@ gmail.com Prudential Advisors 1270 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 1000 New York, NY 10020 https://www.prudential.com/advisor/ gary-kreps Contact: Gary Kreps, gary.kreps@ prudential.com Tailor Brand 33 Irving Place New York, NY 10003 https://www.tailorbrands.com/llcformation/new-york-llc Contact: Gordon Meagher, gordon@ tailorbrands.com The Mad Photographer 46 Park Avenue Port Washington, NY 11050 https://www.themadphotographer.us

AMA & Associates 1 Bay Club Drive Bayside, NY 11360

Gasteria Works JLL 30-10 41 st Avenue Long Island City, NY 11101 https://www.gasteriaworks.com Contact: Jamie Barbot, jbarbot@ gasteriaworks.com

Walkspan 189 W. 89 th Street New York, NY 10024 https://www.walkspan.com Contact: Bernardita Calinao, bcalinao@walkspan.com

such as Victoria’s Secret, The Gap, Benetton, and Express are side by side with local family-owned shops.

to increase business, safety and historical preservation throughout the neighborhood.

and enrich the economic life of the neighborhood by creating a safe and dynamic commercial district.

SUNNYSIDE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

SUNNYSIDE SHINES

SUTPHIN BOULEVARD BID

budget of $55,000, the chamber is an organization built around assisting and helping local business and professionals by providing resources

budget of approximately $480,000 with more than 250 businesses under its umbrella. The mission of Sunnyside Shines is to invigorate

founded in 2004 and represents 134 businesses, 56 properties and 39 property owners along Sutphin Boulevard between Hillside Ave. and 94th Ave.

SMALL BUSINESS PARTNERS

QUEENS CHAMBER PARTNERS & AFFILIATES

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

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PO Box 4399, Sunnyside, NY 11104 President: Vanessa Ceballos 718.729.4688 sunnyside-chamber.org QUICK GLANCE: With an annual

45-56 43rd Street, Sunnyside, NY 11104 Executive Director: Jaime-Faye Beam 718.606.1800 director@sunnysideshines.org sunnysideshines.org QUICK GLANCE: The BID has a

89-00 Sutphin Boulevard, Suite 204C Jamaica, NY 11435 Executive Director: Glen Greenridge 718.291.2110 sutphinblvdbid@verizon.net QUICK GLANCE: The BID was

October 2022 • Volume 18 • Issue 9 EXECUTIVE COMMMITEE Howard Graf

Patrick Yu

Thomas J. Grech

Brendan Leavy

Richard Dzwlewicz

Michelle Stoddart

Joanne M. Persad

Jacqueline Donado

Chairperson

Associate Treasurer

Vice Chair

Associate Secretary

Treasurer

Immediate Past Chair

Patricia Mezeul Nash Roe

President & CEO

Thomas J. Santucci

Secretary

Business Development Manager

Chief of Operations

Strategic Program Coordinator

Arlene Diangkinay

Jef Gross

Financial Controller

Neil Wagner

Business Service Program Manager

Kenneth J. Buettner Stephanie Baldwin Chad E. Callahan Salvatore Crifasi David Diraio Steven DeClara

Richard Dzwlewicz Charles Everett, Jr. Joseph R. Ficalora Tamara Gavrielof Howard Graf Fran Gross

1st Equity Title & Closing Services A&L Cesspool Services Corp A+ Technology & Security AARP Abrams Fensterman Ads Engineers, DPC AES Allied Risk Management, Inc Amna Construction Corp Andromeda Antun’s of Queens Village APC Specialist LLC ARK Import Export Center, LLC At Your Side Home Care Service Avison Young Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP Balkan Sewer and Water Main Service Barn Truck Rental Barone Management LLC Berkshire HathawayHomeservices Laffey International Realty Blumenfeld Development Group, Ltd.

Manager of Committee Development

Broadway Stages Brooklyn Tile and Design BRP Companies Bulovas Restorations Inc Capital One Bank Carben Construction Inc. Carter Milchman and Frank Catholic Charities Brooklyn & Queens Catholic Health CBRE CDS-Mestel Construction Center for Automotive Education and Training Century Development Group Cerini and Associates, LLP. Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP Champion Elevator Corp.

