Sunnyside`s Lowery Plaza Opens Thursday, Nov. 6th @ 7PM

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014
THE WOODSIDE HERALD
PAGE 1
SERVING SUNNYSIDE-WOODSIDE AND LONG ISLAND CITY
VOL. 80, NO. 44
WOODSIDE, L.I.C., N.Y. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014
FREE
Page 8
Sunnyside’s
Lowery
Plaza
Opens
s)
Lowery Plaza, the second of
two new public plazas coming to
Sunnyside, Queens opened today in a ceremony attended by
several local elected officials, including Council Majority Leader
Jimmy Van Bramer, State Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan,
State Senator Michael Gianaris,
NYC DOT Queens Borough
Commissioner Dalila Hall, and
Queens Community Board 2
Chairman Joe Conley. Lowery
Plaza, located at the intersection
of 40th Street and Queens Boulevard, under the elevated 7 train,
has been transformed from an
underutilized underpass into a vi-
brant public space with seating
and colorful planters. The plaza
is a part of the New York City
Department of Transportation’s
NYC Plaza Program and will be
managed by the Sunnyside Shines
Business Improvement District.
(continued on page 4)
Enhanced Citi Bike Program
Marc Leavitt stands with
organizers Bernard Reilly
and Mary Flannery.
Golfers Raise Thousands
For Kamp Kiwanis,
AGAIN
On Monday, October 6th,
over 100 golfers and sponsors
participated in a great day of
golf at the Garrison Golf Club to
raise funds for the Sunnyside
Kiwanis Club to send local
youngsters to Kamp Kiwanis for
a week this summer. Mary
Flannery and Bernard Reilly of
Sidetracks organized the event,
which has been repeated for over
20 years. Boys and girls from 8
to 14 are eligible to apply later in
the spring. Club Past President
and local attorney Marc Leavitt
thanked everyone and explained
that he himself enjoyed a week
at the camp near upstate Rome,
NY near the Canada border.
Many raffle prizes were distributed to the enthusiastic golfers.
It was a great day for great cause.
(continued on page 8)
The Citi Bike system will be expanded
from the current system
of 330 stations and
6,000 bikes to over 700
stations and 12,000
bikes by the end of 2017.
Citi Bike will stretch
further out into Brooklyn, into Harlem, and
bring bikes to Queens
for the first time.
The agreement with
the City also calls for
service enhancements to
the system’s operations
for Citi Bike’s tens of
thousands of riders, including upgrades to the
software and technology
that helps operate the
bike share system.
(continued on page 3)
CB2 MONTHLY MEETING
Thursday, Nov. 6th @ 7PM
PUBLIC HEARING: Company seeking Demapping/
Acquisition of Vaux Rd. between 59th St. & 60th St.
SCS, 43-31 39th St., Sunnyside
All Are Welcome & Comments Will Be Heard
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THE WOODSIDE HERALD
PAGE 2
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014
Attorneys-At-Law
MARC CRAWFORD LEAVITT
JOSEPH N. YAMANER*
IRA R. GREENBERG
PAUL E. KERSON
JOHN F. DUANE
TALI SEHATI
THE BENJAMIN SHAW PROFESSIONAL BUILDING
45-29 47th Street - Woodside, New York 11377
718-729-0986
MIDTOWN OFFICE: 228 E. 45TH STREET, 17 FL., NYC 10017
Airport Noise Compatibility
Studies Begin at JFK and LGA
Part 150 Studies to Identify Aircraft Noise Mitigation Measures for Area Residents
Serving the Community Since 1947
*We speak Spanish, Hebrew & Turkish
SAVE THE DATE
Monday December 1st @ 6:30PM
Pictures with Lily
Sunnyside Chamber Fundraiser,
Dazies Restaurant 6:30 PM
Please visit the Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce Website
For more details or call Luke (718) 784-8437
Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Queens,
the Bronx), Vice Chair of the House
Democratic Caucus, applauded the
announcement that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has signed an agreement with a
contractor to begin conducting federal Part 150 airport noise compatibility planning studies at John F.
Kennedy International and
LaGuardia airports. The studies
consist of developing noise exposure maps, evaluating potential
noise abatement procedures and
identifying potential noise mitigation measures for area residents.
