www.gjdc.org

Photo by Ira Cohen

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Every year, the Queens Tribune bestows its Person of The Year honor upon a

recipient who has shown the drive, ambition and focus to help make Queens a

better place to live. This year’s honoree clearly exceeds those criteria.

Carlisle Towery of the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation is the 2010

Queens Tribune Person of the Year. A humble man who knows that the successes

in which he has played a key role are not the work of an individual, he shares the

honor with every person who has worked for or on behalf of the Greater Jamaica

Development Corporation.

For nearly 40 years, Carlisle Towery has helmed the organization that has

seen Jamaica morph from a neighborhood on the verge of collapse to one of the

City’s shining stars, on the verge of a grand economic expansion. The organization

has led the social, cultural and economic growth of Greater Jamaica, bringing

improvement to all aspects of life in the neighborhood.

We salute Carlisle Towery as our Person of the Year and hail the efforts of

the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation. Turn the page and see the story

of the man and agency that have brought this thrilling, vibrant economic center

back to prominence.

2010 QUEENS TRIBUNE

PERSON OF THE YEAR

CARLISLE TOWERY

The staff of the GJDC works hard for Jamaica.

Photo by Ira Cohen

The Queens Tribune (USPS 964-480) is published weekly every Thursday for $12 per year by Tribco, LLC, 150-50 14th Road, Whitestone, NY 11357. Periodical Postage Paid at Flushing, NY.POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Queens Tribune, 150-50 14th Road, Whitestone, NY 11357.

Cover Design By Candice Lolier

Cover Photo By Ira Cohen

TABLE OFCONTENTS

Carlisle Towery ........................................................... Page 5Stellar Beginning ....................................................... Page 7Hard At Work .............................................................. Page 8York & The FDA ........................................................Page 10Healthy Choices .......................................................Page 10A Stately Manor .......................................................Page 12Courting Jamaica .....................................................Page 12The El Must Go .........................................................Page 15It Takes A Village ..................................................... Page 17Crimes Seen ............................................................. Page 17Social Security .........................................................Page 18A Place To Live .........................................................Page 18Jamaica Comes First ...............................................Page 20Building Culture .......................................................Page 23Open Space Needed ...............................................Page 23A New Vision .............................................................Page 24Connection Takes Flight .........................................Page 25

A Center For Art .......................................................Page 26Allied And Ready .....................................................Page 27York Restoration ......................................................Page 28Mapping The Future ................................................Page 30A Courthouse Reborn ..............................................Page 32GJDC Through The Lens ..........................................Page 35Path To The Future ..................................................Page 37A Forward Eye ..........................................................Page 38Focus on Tomorrow .................................................Page 62

THIS WEEK’S TRIBUNE

Leisure .......................................................................Page 41Queens Today ...........................................................Page 42Not For Publication ..................................................Page 46Edit & Letters ...........................................................Page 48Queens Deadline .....................................................Page 59QConfidential ...........................................................Page 60

GJDC Icon Was Destined For JamaicaBY BRIAN M. RAFFERTY

Carlisle Towery has always felt at

home in Jamaica. He was raised in

the South during the era of Jim Crow,

but was always taught tolerance, re-

spect and understanding for people

of all races.

Raised in Montevallo, Ala., a

small college town with a girls school

of 2,500 and an adjacent population

of another 2,500, he went to public

schools there, learning from profes-

sors who were displaced German

Jews. By the time he hit eighth grade,

the family had relocated to Towery’s

mother’s hometown of Alexander

City, Ala., an industrial area that to-

day is still the home of Russell Ath-

letics.

He continued in the local school

until 10th grade, when he went to a

small private school, Mountain

Brook, just outside Birmingham.

“That was a life-changing experience

for me,” Towery said of his time at

the school. “It was a very intellectu-

ally stimulating place.”

It was also in Shelby County,

which was heavily influenced by the

Ku Klux Klan.

Struggles In The South

His was the first graduating class

– 12 kids in all, including two who

were non-white, fairly unique for the

racist temper of the South. “I think

the school did that symbolically,” he

said of the two students who were

Latin American, coming from a rich

family with a sugar plantation.

The lesson did not go unnoticed.

One of his teachers was from

Antioch College in Ohio, and pushed

the young man toward the progres-

sive institution.

“I went to Antioch and met

Coretta Scott,” Towery said. “She

came there twice; I had lunch with

her two times. She was from Mont-

gomery, where her husband was a

minister.”

Towery, who was beginning to find

his way in the world, went to picket a

nearby barber who wouldn’t cut black

kids’ hair.

“It turns out that [Allen AME Pas-

tor Floyd] Flake picketed the same

barber when he was at Wilberforce,”

Towery said. “He was a well known

bigot.”

Eye On Planning

Wanting to focus his studies on

architecture, Towery transferred to

Auburn and found himself immersed

in a challenging program that few

students survived.

“None of my credits at Antioch

transferred,” Towery said. “I was a

freshman just like the other 300, and

only 20 of us graduated five years

later.”

Upon graduation, Towery, now

married, had received marching or-

ders from the Army to report for duty

a year later. He applied to Columbia.

“They have a special program

there, it was what they would call

geographic diversity, within the

graduate school of planning and ar-

chitecture with a focus on urban de-

sign, which is what I did,” Towery

said.

“They accepted 10 graduates

from the Southern U.S., from top

schools. I was the only one from Au-

burn, and I laughingly say I got to

Columbia because they needed some

rednecks – they needed some geo-

graphic diversity.”

Enrolling in the program, Towery

studied under renowned architectural

preservationist James Marston Fitch.

“I was his flunky for a year, and

then I went to Germany for my two-

year tour, which I extended for four

or five months in order to come back

to Columbia in time,” Towery said.

His wife traveled with him, pregnant,

and by the time he was back state-

side and at Columbia, they had two

children.

A Jamaica Focus

Refocusing on his studies,

Towery’s master’s thesis was on 125th

Street in Harlem. That was in 1965.

Working with the precursor to the

Carlisle Towery

local community board, Towery also

worked closely with modernist archi-

tect Victor Christ-Janer. But on the

jury reviewing his thesis was Stanley

Tankel, who was head of planning for

the Regional Plan Association. He

immediately offered the young

Towery a job at RPA.

“My first job was project-focused,

an analysis of the lower Hudson, on

both the New York and New Jersey

sides,” Towery said. “My second job

was an analysis of Jamaica, Queens

as a regional sub center.”

The project focused on the devel-

opment of Jamaica Center, a regional

hub, focusing on transportation,

open space, regional economy, pub-

lic participation and political aid.

“Manhattan was always the center

of centers, and beefing up Manhat-

tan was always central to the mission,

but they were convinced that you had

to have sub centers,” Towery said.

“There were a dozen places in the

region that warranted public and

private attention for all kinds of

public purposes, including social

ones. Jobs were moving out and

leaving the people behind, leaving

open space. They were eating up

land with large lot zoning. It was

Towery sits in the waiting area of the GJDC.

Carlisle Towery around the time he joined the Greater Jamaica

Development Corporation.

causing huge social problems.”

“The power to control land use

was keeping blacks out, and they did

it effectively using zoning law. So

RPA was a leader in addressing re-

gional trends that were not good for

the region.”

“RPA at the time had a plan, very

objective and brilliant, and I worked

my ass off to be relevant to these

people,” Towery added.

Through the analysis of Jamaica,

Towery and his colleagues at RPA had

uncovered a brilliant truth about the

future of urban development zones.

“They were the first ones in the

country to say the economy was not

going to be industrial, it was going

to be office space,” Towery said.

“There are three kinds of office ac-

tivities: headquarters and they can be

anywhere; back office, which is all the

labor; and population related – doc-

tors, lawyers accountants, all the

people that serve the population.”

The Jamaica Center proposal, of

copy of which still sits in the offices

of the Greater Jamaica Development

Corporation, called for a policy

among the three state governments

(NY, NJ, Conn.) to get a common

vision that would shape the region

and not create growth patterns that

generated automobile demand.

It also called for the creation of

the Greater Jamaica Development

Corporation.

The Final Step

After completing the project,

Towery left RPA and went into the

private sector while RPA went and

created GJDC.

“And then they hired me,” he said.

“Actually, while I was on the other

firm, I consulted with them on the

civil court; I worked on that to argue

that it belonged in Jamaica. They

needed to be grouped, lawyers, ju-

rors. Jamaica already had the State

Supreme Court; the family court was

here. We argued for consolidating

supreme and civil in Jamaica – at one

time in this courthouse litigants and

lawyers in civil matters would share

elevators with shackled prisoners.”

Working with the Queens Bar As-

sociation, Greater Jamaica and

Towery sought to move the civil court

out of Borough Hall and locate it on

Sutphin Boulevard. They won that

battle and Towery came on full-time.

“Then I came to work here in

1971,” Towery said. “I also was teach-

ing at Columbia at the time.”

For the last 40 years, Towery and

the Greater Jamaica Development

Corporation have worked hand in

hand with every elected official that

did or could cover Downtown Ja-

maica, a host of local, city, state and

federal agencies too long to list and

the people of Jamaica who have wel-

comed this Southern gentleman into

their fold.

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A Greater Jamaica Comes Into FocusBY BRIAN M. RAFFERTY

Carlisle Towery may be the public

face that many who don't know bet-

ter consider the founder of the

Greater Jamaica Development Corpo-

ration, but even though he has

steered the ship for the last four de-

cades, he will be the first to say that

none of what has been accomplished

could have been done without the

hard work and effort of the organiza-

tion as a whole.

"The [Regional Plan Association]

and the local Chamber of Commerce

were the parents," Towery, the presi-

dent of GJDC, said.

Local attorney Vincent Albanese

and home fuel oil entrepreneur Larry

Cormier were both active members of

the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce.

"I became involved in the commu-

nity, in the course of which I was asked

to serve as the president of the Jamaica

Chamber of Commerce," Albanese

said. "I realized that there were major

problems with Jamaica's future, and

explored what to do about it."

There were nine people who

signed the articles of incorporation of

the GJDC, but just how the organiza-

tion came to be was detailed

in a film recently commis-

sioned by GJDC as part of a

records archive project.

The following is an ex-

cerpted transcript from the

film, with direct interviews

of Albanese, Cormier,

Towery and other players:

Towery: Greater Jamaica

was formed at a time when a

disinvestment was taking

place. The downtown was

being surrounded by an eco-

nomic noose of regional

malls, which was threaten-

ing downtown, as was the

uncertainty of economic

change.

Cormier: People were

moving in from Harlem, the

Bronx and a lot from Brook-

lyn. Most of them were

middle class people, profes-

sionals.

Towery: The newcomers

coming into Jamaica were

generally of higher incomes

than the people that they

had displaced, the people that had

fled. So it was a real challenge, but

also an opportunity.

Cormier: When the new people

came in, the perception is that we were

different, so they didn't know how to

merchandise, how to stock the stores

to serve us. All they had to do was do

what they were doing before and ev-

erything would have been okay, but

they didn't understand that. There was

no communication between the new

blacks and the old whites that were

here.

Towery: People were moving there

by choice and becoming stakeholders,

and while they were underserved, they

were still investing in the area and

were creating what one prominent

demographer called a "zone of emer-

gence," and that was a favor-

able term for a place that was

evolving and growing.

Cormier: The Chamber

of Commerce was a real

powerhouse at that time.

John Lindsay was mayor;

Dave Starr was active with

the Chamber here.

Albanese: David Starr

had suggested to me and

others that if we could get

the Regional Plan Associa-

tion to do a study on Ja-

maica, that would help us

in undertaking to do the

kind of improvements that

needed to be done - trans-

portation and so forth.

Towery: Jamaica re-

quired thinking about its

future, its possibilities, its

markets - given its at-

tributes and given its prob-

lems. A plan was prepared,

and it was done by Regional

Plan Association, who had

a regional vision of what

the 31-country tri-state met-

ropolitan area was undergoing.

Richard T. Anderson, Presi-

dent, New York Building Congress:

What RPA was looking for was sub-

centers, places where development

could be concentrated appropriately

rather than continue to allow urban

sprawl. The first prototype of an ur-

ban sub-center was Jamaica. Jamaica

was an aging downtown in Central

Queens. But it had fallen from the

hub of economic and social activity

that it once had. So one of the first

studies of the new regional plan that

RPA embarked on was a study called

Jamaica Center, a study for the bor-

Stellar Beginning:

ough of Queens and, indeed, for all

of Long Island.

Never can a regional plan be im-

posed on local communities. You need

to work with government,

with voluntary organiza-

tions, the business commu-

nity. And so one of the rec-

ommendations of the re-

port was the creation of a

local development corpora-

tion.

Cormier: The original

members were the members

of the Chamber, and they

realized that they couldn't

do it within the framework

of the Chamber.

Albanese: So we con-

cluded to form the Greater

Jamaica Development Cor-

poration.

Cormier: And that's how

Greater Jamaica was

founded. I happen to have

been fortunate enough to be

one of the original incor-

porators of Greater Jamaica,

and we were funded to a

great extent by the Lindsay

Administration.

Albanese: There was a

companion New York City effort, the

office of Jamaica Planning and De-

velopment that Mayor Lindsay estab-

lished, and they set up a partnership

between the two.

Kenneth Patton, Former Deputy

Mayor for Economic Development,

Lindsay Administration: He brought

in the top urban designers and plan-

ners and he embraced planning with

enthusiasm and development to go

with it, because he was of the same

mind as I was. You shouldn't just make

pictures and color maps. You should

bring the capacity to implement them

together.

Albanese: He designated a gentle-

man named Andy Maguire to act as

his representative in Jamaica, which

was very good because we had the

mayor's own man out there beating the

bushes with us.

Towery: And thereby created one

of the city's first public-private part-

nerships, dedicated to the revitaliza-

tion of Downtown Jamaica.

Patton: The first true local eco-

nomic development corporation for

sub-center development.

Albanese: And he consulted us to

what our next step would be, and the

next step, we concluded, was to hire

an executive

Anderson: Carlisle Towery was a

member of the Regional Plan Asso-

ciation full time staff. He was a col-

league of mine. But the people in Ja-

maica said he is absolutely the best

prepared to do this job, and if you

don't allow us, at least on an interim

basis, to have Carlisle, we can't form

the Greater Jamaica Development

Corporation.

Towery: The founders thought a

10-year project was inevitable. They

hired me for four years, and they said

we'll consider renewing you after four

years. We want to see how

far we get, but it's a 10-year

project.

Albanese: That was in

1970, and that 10-year re-

lationship has continued

to date. With his leader-

ship and the leadership

of the other representa-

tives of the various stores

in Jamaica we undertook

to plan major improve-

ments, such as transpor-

tation and education -

and that's the beginning

of the story.

In a separate interview,

Towery said that when he

started with GJDC, he was

hired and had half a sec-

retary and an assistant. He

was still teaching at Colum-

bia and the local business

leaders did a lot of the

heavy lifting to make sure

that GJDC would get off

the ground.

"It started out, in part

because of the budget, from the Fund

for the City of New York, matched with

private contributors like the Long Is-

land Press, Gertz Store, the Gertz fam-

ily, Chase Bank, Manufacturers

Hanover," Towery said. "There were

several business leaders, and we did

it under the aegis of the Jamaica

Chamber of Commerce."

In mentioning Mayor John

Lindsay's role, Towery said the mayor

was deeply involved and had set up a

satellite office in Jamaica, holding

cabinet meetings in Queens.

Another hero, Towery said, was

Queens Borough President Donald

Manes.

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Carlisle Towery

Vincent

Albanese

Richard

Anderson

Kenneth Patton

Larry Cormier

A Slice Of Greater Jamaica’s Day

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BY JASON BANREY

The Greater Jamaica Develop-

ment Corporation has played a piv-

otal role in rehabilitating Downtown

Jamaica. Envisioning the area as a

modern and efficient multi-purpose

center, this community-building or-

ganization works in partnership with

community groups, government, and

both public and private businesses,

as an advocate for the social and eco-

nomic growth of the area.

Through their multiple partner-

ships, the GJDC has cultivated both

economic opportunity and commu-

nity involvement that has led to the

improvement in the quality of life for

the ethnically and culturally diverse

residents in Jamaica

Each week at GJDC headquarters,

a weekly technical staff meeting is

carried out to highlight issues and

the process of developments in the

downtown area. In attendance are

the organization’s key team members

who make up strategic positions

within the GJDC.

GJDC At Work

Behind closed doors, in a

roundtable setting, the structured

meeting runs through specific

projects, discussing key areas with the

focus of tackling issues in the com-

munity. Throughout the exchange,

each member is able to give feedback

to one another, analyzing problems

and the progress of initiatives being

addressed within the organization’s

multiple subdivisions.

Coordinated by the President of the

GJDC, Carlisle Towery, the group runs

down a list of bullet points, each of

which are to be mentioned by specific

staff members leading the initiatives.

First on the agenda, Business Ser-

vices. Towery began the discussion

on the progress of clean up around

the brownfield’s area surrounding

the AirTrain.

Explained in detail by Director of

Business Services Richard Werber,

the 5-year-old planning program as-

sists in the redevelopment of areas

that are perceived to be underdevel-

oped. With the community having a

say in how the area is developed, the

process is provided with the local

voice of individuals who will benefit

from future developments.

“We hope that the stage three of our

development can be approved by our

existing government,” said Towery,

wishing the program’s progress con-

tinues before the end of the year.

The light atmosphere of the meet-

ing fostered the smooth exchange of

ideas. As opposed to other organiza-

tions that suffer from lack of commu-

nication, the GJDC structured setting

verified one of the organization’s ini-

tial strengths: communication.

The Loan Fund

Moving on, Werber addressed the

Revolving Loan Fund. Providing

loans to businesses throughout South-

east Queens, the GJDC has estab-

lished a committee, primarily com-

prised of bankers, and is now look-

ing to expand its expertise into de-

veloping community infrastructure.

“The issue at hand now is finding

a separate member who not only has

banking experience but more impor-

tantly, community development expe-

rience,” said Werber. “So when they

look at loans, they’ll be looking at loans

from a perspective of ‘How is this loan

serving the needs of the community,

and how is this serving the needs of

job creation within the community?’”

Through the provision of loans, the

GJDC, with the help of the Jamaica

Business Resource Center, assists small

businesses. Particularly, women- and

minority-owned businesses have been

provided with technical assistance and

access to capital in order to maintain

their success. This direct investment

in local businesses has helped to ex-

tend the business district within Down-

town Jamaica, giving small businesses

an opportunity to survive throughout

the recession.

