Category Archives: EconomicDevelopment

No comments

The Queens Courier: MTA finally leases property at 74th Street

  June 8, 2011 ,

From The Queens Courier: By Luisa Garcia

After six years, a lease agreement has been signed with Famiglia-DeBartolo, LLC for the operation of a two-story pizzeria/Italian restaurant at one of the street level spaces located at the 74th Street-Broadway/ Roosevelt Avenue Station. “We are very excited about opening a restaurant at such a practical and convenient location. The Jackson Heights Community is vibrant, diverse, represents the heart of New York and we feel right at home,” said Paul Kolaj, president of Famiglia-DeBartolo, which runs Famous Famiglia. “We intend to provide economic growth for the community by hiring approximately 30 employees.” In December 2010, after many failed attempts, the MTA advertised a new request for proposals. A total of 13 proposals were received in response. The highest proposal received was from Famous Famiglia. Getting the MTA to lease the vacant space was one of the first issues City Councilmember Daniel Dromm addressed when elected in 2009.

Dromm demanded the MTA lease the vacant properties to generate much needed revenue during the city’s economic crisis and avoid drastic service cuts. Since the station was refurbished in 2005, the MTA has inexplicably missed out on a significant source of income.

“The MTA had neglected the gateway to our community for far too long,” said Dromm. “I am delighted the MTA has finally taken steps towards leasing the empty storefronts at the 74th Street/Roosevelt Avenue station. Having these spaces filled will not only generate badly needed revenue for the MTA but it will also have an enormous impact on the economic development of our neighborhood and improve our residential quality of life.”

According to MTA spokesperson Kevin Ortiz, the large size and required capital investment by a potential tenant made leasing this space a challenge.

“This is an example of how we are trying to maximize the benefits of our real estate portfolio, specifically our retail space to increase revenues,” said Ortiz.

Last year, the MTA saw approximately $75 million in revenue from its retail spaces.

“We should not have empty retail space anywhere in New York,” said Isaac Emperador, business owner and resident of Jackson Heights. “Although it took too long for the MTA to market the empty lot, opening a pizzeria will push for economic development in Queens.”

Senator Jose R. Peralta said filling this space would help clean up Roosevelt Avenue and give it a more family-friendly character.

“We need to make sure that we create jobs and that residents of Queens have an opportunity for economic growth,” said Peralta. “The location is perfect because it is the fifth most utilized station in the city of New York.”

The 24-hour eatery is expected to open in six to nine months and proposes to operate a pizzeria with a full line of pizza, pasta, salads, sandwiches, wraps and beverages. It also plans to provide a breakfast menu and operate 24-hours a day at this centrally located space.

No comments

NY Daily News: Overhauled Queens subway station finally fills long vacant retail space

  June 3, 2011 , , , , ,

From NY Daily News: By Clare Trapasso


After six years and a $130 million revamp, a Jackson Heights subway station is finally getting a tenant for its prime, two-story retail space.


Famous Famiglia signed a 20-year, roughly $2.6 million lease last month with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, company officials told the Daily News yesterday.


The 24-hour eatery is expected to open in six to nine months at the 74th St./Roosevelt Ave. station, officials said.


“This is our first subway station [location] and we’re very excited about it,” said Paul Kolaj, president of Famiglia-DeBartolo, which runs Famous Famiglia. “We don’t think there are enough pizza places in the area and we hope to satisfy that void.”


The chain has more than 100 stores nationwide. Donald Trump and Sarah Palin chowed down at one of its Manhattan branches on Tuesday.


City Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) said he was pleased by the deal.


Dromm had urged the MTA to fill the space last year – around the same time the agency was looking to hike transit fares.


“When people come out of the subway station and they look and see empty storefronts with garbage strewn all around the terminal, all they want to do is turn around,” Dromm said.


The space remained vacant for so long because the original tenant, Cosanba, a bakery, ran into architectural problems and work came to a standstill, an MTA official said. Cosanba signed a 10-year lease in 2007 but the MTA terminated it in late 2010.


The MTA sent out a new request for proposals in December. Famous Famiglia submitted the highest bid.