“I’ve always said our airports
will never be perfect neighbors,
but we can help make them better
ones,” said Rep. Crowley. “This
Part 150 noise compatibility study
is a significant step toward that
goal. I’ve called on the Port Authority to complete this study for
over a decade, and I applaud Governor Cuomo for his work in making it happen. The information the
study provides about the significant impact of noise on our communities will give us the tools we
need to help people whose lives
are disrupted by the roar of airplanes. I look forward to the study’s
findings and will continue to work
with the Port Authority to help
improve the lives of New Yorkers
impacted by airplane noise.”
A leader in the effort to curb
aircraft noise pollution, Crowley
is the author of The Silent Skies Ac
that will require the Federal Aviation Administration to issue regulations by the end of 2015 requiring commercial airplanes to meet
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43-11 Greenpoint Ave., Sunnyside, NY 11104
Telephone (718) 729-3772
Marlene Sabba ............................................................... Publisher
Sherilyn Jo Sabba ................................................................. Editor
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Mary Caulfield, Peter A. Ross, Rob MacKay
CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS
Joe Gurrado, Robert Flanagan
Congressman Crowley is the eightterm representative from the 14th
Congressional District of New York,
which includes sections of Queens
and the Bronx. He is a member of the
powerful Ways and Means
Committee and serves as Vice Chair
of the Democratic Caucus in the
House of Representatives.
PODIATRY MEDICAL AND SURGICAL SERVICES
DR. DAVID GOLDHABER, DABAFS
•
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•
•
Become Part Of Your
Neigborhood’s History
Stage 4 noise standards, which is a
significantly lower decibel level
than those currently in use.
Earlier this month, Crowley cofounded the Quiet Skies Caucus in
Congress, which will raise awareness on the issue of aircraft noise
and work to find meaningful solutions to the problem. The caucus
consists of members from across
the country whose constituents are
adversely affected by incidents of
airplane and helicopter noise.
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718-729-2117
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and Saturday
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Appointment
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014
THE WOODSIDE HERALD
Call For Ethel’s 104th
Birthday Flash Mob II
Thanksgiving Day, which is Ethel
Plimack’s 104th birthday, SunnysideArtists
invites all to another two-minute flash mob,
NOON SHARP, at 39-54 46th Street in
Sunnyside, to sing Ethel “Happy
Birthday!”Again this year, and attending, we
hope, will be Michael Laurence McKnight,
on his way to one year! Last year, despite the
cold and the national holiday, 125 friends,
neighbors and a few strangers.
Ethel is bright, bubbly and stays involved
in the neighborhood. She raised her three
children here and makes sure she knits a cap
or scarf for all newcomers on the block.
(continued from front page)
Citi Bike Program
“I am thrilled that CitiBike is expanding
into Queens,” said New York City Council
Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer. “I’ve
been pushing to have bike share in Western
Queens for years and now the dream has
become a reality. Long Island City has always wanted this valuable transportation
option, which will literally put our neighborhoods and attractions on the map for
millions. Citi Bike will bring more people to
the neighborhoods and ease travel to other
parts of the City for those who live here. I’m
proud to cycle, proud to be a founding member of Citi Bike and proud to help bring this
great program to Queens. I applaud Mayor
de Blasio and DOT Commissioner
Trottenberg for working with Related to
save and enhance this valuable program.”
Council Member Van Bramer helped
secure 10 docking stations in Long Island
City/Queensbridge. Bikes will be installed
in the neighborhood in 2015.
New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Polly
Trottenberg, Alta Bicycle Share incoming
CEO Jay Walder, and Citi Executive Vice
President for Global Public Affairs Edward
Skyler announced an agreement between
the City of New York and Alta Bicycle
Share to operate, improve, and double the
size of the largest bike share program in
North America. A $30 million infusion of
private capital from Bikeshare Holdings
LLC, a group of private investors acquiring
Alta, supported by an increased sponsorship
commitment from Citi of up to $70.5 million extended through 2024, and a $15 million increase in the credit facility from the
Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group
will allow for the expansion and ensure the
long-term stability of the system, making it
more reliable and accessible for the thousands of New Yorkers who rely upon it.
New Yorkers currently take more than one
million trips every month on Citi Bike.
“This is about delivering the bike share
program New Yorkers expect and deserve.
We believe in Citi Bike’s potential as a
fixture of New York City’s public transit
system. It can make our neighborhoods more
accessible, help us achieve our sustainability
goals, and bridge inequities in our transportation network. To achieve all that, bike
share has to be reliable and responsive to
community’s needs. Today, after tremendous efforts across our administration, we
can say we have the management and the
support in place to fulfill that mission. It’s a
good day for New Yorkers who rely on Citi
Bike, and for neighborhoods and riders that
have eagerly awaited its expansion,” said
Mayor Bill de Blasio.
price change will go into effect at a date to be
announced shortly. Citi Bike is also exploring possible weekend, monthly and tourist
membership.