Quality Of Life

The next order of business on the

agenda was quality of life issues. Top-

ics ranging from an introduction of

the Taxi and Limousine

Commission’s pilot program at Ja-

maica Station to homeless place-

ments throughout the area filled the

room with progressive discussions.

As Executive Vice President of the

GJDC, Andrew Manshel assists in the

coordination of executing such

project initiatives. Working with staff

on the implementation of ideas for

programs, Manshel has developed a

close relationship with individuals in

the community and sees how they

can be affected.

“I’ve made a lot of good friends

here, and I appreciate how people

here have been accepting of me,”

Manshel said. “What I do is gratify-

ing. It is a pleasure to work with a

community I care about. I consider

it a privilege to be able to work to

improve this community.”

One major issue that has plagued

the downtown area recently is taxi ser-

vices without licenses bombarding po-

tential passengers looking for service.

“The first impression many

people have when they get off the

LIRR station is that they are going

to get hustled,” said Manshel.

Through a pilot program intro-

duced by the TLC, the GJDC was

able to improve the quality of service

provided to passengers seeking ser-

vice throughout the downtown area.

Members of the GJDC believe

improvements to the quality of life

in the area are directly affected by

these types of initiatives. Tackling

community issues from all angles

improves quality of service and gives

commuters piece of mind.

Pedestrian Aid

Peter Engelbrecht, Director of

Capital Projects, carried on the meet-

ing by introducing the next topic,

provisions of well-lit pedestrian

paths and walkways. In an effort to

alleviate pedestrian congestion on

Jamaica Avenue, the GJDC has as-

sisted in the creation of mid-block

pedestrian walkways. The $7.5 mil-

lion project funded by federal and

local government sources, connects

a well-lit, paved network of walkways

The weekly meetings are where the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation discuss new plans to continue

the transformation of Jamaica from what it looked like in the 1960s and 1970s, pictured, to the destination it is

today.

between major downtown destina-

tions. The GJDC believes the devel-

opment and maintenance of pedes-

trian-friendly environments im-

proves the safety for visitors and

shoppers.

Throughout the meeting, each

member in attendance either com-

ments on or questions the develop-

ment of programs within the GJDC’s

agenda. The back and forth process

helps alleviate potential issues that

may arise during the implementation

process. Although each member may

not be an expert on the proposed

programs and initiatives, their gen-

eral knowledge of the diverse com-

munity within Downtown Jamaica

and its needs helps keep the area’s

residents interests in mind when dis-

cussing planning and development.

Summing up the meeting, Towery

modestly pointed out to technical

staff that the success of their organi-

zation is not due to the GJDC’s hard

work but to the diligent efforts and

voices of the community groups, lo-

cal leader, and businesses.

“Partnership is our middle name,”

said Towery. “It’s wonderful to have

public and private partnerships.”

Creating a regionally significant,

central place where community and

business can thrive is the GJDC’s

primary goal. In the near future, the

organization and its technical staff

have devised an agenda with the

community in mind, developing a

bond the GJDC will never break.

“We never do anything unilater-

ally and we don’t do anything that

has negative impacts on the commu-

nity,” said Towery. “The GJDC cares

about Downtown Jamaica and our

work shows that.”

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center and the

MediSys Health Network

Salute

Carlisle Towery

President of theGreater Jamaica Development Corporation

For being named The Queens Tribune’sPerson of the Year

2010

�The communities of southern Queens have been culturally and economically enriched by his

vision, tenacity and remarkable leadership for four decades

David P. RosenPresident & CEO

Neil Foster PhillipsChairman of the Board

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BY JASON BANREY

Created in 1974, the Jamaica

Farmers Market began as an open-

air, seasonal farmers market that uti-

lized vacant sites. With the help of

the Greater Jamaica Development

Corp. encouraging and supporting

local businesses and entrepreneurs in

Downtown Jamaica, the market grew

in popularity, making affordable

goods available to the community.

Known for being the City’s first

“green market,” the market relocated

to it’s permanent home at 90-40

160th St. in 1990 when the GJDC,

with the help of numerous banks, city

and federal agencies and local gov-

ernment, financed the project.

Providing shoppers with an as-

sortment of fresh produce from

farms throughout New York State,

which are typically hard to find at

your local supermarket, the market

area has experienced rejuvenation in

the past two decades. Since 1991,

GJDC has worked with Community

Markets, an organization whose main

purpose is to provide communities

with locally-made products within

spaces where they can share news,

thoughts, and ideas about improving

nutrition.

Open two days a week between

June and November, the market’s

mix of farmers span from upstate

New York out to Riverhead. Offer-

ing fruits, vegetables, herbs and fresh

cut flowers, shoppers are able to take

advantage of each farmer’s specialty.

The market also presents shoppers

recipes, cooking demonstrations,

and lessons on how to use different

vegetables and spices offered by the

farmers.

“The busy market attracts people

from all different backgrounds,” said

Miriam Haas, Director of Commu-

nity Markets, who has been working

with the GJDC for about seven years.

“Farmers carry delicate produce be-

cause they are special to the areas

they are grown in.”

In 2011, the market will celebrate

its 10th annual Harvest Festival.

Hosted by the GJDC, the annual fes-

tival celebrates fall’s arrival, featur-

ing family activities and entertain-

ment that include pumpkin picking

and decorating, apple tasting, magic

shows and live music.

Not only does the market provide

shoppers with fresh produce, the

venue also houses the Harvest Room,

an elegant event space that can ac-

commodate 150 people and a vari-

ety diverse shops and eateries.

College Was Key To GJDC Success

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BY BRIAN M. RAFFERTY

The path that brought York Col-

lege to Jamaica was bumpy, but the

greater challenges faced when eye-

ing the institution’s future proved to

be the school’s saving grace.

In the Jamaica Center plan that

called for the creation of the Greater

Jamaica Development Corporation, a

sizable section was dedicated to the cre-

ation of York College, part of a planned

expansion of public universities.

The only hang-up was that an-

other part of Queens, in a more de-

sirable area and with more land for

the right price, was well into the hunt

to host the school.

“What we were competing with

was Fort Totten. It was 150 acres for

a dollar from the fed government.

The city government wanted it,”

Towery said. “The purpose of the

college was to serve the kids of

Queens and Brooklyn, so we argued

for Jamaica.”

A key difference is, because of

Totten’s distance from any real pub-

lic transportation, the school would

have had to include dorms, while in

Jamaica, York could be a community

college.

“The leadership of Jamaica

worked very hard with the City of

New York, John Lindsay, to put York

College in Jamaica,” Towery said.

The community was incensed.

“We went into the community in

South Jamaica and got the people

there to become very interested,”

said GJDC co-Founder Vincent

Albanese.

“It probably was one of the most

noble times in Queens, in terms of

people working together,” co-

founder Larry Cormier said. “There

was nobody opposed to York College

coming.”

The battle for York was described

as a galvanizing experience for the

community. “Everybody wanted it:

Downtown interests, community,

residential, commercial, old, young,

black, white,” Towery said. “It still is

the heart of what we do. We relate as

many things as we can to York. It’s

holy. It’s such a public purpose real-

ized over such huge odds.”

Dr. Dumont Kenny, president of

the State Board of Higher Education

was dead set on Bayside. Towery re-

called being shown plans for Fort.

Totten. But then Mayor John Lind-

say and Robert Ross Johnson, pastor

of the St. Albans Congregational

Church, brought the fight to the

Governor.

“We worked very hard for that,”

said the Rev. Charles Norris of the

Bethesda Baptist Church in Jamaica.

“Every time we were in the presence

of the then-governor, we just balled

up our fists and said, ‘You’re going

to bring York College here in the

borough of Queens and in Jamaica.

It is the hub of what goes on in this

area.’”

Even after the battle to place York

in Jamaica was won, Gov. Nelson

Rockefeller vetoed the master plan

for CUNY – so the advocates went

through a side door and appealed to

his brother, David Rockefeller, who

seemed to have influence over his

younger sibling.

York was to be set in Jamaica, but

with what specialty? A medical school

was shot down, but the college

needed an anchor specialty program.

“Today, I would say that York first

is a leader in education, and second

it really is a partner in community

organization,” said current York

President Marcia Keizs. “And I think

Greater Jamaica has been very good

for York, and York for Greater Ja-

maica.”

One example of that partnership

is the GDJC’s 15-year effort to get

the Food and Drug Administration

to locate its lab on the York College

campus.

“What having FDA on our cam-

pus has meant for us is very, very

big,” Keizs said. “In most recent

time, we have been able to launch a

pharmaceutical science program, but

it also raised the roof for us, in that

CUNY announced one year ago that

it will be establishing the first phar-

macy program in CUNY, and it will

be at York College.

“So you see the partnership that

started 15 years ago with Greater

Jamaica saying FDA needs space, we

don’t want it to leave New York, has

now launched us to another level of

York being considered and being

cited to be the home of the CUNY

Pharmacy School,” Keizs added.

“And so the partnership is good.”

“I came to Jamaica in 1955, still

at the apex of commerce in Jamaica.

Gertz Department store was a ma-

jor player. Macy’s had a store here,

Mays. People from all over the city

came here; especially from Brook-

lyn, the Bronx and even in Nassau

County, they came into Queens to

shop.

“I remember I was the first black

in the Chamber of Commerce. I

started a fuel oil company, home fuel

distribution. I was a novelty. I re-

member my banker taking me over

to the Chamber and had me go to

lunch with him a couple of times and

said ‘Larry, you should join the

Chamber.’

“People were moving in from

Harlem, the Bronx and a lot from

Brooklyn. Most of them were middle

class people, professionals. When the

new people came in, the perception

is that we were different, so they

didn’t know how to merchandise,

how to stock the stores to serve us.

All they had to do was do what they

were doing before and everything

would have been okay, but they didn’t

understand that. There was no com-

munication between the new blacks

and the old whites that were here.

“I happen to have been fortunate

enough to be one of the original in-

corporators of Greater Jamaica, and

we were funded to a great extent by

the Lindsay administration.

“It probably was one of the most

noble times in Queens, in terms of

people working together.

“A very valuable thing for a com-

munity and a very basic thing is

transportation. This is a real central

hub for transportation. You’ve got

three or four parkways surrounding

Jamaica, you’ve got the Long Island

Rail Road, and you have subways.

And in the course of things people

had enough vision to figure out what

else we needed to enhance the area,

to make it attractive to make people

want to come.”

LAWRENCE CORMIERGJDC Founder, Director Emeritus

Jamaica Farmers Market

Healthy Choices:

The campus of York College was integral in the growth of Greater Jamaica.

GJDC Partner Offers Culture, HistoryBY ANGY ALTAMIRANO

The Greater Jamaica Development

Corporation and its president Carlisle

Towery have given a helping hand to

a piece of history in Jamaica's own

backyard, enhancing the visits and

enjoyment of many who stop by.

The King Manor Museum is lo-

cated in Rufus King Park in Jamaica,

an active 11-acre park with a play-

ground, a children's mist pool, hand-

ball and basketball courts, winding

paths, open space for soccer and out-

door concerts, and a state-of-the-art

artificial turf field recently installed

by the City's Parks Department.

The park itself has also seen great

contributions and aid arriving thanks

to GJDC throughout the years. With

a grant from the J. M. Kaplan Fund,

GJDC provided design and use guide-

lines for the park. In 1991, through

the advocacy of GJDC and several lo-

cal stakeholders, the City of New York

undertook and completed a $4 mil-

lion reconstruction of King Park. In

2007, GJDC and its local partners

successfully got the City of New York

to install a state-of-the-art artificial turf

field to accommodate more active and

recreational users.

The King Manor Museum, the

former home and farm of Rufus King,

one of the signers of the Declaration

of Independence, from 1805-1827 is

now a hands-on museum where guests

can come in and take a step back in

time. It is one of the oldest historic

house museums in the country. King

Manor serves a fundamentally minor-

ity and immigrant community. Its au-

diences can enjoy historic site tours,

interactive exhibits, lectures, public

programs, and outreach in the schools

and community.

Collections management, preserva-

tion, and architectural, archaeologi-

cal and historical research are non-

A Stately Manor:

stop activities that take

place at the museum.

Years prior to the re-

construction of Rufus

King Park, the City of

New York also com-

pleted a $2.1 million

interior restoration of

historic King Manor.

GJDC has also assisted

King Manor's museum

by providing board-

building advice, sup-

plies, support, and of-

fice facilities.

Along with finan-

cial and structural

aide, GJDC sponsored

free outdoor concerts at King Park that

presented Jazz, Latin, Soul, and

World musicians. GJDC, in partner-

ship with Centro Hispano Cuzcatlán,

produce day-long community events

in the Park featuring soccer tourna-

ments, face painting, and other fam-

ily-friendly activities.

From 2007-2009, King Manor, in

partnership with GJDC and two other

local partners, received a substantial

grant support from the J.M. Kaplan

Fund, known for its support of estab-

lished institution and fledgling

projects mostly concerning civil lib-

erties and human rights, the arts, and

enhancement of the built and natural

environments. The grant supported

the work each local partner and GJDC

was doing to renovate Downtown

Jamaica's parks and public spaces into

leading urban spaces that could be safe

and accessible to all who would like

to use them.

King Manor is open to anyone who

would like to go in and take a tour of

the standing piece of history. For more

information visit kingmanor.org.

King Manor has benefitted from its partnership

with the Greater Jamaica Development Corp.

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“All the lawyers were hiring me to

do their particular assignments, and

that enabled me to open up an of-

fice, because I wanted to practice as

a solo practitioner. I became involved

in the community, in the course of

which I was asked to serve as the

president of the Jamaica Chamber of

Commerce. In the course of that I

realized that there were major prob-

lems with Jamaica’s future, and ex-

plored what to do about it.

“David Starr [of the Long Island

Press] had suggested to me and oth-

ers that if we could get the Regional

Plan Association to do a study on

Jamaica, that would help us in un-

dertaking to do the kind of improve-

ments that needed to be done –

transportation and so forth.

“We concluded to form the

Greater Jamaica Development Cor-

poration. There was a companion

New York City effort, the office of

Jamaica Planning and Development

that Mayor Lindsay established, and

they set up a partnership between the

two.

[Lindsay] “designated a gentle-

man named Andy Maguire to act as

his representative in Jamaica, which

was very good because we had the

mayor’s own man out there beating

the bushes with us.

“And he consulted us to what our

next step would be, and the next

step, we concluded, was to hire an

executive – Carlisle Towery.

“That was in 1970, and that rela-

tionship has continued to date. With

his leadership and the leadership of

the other representatives of the vari-

ous stores in Jamaica we undertook

to plan major improvements, such as

transportation and education – and

that’s the beginning of the story.”

“Working with Greater Jamaica

Development Corporation, which

has been a singular source of infor-

mation and guidance, we have en-

gaged in work that ranged from land

use and up-zoning to leasing prop-

erty for expansion and job creation.

“GJDC is an essential organiza-

tion to our area – they are the loving

HENRY SCHWARTZPresident & CEO, Elmhurst Dairy

VINCENT M. ALBANESEFounder, Director Emeritus

‘watchdogs’ of the neighborhood.

“Carlisle Towery is a person who

does more than listen to the

Community’s needs – he will spend

the time researching the issues and

providing guidance and support

where necessary. He is genuine and

passionate about the betterment of

Jamaica’s society.”

BY BRIAN M. RAFFERTY

In order for Jamaica Center to

thrive, there needed to be a cer-

tain level of sanity in the planning

of government spaces used in the

area. One of the biggest needs was

to unify the courts in a single area.

When banks began to close up

shop and move their headquarters

out of Jamaica in the early 1970s,

the Greater Jamaica Development

Corporation saw that the associ-

ated businesses were also taking

flight.

"When you lose an anchor you

unhinge all kinds of dependent

enterprises - Jamaica Savings Bank

moved out in '72 or '73," Towery said.

"With it went title companies, lawyers.

Our leaders were acting not just

proactively about Jamaica's potential,

but defensively because they could feel

the coming challenges."

"Our sleeves were rolled up for sure

to deal with it and to address it,"

Towery added. "The role was leader-

ship from the local population and

principally civic and business with

government. Most of what we did out

here was public investments - the sub-

way, the college, federal buildings, the

courts, land acquisition, industrial

retention."

The courts were a key in that re-

tention. GJDC was instrumental in the

advocacy, planning, and site selection

of the Queens County Civil Court and

Queens Family Court buildings in

Downtown Jamaica. These elegantly

designed buildings solidified the

Downtown as the County's center for

civil judicial activities.

The Civil Court complex on

Sutphin Boulevard finally began con-

struction in 1992. GJDC partnered

with State Assemblyman Saul Weprin,

A. Paul Goldblum, the Queens County

Bar Association and Queens Borough

President Claire Shulman to advocate

for its construction and funding.

The $60 million Courthouse was

completed in 1997, and represents

a culmination of more than 25 years

of efforts by GJDC to bring the Civil

Court complex to Downtown Ja-

maica. GJDC participated in the

planning and site acquisition by

Mayor Lindsay in the early 1970s for

this project.

GJDC partners with numerous com-

munity stakeholders in advocating for

the construction and completion of

the new Queens Family Court, opened

in the winter of 2003. The comple-

tion of the Queens Civil and Family

Court buildings solidified Downtown

Jamaica as the County's consolidated

center for civil judicial activities. Both

buildings also demonstrate the role of

sensitive, quality urban design in up-

grading a downtown's environment.

Justice Comes To Town

Courting Jamaica

The Queens Civil Court building in

Jamaica was 25 years in the making, starting

with land acquired during the Lindsay

administration and opened in 1997.

www.york.cuny.edu

www.gjdc.org

GJDC Reshapes Jamaica Mass TransitBY DOMENICK RAFTER

For decades, the J, Z and E trains

did not terminate in the same station

at Parsons Boulevard and Archer Av-

enue like they do today. Many old tim-

ers and life-long Queens residents

may remember that the J train con-

tinued over Jamaica Avenue to a ter-

minus at 168th Street. The line,

opened in 1918, had by the 1970s

become an eyesore in the neighbor-

hood. The el darkened Jamaica Av-

enue, making it a less desirable and

more dangerous place to walk.

