Queens Special Issue 2015
CELEBR ATING OVER 70 YEARS IN L .I.C.
borough.” Ulrich noted that Democrats have had success appointing district leaders at large to serve as liaisons for growing immigrant groups that may not have the numbers to elect traditional district leaders. “It’s something that I spoke to Bob Turner about,” he said. Turner, a retired TV executive, and other party members say they aim to install leaders at their September reorganization meeting who reflect the demographics of every neighborhood, and plan to develop a long-term strategy for integrating leaders from the north and south. Meanwhile, Republican leaders say the party has been holding meetings that merge executive members on both certificates. There are some questions, however, about how depleted the north end’s representation is, with its longtime chairman, Ragusa, dead, its vice chairman, Vincent Tabone, convicted of corruption and its executive director, Robert Hornak, working on an out-of-state project for a few months. Two officials once allied with Ragusa, however—First Vice Chairman James McClelland and Executive Director Pierre Alcantara—have been involved in
the meetings. “Yes, there were feelings hurt,” Alcantara said. “Yes, there were people on edge, but I’m happy to say they saw the bigger picture. Either we’re going to let the Republican Party fade away in Queens ... or we’re going to come together.” Turner anticipates Democratic Queens District Attorney Richard Brown will receive the GOP’s backing, but said there were questions about how to proceed with judicial candidates. Ulrich, however, seems confident the party will keep its door open to judges accustomed to having the Democratic line. “We have endorsed them in the past. We’ll do that again, I think. It’s important to show unity when it comes to judicial endorsements,” said Ulrich, who previously had a role in the judicial nominating process. “People who sit on the bench are supposed to be fair and impartial.” Both Ulrich and Turner say the real focus will be on running Republicans in 2016—reversing the slump seen in the last state legislative election cycle, when the party failed to put up a candidate in state Sen. Tony Avella’s district for the first time in decades.
Written by: Gabriel Rom Plaxall Inc. is a quintessential American success story. From a small business cutting ice blocks from the Mississippi River to technical innovator and now Queens real-estate and civic leader, the company is today a driving force behind Long Island City’s growth. In the 1930’s Louis Pfohl - a second-generation Austrian-American engineer, lawyer, architect and industrial designer - revolutionized the burgeoning plastics industry when he invented “thermoforming,” a mass-production process of shaping plastics for myriad commercial uses. This innovation led him to Queens—and eventually Long Island City--where he founded Plaxall Inc. His children, James Pfohl, Ann Kirby and Lynn Quigley worked with Louis as the business expanded from plastics to real estate. The company remains in the most literal sense a family affair. Today, three of Pfohl’s fifteen grandchildren, Tony Pfohl, Matthew Quigley and Paula Kirby (all cousins) run the company and share the titles of owner and managing director. Plaxall now owns over one million square feet of real estate in Long Island City and is involved with local economic-development and philanthropic organizations such as The Coalition for Queens, the Jacob A. Riis Settlement House, and the Long Island City Partnership. Tony Pfohl lived in Long Island City 13 years ago - long before craft-beer bars and cafes lined the streets. “When we were younger and we got off at the subway stop, we’d hear ‘kid, you’re lost.’ Now we have strollers, bicycles and dog walkers. It’s incredible to see how vibrant the community has become,” but, he added, “it took a lot longer than we thought.” The company has helped turn what was once a no-man’s land of industrial warehouses into one of New York’s most dynamic neighborhoods.
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Plaxall’s philosophy of curating prospective tenants has helped foster local tech and artistic communities. More than a decade ago Plaxall offered free space for an artisan gallery on Vernon Boulevard, helping to highlight the local artistic community. The techies followed soon thereafter.
The family stresses that they value their community not only out of social concern, but that being a good neighbor makes good business sense too. “The community atmosphere adds a lot of value for us,” Ms. Kirby said.
From left, Queens County GOP First Vice Chairman James McClelland, Chairman Bob Turner, Bart Haggerty of the Board of Elections and Executive Director Pierre Alcantara at the announcement of Turner’s chairmanship. cit yandstateny.com
With its roots now firmly set in Long Island City, Plaxall doesn’t plan on leaving anytime soon. As Ms. Kirby said, “We’ve been here for 70 years. And we certainly plan to stay here and remain involved in this dynamic community.”
www.plaxall.com
city & state — April 30, 2015
QUEENS COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY
Plaxall has worked closely with technology startups like Songza, an Internet music streaming service, to find affordable office space in the Plaxall portfolio. “They were this tiny start-up. We found them space and helped with their subsequent expansion,” explained Ms. Kirby. In addition to their real-estate offerings, Plaxall provides the space for LIC Flea & Food, a weekly market, and the LIC Community Boat House. “Our tenants have a vested interest in the community. They like being in an environment that fosters collaboration. Long Island City has this live-work feel, which suits many of them,” Mr. Quigley said.