Ciampa Organization Cine Magic LIC Studios, LLC Cipico Construction, Inc. Coastal Flooring Solutions Combs & Company

Adrienne Whaley Queens Underground Black & Brown Film Festivals queensunderground718@gmail.com Kelsey Brow King Manor Museum director@kingmanormuseum.org

BANKING & LAW

Paul Harrison Chase paul.harrison@chase.com Jackie Harounian Wisselman, Harounian & Associates jackie@lawjaw.com

COMMUNICATIONS Jake Oliver Anat Gerstein jake@anatgerstein.com Henry Ramos Dedline AV henry@dedlineav.com

HEALTHCARE & WELLNESS

Bert Lurch E Central Medical Management bertl@ecmmgt.com Prabhleen S. Virk Citrin Cooperman pvirk@citrincooperman.com

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

Jay Solly Sol Strategies jaypsolly@gmail.com

ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION Bill Staniford Rentigo bill@staniford.com Ryan Letts Cleonmaye Corporation rletts@cleonmaye.com

FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESSES Chad Callahan Plaza College cec4@plazacollege.edu Michael Shoule JW Hampton mikes@jwhampton.com

FOOD, BEVERAGE & HOSPITALITY Jim Quent Statewide Public Affairs jquent@statewidepublicaffairs.com

MANUFACTURING Lina DeLaCruz Control Electropolishing Corp. lina@controlpublishing.com Azra Khalfan-Kermali Plaques by Azra azra@azra.com

William Blake Vincent L. Petraro, Esq. Dominick Ciampa George Rozansky Joseph Farber Gerard Thornton Louis D. Laurino Jeff Levine Joseph M. Mattone, Sr

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Raymond Irrera Kenneth Koenig Lorraine Chambers Lewis Bert Lurch Meredith Marshall Carl Mattone

Patricia Mezeul Melinda Murray-Nyack Maria Odysseos Stephen Preuss Nash Roe Jeffrey Rosenstock

CORPORATE MEMBERS Community Care Rx INC Cornell Tech Cornerstone Land Abstract Cort CPower Energy Management Crann Integrated Solutions Crescent Properties, Inc Cross County Mortgage LLC. Crown Castle Crystal Window & Door Systems, Ltd Dedline AV Diehl & Sons Inc. D.b.a New York Freightliner Direct Clean Service Solutions E-J Electric Installation Co. Elite Builders and Management EMCOR NY/NJ EMU Health ENP Environmental, Inc. ENT and Allergy Associates, LLP EW Howell Construction Group First Central Savings Bank Forest Hills Financial Group, Inc.

COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

SENIOR ADVISORY COUNCIL

EXECUTIVE STAFF

NOT FOR PROFIT

Larry Grubler Transitional Services of NY lgrubler@tsiny.org Christine Deska BellesBoard/Nonprofit Sector Strategies christine@nonprofitsectorstrategies.org

REAL ESTATE

Martin Cottingham Avison Young martin.cottingham@avisonyoung.com Kevin Louie RIPCO klouie@ripcony.com Michael Wang Project Queens michael@projectqueens.com

TECHNOLOGY

Sean C. O’Rourke Combs & Company sorourke@combsandco.com

TRANSPORTATION Phil Jones LIME philip@li.me

Juan Santiago Thomas Santucci Mark Scheinberg Caryn Schwab Sher Sparano Michelle Stoddart

Gil-Bar Industries, Inc. GOLDEN AGE HOME CARE INC Goodwill Industries NYNJ Graf & Lewent Architects Greater NY Automobiles Dealers Association Grubb Properties HANAC, Inc. HE2PD, Inc. Healthy Corner Pharmacy Heatherwood Communities Himmel + Meringoff Properties Holt Construction Corp HQUS DBA Hydro Quebec Hugh O’Kane Electric Co., Inc. IKEA Queens INDA, Association of Nonwoven Fabric Industry Inggroups Innovo Property Group J Strategies, Inc J.W. Hampton Jr. & Co., Inc. Jamaica Multiplex Cinemas / Showcase Cinemas James E Fitzgerald Janney Montgomery Scott Jason Office Products JGM Construction Development, LLC Kasirer, LLC Kaufman Astoria Studios, Inc. KMN Builders, Inc. Krispy Kreme Lenoblelumber Co Levine Builders Liberty Ashes Inc. Littler Mendelson, P.C. Lyons Mortgage Services, Inc. M&J Commissary Inc. Macerich Madison International Realty MediSys Health Network Mega Contracting Group LLC Mesirow Financial Molloy College Mount Sinai Hospital of Queens Mr. T Carting Corp.