“This is an example of how we are trying to maximize the benefits of our real estate portfolio, specifically our retail space to increase revenues,” said MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz.


The agency took in about $75 million in revenue last year from its various city retail spaces.


Edwin Westley, president of the Jackson Heights Beautification Group, said he was happy to hear of the new tenant.


“It’s encouraging that the MTA is finally getting around to doing what it should have done many years ago,” Westley said.


Subhash Kapadia, a board member of the Jackson Heights Merchants Association, said he believes the shop will help local commerce.


“It’s definitely going to bring more people in this area,” Kapadia said.


No comments

Times Ledger: June in Jackson Hts. nears

  June 2, 2011 , ,

From Times Ledger: By Rebecca Henely

Last year City Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) created June in Jackson Heights, a series of art shows, music performances and a restaurant week aimed at showcasing what the neighborhood has to offer. For its second year, Dromm said there will be even more to see, hear and eat.

“We conveyed a connection between arts and business, arts and economic development,” Dromm said.

The councilman was joined by artists and restaurateurs in the community last Thursday at a preview for the monthlong showcase.

Dromm said last year June in Jackson Heights featured a gallery in a then-empty storefront at 86-08 37th Ave., live music outside the Jackson Heights Post Office at 78-02 37th Ave. and an exhibit at PS 69 at 77-02 37th Ave., in addition to a restaurant week. The gallery alone saw 1,000 visitors and the June in Jackson Heights website welcomed 5,000 visitors during the course of a month. This year there will be more exhibits and restaurants participating.

“Events like this help raise the visibility of artists to one another,” said Ari Laura Kreith of Theater 167, a Jackson Heights-based performing arts group named after the number of languages spoken in the community.

The first major event this year is free Indian dances and crafts June 4 at 12:30 p.m. at the Jackson Heights Library at 35-51 81st St. The next day, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., the 19th-annual Queens Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Parade and Multicultural Festival will be held in the neighborhood. Theatre 167 will host a musical at PS 69, “How I Was Radicalized,” June 10 at 8 p.m. The Jackson Repertory Theater will hold “Dances for a New Diagonal” at the same location the next day at 8 p.m.

Hector Canonge, who headed up the gallery last year, said there will be another show this year at a place still to be determined. He said last year’s exhibition featured art at a professional level despite the small budget.

“We did it with nothing,” Canonge said.

Consuelo Quintero, who owns Natives Restaurant at 82-22 Northern Blvd. in Jackson Heights, said participating in the restaurant week last year was “tremendous.” She distributed 600 coupons for her restaurant within 24 hours.

“That wouldn’t have happened if we didn’t have the exposure to the whole Jackson Heights community,” she said.

Deepak Ballaney of Delhi Heights, at 37-66 74th St., which hosted the preview, praised the week, which will run from June 20 through June 25.

“It’s a great thing to know we are doing a restaurant week in Jackson Heights,” he said.

Dromm said the event has all been done for less than $4,000. He said funding for cultural institutions is important even in a time of fiscal crisis.

“If we don’t have cultural institutions, we’re certainly going to see people leaving the city,” he said.

For more information, go to juneinjacksonheights.com.

No comments

Queens Chronicle: Liu and Dromm Eat Elmhurst, you can too!

  April 7, 2011 ,

From Queens Chronicle: By Elizabeth Daley


If it can be cooked, it can be found in Elmhurst. While this may not be entirely true, the diversity of restaurants in the area will not leave diners wanting much.


Through April 9, 14 neighborhood eateries will be offering discounts, freebies or already low prices as part of Eat Elmhurst, the area’s first restaurant week.


Councilman Danny Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) and city Comptroller John Liu stopped by Lao Kou Wei, a Chinese restaurant located at 86-08 Whitney Ave. to share a bite to eat and kick off the restaurant week last Sunday.


Dromm said he sponsored Eat Elmhurst to help promote local businesses and expose the uninitiated to the tastes of the neighborhood. “In times like these, celebrating cultural diversity and encouraging everyone to partake in our various traditions, cultures and cuisines can play a pivotal role in spurring economic growth,” Dromm said. “Elmhurst’s vibrant immigrant community has long been one of New York’s best kept secrets and now people who work or live here are ready to share their favorite recipes and traditions with the rest of the city.”