Residents of the NYC Housing Authority and members of select Community Development Credit Unions will still be eligible for discounted Citi Bike memberships
for $60 a year.
Neighborhood Expansion:
Under the terms of the agreement the
Citi Bike service area will expand in Manhattan into Harlem, as well as into Astoria,
Long Island City, Greenpoint, Williamsburg,
Bushwick, Prospect Heights, Crown
Heights, Park Slope, Carroll Gardens,
Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, Red Hook,
Gowanus, and more of Bedford-Stuyvesant.
This builds out the existing service area,
which includes Manhattan below 59th Street,
Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn,
parts of Bedford-Stuyvesant, parts of
Williamsburg, Clinton Hill, Fort Greene
and DUMBO neighborhoods in Brooklyn.
The expansion, which will begin in 2015,
will commence in Long Island City,
Greenpoint, Williamsburg, and the rest of
Bedford-Stuyvesant.
Ridership:
Citi Bike has proven hugely popular,
serving upwards of 40,000 people per day
through the spring, summer and fall. Citi
Bike currently has over 90,000 annual members and more than 641,000 short-term passes
have been used. Since launch, Citi Bike
riders have taken over 14 million trips and
have ridden over 25 million miles.
Employment:
The expansion is expected to create a
significant number of new jobs in New York
City. New York City Bike Share LLC has
committed to instituting local recruiting initiatives and offering skills training. All jobs
will pay at or above living wage. In addition,
Alta is relocating and consolidating its corporate headquarters in New York City.
Safety:
There have been no fatalities or serious
injuries to Citi Bike riders in the nearly 14
million trips made on the system since its
launch. The system continues to promote
safe riding with rules of the road displayed
on the handlebars of each bike. The Department of Transportation distributes free bike
helmets at events across the city and continues to encourage their use.
Membership Structure:
The rate for an annual program membership, also for unlimited 45-minute rides,
will become $149. This change is necessary
to provide world-class service for this hugely
popular and well-used system, making it
financially viable for the long-term. The
April Simpson-Taylor (President, Queensbridge
Tenants Assoc.), DOT Commissioner Polly
Trottenberg, CM Van Bramer and Carol Wilkins
(President, Ravenswood Residents Assoc.)
To Advertise E-mail [email protected] or call 718-729-3772
PAGE 3
PAGE 4
THE WOODSIDE HERALD
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014
(continued from front page)
Lowery Plaza
In 2013, the Sunnyside Shines
BID submitted an application to the
NYC Plaza Program, with strong
support from local elected officials
and community stakeholders. In early
April 2014, they were notified that
the application was accepted. The
program commenced with a community outreach meeting in April
and was approved by Queens Community Board 2 in June. Bliss Plaza,
located at 46th Street and Queens
Boulevard, opened in July.
Like Bliss Plaza, Lowery Plaza
includes tables, chairs and decorative planters. Both plazas will be
open year-round, from approximately 9am until dusk. The names
of the plazas are derived from the
original street names for 40th Street
(Lowery Street) and 46th Street
(Bliss Street). Both areas were
already closed to traffic prior to
their designations under the NYC
Plaza Program.
Sunnyside Shines BID has contracted with the Neighborhood Plaza
Partnership (NPP) for partial maintenance of the plazas and the
plantings. NPP is a project of the
Horticultural Society offering horticulture and maintenance services
utilizing workforce training programs that provide training and jobs
to formerly incarcerated and homeless populations.
“Sunnyside just got a lot
greener,” said New York City Council Majority Leader Jimmy Van
Bramer. “Tens of thousands of people
pass through Sunnyside every single
day. When they hop off the 7 Train at
the 40th and 46th Street stations they
will be welcomed by two new beautiful public plazas that have completely
transformed
the
neighborhood’s most underutilized
spaces. By reimagining these spaces
we have also created the opportunity
to bring cultural programming directly to people in our neighborhood. I look forward to working with
Sunnyside Shines BID to bring both
Bliss and Lowery Plazas to life by
featuring music, art and dance from
our neighborhood’s local artists for
all to enjoy.”