The el had stops at Metropolitan

Avenue and the Van Wyck Expressway,

Queens Boulevard, Sutphin Boule-

vard, 160th Street and 168th Street

along Jamaica Avenue. The Sutphin

Boulevard station was only half a block

north of Jamaica LIRR Station, but it

did not present an easy connection

between the LIRR and the subway.

With the help of the Greater Jamaica

Development Corp., federal and state

officials allocated money to take down

the J train el over Jamaica Avenue east

of 130th Street in Richmond Hill and

extend the E train from Kew Gardens

along Archer Avenue to Parsons Boule-

vard. The combined E and J train would

include stations located at Sutphin Bou-

levard and Archer Avenue, directly un-

der the LIRR station, providing quick

access between the subway and LIRR

without the need to walk along the street

for a block or two; and at Parsons Bou-

levard and Archer Avenue closer to

King Manor, York College and Jamaica

Center’s local bus hub where commut-

ers can catch buses to Bayside, College

Point, Howard Beach, Rosedale and

The El Must Go:

even Nassau County and

the Bronx.

The first stretch of the

el, east of Queens Boule-

vard, was closed in 1977

and removed the next

year, while the rest of line

was not closed until

1985. At that time, the J

train terminated at 121st

Street until the opening

of the Archer Avenue line

on Dec. 11, 1988. The

new line also added a stop

along the E train at Ja-

maica Avenue and Van

Wyck Expressway, the former site of

the Metropolitan Avenue stop along

the Jamaica Avenue el.

The new line set in motion the

plans to turn the Jamaica LIRR sta-

tion into what is now the fourth busi-

est passenger terminal in the metro-

politan area. The Archer Avenue sub-

way provided access directly to the

LIRR from both the J and E trains,

and even allowed a quicker route to

Manhattan for residents of nearby

Richmond Hill and Woodhaven, who

The view at 160th Street and Jamaica Avenue

before the elevated train came down.

could now take the J train to Sutphin

Boulevard and switch to an express E

directly to Midtown.

When the AirTrain arrived in 2003,

Jamaica became the hub the GJDC

had always envisioned it to be. Plans

were also in the works to extend the

Archer Avenue subway line further east

and south of Parsons Boulevard to St.

Albans and Laurelton, currently

served by some LIRR trains and ex-

press buses that provide some of the

longest commutes in the country, an

idea that is still sometimes discussed.

However, other train lines, such as the

East Side Access and Second Avenue

Subway, have taken priority.

The original plans put forth by the

GJDC called to reuse the elevated train

structure to create a glass atrium over

Jamaica Avenue, giving a mall-like

feel to the strip and protecting shop-

pers from the elements, while also let-

ting daylight illuminate the street.

Though that project never material-

ized, the support structures of the old

el were recycled, as lampposts and

traffic lights, adding a unique element

to Downtown Jamaica.

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“Under Carlisle Towery’s leader-

ship, Greater Jamaica Development

Corporation has produced an incred-

ible number of ‘firsts.’ Over the last

40-plus years, Carlisle has been largely

unrecognized for the ingenuity and

creative spirit he has fostered at GJDC.

Year after year, Greater Jamaica has

created new projects and used novel

ideas to remediate old problems. The

widely-emulated programs and tech-

niques have been used by GJDC to

upgrade conditions in Jamaica, to fos-

ter increased economic activity and to

improve the quality of life for its resi-

dents – rather than to draw attention

to its work or receive recognition for

its skillfulness. The focus has always

been on Jamaica the place.

“Jamaica had New York City’s first

farmer’s market in the early 1970s. On

a visit to Syracuse, Carlisle observed a

successful public amenity where farm-

ers brought their produce to the down-

town and sold it directly to urban cus-

tomers. The market enlivened the

street life and provided city residents

with otherwise unavailable farm fresh

produce. Carlisle consulted with the

State Department of Agriculture, the

market’s organizer, and brought the

concept to Jamaica Avenue – where it

was wildly successful. In its second

year, a similar endeavor was estab-

lished at Union Square in Manhattan,

after its sponsors spent some time

studying the Jamaica market, and the

rest, as they say, is history.

There are now dozens of Green Mar-

kets around the city, and the Jamaica

Farmers’ Market inspired the develop-

ANDREW M. MANSHELExecutive Vice President, Greater Jamaica Development Corp.

ment and construction of another

groundbreaking project of the same

name – and the weekly fresh produce

market remains a Jamaica institution.

“In a similar vein, reflecting

Carlisle’s constant curiosity about best

practices in urban revitalization every-

where, he visited Minneapolis’ early

pedestrianization effort – the Nicollet

Mall. GJDC advocated for and secured

the resources for a similar design for

165th Street – in order to anchor

Jamaica’s main retail corridor. The

165th Street Mall was created and was

New York’s f irst attempt at

pedestrianization. In order to support

the Mall, GJDC established one of the

City’s first Special Assessment Dis-

tricts. Each of those districts required

a special action by the State Legisla-

ture. They were so successful that the

Legislature created the Business Im-

provement District statute (Article 19-

A of the General Municipal Law) in

order to streamline the process of BID

creation and delegate it to municipali-

ties. There are now over 60 BIDs in

New York City, four of them in Down-

town Jamaica – the creation of all four

of them spearheaded by GJDC.

“Those are but two of the many ideas

that Carlisle, Peter Engelbrecht, Helen

Levine, Susan Deutsch and Mary Reda

(all with more than 30 years at GJDC)

brought to Jamaica. From the outset,

GJDC recognized that the arts were an

essential economic development tool.

This, too, was an unknown idea at the

time, but is now widely recognized and

emulated. In an era when the new and

modern were the thing – GJDC was

ahead of the curve in protecting land-

mark structures like King Manor and

the City Registrar’s Office (now the Ja-

maica Center for Arts and Learning).

From its early days of squatting in the

abandoned Registrar’s building for its

offices, to the restoration and success-

ful re-tenanting of the art deco build-

ing where it’s offices are now located,

to most recently the creation of the Ja-

maica Center for the Performing Arts

in a landmark structure stabilized and

repurposed by GJDC, we have thrived.

In the last 15 years, funders have urged

non-profits to diversify their revenue

streams and become more self reliant.

GJDC was forward looking in using its

real estate operations to support its other

mission-driven activities – in revitaliz-

ing Jamaica. This has enabled GJDC

to remain strong during the recent eco-

nomic downtown and in the face of

declining public financial support for

its work.

“Ten years ago, GJDC began the

visioning process for the redevelop-

ment of the area around Jamaica Sta-

tion – one of the oldest continuously-

used railroad right of ways in the

country. This was many years before

Transportation Oriented Development

became the catch phrase for respon-

sible, sustainable planning. That vi-

sioning process came to fruition in the

landmark rezoning of Jamaica – push-

ing the development bulk towards the

transit nodes and away from existing

residential areas. Many places around

the country are talking about TOD –

but Jamaica is experiencing it now.

“Carlisle and GJDC have been

groundbreakers in working to bring

the benefits of economic development

to a majority minority community.

The long time African-American resi-

dents of Southeast Queens have ben-

efitted from GJDC’s relentless advo-

cacy of this community’s receiving its

fair share from both local and national

government – as well as from the pri-

vate sector. GJDC has had the privi-

lege of working arm-in-arm with com-

munity leaders like former Council-

man Archie Spigner, the Rev. Floyd

Flake, U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks, State

Sen. Shirley Huntley, Assembly Mem-

bers Vivian Cook and Will iam

Scarborough, Borough President

Helen Marshall, Councilman Leroy

Comrie and the late Dr. Gloria Black.

It is now working with and develop-

ing the talents of a new generation of

community leaders like its own Justin

Rodgers and Shanqua Harrison, in

addition to other gifted public spir-

ited individuals like Adjoa Gzifa, Ja-

son Hilliard, Brian Simon, Melva

Miller, Greg Mays and Laurel Brown.

“With the increasing diversity of Ja-

maica, people of Caribbean, Central

American and South Asian back-

grounds have been tied into GJDC’s

work. Perhaps most significantly, GJDC

may have the most diverse membership

and Board of Directors of any not-for-

profit organization in this country.

This is the greatest testament to the

values, commitment and vision to

which Carlisle and GJDC have been

dedicated for more than four decades.

Jamaica would have been a far less vi-

tal place without it.”

Dupont Street AssociatesLLC. Arts. of Org. filed withSecy. of State of NY (SSNY)on 6/27/02. Ofc in QueensCty. SSNY designated agentof LLC upon whom processagainst it may be served.SSNY shall mail process to79-63 68th Rd, Middle Vil-lage, NY 11379. Purpose:General ._______________________________________________________________Notice of formation of KingHome Inspections, LLC, adomestic Limited Liabi l i tyCompany (LLC). Articles ofOrganization filed with Sec-retary of State of NY on Octo-ber 22, 2010 New York of-f i ce loca t ion : QueensCounty. The Secretary ofState is designated as agentupon whom process againstthe LLC may be served. TheSecretary of State shall mail acopy of any process againstthe LLC served upon him/her to c/o King Home Inspec-tions, LLC, 8419 51 Avenue,#3A, Elmhurst, NY 11373. Pur-pose: Any lawful act or activ-i ty._______________________________________________________________PROBATE CITATION File No.2004-4105/A SURROGATE’SCOURT – QUEENS COUNTYCITATION THE PEOPLE OFTHE STATE OF NEW YORK,By the Grace of God Freeand Independent TO: ToEus tac ia Green , TammyBeckham, Robert BeckhamWilliams, Erik Johnson*, if liv-ing and if dead, to [his/her]heirs at law, next of kin anddistr ibutees whose namesand places of residence areunknown and if [he/she] diedsubsequent to the decedentherein, to [his/her] execu-tors, administrators, lega-tees, devisees, assignees andsuccessors in interest whosename and places of residenceare unknown and to all otherheirs at law, next of kin andd i s t r ibu tees o f Mat thewBeckham a/k/a MathewBeckham, the decedentherein, whose names andplaces of residence are un-known and cannot after dili-gent inquiry be ascertained,and to *as the heir of the post-deceased distributee LuelaBeckham Washington AvisJest ine Adams, Darnel l L.Adams , Sander s AdamsShawn Anto ine Adams ,P leshet te Adams, ThelmaBeckham, Natasha DeniseHi l l , Han i f Wa l ton , Ak i lWa l ton , and to TamikaBeckum, Abdul Jamar BeckumJohne l l e Beckham andLevone Beckham as the heirsof the post-deceased distribu-tee Sandra Beckum, EnidWashington as the heir ofthe post-deceased distribu-tee Luelle Beckham Wash-ington, Norman Green andRichard Green as the heirsof the post deceased distribu-tee Luella Beckham Green,and Michae l Green ,Veeraniqica Green, RochelleReaves Por te r , Miche l l eOwen, and Robert TerrenceGreen III as heirs of the pre-deceased children of the post-deceased distributee LuellaBeckham Green A petitionhaving been duly filed byRichard Green, who is domi-ciled at 107-15 Watson Place,Jamaica, New York 11433YOU ARE HEREBY CITED TOSHOW CASUE before the

LEGAL NOTICELEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE

Surrogate’s Court, QueensCounty, at 88-11 Sutphin Bou-levard, Jamaica, New York,on 20th day of January, 2011at 9:30 A.M. of that day, whya decree should not be madein the estate of MathewBeckham a/k/a Mat thewBeckham lately domiciled at131-15 230th Street, Jamaica,New York 11413 admittingto probate a Will dated Feb-ruary 12, 2003, a copy ofwhich is attached, as the Willof Mathew Beckham a/k/aMatthew Beckham deceased,relating to real and personalproperty, and directing that[X] Letters Testamentary is-sue to: Richard Green (Stateany further relief requested)NOV 04 2010 (Seal) HON.ROBERT L. NAHMAN Surro-ga te MARGARET M.GRIBBON Chief Clerk AnnC. Northern, Esq. Attorneyfor Petitioner 718-596-5168Telephone Number 26 CourtStreet, Ste. 1603, Brooklyn,New York 11242 Address ofAttorney [Note: This citationis served upon you as re-quired by law. You are notrequired to appear. If you failto appear it will be assumedyou do not object to the re-lief requested. You have aright to have an attorney ap-pear for you.]________________________________________________________________SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONSSUPREME COURT OF THESTATE OF NEW YORK -COUNTY OF QUEENS INDEX# 10847/2008 U.S. BANK,N.A . AS SUCCESSORTRUSTEE TO BANK OFAMERICA, N.A. AS SUCCES-SOR BY MERGER TOLASALLE BANK N.A. , ASTRUSTEE FOR MERRILLLYNCH F IRST FRANKLINMORTGAGE LOAN TRUST,MORTGAGE LOAN ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SE-R IES 2007 -5 , PLAINT IFFAGAINST KAMRUL HASAN,ENVIRONMENTAL CON-TROL BOARD; “JOHN DOE#1-10” AND “JANE DOE #1-10”, THE NAMES JOHN DOEAND JANE DOE BEING FIC-TITIOUS, THEIR IDENTITIESBEING UNKNOWN TO THEPLAINTIFFS, IT BEING THEINTENTION OF PLAINTIFFTO DESIGNATE ANY ANDALL UNKNOWN PERSONS,INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIM-ITED TO, THE TENANTS, OC-CUPANTS , CORPORA-TIONS, AND JUDGMENTCREDITORS, IF ANY, HOLD-ING OR CLAIMING SOMERIGHT, TITLE, INTEREST ORLIEN IN OR TO THE MORT-GAGED PREMISES HEREINDEFENDANTS. PROPERTYADDRESS : 25 -51 88 TH

STREET, EAST ELMHURST,NY 11369 NOTICE YOU AREIN DANGER OF LOSINGYOUR HOME If you do notrespond to this summons andcomplaint by serving a copyof the answer on the attorneyfor the mortgage companywho fi led this foreclosureproceeding against you andfiling the answer with thecourt, a default judgmentmay be entered and you canlose your home. Speak to anattorney or go to the courtwhere your case is pendingfor further information onhow to answer the summonsand protect your property.Sending a payment to your

mortgage company will notstop this foreclosure action.YOU MUST RESPOND BYSERVING A COPY OF THEANSWER ON THE ATTOR-NEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF(MORTGAGE COMPANY)AND FILING THE ANSWERWITH THE COURT. TO THEABOVE NAMED DEFEN-DANTS: YOU ARE HEREBYSUMMONED and requiredto serve upon plaintiff’s at-torney, at the address statedbelow, an answer to the at-tached complaint. If this sum-mons was personally servedupon you in the State of NewYork, the answer must beserved within twenty daysafter such service of the sum-mons, excluding the date ofservice. If the summons wasnot personally delivered toyou within the State of NewYork, the answer must beserved within thirty days af-ter service of the summons iscomplete as provided by law.The United States of America,if designated as a defendantin this action may answer orappear within sixty (60) daysof service hereof. If you donot serve an answer to theattached complaint within theapplicable t ime l imitat ionstated above, a judgment maybe entered against you, bydefault , for the rel ief de-manded in the complaint,without further notice to you.The action is brought in theSupreme Court of the Stateof New York, in and for theCounty of QUEENS becausethe Mortgaged Premises islocated in QUEENS County.NOTICE OF NATURE OF AC-TION AND RELIEF SOUGHTNOTICE IS HEREBY GIVENthat an action has been com-menced and is now pendingin the SUPREME COURT OFTHE STATE OF NEW YORKCOUNTY OF QUEENS uponthe Complaint of LASALLEBANK N.A., AS TRUSTEE FORMERRILL LYNCH F IRSTFRANKL IN MORTGAGELOAN TRUST 2007-5, MORT-GAGE LOAN ASSET-BACKEDCERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-5, holder of a mortgage thatwas executed, acknowledgedand delivered by KAMRULHASAN TO MERS AS NOMI-NEE FOR FIRST FRANKLINFINANCIAL CORP., AN OP.SUB. OF MLB&T CO., FSB,IN THE AMOUNT OF$650,000.00, DATED JUNE28, 2007, AND RECORDEDON JULY 23, 2007, WITHCRFN 2007000376239Please take notice that youmay obtain a copy of theComplaint from the Plaintiff’scounsel, Doonan, Graves &Longor i a , LLC , 100Cummings Cen te r , Su i te225D, Beverly, MA 01915AND THAT YOU MUST RE-SPOND TO THIS NOTICE BYFILING AN ANSWER TO THECOMPLAINT WITH THECLERK OF THE SUPREMECOURT OF NEW YORKCOUNTY OF QUEENS ANDBY SERVING A COPY ONPLAINT IFF ’S COUNSELWITHIN THIRTY DAYS OFTHE LAST DAY OF THE PUB-L ICAT ION OR DEFAULTJUDGMENT WILL BE EN-TERED AGAINST YOU.DOONAN, GRAVES &LONGORIA, LLC ATTOR-NEYS FOR PLAINT IFF

RENEAU J. LONGORIA, ESQ.STEPHEN M. VALENTE, ESQKEVIN GRAVES, ESQ. *100CUMMINGS CENTER ,SUITE 225D BEVERLY, MA01915 978-921-2670 35 OldTa r ry town Road Whi tePlains, NY 10603 914-949-8373 TO THE ABOVE NAMEDDEFENDANTS: The forego-ing summons and notice areserved upon you by publica-tion pursuant to an order ofthe Court dated NOVEMBER12, 2010 and filed along withthe supporting papers in theQUEENS County Clerk’s Of-fice. This is an action to fore-close a mortgage. HELP FORHOMEOWNERS IN FORE-CLOSURE New York StateLaw requires that we sendyou this notice about the fore-closure process. Please readit carefully. Mortgage fore-closure is a complex process.Some people may approachyou about “sav ing” yourhome. You should be ex-tremely careful about anysuch promises. The State en-courages you to become in-formed about your options inforeclosure. There are gov-ernment agencies, legal aidentities and other non-profitorganizations that you maycontact for information aboutforeclosure while you areworking with your lenderduring this process. To lo-cate an entity near you, youmay call the toll-free helplinemaintained by the New YorkState Banking Department at1-877-BANK-NYS (1-877-226-5697) o r v i s i t theDepar tment ’ s webs i te a twww.bank ing . s ta te .ny .us/The State does not guaran-tee the advice of these agen-cies. SCHEDULE 1 - DESCRIP-TION ALL that certain plot,piece or parcel of land, situ-ate, lying and being in theBorough and County o fQueens, City and State ofNew York, bounded and de-scribed as follows: BEGIN-NING at a point on the east-erly side of 88th Street (60feet wide) distant 126.34 feetnortherly from the cornerformed by the intersectionof the easterly side of 88th