Dromm and Liu ate noodle soup and even helped participate in making noodles at the restaurant, known for its tasty dumplings and low prices.

The councilman has also sampled food from other participating restaurants serving Spanish, Argentinian, Italian, Malaysian, Indonesian, Thai, Japanese and diner fare.

“Encouraging active participation in and around the neighborhood will only serve to revitalize our local economy and lay the groundwork for continued growth,” Dromm said. “An initiative like this is not only a short-term fix to help local merchants, but through a sustained promotion of the very best our neighborhoods have to offer, we can achieve long-term success.”

Besides, everyone loves to eat.

For more information regarding Eat Elmhurst and for a complete listing of participating restaurants and the discount flier visit eatelmhurst.com.

No comments

Queens Ledger: Eating up Elmhurst

  April 5, 2011 ,

From Queens Ledger: By Lisa Fraser


The already affordable restaurants in Elmhurst are slashing their prices even more during the town’s first Restaurant Week initiative. City Councilman Daniel Dromm announced last week that from April 3 through April 9, 14 restaurants in Elmhurst will participate in the initiative, dubbed Eat Elmhurst


Dromm’s plan is to spur economic growth in the area while promoting Elmhurst’s many diverse tastes.


“Elmhurst’s vibrant immigrant community has long been one of New York’s best kept secrets and now people who work or live here are ready to share their favorite recipes and traditions with the rest of the city,” he said in a statement.


A special kickoff event for the week occurred on April 2 in partnership with Elmhurst Hospital Center. The launch, held at the H Building at Elmhurst Hospital featured a few local restaurants who provided samples like pad thai noodles and fresh ravioli in presto to over 100 attendees.


The event also contained a healthy component: a series of presentations from Elmhurst Hospital dieticians, the American Diabetes Association and GrowNYC highlighted the resources the city offers for a healthier diet.


Dr. Jey Hwang, Elmhurst’s Hospital director of food and nutritional services spoke of ways in which foodies could still pay attention to eating healthy during an indulgent time like restaurant week.


Cornell University and Eat Smart New York were also on hand to give a demonstration on a kid-friendly recipe of a mix of colorful black beans, red beans, corn and salsa.


“We wanted to make the fusion between what the community has to offer in terms of food and restaurants but also to make the connection between eating healthy,” Dromm said. “It was a dual purpose.”


While organizing the event, one of the difficulties faced was that already the food in Elmhurst was very cheap. “You could get a wonderful lunch for $4.95,” said Dromm. “It’s hard to believe you get a discount on that as well, but you get a 10 percent discount.”


The restaurants span Elmhurst’s cultural diversity offering a taste of Spanish, Italian, Thai, Japanese, Argentinian, Malaysian, Chinese and Indonesian cuisine among others.


“Elmhurst is the most multicultural neighborhood in all of New York City. They say that over 167 languages are spoken here,” Dromm said. “A lot of people don’t know what Elmhurst has to offer.”


Attendees of the Eat Elmhurst kick-off at Elmhurst Hospital got a chance to sample dishes from some participating restaurants.


No comments

Times Ledger: Festival to serve up the many flavors of Elmhurst

  April 1, 2011 ,

From Times Ledger: By Rebecca Henely


City Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) announced that next week restaurants throughout Elmhurst will be knocking down prices for Eat Elmhurst, a restaurant week meant to showcase the flavors and cultural diversity of the neighborhood.


“Elmhurst’s vibrant immigrant community has long been one of New York’s best-kept secrets and now people who work or live here are ready to share their favorite recipes and traditions with the rest of the city,” Dromm said in a statement.


The councilman said the April 3-April 9 event, which he is sponsoring, plans to provide a boost to the neighborhood’s economy. Fourteen restaurants are participating, most of which are located along Broadway and Baxter Avenue. They collectively offer Spanish, Argentinian, Italian, Japanese, Malaysian, Chinese, Indonesian, Thai and continental fare. Many restaurants are offering 10 percent off dinner or other deals during the week.