“I am thrilled to partner with the
NYC Department of Transportation
to open Lowery Plaza today,” said
Rachel Thieme, executive director
of Sunnyside Shines. “We have received such positive feedback from
community members and business
owners about the success of Bliss
Plaza, and I’m delighted to replicate
this success at Lowery Plaza. The
plazas are fantastic neighborhood
amenities and true gathering places
in Sunnyside.”
“We are so proud to be able to
bring greenery and a new public
space to the middle of the neighborhood,” said Sunnyside Shines board
member Chris Winchester. “We
thank the NYC Department of Transportation for transforming the space
into such an asset for Sunnyside.”
Sunnyside’s application to the
NYC Plaza Program had broad community support with over a dozen
letters of support from community
stakeholders, including elected officials, business owners, property
owners, residents and community
organizations.
90th Anniversary Of
Sunnyside Gardens
On October 25th, NYC
Council Majority Leader Jimmy
Van Bramer and members of the
Sunnyside Gardens Preservation
Alliance celebrated the 90th Anniversary of the neighborhood
by unveiling three newly installed
historic district markers. The
three signs are located at 46th
Street and Skillman Avenue, on
47th Street between 43rd Avenue and Queens Boulevard, and
49th Street and 39th Avenue in
Sunnyside. Each sign provides a
detailed history of Sunnyside
Gardens as well as a map of the
landmarked district.
CM Van Bramer is joined by Herb Reynolds, President of the Sunnyside
Gardens Preservation of Alliance, Assemblywoman Markey, Christina Davis,
Chair of the NY Landmarks Preservation Foundation, and Senator Gianaris..
To Advertise E-mail [email protected] or call 718-729-3772
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014
THE WOODSIDE HERALD
To Advertise E-mail [email protected] or call 718-729-3772
PAGE 5
PAGE 6
THE WOODSIDE HERALD
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014
Keeping It Clean
Photo Credit: Mark A. Christie
Volunteers from HPPC focused this
weekend’s cleanup on the sidewalks from
Vernon Blvd. to the 108th Pct.
Photo Above: VP of Hunters Point Parks
Conservancy, Mark Christie and Captain
Brian Hennessy
Inset Photo: Officer Gallagher assists
• LEGAL NOTICE
Notice is hereby given that an Order entered
by the Civil Court, Queens County on OCT
6 2014 bearing Index Number NC- 00080714/QU, a copy of which may be examined
at the Office of the Clerk, located at 89-17
Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435
grants me (us) the right to: Assume the
name of (First) SIRISAJEE (Middle) JOY
(Last) PRENGSAHDUDEE My present
To Advertise E-mail [email protected] or call 718-729-3772
•
LEGAL NOTICE •
name is (First) SIRISAJEE (Middle) JOY
(Last) SAHDUDEE AKA SIRISAJEE
JAIYEN AKA SIRISAJEE J HEATH AKA
SIRISAJEE HEATH My present address is
66-14 WOODSIDE AVE #404A,
Woodside, NY 11377 My place of birth is
THAILAND My date of birth is November
04, 1972
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014
THE WOODSIDE HERALD
PAGE 7
Ridgewood Democratic Club Recent Events:
On October 24th, the Ridgewood Democratic Club (RDC) held its monthly meeting,
which featured several candidates who are running for office including State Senator Joseph
Addabbo, Supreme Court Judge Candidates Anna Culley, Carmen Velasquez, Leslie Leach
and Queens Civil Court Judge Candidate Morgan Lancman. Thanks again to all of the
candidates for stopping by and speaking to our members.
Christian Amez, Kate Brennan (Board Member), David Aglialoro (Democratic
District Leader), Senator Addabbo, Joan DeCamp (Board Member), Jim Grayshaw
(RDC President) and Diane Ballek (Democratic District Leader).
On October 25th, RDC held its annual Club Cleanup Day. Our great club is over 106
years old and from time to time needs some general maintenance so we can keep it going.
Special thanks to Tom Borneman, Eddie Lettau, John Sendlein, Alison Cummings, Tom
Dowd, Donna Dowd, James Coaltaus and David Aglialoro for coming out.
Donna Dowd (Board Member), James Coaltaus, David Aglialoro, Eddie Lettau (Board
Member), John Sendlein and Alison Cummings (Board Member).