Street with the northerly sideof 30th Avenue (80 feet wide);Running thence easterly andat right angles to the easterlyside of 88th Street, and part ofthe distance through a partywall , 100.00 feet; Thencenortherly and parallel withthe easter ly s ide of 88th

Street, 18.00 feet; Thencewesterly and again at rightangles the easterly side of88th Street, and part of thedistance through a party wall,100.00 feet to the easterlyside of 88th Street; Thencesoutherly along the easterlyside of 88th Street, 18.00 feetto the point or place of BE-GINNING.________________________________________________________________File No. 2009-4813/A CITA-T ION SURROGATE ’SCOURT, Queens COUNTYTHE PEOPLE OF THE STATEOF NEW YORK, By the Graceof God Free and Indepen-dent TO: Mildred Siewers;Harry Von Oehsen; PublicAdmin i s t r a to r , QueensCounty; To the heirs-at-law,next-of-kin and distributeesof GIESELA AHLERS, de -ceased, if living, and if any of

them be dead to their heirs-a t - l aw , nex t -o f - k in ,distributees, legatees, execu-tors, administrators, assign-ees and successors in inter-est whose names are un-known and cannot be ascer-tained after due diligence. Apetition having been dulyfiled by KARIN RANA who is/are domiciled at73-38 – 199th

Street, Fresh Meadows, NewYork 11366, United StatesYOU ARE HEREBY CITED TOSHOW CAUSE before theSurrogate’s Court, QueensCounty, at 88-11 Sutphin Bou-levard, Jamaica, New York,on January 13, 2011, at 09:30o’clock in the forenoon ofthat day, why a decree shouldnot be made in the estate ofGIESELA AHLERS lately do-mici led at 73-38 – 199 th

Street, Fresh Meadows, NewYork 11366 United States ad-mitting to probate a Will datedFebruary 11 , 1999, (andCodicil(s), if any, dated) acopy of which is attached, asthe Will of GIESELA AHLERSdeceased, relating to real andpersonal property, and di-recting that: X Letters Testa-menta ry i s sue to KARINRANA Dated, Attested andSealed, NOV 16 2010 SealHON. Robert L. Nahman Sur-roga te MARGARET M.GRIBBON Chief Clerk IraLevine, Esq. Print Name ofAttorney Ira Levine, Esq. Firm(516) 829-7911 Tel. No. 320Northern Boulevard, Suite14, Great Neck, New York11021 Address NOTE: Thiscitation is served upon youas required by law. You arenot required to appear. Ifyou fail to appear it will beassumed you do not object tothe rel ief requested. Youhave a right to have an attor-ney appear for you.______________________________________________________________NOTICE OF FORMATIONOF LIMITED LIABILITY COM-PANY. NAME: PATRIOT(2010) LLC. Application forAuthority was filed with theSecretary of State of NewYork (SSNY) on 11/17/10.The LLC was originally filedwith the Secretary of State ofDelaware on 11/05/10. Of-f i ce loca t ion : QueensCounty. SSNY has been des-ignated as agent of the LLCupon whom process againstit may be served. SSNY shallmail a copy of process to theLLC , 2 Ga la s so P lace ,Maspeth, New York 11378.Purpose: For any lawful pur-pose._______________________________________________________________Notice of formation of LETGROUP LLC. Articles of Or-ganization filed with the Sec-retary of State of New YorkSSNY on July 30, 2010. Of-fice located in Queens. SSNYhas been designated for ser-vice of process. SSNY shallmail copy of any processserved against the LLC 15-24201 ST Bayside, NY 11360.Purpose: any lawful purpose________________________________________________________________SEVENTY TWO EQUITIESLLC Articles of Org. filed NYSec. of State (SSNY) 11/26/2010. Office in Queens Co.SSNY desig. agent of LLCupon whom process may beserved. SSNY shall mail copyof process to 80-74 209th St.,Queens Village, NY 11427,which is also the principal

business location. Purpose:Any lawful purpose.________________________________________________________________Legal Notice Sup Ct St of NYCo of Queens Index 26083/2010 JORGE ORTEGA, Plf vRACHELLE YVETTEHARRELL, Def Summons withNotice in Divorce Actionbased on abandonment Basisof venue and trial Sec. 509CPLR you are summoned toappear in this action by serv-ing a notice of appearanceon plf’s atty within 30 daysafter service is complete andif you fail to appear, judg-ment will be taken againstyou by default. To the abovenamed def: this summons isserved upon you by publica-tion by order of Hon. BerniceD. Siegal, a Justice of thisCourt, dated December 1,2010 on file in the QueensCounty Clk’s off. Thomas T.Hecht, Plf’s Atty, 1270 Ave.of the Americas, NY, NY10020 (212) 245-5556________________________________________________________________State of Minnesota StearnsCounty District Court Judi-cial District: Seventh CourtFi le Number: 73-JV-JV-10-9307 Case Type: Juvenile Inthe Matter of the Welfare ofthe Child(ren) of: Beth AnnBrown X Parent Prince RoySylvester (a l leged Father)Summons and Notice Childin Need of Protection or Ser-vices Matter NOTICE TO:Prince Roy Sylvester, above-named parent(s) or legalcustodian(s). 1. A Child InNeed of Protection or Ser-vices Petition has been filedin the Office of the Clerk ofJuvenile Court located at 725Cour thouse Square , S t .Cloud, Minnesota, allegingthat the child(ren) of theabove-named parent(s) orlegal custodian(s) is/are inneed of protection or ser-vices. 2. Notice is herebygiven that the matter of saidChild In Need of Protectionor Services Petition will becalled for hearing before theJuvenile Court located at 725Cour thouse Square , S t .Cloud, Minnesota, on Febru-ary 4, 2011 at 9:00 A.M. or assoon after as the Matter canbe heard. 3. YOU ARE OR-DERED to appear before theJuvenile Court at the sched-uled time and date. 4. Youhave a right to be representedby counsel. 5. If you fail toappear at the hearing, theCourt may still conduct thehearing and grant appropri-ate relief, including takingpermanent custody of thechild/ren named in the Peti-tion. WITNESS, the Honor-able Judge Pearson Judge ofDistrict Court BY: Heidi BCourt Administrator_______________________________________________________________Notice of Formation 494Broadway, LLC art. of org.filed Secy. of State NY (SSNY)6/18/04. Off. Loc. In QueensCo. SSNY des igna ted asagent of LLC upon whomprocess may be served. SSNYshall mail copy of process to:4211 Northern Blvd, Queens,NY 11101. Purpose: Any law-ful purpose.

You Can E-Mail YourLegal Copy to

legals@queenstribune.com

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BY DOMENICK RAFTER

For the Greater Jamaica De-

velopment Corp., the creation

of Airport Village, the revital-

ization of the area around the

Jamaica LIRR/AirTrain station,

is a key goal for the future. The

plan would turn a stretch of Ja-

maica notorious for blight and

crime, which is merely used as

a pass-through location for

commuters and people head-

ing to JFK, into a stand-alone

commercial center for South-

east Queens.

The area around the station

has long had a reputation of

being underdeveloped and

dangerous, especially south of

the transportation hub. The

area north of the station,

closer to Jamaica and Hillside

Avenues, is utilized because of

being home to the Civil Court

and its proximity to Down-

town Jamaica and Jamaica

Hospital.

The Airport Village plan,

which came as a result of the

rezoning of more than 300

blocks of Jamaica in 2007,

would create a three-block ur-

ban renewal area characterized by va-

cant and blighted properties in the

area adjacent to the AirTrain/LIRR Ja-

maica Station transportation hub. This

would be converted into a transit-ori-

entated “walkable” community around

the LIRR station that connects the area

to both Downtown Jamaica to the

north, and the residential areas of

South Jamaica to the south. The plan

would remove impediments to devel-

opment, which was done through re-

zoning; provide new housing of high

quality close to the station and Down-

An artist’s rendering of the future Airport Village.

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BY DOMENICK RAFTER

In 1995, the NYPD announced it

would move its ballistics and forensic

crime lab out of the Police Academy

on 20th Street in Lower Manhattan,

where it had been housed since 1972.

Its new location surprised many.

It would not be located anywhere

in Manhattan, or even in Downtown

Brooklyn, but nearly 10 miles away,

at the end of the subway, in the heart

of Jamaica, Queens.

The department announced in

October 1995 that it would move its

crime lab to a new $18 million state-

of-the-art facility on Jamaica Avenue

at 150th Street in Downtown Ja-

maica, directly across the street from

Rufus King Park and walking dis-

tance from the Jamaica LIRR train

station and York College. The build-

ing, formerly home to a department

store and York College, was then

home to the NYPD application-pro-

cessing unit, workplace for 200 de-

partment employees.

Carlisle Towery, president of the

Greater Jamaica Development Corpo-

ration, told the Daily News in 1995

that the crime lab would be “a big

boost to the downtown area.”

Once the crime lab began opera-

tion, it brought hundreds of jobs to

Downtown Jamaica, and spurred de-

velopment along Jamaica Avenue

where employees shopped or dined

during the workday.

Bringing the crime lab to Jamaica

reinforced the idea that New York

City was too big to have only one

centralized downtown area, rather a

bunch of central districts scattered

around the city. Residents in South-

east Queens, many of whom are civil

servants, live without a direct sub-

way line and have some of the long-

est commutes to work to Manhattan.

With nearly every public transpor-

tation option in Southeast Queens

leading to a hub in Downtown Ja-

maica, bringing city jobs to the area

made sense.

Though it had a rocky start, the

NYPD crime lab scored a 98 percent

in a critique done by the American

Society of Crime Laboratory Direc-

tors/Laboratory Accreditation Board

in 2007.

Transit Hub Links Airport To Streets

It Takes A Village:

NYPD Lab In Jamaica

Crimes Seen:

"Greater Jamaica was established in

1967, and that was during a time when

we needed something, you might say,

to bring back Jamaica

"I'll be honest with you. When we

first learned of Greater Jamaica, I

wasn't one of the lovers of Greater Ja-

maica. But when I found out person-

ally what they did and what they do,

then we began to see that it was im-

THE REV. CHARLES NORRISBethesda Missionary Baptist Church

"It is important for us to be able

to work with all of the individuals in

this community, be they organiza-

tions, corporations, because we have

so many things that are happening

in our community that need to be

addressed.

"The GJDC is responsible for a lot

ADJOA GZIFA,Chairwoman, CB 12

of the development in downtown Ja-

maica. Working with them has in some

instances been a pleasure, and in some

instances been a problem. But overall

it has been one of mutual respect, and

I think we work fairly well together to

make sure positive things come to our

community."

town Jamaica; and construct commu-

nity facilities, including open space

and parks, retail, shopping, hotels and

parking.

“We envision Downtown Jamaica as

a dynamic, modern, and efficient ur-

ban center – built around a major tran-

sit hub – offering a pleasant and pro-

ductive experience for those who

work, live and visit here,” said GJDC

Executive Director Carlisle Towery.

The plan includes a major mer-

chandise mart at Sutphin Boulevard

and 94th Avenue, right outside the

AirTrain station, as well as a

Marriott Hotel and a Resi-

dence Inn on Archer Avenue.

The area would also be home

to new housing facilities as

well, and improve street and

sidewalk conditions, including

new tree planting and new

lighting. The area would be

limited, as rezoning called for

protecting the one- and two-

family homes that dominate

the surrounding neighbor-

hoods south of Liberty Avenue

and east of 172nd Street.

Airport Village, the GJDC

said, would reduce depen-

dence on fossil fuels and the

need for driving, addressing

the serious problems of rising

energy costs, traffic conges-

tion, and global warming. The

transportation center in Ja-

maica would be a plus for

downtown businesses during

tough economic times, the

GJDC said, because it would

make them easy to get to and

noticed by millions who pass

through every day; not only

commuters going through Ja-

maica on their way to work, but

those heading to and from JFK Inter-

national Airport.

The financial crisis in 2008 put

a halt to development of Airport Vil-

lage. In 2010, City and State offi-

cials, in an effort to keep JetBlue

from moving their headquarters

from Forest Hills to Florida, tried

to get the airline to move its head-

quarters to Downtown Jamaica in the

Airport Village area, only minutes

from their JFK hub. JetBlue even-

tually found a new home in Long

Island City.

portant and necessary that we had

such a corporation here in our area to

really establish what was needed.

"Greater Jamaica has been, I think,

a godsend to this area, and getting

to know Carlisle better in my old age

and his old age certainly helped us

to know that there were some good

things that took place and are taking

place now."

Major Coup For JamaicaBY JESSICA ABLAMSKY

For tens of millions of people in

the United States, Social Security pro-

vides a necessary lifeline

in the form of disabil-

ity, medical, retirement,

supplemental security

income and survivor

benefits.

Of the 45 million

beneficiaries in the

U.S., 13 percent receive

benefits on the basis of

disabilities, while more

than half of retirees in

the U.S. depend on Social Security

for at least half of their income.

Located on Jamaica Avenue and

completed in 1989, the U.S. Social

Security Administration’s Northeast-

ern Program Center serves about 7.2

million disability, retirement and sur-

vivor insurance beneficiaries. In 2007,

the facility processed more than 1.8

million actions for its clients.

From 1961-1989, the SSA called

the gargantuan Lefrak City home. Al-

though the SSA needed the space, it

was a speculative office building – built

not for a specific tenant but for any

that might sign a lease – and did not

meet the needs of the SSA. The SSA

required a custom-designed building

so they could better handle regional

operations in New York City.

The Greater Jamaica Development

Corporation assisted in site selection

of the current SSA home in Jamaica,

along with U.S. Rep. Joseph Addabbo

Sr., and former U.S. Sen. Daniel

Patrick Moynihan.

Both Addabbo and

Moynihan took the lead

in bringing the SSA to

Jamaica, which could

have ended up on Long

Island’s Mitchell Field.

At the time, the chair-

man in Washington

from the corresponding

congressional committee

was from Nassau County.

Instead, with help from Addabbo,

Moynihan and then-Queens Borough

President Don Manes, it was sited on

a piece of city-owned land that Mayor

John Lindsay condemned and

cleared for development.

Downtown Jamaica is a regional

center of City, State and federal Gov-

ernment functions. The Social Secu-

rity Administration building repre-

sented the first major public invest-

ment in Downtown Jamaica. With

room for several hundred employees,

the building itself has 1 million square

feet of floor space.

Along with the U.S. Food and Drug

Administration’s Northeast Regional

Laboratory, located on the York Col-

lege campus since 1997, the two fa-

cilities employ more than 2,000

people and represent public invest-

ments of more than $250 million.

Social Security:

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“It is interesting how life puts

people in each others’ pathway with-

out them knowing that there might

come a time in the future where they

will meet at an intersection that makes

a difference in the lives of other

people. While a student at

Wilberforce University (Ohio) in the

60s, I participated in a protest at

Lewis Gegner’s barbershop because he

would not cut the hair of African

Americans. Later in life, I learned

that Carlisle Towery, who was then a

student at Antioch College (Ohio),

which is 10 miles from the

Wilberforce University campus, also

protested along with his friends.

“Carlisle had come from Alabama,

and I, from Houston. We were in Ohio

for the purpose of getting our under-

graduate education; little did I know

that I would ultimately cross paths

with Carlisle. When I was appointed

in 1976 to Pastor the Allen Church, I

received a phone call and subsequent

visit from Carlisle Towery. His ambi-

tion was to stop the out migration of

people and merchants from Downtown

Jamaica. It was a tough time economi-

cally, because the major department

stores were shutting down, and that

impact on other businesses in the

downtown area was deleterious. Jobs

were lost and the aesthetics changed

suddenly from a thriving business at-

mosphere to one of vacant buildings;

this was cause for great concern about

the future of Jamaica. My concerns

were not only about the downtown

area, but also the deterioration in the

communities that comprised Jamaica

as a whole.

“As I began to seek various fund-

ing to build up the community,

Carlisle reached out and indicated

that our goals were similar and join-

ing together would help stem the pos-

sible loss of more businesses, homes

and citizens who were moving out

of the community in huge numbers.

My invitation to join the Greater Ja-

maica Development Corporation’s

Board came in 1976, and I have

served faithfully with Carlisle over

the last 35 years.

“Carlisle Towery is a visionary who

refuses to take no for an answer when

he believes in a particular project. I

found him to be both a friend and a

partner whose motivation is never cen-

tered on personal outcomes, but is fo-

cused on what’s best for the commu-

nity. One of his first projects was con-

verting the Gertz building into a State

Office building. He would not give up

even when it appeared that the State

would not put offices in Jamaica. He

has the tenacity and drive that chal-

lenges people to get on board and seek

solutions even when things seem im-

possible. Carlisle works with govern-

ment for the benefit of the Jamaica

community better than anyone else.

“When I got elected to Congress,

Carlisle immediately began the drive

to make sure that the Social Security

Administration Building, which had

begun under my predecessor, former

Congressman Joseph Addabbo, would

be completed. He not only wrote the

letters to the Social Security Adminis-

tration, but also penned the letters for

me and Senator Daniel Patrick

Moynihan in hopes of getting the

President’s ear. We worked together,

eventually finishing the project –

which brought more than 3,000 jobs

to the community.

“Carlisle could never be satisfied

as long as there were opportunities to

build up the Downtown Jamaica area.

So we collaborated in an effort to bring

the Food and Drug Administration

facility to Jamaica. He felt that it would

be a great addition not only to Down-

town Jamaica, but if it were located

on the campus of York College, it

would also be a tremendous educa-

tional benefit to the community. It was

not an easy project. At times it ap-

peared that Jamaica would not be the

location chosen by the FDA; but, with

a great deal of commitment and dedi-

cation to this goal, we were finally able

to get a piece of legislation passed.

The FDA was built in 1990, and it

brought 2,000 additional jobs to the

community.

“Carlisle was never satisfied no

matter how great the results were, so a

few months later he informed me that

the Federal Aviation Administration

considered building a new facility

which would replace the existing one

at JFK Airport. The administration

had determined that they would not

rebuild within the airport area where

they were previously located, and

would move out of the district. Once

again, Carlisle challenged me to push

to keep the FAA in Jamaica. After a

prolonged period, I was able to draft

the legislation which benefitted

Greater Jamaica; both with the reten-

tion of jobs, and with the creation of

many new jobs that could now be

housed in the new facility.