“An initiative like this is not only a short-term fix to help local merchants, but through a sustained promotion of the very best our neighborhoods have to offer, we can achieve long-term success,” Dromm said.


The week officially kicks off Saturday at Elmhurst Hospital Center’s H Building at 41st Avenue and 80th Street from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dromm said that on this day Elmhurst Hospital Dieticians, the American Diabetes Association and Grow NYC will showcase resources the city has that will enable residents to eat a healthier diet. Refreshments at this event will be provided by the local restaurants, Dromm said.


Jimmy Thonsur, a co-owner of Wasabi Point, at 76-18 Woodside Ave., said the restaurant learned about the event after Dromm’s office sent him information about a similar venture last year. Thonsur, whose restaurant is offering 10 percent off everything on the menu, said the owners opened the restaurant more than two years ago in Elmhurst because of the wide range of ethnic groups in the community. He said the owners are Tibetan but have worked for many years in a Japanese company.


“That’s why we have a menu of Japanese and Tibetan,” Thonsur said.


Louie’s Pizza & Pasta, at 81-34 Baxter Ave., is offering chicken Parmesan and a slice of pizza for $10. The owner, Louie Suljovic, said he hopes participants who try out his restaurant’s northern Italian-style food will become regulars.


“Our food is better than most restaurants in Manhattan,” Suljovic said.


For more information, go to eatelmhurst.com


No comments

Dromm Welcomes Credit Ready NYC Initiative to Spur Economic Growth

  January 27, 2011 ,

City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn today launched Credit Ready NYC – a Citywide initiative to increase lending throughout the five boroughs by providing resources to small businesses struggling through the credit crunch. She was joined by Council Member Daniel Dromm who welcomed the initiative in Queens.


No comments

NY Daily News: Jackson Heights residents up in arms over six-story building coming their way

  January 13, 2011 , ,

From NY Daily News: By Clare Trapasso


A group of Jackson Heights residents are up in arms over a plan to erect a six-story building in the neighborhood’s historic district where a row of one-story businesses burned down last year.


The owners of the property at 84-01 37th Ave. are to appear before the city Landmarks Preservation Commission Tuesday to respond to public concerns on the design of the neo-Georgian structure. The commission may vote on whether to approve the project at the meeting.


“It’s not the right building for the community,” said City Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights). “We really hope that the landlord will work to preserve the quality of buildings in the neighborhood.”


He was one of more than a dozen people to speak out against the building at a commission hearing Dec. 7. Dromm said he opposed the project due to the lack of windows and green space in front of the proposed structure.


Katie Musselwhite-Goldsmith, 32, of Jackson Heights, collected more than 500 signatures from locals who opposed the building.


“It’s going to put a lot of stress on our schools, park space, sanitation,” said Musselwhite-Goldsmith, who was particularly upset with the lack of windows on the eastern side of the building.


“If we can’t stop it from only being a one-story building, at least they can make their design as humane as possible,” she said.


There are plenty of six-story buildings in the area — just not on that block, she said.


Since the property is located in a historic district, the commission can choose to accept the current building plans or ask for modifications at tomorrow’s meeting, said agency spokeswoman Lisi de Bourbon.


“We have a say in the appearance of the building and the materials used to construct it,” she said.


Project Manager Charles Knight, of Angelo Ng & Anthony Ng Architects Studio, said the property owners are looking into putting green space in front of the building. But installing windows on the eastern wall isn’t feasible due to building regulations, he said.


“We’re seeking to find a solution that the existing residents and the property owner can agree upon, he said.


The facility is slated to have ground-floor stores, 45 one- and two-bedroom apartments and 14 underground parking spaces, Knight said.


“It’s going to provide additional, affordable housing right in the middle of a bustling community,” he said. “It will bring in new residents who will support local merchants.”


Edwin Westley, president of the Jackson Heights Beautification Group, said he is worried that if this building goes up, other six-story structures will soon follow.


“They do have a right to build the building,” he said. “The only input we have is to get the Landmarks Commission to agree to our redesign.”