To Advertise E-mail [email protected] or call 718-729-3772
THE WOODSIDE HERALD
PAGE 8
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014
‘Woofside’ Halloween
CM Van Bramer is joined by
lifelong Woodsiders Marco and
Stefany Tudela, their dog Tango
and Adrian Bordoni, Executive
Director of Woodside on the Move
at Windmuller Park.
by Adrian Bordoni, Executive DIrector
On a beautiful and bright fall afternoon,
dozens of four-legged ghouls and princesses
marched through the streets of Woodside to
celebrate Woodside On The Move’s 3rd
Annual “Woofside” Halloween Pet Parade.
This new tradition, embraced by the pet
friendly communities of Western Queens,
was a day of fun, music and an adorable
costume contest.
With the generous support of Skillman
Pets, Queens Animal Hospital, Heavenly
Angels and the ASPCA Therapy program,
attendees won raffle prizes, vet services and
learned about programs and rescue options.
This parade, one of the largest in the city, has
the support of NYC Council Majority Leader,
our special guest every year and a great
friend to the local dog groups, who allocated
funding for our expanded Woodside Dog
Run. The contributions of SUDS Mutts,
Friends of Sherry Park Dog Run, Woodside
Dog Run committee and the staff, volunteers
and board members of WOTM make the
annual event possible. For more information
on future events you can contact us as
abeltran @woodsideonthemove.org.
The Winners Were...
Funniest Costume:
A Martini Cocktail with three olives
Best Trick:
A well-trained ballerina
Best Pet/Owner Matching:
A family of Ghostbusters
Best Costume:
A soon to be initiated
‘Sons of Anarchy’ Biker dude
Tricks Are Their Treats...Death, taxes and a tremendous Halloween display
on the corner of 39th Avenue and 47th Street are the only sure things in
life. This year’s ghoulish crew offers Frankenstella’s ick-on-a-stick, deepfried body parts, and chocolate-covered rats. Check it out if you dare.
Eddy Carr, John Cregan, Joe Miller and
John Gallagh
Joe Ryan, Shay Levy, Jim Brady, Mark
Russell
(continued from front page)
Golfers Raise Thousands For Kamp Kiwanis
Padraigh Curran
Fellow golfer stands on the golf course with Conor McKenna,
Bernard Reilly and Michael Mahon
Tough course. An accurate shot off the tee is a must to get on the fairway.
Kevin Donaghy, Mike Varley, Dale Jones, Dennis Brooks,
Conor McKenna and Brendan Sweeney
Thanking the following Sponsors: Alfie’s, Anfield Floors, Arrow Linen, Avalon Florist,
Baldon Group Insurance, JP Barrett’s & Assoc., Beer Authority & Eamonn Donjon,
Andrew Breslin, Bar 43, The Banc Cafe, Brophy Brothers, The Butcher Block, Eamonn
Carr & Helen Keir of Keller Williams Realty Landmark, Castle Construction- James &
George Duffy, Tommy Conway, The Copper Kettle, The Courtyard, C.S.R.Coffee,Dakom
Services, Dalton’s, Rory Dolan’s, Dunmore Construction & Cha Connaughton, Dyker
Mechanical, Errigal Electric & Adrian McGinley, Feinstein Iron, Flight Bar, The
Gaslight, The Gibbon’s Home, Joe Gillespie, Gossip Bar & Grill, HL Iron Works, PJ
Horgan’s, Jack’s Restaurant, Jake’s Saloon, Jasper’s Tap House, John Joyce Beer Gas,
Kearney Home Care, Kevin Grogan Soccer, Key Food/Fresh & Save, Knight Marketing,
L&M Air & Austin Welsh, Leavitt & Kerson Attorneys, The Linen Hall, Lynch’s Funeral
Home, Manhattan Beverages, McCoy’s Bar, McGuiness’ Saloon & John Reilly, The
Meath Association, JT Megan & Associates, Midtown Woodworking, Molly Blooms,
Matty Moran, Mulroy Masonry & John McBride, Mustang Harry’s, Mustang Sally’s,
New York Irish Center, Oak Beverages, Tom O’Donaghue, The Padded Wagon, Phebe’s
Tavern & Grill, Pure Spa & Salon & Regina Tunney, The Red Lion, Saints & Sinners, 7
Bar & Grill, SKI Beer, Southern Wines & Spirits, Sweeney & Harkin, Techno Associates
& The O’Sullivan Family, Colm Timmons, Top Notch Finishes, Vital Transportation,
Whitehouse Veal, Woodhaven House.
To Advertise E-mail [email protected] or call 718-729-3772