“There are many times that people

are called visionaries for what they say,

but Carlisle Towery’s fight exceeds the

limits of the rhetoric of transforma-

tion, and demonstrates that he feels a

serious commitment to make good

things happen for the community and

its people. The Jamaica community

has been enhanced by his wealth, tal-

ent, faith and belief in the betterment

of humanity through benefits and ser-

vices that improve life in the Greater

Jamaica Downtown area.”

BY BRIAN M. RAFFERTY

The Greater Jamaica Develop-

ment Corporation never intended to

be landlords; that’s never been their

true focus.

But at the same time, they are all

about “building places,” and part of

what makes a place like Downtown

Jamaica is the buildings that people

call home.

The GDC had worked for years to

foster good relationships with the

business owners of the neighbor-

hoods, helping where they could and

providing the ability to bring in and

retain jobs.

But some of the workers were liv-

ing at the whim of bad landlords, or

were simply caught up in a situation

where the interested parties were un-

able to work out their problems.

“We had a housing preservation

program for 10 years, and we worked

with every landlord,” said GJDC

President Carlisle Towery. “The land-

lord, lender and tenant are frequently

enemies. We had a program where all

we did was go around and negotiate

with those interest parties.”

Sometimes, that wasn’t enough.

Using a combination of loans

and self-financing, the GJDC took

over bad housing, f ixed it up,

rented it out and sold it, creating

better places for people to live in

the process.

“We did 3,000 units over a 10-year

period, and then we quit,” Towery

said. “We’re not in housing anymore.”

Though working with a developer

on a housing option in the Airport

Village area is still an option on the

table for GJDC, it’s not something

Towery is seeking out as a long-term

involvement.

“We might do it, just so people can

live here and work here,” he said.

“Much of the work that we do is bricks

and mortar, it’s physical. Sometimes

we are misunderstood as being in the

real estate business, when we’re really

in the venue business, of creating

places for people.”

A Place To Live

GJDC Aids Housing

The SSA building in

Downtown Jamaica.

Greater Jamaica has assisted in the

development of affordable and safe

housing in Jamaica.

REV. FLOYD FLAKEPastor, Allen AME Cathedral

www.petdocwoodhaven.com

GJDC Garages Spur Local GrowthBY JESSICA ABLAMSKY

Greater Jamaica Development

Corp. President Carlisle Towery

wishes that more people who work

in Downtown Jamaica, or visit the

area, used public transportation. To

serve the car-loving public, Jamaica

First Parking operates a network of

safe and affordable parking facilities

in Downtown Jamaica.

Jamaica First Parking is a non-

profit subsidiary of the GJDC. It was

formed to promote local economic

development in Downtown Jamaica

by managing and operating a coor-

dinated system of safe and afford-

able, customer-friendly and effi-

ciently-operated municipal parking

facilities that serve local residents,

shoppers, workers and visitors to

Downtown Jamaica.

To support local economic de-

velopment, Jamaica First owns and

operates five parking facilities with

2,000 parking spaces in Downtown

Jamaica. Jamaica First keeps rates

affordable and uses profits for

building additional parking facili-

ties.

In the late 70s, there was no capi-

tal budget for cities. Projects were

grant-funded and had to be shovel-

ready. In 1978, with a lot of help, the

GJDC obtained for the City of New

York a $3.4 million grant to build a

garage in Downtown Jamaica.

To support local economic de-

velopment, the garage was located

next to the Jamaica Market. Unfor-

tunately, the way the parking ga-

rage was maintained by the City,

the project was a disaster, complete

with crime and lights that did not

work, Towery said.

“So we took it over from the City,”

he said. “We managed it and made

it wonderful. We gave candy away to

women with kids when they parked

there.”

An innovation spearheaded by

Jamaica First was a change in secu-

rity. In each garage, the manager had

two or three security personnel on

their payroll.

Instead of contracting for those

positions, Jamaica First hires them

all, dresses them in uniform and calls

Jamaica Comes First:

them the Jamaica Alliance. Instead

of strategically posting security per-

sonnel, they each have their own

routes and beats.

“We now have our own security,”

Towery said.

Before the Jamaica Alliance, Ja-

maica First was paying the contrac-

tor $12 for security personnel. The

contractor paid his employees $8 per

hour.

“Now we’re still paying $12 an

hour and we insure them,” Towery

said. “They are real jobs.”

A security system of well-trained

employees increased the attractive-

ness of the lot, Towery said.

“They do more than security,” he

said. “They are really good.”

Greater Jamaica learned that in

other cities parking

was a powerful market-

ing tool, particularly

when parking was

priced at a rate that

customers can afford.

After operating their

first garage for two

years, Greater Jamaica

bought two additional

lots from the city and

built a new 2,000-

space facility.

Although Towery

said that Jamaica First

could probably raise

rates, they are kept af-

fordable, with net rev-

enue allocated towards

new facilities.

The newest facility

was completed in

2005, a parking garage

for cars with 410

spaces. To finance the

project, Jamaica First

raised grants and

partnered with the

New York City Indus-

trial Development Agency to issue

tax-exempt bonds collateralized with

a letter of credit from a bank.

“To build a garage in Jamaica, you

have to have half of it as equity,”

Towery said. “This thing cost $11

million – we borrowed $6 million and

the City gave us $5 million – the City

earns money because they collect

taxes on it.”

Jamaica First is trying to build an

additional facility, with proposals

submitted under the stimulus pack-

age, he said.

“The revenue from the existing

ones is how we would pay half the

cost on the new ones,” Towery said.

The idea is to “get the whole

downtown in balance,” in terms of

parking supply and demand.

Officials cut the ribbon at the newest Jamaica First parking garage, opened in 2005.

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“Carlisle Towery is a hardworking,

innovative individual, who has been

a creative leader in Jamaica for many

years. Indeed, he is the ‘go-to’ man

in Jamaica, where he has contributed

greatly to a revitalization that con-

tinues to grow stronger with each

coming year.

“Whether its projects related to

culture, housing and parking, or to

generating business by building loan

programs or department stores,

Carlisle has been there with the

Greater Jamaica Development Cor-

poration to support, guide or spear-

head the effort. His credentials have

served him well in design, architec-

ture and planning for the future.

Over the years, he has played an in-

strumental role in projects from the

Civil Court to the Jamaica Business

Resource Center and York College to

Jamaica Market. And now, in

Carlisle’s own words, ‘Jamaica is di-

verse, entrepreneurial and vibrant.’

“He loves Jamaica and has ex-

pressed that love by devoting his

time, energy and talent to improve,

enhance and strengthen the commu-

nity. In no small measure, he has

worked with government and the

private sector to transform Jamaica

into a hub of activity and strengthen

its role as a transportation, educa-

tional and cultural center in Queens.

“Today, Jamaica stands on the

precipice of a new generation of

growth. It is home to the biggest re-

zoning in the city’s history and is now

poised for new development that will

be channeled to large, commercial

streets, while smaller, residential

streets are preserved.

“The Queens Tribune has made a

wise decision in naming Carlisle

Towery as its Person of the Year. He

is a prime example of the private and

public sector working together for

the good of the people.

“Congratulations Carlisle on your

designation as the Queens Tribune’s

2010 Person of the Year!”

HELEN MARSHALLQueens Borough President

“At times, some people may have

misunderstood Carlisle and the mis-

sion of the GJDC. But clearly what

they have accomplished on Jamaica

Avenue is to the benefit of the com-

munity and the surrounding commu-

nities.”

Jamaica, he said, went from be-

ing home to small mom and pop

stores serving the immediate com-

munity, to being home to large, re-

nowned stores like Old Navy and The

Home Depot, which bring in shop-

pers from St. Albans, Laurelton,

Hollis and Briarwood, the middle-

class neighborhoods surrounding

Jamaica that Smith represents. Resi-

dents in these areas often had to

travel to Nassau County to shop, but

Smith said the GJDC has helped

make Jamaica a viable option for

them as well.

Smith said Towery’s strength is his

ability to learn the information he

needs to make a project work.

“Carlisle did his homework. By

the time you got him, all that was

needed is a small follow up.”

Smith credited Towery and the

GJDC for their work on the Air Train

and their committment to high-

speed rail, which he hopes can be

brought to Jamaica.

Towery’s legacy, Smith said, is

going to be its ability to help Jamaica

through tough times as an urban

neighborhood, from it’s downturn in

the 1970s and 1980s to its resurgence

as a center of commerce in the last

decade.

MALCOLM SMITHState Senator

Work together. Make a difference.

Citi is pleased to recognize Carlisle

Towery as the 2010 Queens Tribune

“Person of the Year.”

We also commend the Greater

Jamaica Development Corporation for

over 40 years of outstanding service

to the Jamaica, Queens community.

© 2010 Citigroup Inc. All rights reserved. Arc Design, Citi and Arc Design and Citi Never Sleeps are trademarks and service marks of Citigroup Inc., used and registered throughout the world.

BY JASON BANREY

The Greater Jamaica Development

Corporation’s Culture Builds Jamaica

initiative shows off Downtown Jamaica

as a modern and efficient mixed-use

regional center. By building the

community’s interest in the area’s in-

frastructure, the initiative hopes to

attract the experience of individuals

and groups in the community to con-

tinue to develop Jamaica’s rich his-

torical ties to jazz, hip-hop, and Afri-

can-American and Caribbean culture.

Utilizing the downtown area’s re-

cent rebirth to stimulate artistic and

cultural life, the initiative has collabo-

rated with local organizations, reviv-

ing urban creativity and culture in the

downtown area.

In 2009, the GJDC partnered with

Chashama, a nonprofit arts organiza-

tion that supports thriving cultural

communities by investing in neigh-

borhoods, cultivating local artists and

sustaining culture and creativity.

Working together, they were able to

create seven artist studios and two new

galleries within vacant buildings

owned by GJDC in Jamaica’s down-

town area. The development of these

multiple spaces has provided both

trained and untrained local artists

with spaces to display their work

within the community they live in.

The affordable studio spaces allow

artists to practice their craft and ex-

hibit their work in an environment

that fosters relationships. Artists can

collaborate on projects and share

ideas, making a variety of contempo-

rary cultural works of art available for

the community.

“The community has been very wel-

coming to these gallery opening

nights,” said Reuel Daniels, senior man-

ager of special projects at GJDC. “This

initiative has enhanced the quality of

life for people who live and work here.”

With 14 galleries in Downtown Ja-

maica, Chashama has also provided

space and support to Reconstruct Art,

an arts education organization. Help-

ing provide disenfranchised youth

with free art workshops in public hous-

ing and the opportunity to paint mu-

rals in their neighborhoods, the part-

nership aims to address the economic

and social problems locals face.

BY JASON BANREY

Over the years, Downtown Jamaica

has transitioned into a bustling urban

center where the community is wel-

come to not only shop but also enjoy

the outdoors within its renewed pub-

lic spaces. One initiative that made

this possible is the Downtown Jamaica

Open Space Coalition.

With the purpose of transforming

Downtown Jamaica’s parks, open

spaces, streetscapes and public

squares, the coalition has begun

changing the face of a neighborhood

that once lacked inviting exterior

amenities.

Promoting sustainable develop-

ments and civic activity, the main ob-

jective of the Coalition, A Greater Ja-

maica Development Corp. partner, is

to identify key concerns and oppor-

tunities with the consensus of the eth-

nically diverse community within the

neighborhood.

One of the initiative’s primary

projects was the removal of the Queens

County Supreme Court Plaza’s 10-foot

high iron fence that surrounded the

building for a decade. With the pur-

pose of providing locals and visitors

with more open spaces, the Coalition

was able to remove the unsightly bar-

GJDC Works To Inspire New Artists

Building Culture:

ricade on Sutphin Boulevard, through

a combined effort with the City of New

York. Opening the Plaza to the pub-

lic, the space now presents open-air

concerts for the community in the sum-

mer.

The area’s main open space is Rufus

King Park. Located in the heart of

Downtown Jamaica, the former estate

of Rufus King, a signer of the Consti-

tution of the United States, has under-

gone a multi-faceted transformation

that turned a 19th century farm into a

recreational area where both sports and

open air concerts can be enjoyed.

The introduction of artificial turf

to the grounds has given local sports

enthusiasts of all ages an area to en-

gage in recreation activities. Once

known as a dust bowl, the 11-acre park

is now a popular site for locals to test

their soccer skills against each other.

For shoppers, workers and resi-

dents who plan to visit the revitalized

downtown district, parking is also

conveniently available. With the help

of the Coalition and community stake-

holders, the downtown area has ben-

efitted from an expansion of safe, af-

fordable and customer-friendly park-

ing, giving visitors easy access this es-

tablished shopping destination.

Cultural Elbow Room

Open Space Needed:

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A recent King Park performance during a Caribbean Cultural Festival, co-

sponsored by the GJDC.

"Their team helped us look for build-

ings and helped us explore the area to

find a new home for our business. A

number of years later we worked with

them again and refinanced the mort-

gage on the building because interest

rates went down and there was an op-

portunity to save us a little money, and

they were quite willing to do that.

"We feel that they really, really have

been effective in keeping businesses

and finding new businesses into the

Jamaica community, and we have been

really happy to have been affiliated

with them all these years.

"What they're really doing is creat-

ing jobs or preserving jobs, and at all

levels with the Greater Jamaica Devel-

opment Corporation they take that re-

sponsibility very seriously."

CHARLES MITTELCassel and Freymuth, Owner

This past summer, the GJDC also

partnered with VP Records, a local

reggae and Caribbean music record la-

bel, to sponsor a free Caribbean Music

Festival that featured the Mighty Spar-

row, the “Calypso King of the World,”

Lava Connection and Ernie Smith.

Also during the summer, under the

cultural initiative, Downtown Jamaica

hosted both jazz sessions and funk

concerts. Held in the plaza of the

Queens County Supreme Court, un-

der the direction of Tom Zlabinger,

York College’s jazz bands filled the

warm summer evenings with melodies

for locals leaving work.

With the support from the

Rockefeller Brothers Foundation and

the New York Community Trust,

GJDC also featured several free lunch-

time concerts in locations throughout

the downtown area, displaying live

jazz, funk, R&B, and world music.

Over the years, the free concerts and

jazz series have grown in popularity

with the majority of attendees being

local employees and shoppers. Not

only has the public benefitted from the

open-air music; local businesses drew

in an additional 4,500 people to the

area in the summer of 2008.

“It’s important that we work with

the local organizations and pass them

on the torch,” said Daniels.

"The Queens Tribune could not

have picked a more deserving indi-

vidual who has Downtown Jamaica as

his single focus and viewpoint and

seeks to return it to its glory days. He

is relentless in going where he needs

to go."

Meeks said Towery is very good at

putting his vision into words for him

and other officials to see clearly the

direction he wishes to go.

"We can see how that can actually

transcend Downtown Jamaica and

integrate Jamaica, Queens into the

broader New York City projects that

are going on."

Meeks said the GJDC's mission is

not only good for Downtown Jamaica,

but also for the surrounding commu-

nities who can now shop in Downtown

GREGORY MEEKSJamaica's U.S. Congressman

Jamaica rather than on Long Island.

He said the rise in retail development

in Downtown Jamaica also has eco-

nomic effects for the surrounding com-

munities like Laurelton, Hollis and St.

Albans.

"When you have that type of thriv-

ing commercial development, it raises

property value in surrounding com-

munities."

Meeks' goal is to help the mission

Towery and the GJDC lays out any way

he can. He has helped secure tax cred-

its for the GJDC to entice businesses

to come to Jamaica and allocated

money to help the GJDC obtain prop-

erty.

"We will continue to do that. When

they come to me with those ideas, we

will try to follow through."

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Over the past 125 years, Flushing

Hospital has been dedicated to

providing the highest quality of care.

Even with our recent growth, this is

one thing we refuse to change

Our list of surgical services has grown to include:

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Underpass Project To Lift The GloomBY JOSEPH OROVIC

Nearly a year ago, New York City

Economic Development Corporation

President Seth Pinsky gave a tour of

the borough to members of the local

media, showcasing some of the big-

ger projects underway around the

borough.

The day began at Jamaica’s tran-

sit hub, with Pinsky pointing to a

dank, depressing stretch along

Sutphin Boulevard, the Long Island

Rail Road clanging overhead. He

promised what was once an eyesore

of garbage loading docks will be

transformed into a stretch of shops,

well lit and welcoming enough to

match the upgraded side across the

street. Work began once the Greater

Jamaica Development Corporation

got its hands on it.

The ground was broken for the

Shops at Station Plaza in December

2008. It will create 5,500 square feet

of retail space, add new lighting,

storefronts, and a new sidewalk and

roadbed. The project was originally

slated to be completed by the end of

this year.

The rejuvenation of the LIRR un-

derpass on Sutphin is part of a larger

plan for Downtown Jamaica, one that

will see the languishing neighbor-

hood rejuvenated. By the time work

is done, the EDC expects the transit

hub at Sutphin Boulevard and Archer

Avenue to become a mixed use com-

mercial district with residential units.

“Something to look forward to will

be the $100 million infrastructure

project in the Sutphin corridor,” said

Justin Rodgers, Director Economic

Development, GJDC. “That project

will consist of retail right under the

A New Vision:

Today, the underpass is dimly lit and foreboding.

Long Island

Rail Road

underpass ,

and one re-

ally strong

point that is incorporated is that we

are working really diligently to attract

local subcontractors and get them

work, and get them working on these

projects.”

The Sutphin underpass will be

part of a greater expansion of capac-

ity called “IMAX” (Inter-modal En-

hancements/Atlantic Avenue Exten-

sion), a $98 million investment from

City, State and Federal sources.

IMAX’s goals are to create new gate-

ways to Downtown Jamaica while

adding 30 new permanent jobs and

580 construction jobs.

The project is a three-phase under-

taking that not only includes Sutphin

Boulevard, but also, the extension of

Atlantic Avenue to connect with

95th Avenue to improve access

to the AirTrain and LIRR from

the Van Wyck Expressway. The

final arm of the project, which

will begin 2011, will realign the

intersection of Archer Avenue

and Sutphin Boulevard to re-

lieve traffic and improve

streetscape.

The underpass is part of a

368-block swath of Downtown

Jamaica that was rezoned in

2007. The rezoning called for

the creation of an Airport Village in

the area around the AirTrain. The

Sutphin Boulevard underpass project

is the first in the rezoned area.