NBCUniversal Nelson + Pope New York + Atlantic Railway New York Crystal Cleaning New York Life Insurance Company New York State Energy Coalition, Inc. NOLA CONSTRUCTION INC Nonprofit Sector Strategies, PBC Northwell Go Health Urgent Care NYEEQASC, LLC Omni Funding Corp. of America Onegroup Patrick B. Jenkins & Associates PGA Mechanical Contractors, Inc. Ponce Bank Praxis Public Relations Priority 1 Security LLC ProCleanings Co Prospect Cleaning Service, Inc.

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.

Terri Thomson Henry Wan Mark Weprin Patrick Yu Daniel Zausner

QSIDE Federal Credit Union Queens College CUNY Queens Community House R.A.M.S. Mechanical Inc. RBH Restaurant LLC. Red Eye Group LLC Regal Heights REIL Capital Renaissance New York Flushing Hotel At Tangram Ripco Investment Sales Ronald Fatoullah & Associates Rosco Inc. Royal Waste Services Russo’s on the Bay RXR Realty Samaritan Daytop Village Securitech Group, Inc. Signature Bank Silvercup Studios SkyTrac Access Group, LLC SL Green Realty Corp.

SourceBlue Spectrum Reach Spoton Squad Security Inc. St. Francis Preparatory School St. John’s Episcopal Hospital St. John’s University Standard Group Starbucks Corporation Stellar Global Trading Inc Structural Engineering Technologies, P.C. Sullivan Engineering LLC SUNation Solar Systems Target The Durst Organization The L Grp The Liquidity Source The Sandhu Group Triumvirate Environmental Tully Environmental Inc. Ultrasound Solutions Corp.

United Airlines United Public Adjusters & Appraisers, Inc. Universal Healthcare US Bank Valley National Bank Vassilaros & Sons Coffee Vista LIC Hotel, Best Western Premier Collection VOREA W & M Fire Protection Services Waste Management of New York LLC Watch Guard 24/7 Waymo Webster Bank WellLife Network White Coffee Corp Wisselman, Harounian & Associates, P.C. YMCA of Greater New York / Queens Branches Zara Realty

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THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH

queenschamber.org

NONPROFIT NEWS

Maspeth Lions host First Annual Bocce Tournament

By Jessica Meditz

jmeditz@queensledger.com Cigar smoke and Frank Sinatra songs were in the air in Frank Principe Park last Sunday.

The Maspeth Lions Club gathered on the court in anticipation of their First Annual Bocce Tournament.

The game of bocce that folks know and love today stems from Italy, hence why you may hear exchanges of “Come stai?” on the court.

The game involves eight colored balls, typically red and green, and another smaller white ball, called the “boccino.”

At Sunday’s game, a younger player asked about the rules — to which another player replied, “You throw the ball and hope it gets closer to the other ball.”

“We chose bocce because any-

body can play the game. Young, old, you don’t have to be in the greatest shape; you can play outside on a nice day…it’s nice,” said Joseph Papavero, president of the Maspeth Lions Club. “A big thank you to Councilman Bob Holden and the Parks Department because the courts were redone just in time for the tournament.”

Aside from the game itself, another highlight of the event was the food donated by local establishments, including Frank’s Deli, Mario’s Meats & Deli, Iavarone Bros., Rosa’s Pizza, 69th Street Beer Distributors and Jim Von Eiff State Farm Insurance.

In addition, the bocce tournament was sponsored by Maspeth Federal Savings, Papavero Funeral Home, Maspeth Contracting and E3TECH, LLC. All the proceeds from the event

went to charitable causes both near and far — from the St. Stanislaus Sports Program to the Puerto Rico Hurricane Relief Fund.

In addition to raising funds for charity, the Lions took the time to enjoy the day and see it as a bonding experience.

“I used to play bocce all the time when I’d go upstate in the Catskills

MAJOR CORPORATE MEMBERS

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for 20-something years and we always had a tournament. It’s something I play with my kids too,” said Mike Aylward, a member of the Maspeth Lions Club.

“I’ve been a proud member of the Maspeth Lions Club for 30 years and I love it,” said Robert Marchese, membership chairman. “This is a fantastic turnout and to raise money for charity, this is a great event and project.”

After all was said and done, only one team walked away victorious from the tournament — this time it was the father-son duo of Jack and Mark Leone.

“We’re thankful to be a part of the Maspeth Lions Club, and we hope to be here again next year.”

October 2022 • Volume 18 • Issue 9 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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