According to GJDC, the Sutphin

Boulevard project will cater to more

than 300,000 daily commuters.

An artist’s rendering of the

redesigned underpass.

The AirTrain Brings Jamaica To JFKBY JASON BANREY

In the past, many travelers seek-

ing a route to JFK International Air-

port usually found themselves on one

of a couple of Queens’ congested

highways. Surrounded by the Belt

Parkway and the Van Wyck Express-

way, JFK was a destination that in-

convenient to reach.

In 2003 that changed. The intro-

duction of the AirTrain provided

New Yorkers with a direct route to the

metropolitan area’s largest interna-

tional airport.

Efficient Design

Operated by Bombardier Trans-

portation under contract to the Port

Authority of New York and New Jer-

sey, the eight-mile long, above-

ground transit system has experi-

enced a steady increase in riders

since its opening day, serving more

than 5 million commuters in 2009.

Utilizing a design originally de-

veloped in the 1970s, the AirTrain’s

Advanced Rapid Transit technology

draws power from the third rail and

an electric motor, magnetically push-

ing the train along the track. The

state-of-the-art computerized trains

operate without conductors or mo-

tormen and share the same techno-

logical design as the SkyTrain in

Vancouver, Canada and the Kelana

Jaya Line in Kuala Lumpur, Malay-

sia.

A Major Link

Connecting domestic and inter-

national travelers, the AirTrain

gives New York City residents direct

access to flights that travel around

the world. Winding through south-

east Queens, the light rail carries

passengers to one of Queens’ revi-

talized areas, Downtown Jamaica.

The mass transit hub, located on

Archer Avenue and Sutphin Boule-

vard, serves three subway lines, 31

bus lines and 430 daily commuter

trains serviced by the Long Island

Rail Road.

With five additional subway sta-

tions, two bus terminals and numer-

ous bus transfer points along Down-

town Jamaica’s major thoroughfares,

commuters from all over

the city are able to skip

the highway to reach the

skyway. Paying an ex-

pensive cab fare is also

no longer necessary as

the AirTrain’s inexpen-

sive fare and eight-

minute rail service pro-

vide optimum alterna-

tives for travelers seek-

ing to reach New York

City’s most congested

airport.

For just $5, passen-

gers entering or leaving

at Jamaica or Howard

Beach stations are able

to use their MetroCards

to gain access to AirTrain service,

providing commuters with smooth

and seamless connections while in

transit. The AirTrain is also free

within the airport’s seven terminal

areas and to the hotel, car rental-

shuttle bus area at Federal Circle.

Travelers who decide to leave their

vehicles in long-term parking have

access to AirTrain service as well. The

service quickly became popular with

long-term travelers who do not use

the city’s mass transportation system.

Many of today’s commuters may

forget the many difficulties and long

process planners endured through-

out the AirTrain’s development be-

fore it reached its modest design.

Early Designs

In the 1960’s, high price tags,

impractical plans and tough logistics

plagued attempts to create rail access

to New York City airports. In the

1990s, the Port Authority proposed

various designs, one of which directly

tied midtown Manhattan to both

LaGuardia Airport and JFK Interna-

tional Airport.

According to the original plan,

the railway would begin at the foot

of the Queensboro Bridge in Man-

hattan. The train would then cross

the East River, making use of the cen-

tury old structure, on the lower level.

From the bridge, the train would

then use the Sunnyside Yards as a

means to head directly to LaGuardia

Connection Takes Flight:

Airport and then head to JFK Air-

port. The Port Authority changed its

proposed plans for the 22-mile long

railroad after speculation that the

estimated costs exceeded original

expectations.

In the end, only portions linking

Jamaica and Howard Beach were

approved and construction began in

1998. Many transit interest groups

such as the Straphangers Campaign

and the Air Transportation Author-

ity, as well as community organiza-

tions and local government officials,

met the plan with skepticism but

soon changed their minds.

Community Concerns

During construction, Southeast

Queens residents who lived in the

areas surrounding the structure criti-

cized the project’s costs and lengthy

process. Public criticism spiked in

September 2002 when train opera-

tor, Kevin DeBourgh, Jr., died after

the elevated train derailed at JFK

Airport during a test run. The

project was delayed as the Port Au-

thority sought to address safety issues

before the system was to be used by

the public.

Addressing the concerns of resi-

dents, the Port Authority began im-

posing strict rules regulating safety,

disruptive and loud construction ac-

tivity and implemented a damage

claim process, compensating

homeowners who suffered damage to

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their homes’ foundations because of

construction.

The project was finally completed

Dec. 17, 2003. At its inception, the

Port Authority predicted 34,000

people per day would opt for a seat

on the innovative transportation sys-

tem instead of using the crammed

highways surrounding the interna-

tional airport. According to the Port

Authority, in its first year of opera-

tion the AirTrain served over 8,000

paying passengers and nearly 24,000

others who rode the system for free.

The $1.9 billion project exceeded

initial expectations of local politi-

cians who at first criticized the pricey

project.

“I’ve been surprised at the num-

ber of people that [were] taking it,”

said Councilman Leroy Comrie (D-

St. Albans).

Looking Forward

With the project completed, local

organizations have been looking to

reap the benefits of travelers who are

directed towards Jamaica’s down-

town area. After one of the largest

rezoning efforts undertaken by the

Bloomberg Administration, the area

surrounding the AirTrain line and its

Jamaica station, known as Airport

Village, has experienced a rise in the

development of hotels and residen-

tial units. The improvements and

rezoning mapped out in the plan

preserve lower-density residential

neighborhoods and developed areas

surrounding the AirTrain on indus-

trial land, allowing local businesses

to thrive.

“The AirTrain station remains the

central figure for ongoing economic

progress,” said U.S. Rep. Gregory

Meeks (D-Jamaica). “With the grow-

ing number of riders each day pass-

ing through this station, the City is

providing some major changes to the

surrounding blocks of this massive

hub of transport.”

After years of construction and

cr i t ic i sm, the seven-year-old

AirTrain is here to stay and is a per-

manent part of the city’s transpor-

tat ion infrastructure . With i t s

steady increase in ridership and

proposed economic im-

provements to the

downtown area and

neighborhoods sur-

rounding the above-

ground railway, Jamaica

will continue to prosper

from traveler traffic di-

rected around the area,

improving the commu-

nity developments.

For travelers seeking

an innovative experi-

ence and a bird’s eye

view of Southeast

Queens, the AirTrain is

an economical choice

and beneficial invest-

ment for the borough.

The AirTrain shuttles visitors between Jamaica and JFK.

Inside the AirTrain Terminal.

The AirTrain Terminal is part of a major

overhaul of Jamaica’s transit hub.

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BY SASHA AUSTRIE

Since its inception, the Jamaica

Center for Arts and Learning has been

linked to the Greater Jamaica Devel-

opment Corporation.

For 38 years, the two entities have

enjoyed a fruitful partnership with

JCAL, introducing the arts to Down-

town Jamaica and GJDC standing as

a watchful parent over the downtown

district and all its entities.

In 1972, GJDC worked with several

local partners and artists to establish

JCAL, a community-based center for

artistic and educational programming.

Local artists, business and commu-

nity leaders came together to acquire

the abandoned Queens Register of

Titles and Deeds Building – a New

York landmark listed on the National

Register of Historic Places. With ini-

tial funds from the National Endow-

ment for the Arts, the New York State

Council for the Arts and New York

Community Trust, GJDC stabilized a

vacant City-owned building for JCAL’s

home, helped secure a landmark des-

ignation for the building and enabled

the organization’s independence by

helping form a separate entity and

initial board of directors.

Today, JCAL is a mem-

ber of the City’s prestigious

Cultural Institutions Group

and manages the Jamaica

Performing Arts Center,

which was once the First

Reformed Dutch Church.

In its 38-year tenure,

JCAL has brought a wide

range of talents to Jamaica.

Legends like Wynton

Marsalis, Dizzy Gillespie and

Sweet Honey in the Rock

were welcomed to Jamaica.

JCAL not only dabbles in

the musical art, but the vi-

sual as well. Every two to

three years, the Center

mounts “Jamaica Flux:

Workspaces & Windows,” a large-

scale, contemporary public art exhi-

bition, which displays 25 site-specific

artworks at various locations and pub-

lic spaces along Jamaica Avenue.

Through the transformation of Ja-

maica and the pioneering of JCAL,

the president GJDC, Carlisle Towery,

has steered the rejuvenation of a once

forgotten business district. Anita

Segarra, JCAL’s deputy director,

dubbed Towery and GJDC as a found-

ing member of the art center.

“They have really, really been a tre-

mendous supporter of JCAL,” she

said. “We have been very connected

to Greater Jamaica.”

Segarra said Towery has helped

cultivate JCAL since its early stages

and four-years ago, he became a board

member of the organization.

“He is definitely a mover and a

shaker when it comes to Jamaica,” she

said. “He will turn over every rock.”

A Center For Art:

JCAL Owes It All To Towery, GJDC

The Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning’s home on

Jamaica Avenue.

It is the excitement and

potential of every new

project’s ability to trans-

form Jamaica into a desti-

nation village, which keeps

Towery holding the reigns.

“It’s his baby,” Segarra

said of Jamaica. “There is

much left to be done and I

think he wants to see it.”

Though Phillip Willis,

JCAL’s executive director,

has only stood at its helm

for a few months he spoke

highly of Towery.

“He is a shining ex-

ample of how one person

can make a difference,”

Willis said. “He is a vision-

ary, the consummate strategic plan-

ner.”

Willis went on to say that Towery

never accepts “no.” He described

Towery as a godsend, which helped

in his first days as executive director.

Willis said Towery paid to have a mar-

keting blitz to grow additional sup-

port for the organization.

“He opened his rolodex to me,”

Willis said. “As far as I am concerned,

he is JCAL’s biggest supporter.”

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BY BRIAN M. RAFFERTY

The Jamaica Alliance was formed

to get the Greater Jamaica Develop-

ment Corporation and other stake-

holders to the same table to figure out

how best to serve the needs of the com-

munity. The project, according to

GJDC President Carlisle Towery, has

been a smashing success.

Jamaica Alliance is a strategic col-

laboration of public and private stake-

holders working together to coordi-

nate resources and neighborhood ini-

tiatives designed to promote a revital-

ized Downtown Jamaica business dis-

trict, particularly around the AirTrain/

Jamaica Station complex. This coali-

tion includes GJDC, the Jamaica Cen-

ter Improvement Association, the

Sutphin Boulevard Business Improve-

ment District, the 165th Street BID,

local merchants, the MTA, Long Is-

land Rail Road, the NYPD, City and

State Court facilities, the Port Author-

ity of New York and New Jersey, the

City's Taxi and Limousine Commis-

sion, Dept. of Sanitation and Dept.

of Transportation.

"Our Jamaica Alliance program is

improving the downtown's quality of

life. The horticultural landscape and

greening services, hospitality guides,

safety and security services," Towery

said.

The key objectives for the Jamaica

Alliance are to maintain clean and at-

tractive streetscapes along the

Downtown's thoroughfares, sidewalks

and public spaces; provide a more vis-

ible security presence and evidence of

hospitality; create a more pedestrian-

friendly environment; enhance Down-

town Jamaica's reputation as a vibrant,

attractive place to live, work and en-

joy; engage key stakeholders on a con-

sistent and coordinated basis to con-

tribute to the processes and develop-

ments that are now dramatically re-

shaping the Sutphin Boulevard com-

Allied And Ready:

GJDC’s Alliance Keeps Business Local

mercial corridor; and to develop strat-

egies for attracting private investments

and developments that support sus-

tainable economic development and

job growth, and that serves to recap-

ture Downtown retail sales lost to re-

gional malls.

"Jamaica accommodates a range of

industries, particularly food and food

related enterprises," Towery said. "We

have a business services unit which

focuses on jobs - creation, retention

and expansion, nurturing economic

opportunities here. We help business

secure incentives and tax benefits. We

operate a revolving loan fund for small

businesses, and we give special atten-

tion to women- and minority-owned

enterprises."

For GJDC Director of Economic

Development Justin Rodgers, he

sees the Alliance working to help.

"I can remember walking down

Jamaica Avenue when I was in high

school and looking at the different

retailers - I've even had several jobs

in some of the retailers' shops, and

I look at Jamaica now, I can see al-

ready, in the last 10 or 15 years, how

it has changed a great deal," he

said.

One of the early markers, this of Martha Ludlum,

mother of the three sisters.

Three Sisters Chapel Get A New LifeBY JESSICA ABLAMSKY

Since it was erected in 1857, the

Chapel of the Three Sisters has stood

as a poignant symbol of love and loss.

Early Jamaica residents Nicholas

and Sarah Ann Ludlum saw three

daughters buried in Prospect Cer-

emony long before their time.

In 1828, 1-year-old Mary Cecelia

and in 1837, 13-year-old Cornelia

Maria were put to rest. Two years after

the death of 20-year-old Mary Ludlum

Cass, Nicholas Ludlum commissioned

a small chapel at the eastern edge of

the cemetery in honor of his daugh-

ters.

The main entrance and the

cemetery’s main focal point, the build-

ing is a somber, one-story Romanesque

Revival. Only 40 feet by 40 feet, and

25 feet high, each end is adorned by

a large stained-glass window.

Vacant for decades, ravaged by time

and the elements, the Chapel of the

Three Sisters was nearly lost to his-

tory before restoration efforts of the

cemetery began in the late 1990s.

Though in good structural condition,

the wood floors were deteriorated and

the stained glass had to be removed;

the openings were sealed until funds

were secured for their restoration.

Finished two and a half years ago,

today the chapel has been restored to

its former glory, and renamed the Il-

linois Jacquet Performance Space at

York College, after a jazz performer

who lived in Jamaica. York College

holds small jazz performances in the

building.

“We’re happy to see it serving the

community in this manner,” York Col-

lege President Marcia Keizs said at the

time the center was opened. “It had

fallen into disrepair over the years.

Then York College recently got pos-

session of it, permission to take it over

York Restoration:

and do what they could

to restore and preserve

it.”

A beautiful renova-

tion that cost more

than $650,000, the

wood floors and

stained glass were fully

restored, with the aid

of grants from Queens

Borough President

Helen Marshall , a

$150,000 grant from

the Greater Jamaica

Development Corpora-

tion and others.

“It’s just a really

beautiful and serene place,” Keizs said.

“It is hard to imagine that time and

the elements had almost destroyed it.

We almost lost that part of Jamaica’s

history.”

The chapel is an important part

of Jamaica’s history that York College,

as an institution of higher learning,

wanted to preserve.

“If we had lost this, it would have

been an invaluable part of the

community’s history,”

Keizs said. “So the col-

lege is delighted that

the funds were appro-

priated.”

“A memoria l in

memory of lost chil-

dren should last into

perpetuity, and the

restorat ion honors

Nicholas Ludlum as

much as his children,

which is part of the im-

portance of the build-

ing,” she said. “This

story about the griev-

ing father and his

three daughters is very

poignant. We do have

a robust history de-

Inside the restored Chapel of the Three Sisters.

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“I can sing praises of Carlisle for-

ever.”

During her 16-year tenure at Bor-

ough Hall, Shulman worked with

Carlisle Towery on numerous projects,

from the Social Security Administra-

tion location on Jamaica Avenue to

the FAA’s location in John F. Kennedy

Airport.

“He’s the reason Jamaica is now an

up-and-coming part of the City of New

York. He knows every square inch of

the area.”

The two first met when the elevated

subway was being removed from Ja-

maica Avenue.

“But remember, he had many lean

years where he worked hard to estab-

lish what he now has, which is an out-

standing organization.”

She attributes the commotion of

Jamaica to Towery’s work, and fore-

sees continued growth as a result of

his efforts.

“The thousands of people working

there, buying things, going into

shops, this is a magnificent renais-

sance,” she said.

The Greater Jamaica Develop-

ment Corporation’s continued suc-

cess is a direct result of Towery’s work

ethic and focus , according to

Shulman.

“He’s a hard worker and has the

ability to focus, otherwise he would

never have gotten all this stuff done.

His judgment on what to do is excel-

lent. His knowledge of the area, of the

people that work there, help to make

his judgment excellent.”

CLAIRE SHULMANFormer Queens Borough President

“As Satchel Page said, ‘It ain’t brag-

ging if you deliver.’ Greater Jamaica

had a vision; they continue to have a

vision. They have been persistent in

that vision, and they did deliver.

“It takes a lot of people to move

something forward in any place – es-

pecially a place like New York City.

And the more you can create that criti-

cal mass of people, whose interests are

aligned with a vision of where the com-

munity should go, the stronger you

can build a community.

“The Port Authority really has a

great relationship with Greater Ja-

maica. It goes back to the early vision

of the rail connection to Kennedy Air-

port and the revitalization of Down-

town Jamaica. My experience began

with AirTrain and the early years of

recognizing that Jamaica was inextri-

cably tied to Kennedy Airport and the

airport industry. If we had a chance

to connect that off-airport piece into

Jamaica, you could have another city

center the way Downtown Brooklyn

became a city center. So when we were

thinking about AirTrain it wasn’t just

a transportation project, although that

was key, it was also an economic de-

velopment project.

“What Greater Jamaica brought was

a strategy that linked that and brought

a community-based effort which al-

lowed us to talk to the community,

develop the kind of support for what

obviously was a very difficult project.

CHRISTOPHER WARDExecutive Director, Port Authority

“Greater Jamaica gave us context.

Transportation moves people, but

transportation creates economic activ-

ity and wealth, wealth creates commu-

nities, communities’ rebirth takes

place and you get organic growth out

of smart development that we were able

to put together.

“There were many, many people

that thought that AirTrain would

never happen. And it probably

wouldn’t have happened if there wasn’t

that larger theme to it. It was just seen

as we’re going to put a big guide way

down the Van Wyck and there’s going

to be a lot of trains carrying people to

Kennedy Airport. That doesn’t really

get to the heart of the project, and we

probably would have never been able

to take it through the city land use

and approval process. They saw it

early, they created a vision for Greater

Jamaica, and they allowed us to bring

a transportation project as part of that

effort.

“Greater Jamaica has had a vision

for a decade if not longer now that

is becoming real, and I think that is

such a transformative vision for Ja-

maica. It is different than probably

just about anywhere else. You could

have Midtown, Downtown, Brooklyn,

Long Island City – and then Jamaica

is the major economic node for

growth in the 21st Century, and

that’s what Greater Jamaica has

done. “

partment and a robust geology de-

partment, so this speaks to those ma-

jors and those interests as well. Cem-

eteries are both. They are both his-

tory and geology.”

Before restoration of the cemetery

itself began in 1999, with the aid of

the Greater Jamaica Development

Corporation, in partnership with the

New York Landmarks Conservancy, the

four-acre cemetery was overgrown with

vegetation.

Although lot owners and their de-

scendents tried to maintain the land-

scaping, the scope of the work

proved too much for volunteers. Res-

toration of the chapel was seen as

integral for restoration of the cem-

etery.

While the City owns Prospect Cem-

etery, restoration was completed in

partnership with GJDC, the New York

Landmarks Conservancy and the New

York City Department of Parks and Rec-

reation. It cost more than $250,000,

and included revitalization of 159th

Street fencing, lighting, sidewalks and

utility hook-ups to the chapel.

www.nyucolumbusmedical.org

Rezoning Creates Plan For GrowthBY JOSEPH OROVIC

The push to revitalize Jamaica did

not and could not begin in earnest

until the area was rezoned, allowing

developers to remake what was a lan-

guishing chunk of the borough.

Alongside the Greater Jamaica De-

velopment Corporation, City Plan-

ning proposed, and got the approval

of, one of the largest rezonings in City

history.

In 2007, the Dept. of City Plan-

ning proposed that a large chunk of

Jamaica, which included five zones

(368 blocks) in Downtown Jamaica,

Hollis and St. Albans, be rezoned as

a lure for business investment while

making the area safer and more at-

tractive.

What's In The Plan?

It includes incentives for afford-

able housing, exchanging more floor

area for low- and moderate-income

units, within a large chunk of the re-

zoned area, including Hillside Av-

enue from 139th to 191st Streets.

The plan also includes a unique

"Building Transition Rule," which will

put an 8-foot buffer between any new

apartment houses and lower-density

districts featuring one- or two-family

homes.

The plan is expected to generate

more than 3,400 housing units, 9,300

jobs and nearly 3 million square feet

of commercial space. It would also

preserve the character of the one- and

two- family homes on the outskirts of

Downtown Jamaica's retail hub. A va-

riety of new open spaces amounting

to more than 30,000 square feet will

make Jamaica a more desirable and

attractive place to live, work and visit,

according to the DCP.

The plan allows for new commer-

cial and residential development on

marginal and underused sites. It cre-

ates a framework for encouraging a

vibrant mix of expanded retail, cul-

tural, commercial and residential

uses around Downtown Jamaica's

major transit hubs; requiring new

buildings to provide widened or

improved sidewalks, mandatory

street tree plantings and active

ground floor uses with large win-

dows; and special regulations re-

quire off-street parking proportion-

ate to the needs of each new build-

ing.

It also provides a firm foundation

for growth in an otherwise already

densely built region, while also creat-

ing contextual zoning and preserving

the low rise character of nearby resi-

dential neighborhoods.

Southeast Queens has long been

one of the largest middle-class Afri-

can-American communities in the

United States, and the plan sought to

preserve the character of these neigh-

borhoods by limiting housing types

to one-family and two-family homes,

and pushing development to transit

corridors.

Including the remaining aspects of

the rezoning, the plan promises to re-

make all of Jamaica. But according to

Carlisle Towery, president of the

Greater Jamaica Development Corp.,

the redevelopment is somewhat slow

to take off due to the stagnant

economy.

"You can't get financing," he said.

"A lot has been done; a lot is in the

works. It's got land. We have cleared

land, assembled sites with design and

tenant interest."

A Tough Sell

The initial plan was met with hesi-

tation by local elected officials, includ-

ing Councilman Jim Genarro (D-Fresh

Meadows) and State Sen. Frank

Padavan (R-Bellerose), who claimed

the density increases would have a

negative impact on the surrounding

communities. Padavan especially de-

Mapping The Future:

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cried its potential impact on already

crowded schools and streets.

"The fact that we are already

stretched to the limit and significant

increases in population would further

exacerbate an already awful situation

is apparently ignored," Padavan wrote

in a letter to DCP Chairwoman

Amanda Burden.

Even the hearing date scheduled

by the CPC was a source of outrage, as

it was scheduled on the Jewish holi-

day of Shavuot.

Members of the community,

namely Community Boards 8 and 12,

spoke out against the initial plan, lam-

basting the effect it would have on

schools, infrastructure and traffic.

After some amendments, the City

Council approved the plan in Septem-

ber 2007.

Looking Forward

The rezoning hopes to turn the

area into an airport village, provid-

ing JFK's travelers with a mix of home-

town businesses and national chains

like the already-present Radio Shack.

The plans would also link the cur-

rent Jamaica Avenue shopping district

with the transit hub on Sutphin Bou-

levard and Archer Avenue, two blocks

to the south. The GJDC secured $90

million in federal, state and City

funds to improve the infrastructure of

the area.

"The table is set for a completely

new growth in the downtown, and I

think that's really the legacy," said

Peter Englebrecht, director of plan-

ning, design and capital projects at

GJDC.

Major hotel chains are already

looking to cash in on the burgeon-

ing airport village, including a

Marriott Courtyard with 172 rooms

and a 150-room Residence Inn, as

well as a third hotel.

"We envision Downtown Jamaica as

a dynamic, modern, and efficient ur-

ban center - built around a major tran-

sit hub - offering a pleasant and pro-

ductive experience for those who work,

live and visit here," said Towery. "We

are working with our public and pri-

vate partners to create a vibrant and

sustainable 'Airport Village' of expanded

commercial and residential uses, hu-

man-scaled streetscapes, and new pe-

destrian-friendly pathways that create

new focal points of activity around a

major, multi-modal transit hub. These

initiatives reflect our commitment to

creating a thriving and regionally sig-

nificant downtown in Jamaica through

transit-oriented development."

Despite the initial hesitation with

the plan, many have changed their

minds and accepted the rezoning's

benefits. Former, though not overtly-

vocal, opponent Genarro has had a

change of heart and lauds Towery's

foresight and seeing the plan to

completion.

"I'm not sure there would have been

the Downtown Jamaica redevelopment

had there not been Carlisle making

sure that everyone in the City's gov-

ernment knew that downtown Jamaica

was a terrific area," he said.

Moda Springs To Life At Court SiteBY REBECCA SESNY

The former family courthouse on

Sutphin Boulevard kicked off the lat-

est chapter in its storied life in June

2010 with the grand opening of Moda,

a long-awaited LEED-certified rental

building developed by The Dermot

Company.

A brand new, 12-story building

opened, but it kept the façade of the

former courthouse. The 346-unit

building consisting of studio-, one-

A Courthouse Reborn:

and two-bedroom apartments on the

corner of Parsons Boulevard and 89th

Avenue, two blocks from Jamaica Av-

enue.

Keeping the original classic exte-

rior with a modern glass structure ris-

ing behind it, the Dermot Company

refurbished the original brick struc-

ture and added more retail space to

the sides of the building.

Part of the Economic Development

Corporation’s plan to revitalize down-

town Jamaica, the idea for the new

building took shape in 2004, when

Dermot won the bid to construct a

mixed-use rental building with room

for retail as well as 25,000 square feet

set aside for non-profit organization

space, which has already been leased

to Jamaica Service Program for Older

Adults. JSPOA provides employment

training, transportation and computer

classes for seniors. The group will

move into the building shortly.

There is great interest in the new

space from the surrounding commu-

nity, evidenced by the number of

rented units thus far. “It really en-

hanced the area,” said CB12 District

Manager Yvonne Reddick. “The com-

munity is excited about it, and I un-

derstand there were thousands of ap-

plications for the lower income apart-

ments.”

According to Michael Hyman, the

building’s general manager, leasing

has gone very well since March. “A

lot of people within the Queens area

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“It seems truly fitting that Carlisle’s

last name is Towery, for it so closely

mirrors the word ‘towering,’ and that

is exactly what he has been in Jamaica

these many years – a towering figure

in our community.

“For 40 years, he has been at the

epicenter of Jamaica’s redevelopment

and was among the visionaries who

early on acknowledged the necessity

of York College to the revitalization

of the area.

“In York’s nomadic days, he was

there lending his voice to the chorus

of supporters who fought not just for

the college’s existence, but for the cam-

pus to be placed in the heart of his

catchment area – the greater Jamaica

area.

“When I arrived as president of

York five years ago, Carlisle was among

the first to offer his support in my tran-

sition and has remained onboard for

the exciting journey of making York

among the brightest of the CUNY

stars.

“Carlisle, in his role as president

of the Greater Jamaica Development

Corporation, is perpetually available

with a strong opinion and a generous

spirit as one of our staunchest neigh-

borhood partners.

“This visionary urban planner,

with the support of elected partners,

has overseen the redevelopment of a

neighborhood whose decline only 20

years ago seemed irreversible. It is

once more a flourishing commercial

district, indeed one of the most ro-

bust in our city, and we congratulate

him on being chosen “Man of the

Year” by the Queens Tribune.

“Carlisle Towery is a mentor to

me. Having first met him while

work ing a t the NYC Counc i l ,

Carlisle always impressed me by his

vision and passion for Downtown

Jamaica. It didn’t matter if we dis-

cussed parking lots, hotels, retail

shops or an airport village, it was

all part of Carlisle’s master plan to

Archie Spigner knows the impact

Greater Jamaica Development Corpo-

ration has had on the surrounding

community. More importantly, he

stressed that the organization’s success

is inherently based on its leader,

Carlisle Towery.

“If not for Carlisle Towery, would

someone else have lifted his head

above the herd?” Spigner asked.

In his assessment of Towery,

Spigner dubbed the long-time presi-

dent as “decent,” during a phone in-

terview. Minutes after the called

ended, Spigner called back and

added, “decent and hardworking.”

He said though Towery was not the

original president of GJDC, he has

MARCIA KEIZSPresident, York College

ARCHIE SPIGNERFormer City Councilman

been there since its inception. The

main goal of the corporation, created

by the Regional Plan Association, was

to promote the Jamaica Center, a cen-

tral business district of Jamaica.

Spigner listed a few projects cred-

ited to GJDC: Jamaica Market, The

Harvest Room, parking garages and

AirTrain Terminal, which Spigner

said he views as “monumental.”

“They have made Jamaica a greater

place,” Spigner said of the GJDC.

“[Towery] has spearheaded and helped

these improvements. Some looked at

[the AirTrain] and saw perpetual traf-

fic jams and [GJDC] looked at it as an

opportunity to put an AirTrain there,”

he said.

JACK FRIEDMANExecutive Director, Queens Chamber of Commerce

bring downtown Jamaica back to

prominence and a center of eco-

nomic growth and vitality.

“Learning from Carlisle and now

with the Queens Chamber of Com-

merce, I can only hope to bring that

same passion and leadership towards

the growth and economic prosperity

of the borough.”

Today, Moda rises above the cleaned-up façade.

Before construction, the old Queens Family Courthouse served for years

as a courthouse, and earlier as a library.

were waiting for a nicer building like

this one to move into the neighbor-

hood,” he said.

Associated Supermarket has al-

ready taken 10,000 square feet of re-

tail space in the building’s main floor

with a total of 50,000 square feet set

aside for retail stores. The neighbor-

hood is excited at the prospect of a

local grocery store.

“The area is growing and I think

like most of us, you would definitely

like to stay in your community and

shop,” Reddick said.

The opening party was held on one

of the two large communal outdoor

areas, giving great views of the sur-

rounding neighborhood. The build-

ing also boasts a full-service exercise

room, laundry facility, and children’s

play room with all amenities included

as well as a 500-car garage which is

open to the public.

For information on applying to

rent in the building, call the leasing

office at (718) 353-MODA.

• Emergency Services• Ambulatory Care

• Pediatrics• Psychiatry and Addiction Services

• Obstetric & Gynecology• Rehabilitative Services

• Radiology• Dental

• Department of Medicine• Surgery

• Wound Care Center• Geriatric Medicine

Rooted in the Community, Growing to Meet Your NeedsFlushing Hospital has been serving the community for over 125 years, and just as the neighborhood has grown, so has our commitment to it.

Over the past few years, we’ve taken several steps to ensure

that we’re providing the most advanced and

comprehensive care. At Flushing, qualifi ed

doctors have been added, allowing new

programs and services to bud and existing ones to branch out.

Even with our recent growth, we want you to

know that our interests are still fi rmly rooted in this community.

To fi nd out more about the services offered at Flushing Hospital, please call 718-670-5000 or

visit www.fl ushinghospital.org

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Greater Jamaica Meeting

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Fire Safety

On May 12, the 43rd Annual Meeting of the Members of the Greater Jamaica

Development Corporation was held. Pictured l. to r.: Lamont Bailey, Chairman

of the GJDC; GJDC Founder's Award recipient Vincent Albanese; GJDC

Founder's Award recipient Lawrence Cormier; F. Carlisle Towery, President

of the GJDC; and Michael Nussbaum, newly elected Director of the GJDC.

Annual Meeting

The 40th Anniversary Gala of the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation

was held at the Delegates Dining Room at the United Nations Building.

Pictured l. to r.: Honoree John F. Stewart, Managing Director, National

Distribution of Citibank, N.A.; Honoree Anthony E. Shorris, Executive Director

of the Port Authority of NY/NJ; and F. Carlisle Towery, President of the GJDC.

40th Anniversary

The GJDC held their quarterly gathering of their Directors and Members

at the Harvest Room in Downtown Jamaica. Pictured (l. to r.): Panel

participants Justin Rodgers, Director of Economic Development of GJDC;

Cathy Mickens of the Neighborhood Housing Services of Jamaica; Andrew

Manshel, Executive Vice-President of GJDC, Real Estate Development;

Gail Mendez of the Queens Legal Aid Society; and Herman DeJesus of the

Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project.

Quarterly Meeting

The Jamaica Market held its annual pumpkin-decorating and spooky story-telling

in the Harvest Room. Pictured, third grade students from PS 86 in Jamaica proudly

displaying their Market-donated pumpkins. Students received drawing tips from

artist Chris Roy and heard Denise Liggio, a Children's Librarian from the Queens

Library Central Division, read a ghost tale from the book "Halloween Motel."

Jamaica Market

Lt. Michael Hance offers

fire prevention and safety

tips.

EMT Kimberly Perez

outlines the steps to

entering a career with

the FDNY Emergency

Medical Service.

Manuel Chea describes

safety procedures to be

followed in the event of a

city-wide emergency.

Leroy Gadsden, President

of the Jamaica Branch of the

NAACP, weighed in on

JHS's possible closing.

Paul Weberg, a Senior

Engineer of FEMA discussed

the need and availability of

flood insurance for local

businesses and residences.

Deputy Inspector Charles

McEvoy of the 103rd

Police Precinct spoke on

the status of fighting crime

in the vicinity.

Greater Jamaica Throughout The Year

The Downtown Committee of the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation

held its bi-monthly meeting March 10 at the Harvest Room of the Jamaica

Market. Lt. Michael Hance of the FDNY's Fire Safety Education Unit, and

Downtown Committee Chairman William Martin reminded attendees that

the twice yearly re-setting of their clocks is a great time to put new batteries

into their home and business smoke detectors whose warning alarm will

greatly result in the saving of lives in the event of fire.

A view of the meeting in the Harvest Room. The Greater Jamaica Development Corporation's Downtown Committee held

its bi-monthly meeting Jan. 13 in the Harvest Room at the Jamaica Market.

Milestones Show GJDC’s Progress

Path To The Future:

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1967: Greater Jamaica Develop-

ment Corporation, Certificate of In-

corporation executed.

1968: Regional Plan Association

publishes report, Jamaica Center.

1970: City designates Jamaica

Center urban renewal areas.

1972: Ground broken for Archer

Avenue Subway. The New York

Telephone’s Queens headquarters

building completed. The City ac-

quires site for Civil Court.

1974: Jamaica Arts Center opens

in landmark building. York College

opens its first structure on perma-

nent campus.

1976: Farmers Market Jamaica

begins open-air operation.

1978: 165th Street Mall com-

pleted. Jamaica Avenue El demol-

ished. GJDC establishes downtown

Housing Action Group for apartment

improvements. Macy’s closes Jamaica

store. Long Island Press closes Ja-

maica Headquarters and plant. Spe-

cial assessment district for 165th

Street Mall begins operation.

1979: New 500-car municipal ga-

rage completed. GJDC establishes

Local Development Company for

local business financial assistance.

Jamaica Avenue BID begins opera-

tion.

1980: Construction begins on

York College academic complex.

GJDC acquires and rehabilitates

landmark office building. Jamaica

Arts Center established as separate

entity.

1981: Gertz Department store

closes.

1983: Construction begins on

U.S. Social Security Administration

Regional Center. Steuben Foods

completes research facil ity in

Honeywell Farms complex. New wing

and parking garage for Mary Im-

maculate Hospital are completed.

1984: Parsons Boulevard wid-

ened. 89th Avenue reconstructed.

Jamaica Green, former churchyard,

is completed.

1985: Jamaica Avenue reconstruc-

tion completed. Gertz building re-

opens as office facility; 1,500 State

workers move in. New stores on

165th Street Mall open after fire.

York College Academic Complex

opens on permanent campus. Ja-

maica industrial area designated In-

Place Industrial Park.

1986: Restoration of King Manor

begins. Jamaica designated a State

Economic Development Zone. Ar-

cher Avenue Subway and new bus

terminal at Parsons/Archer begin ser-

vice.

1987: Social Security Administra-

tion building opens with major pub-

lic art. GJDC renovates old firehouse

to accommodate Queens Child Guid-

ance.

1989: Mays store converted to of-

fice/retail complex. York College’s

Auditorium and Theatre are com-

pleted.

1990: GJDC opens Jamaica Mar-

ket as small business incubator, con-

ference center and permanent

home for Farmer’s Market. Con-

gress approves Jamaica as site for

US FDA Regional Headquarters/

laboratory.

1992: Conversion begins of old

Montgomery Ward building as NYPD

crime lab. Financing of JFK Airport

Light Rail System approved by Port

Authority. Construction of Civil

Court begins.

1993: GJDC acquires and reno-

vates vacant apartment building. Ja-

maica Business Resource Center

opens in GJDC-renovated landmark

building. US FDA selects York cam-

pus as site for new facility.

1994: City selects Jamaica site for

new Queens Family Court. GJDC ac-

quires municipal garage in City

privatization initiative. Project to re-

cycle vacant church as performing

arts center begins. GJDC assists

Community Mediation Services to

buy building for its offices.

1995: 180th Street Industrial BID

is established. GJDC assists Neigh-

borhood Housing Services to buy

downtown building for its offices.

1996: Expansion of Queens Bor-

ough Central Library is completed.

Port Authority receives bids for con-

struction of Airport light rail; Ja-

maica connection designed. The

project to expand Jamaica Market

begins. Downtown parking system is

developed. Renovation of industrial

building for NYC “Help Center” be-

gins.

1997: Construction of AirTrain

begins. New Queens Civil Court

opens. US FDA Northeast Regional

Laboratory, Headquarters and Dis-

trict Office completed.

1998: Construction begins on

One Jamaica Center commercial/the-

atre project. Construction begins on

new Queens Family Courthouse.

1999: Renovation begins of First

Reformed Church as Performing Arts

Center.

2000: Vision for Jamaica Center

planning study completed. One Ja-

maica Center Mutiplex Cinema

Opens. New Queens Family Court-

house completed.

2001: $350 million AirTrain Ter-

minal completed. Major infrastruc-

ture improvements planned at

AirTrain. System of downtown pedes-

trian improvements started.

2003: AirTrain complex begins

operation. Renovation of LIRR Ja-

maica Station completed. Prospect

Cemetery renovation begins.

2004: Yorkside Towers – 180 units

of market-rate housing completed.

Sutphin Boulevard BID formed.

2005: New 410-car public park-

ing garage in mid-block completed.

Brownfields program (BOA) begins.

2006: Campaign initiated to sup-

port Jamaica-Lower Manhattan rail

link. Renovation for re-use of Chapel

of Three Sisters begins.

2007: Rezoning of Downtown Ja-

maica completed. Home Depot

opens. Commercial/residential re-use

of former Queens Courthouse begins

construction.

2008: Chapel of the Sisters Rib-

bon Cutting/ Dedication of Illinois

Jacquet Performance Space. LIRR/

Sutphin Boulevard Underpass Reno-

vation Groundbreaking.

2009: Jamaica Performance Arts

Center opens. LIRR/Sutphin Boule-

vard Underpass Renovation begins.

“I have worked closely with

Carlisle for the past four years and

have always been impressed by his

passion for Jamaica and the hard

work and determination he brings to

the task of continuing the

neighborhood’s renaissance.

“At American Airlines we care

deeply about the Jamaica community

and share Greater Jamaica Develop-

ment Corporation’s long-term vision

for the neighborhood. With

American’s naming of Art Torno as

its Vice President for New York ear-

lier this year, we are committed to

deepening our commitment to New

York City, to Queens and to Jamaica.

“We look forward to working pro-

ductively with Carlisle and his team

– with Art on the GJDC board and

me as a member – for many years to

come. Congratulations to Carlisle on

his deserving award as the Queens

Tribune’s Person of the Year.”

JUSTIN BERNBACHManaging Director, State and Community Af fairs American Airlines

“The Greater Jamaica Develop-

ment Corporation, for us, was really

critical to accomplishing what we

needed to in the Jamaica area.

“The primary business we are in

is the international airline catering

business. The kitchen that we’ve con-

structed here at JFK Airport was the

first time that we have taken on such

a big project that required so much

support from, basically, government

agencies. So we didn’t really know

where to start.

DAVID L. COTTONCFO, Flying Food Group

“Fortunately, we were introduced

to the Greater Jamaica Development

Corporation early on in the process,

and they were able to, basically, guide

us through the whole bureaucratic or

political process that you have to go

through to make sure that we could

take advantage of any of the incen-

tive programs that are available for

companies like ourselves that are

making very major investments in

this area and creating jobs. And they

did an outstanding job.”

“I guess I got to know him right

before I was elected to the council. I

came to be familiar with both Carlisle

and the Greater Jamaica Develop-

ment Corporation.

Greater Jamaica generally, and

Towery specifically, have been great

advocates for Downtown Jamaica.

“When I say a great advocate, there

can be people who advocate with pas-

sion, but passion doesn’t not always

lead to results. Carlisle is just a ter-

rific advocate for Downtown Jamaica.

I don’t think there’s any debate about

the fact that he is Downtown Jamaica’s

best and most effective advocate. He’s

got a terrific legacy of results.”

Along with Greater Jamaica,

Towery gets things done by building

consensus, Gennaro said.

“They build bridges. They work

with stakeholders, they work with

politicians, they work with commu-

nity boards, to find out what the

realm of possibility is, and they make

things happen relentlessly. I am

happy that Carlisle is getting the rec-

ognition that is his due.”

JAMES GENNAROCity Council

WESALUTEYOU,

CARLISLEFOR YOUR LEADERSHIP

THE STAFF AT GREATER JAMAICA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

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The GJDC Marches On

A Forward Eye:

BY BRIAN M. RAFFERTY

With all that the Greater Jamaica

Development Corporation has done

in the last 40-plus years, it is not about

to rest on its laurels.

President Carlisle Towery still keeps

an eye open to what is next, what is

needed and what wrongs can be righted.

The recently shuttered Mary Im-

maculate Hospital is an example of a

miss that GJDC would like to turn into

a hit.

"We were unsuccessful in getting

the State Dormitory Authority to in-

sist on sale" for Mary Immaculate, he

said. "Instead what we got was an auc-

tion for bottom feeders. I understand

the state's situation, but they just said

no. The state walked away from $60

million and took $7 million."

Towery said that with state financ-

ing, the site could have become an

economic development project like the

old Family Courthouse, which earlier

this year re-opened as Moda, a com-

bined space with market-rate and af-

fordable housing, retail, community

space and a parking garage.

"If we had our druthers we would

have a project like this underway in

five years" at Mary Immaculate. "We've

got to do this."

GJDC is monitoring proposed

re-uses to prevent the campus from

any applications that might have

negative external effects on Ja-

maica.

Beyond the closed hospital,

Greater Jamaica has its eyes on the

city-owned parking deck near Home

Depot, the continued growth of the

FDA presence in Jamaica, and the

results of the 2010 Census, which will

indicate how reapportionment will

affect the political makeup of Greater

Jamaica.

Currently, this small area of

Queens is served by three Council

members and a mix of state elected

officials, all whom have slices of Down-

town Jamaica on the outer edge of

their districts.

"We're balkanized," Towery said of

the political divisions. Though all

of the representatives have Greater

Jamaica in their hearts, it does not

lie in the heart of their districts, as

it did in past configurations, like

when Archie Spigner served in the

City Council. At that time, all of

Downtown Jamaica was in his dis-

trict.

The fight to unite Jamaica will con-

tinue; Towery has never been a man

to walk away from one that he knows

is worth winning.

As a native of Jamaica, Lamont

Bailey has seen the ebb and flow of the

downtown district. He has watched the

transformation from a forgotten strip

into a vibrant business area welcoming

new additions to the neighborhood.

Bailey has been a part of the modi-

fication. For 15 years, he has been a

member of the Greater Jamaica De-

velopment Corporation and has

worked in tandem with President

Carlisle Towery.

"It's been a very good relationship,"

he said. "[We] have the same candid

passion for Jamaica."

While many have speculated about

the force behind GJDC, Bailey, who

became the organization's chairman

three years ago, has had a front row

seat into Towery's machinations where

Downtown Jamaica is concerned.

"He has a genuine care and interest

about the Jamaica community," Bailey

said. "He is tireless in his efforts; per-

sistence does not do him justice."

Bailey said Towery's constant pres-

ence at the GJDC stems from his desire

to see his vision come to completion.

"Very few people get the opportu-

nity to plan something and see it just

about to come to fruition," Bailey said.

"When everybody said this place was

dead and this place will never amount

to anything, he said, 'No.'"

LAMONT BAILEYChairman, Greater Jamaica Development Corp.

"As the leading advocate for the re-

development of one of the most im-

portant and historic downtowns in

New York City, Greater Jamaica De-

velopment Corporation works tire-

lessly to attract new investment, im-

prove the public realm, and enhance

the quality of life, as well as forge

meaningful, productive relationships

with public entities to serve the area's

interests.

"In his decades-long tenure at the

helm of GJDC, Carlisle Towery has

LEE SILBERSTEINExecutive Vice President, The Marino Organization

been a transformative figure, not only

contributing to the revitalization of

downtown Jamaica, but also creating a

model for local development organi-

zations throughout the city and across

the country. Carlisle's tenacious, cre-

ative and visionary approach has

reaped significant benefits for the dis-

trict, including new jobs, improved

infrastructure, and additional retail

options. Now, with a long-term plan

in place and a rezoning completed, the

area is poised for even further growth."

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Leisure

Jazz History Lives On Through Web

A Taste Of Mykonos

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RESTAURANT

REVIEW

The Louis Armstrong House Museumannounced that cataloging for its three larg-est collections is now acces-s ib le through i t s webs i te ,louisarmstronghouse.org, andthat by the end of 2011, theMuseum’s entire catalog willbe online.

The Lou i s A rms t rongHouse Museum ho lds theworld’s largest archives de-voted to a single jazz musician.Its collections encompass morethan 5,000 sound recordings,15,000 photographs, 30 films,100 scrapbooks, 20 linear feetof letters and papers and sixtrumpets. Researchers, recordcompanies, publishers, fi lmproducers, public school stu-dents and many others routinely use thesematerials. Since 1994, more than a dozenbooks and recordings have been publishedbased on research from the collections, in-cluding Terry Teachout’s Pops, a notablebook of 2010.

“The world is more interested than ever

in Louis Armstrong,” said Michael Cogswell,director of the Museum. “That’s evident not

only from the ever-increas-ing number of people fromaround the world who visitour Museum, bu t a l sofrom the number of re-searchers using our ar-chives and the great popu-larity of recent Armstrongfilms and books.”

The research core ofthe archives is the LouisArmst rong Co l l ec t ion ,comprising Satchmo’s vastpersonal trove of home-re-co rded t apes , pho to -g r aphs , s c r apbooks ,manuscript band parts andother materials discovered

inside his modest house in Corona, after hiswife, Lucille, passed away in 1983. A grantfrom the Louis Armstrong Educational Foun-dation made possible the Museum’s acquisi-tion of the world’s largest private collectionof Armstrong material from Jack Bradley,Armstrong’s friend and a noted jazz pho-

Based on Cuban and PuertoRican folklore, “La CucarachitaMar t ina/Mar t ina, the Lit t leRoach” tells a comical tale of alit tle roach who, in her journeytowards finding love, finds hap-piness and friendship.

The tale will come to theThalia Spanish Theater for oneperformance on Jan. 8.

Wit h the use of color fulbunrakú puppetry, designed byPuerto Rican master puppeteerJosé López, children will betranspor ted into a rich, dream-like world where they interactwith the characters and under-stand the communication ofanimals through the use of play-ful sounds.

Audiences of all ages are sure to enjoythe Rock and Latin sounds that create thisenchanting musical tale, which will be of-fered in both Spanish and English.

After the show The Three Kings will visitThalia to give presents to the children inthis delightful Latino holiday tradition.

Tickets are $10 for children, $12 foradults. Thalia Spanish Theatre is located at41-17 Greenpoint Ave, Sunnyside. For in-formation or tickets, call (718) 729-3880 orgo to thaliatheatre.org.

2011 looks to be a busy year at Thalia aswell. The Nat ional Endowment for the Artshas awarded the theater a grant to suppor tits World Premiere of “You Tango?” an in-teractive musical celebrating the greatest hitsof Tango, featuring one of the world’s finesttango musicians and composers: MaestroRaul Jaurena (2007 Latin Grammy Winner).The show also will star Marga Mitchell andEl Pulpo (last seen on our stage in our 2001hit “All That Tango”), dancers Sara and Ivan,and many more. It will run from Jan. 29 toMarch 20, 2011.

They’re also going international. In Feb-ruary and March 2011, Angel Gil Orrioswill direct a co-production of the Bilingual(Spanish/ Mayan) World Premiere of “LasCasas: Don Quixote de las Americas” by

Folklore Roach TaleSettles In At Thalia

Guatemala’s Nobel Prize winning authorMiguel Angel Asturias, with the NationalTheatre Company of Guatemala. After itsworld premiere there it will travel to Seoul,Korea in October 2011 to part icipate in itsWorld Festival of National Theaters. Wehope to bring it to a venue in New YorkCity that is large enough to accommodateits epic cast.

Meanwhile, back in Sunnyside, Thaliawill co-produce “Flamenco & Indian Music& Dance,” with Andrea Del Conte DanzaEspaña and Lotus Music and Dance, on April1, 2 and 3.

Later in the spring, in May and June,Thalia will produce the bilingual world pre-miere of “No Problemo, Amigo,” a comedywrit ten by Jaime Espinal, winner of the In-ter American Development Bank’s inaugu-ral Hispanic-American Playwrit ing Compe-tition.

The play is performed in English, Span-ish, and “Spanglish.” The protagonist, playedby Jaime Espinal, is an office worker by day,superhero by night, who comes to the U.S.to work for an agency that links exchangestudents with host families. It is fun, funnyand relevant, especially in light of the end-less debate about immigration. Projectionsonstage will help everyone navigate betweenthe languages.

tographer. As might be expected, a strengthof this collection lies in the hundreds of can-did, previously unpublished photographstaken or collected by Bradley over five de-cades. The collections are currently housedin the Benjamin S. Rosenthal Library atQueens College.

“One of our most common referencequestions is, ‘What kind of trumpet did LouisArmstrong play?’ Now, anybody, anywherein the world 24/7, can simply go on theweb to learn the make, model and serialnumbers and to see photos of Louis’s owngold-plated trumpets,” said Cogswell.

The work of processing the Jack BradleyCollection and publishing the Museum’s cata-log online is being funded in par t by a$105,384, two-year grant from the Muse-ums for America program of the Institute ofMuseum and Library Services (IMLS). Theinstitute is the primary source of federal sup-por t for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and17,500 museums; its mission is to createstrong libraries and museums that connectpeople to information and ideas.

Mykonos Restaurant37 Great Neck Road, Great Neck(516) 773-8010CUISINE: GreekHOURS: Mon-Thu 11 am-10 pm; Fri11 am-11 pm; Sat 4-11 pm; Sun 4-10pmPARKING: StreetRESERVATIONS: AcceptedCREDIT CARDS: Accepted

After a long day at work, a bellyfull of Greek food was just whatthe doctor ordered. Eagerly an-ticipating far more than I alonecould eat, a guest and I venturedout for a late dinner on a Mon-day evening.

Upon entering, Greek musicfi lls the air. We are quickly seatedby our waiter at a table set fortwo. Despite our post-dinner rushar rival, the restaurant was dot ted withfriends and family eating in twos and fours.

As I study the thick leather menu, I takea moment to look around.

The interior is simple, with clean lines,white tablecloths and walls decorated byMediterranean seascapes. Large windowsand lush pot ted plants lend an air of theexotic, so don’t be surprised if you forgetwhere you are.

To start off, we choose a very healthy as-sor tment of our favorite appetizers. As abig fan of anything that can be spread onpita bread, I narrowly avoided devouringthe homemade Hummus and tangy Tzatziki(their yogur t is imported from Greece).

I tentatively tried the Mussels, which,sautéed in red wine and tomato sauce withfeta cheese, leave the fishy taste completelybehind.

Calamari is like pizza. Everybody’s gotit, and it’s usually okay. The KalamarakiaTiganita, seasoned with fennel and lightlypan fr ied, is bet ter than most. The hint offennel, brought out by fresh-squeezedlemon, was just right.

As a seasoned falafel maker, I am a crit i-cal judge. Mykonos offers what might bemy new East Coast favorite. The thick falafelis a three- or four-bite affair, and morelightly fried than many. Never mind the

dipping sauce, these falafel are all aboutwhat’s inside – well-spiced, creamy good-ness, with a blend of flavors that I couldnot identify. Don’t forget to try it w ith theTzatziki.

Spanakopita, spinach, feta cheese, herbsand spices wrapped in flaky filo dough, ismy favorite way to eat spinach and left noth-

ing to be desired.Rounding out our appetizers

was, Saganaki, imported Greekkefalograviera cheese, pan searedin olive oil. What can I say aboutthe Saganaki? It’s fried cheese.How could it NOT be good?

Already well stuffed, we dug intoa Roka Salad – arugula, walnutsand shaved parmesan cheesedrizzled in olive oil and balsamicvinegar. This salad is all about thecombination. Although it can be

a challenge, try to get every thing on onefork. The yummy mouthful will make itworth the effort.

Not sure if I had room for the maincourse, I managed several delicate bites ofthe Mousaka, baked layers of eggplant,potato and sautéed ground meat toppedwith béchamel sauce. The strong taste ofcinnamon, with the savory meat, was amouthwatering combination that I, sadly,could not finish.

My guest devoured his Thalasomezes,char-grilled shrimp, octopus and calamari.Pausing only to comment that it was goodand make the token offer of a bite, I tookthat as a sign of his approval and recom-mend that you do the same.

The highlight of the meal was clearly des-sert. One of my al l t ime favorites, we choseBaklava, layers of filo dough with walnutsin honey syrup, and whipped cream on theside. Beautifully plated and big enough toshare, their Baklava is lighter than many.Not drenched in honey syrup (thoughthere’s nothing wrong with that), a strongtaste of cinnamon, combined with the wal-nut filing, is culinary nirvana.

With prices that range from $6.50-$13.95for an appet izer, and $11.95-$29 for anentrée, make the drive. It’s worth it.

–Jessica Ablamsky

“Thanks to the vision and generosity ofthe Louis Armstrong Educational Founda-tion, we have been able to build a world-renowned research archives,” said Cogswell.“And now, thanks to this IMLS grant, ourcatalog will be online for everyone to peruseand enjoy.”

After receiving the grant from IMLS inOctober 2009, the Museum launched a na-tional search for a project archivist. RickyRiccardi, a wel l-known Armstrong expert,was h ired and he has spent every workdayfor the past fifteen months arranging, pre-serving and cataloging more than 200 cubicfeet of Armstrong material.

“Working with this collection has beenan absolute dream come true, but get ting toshare it online with other Armstrong loversfrom around the world really makes thissomething special. And it’s not just forArmstrong exper ts; the online catalog willappeal to music fans, ar t historians, 20th-century pop culture buffs, musicians, pho-tographers, you name it,” said Riccardi.“There’s something for everyone.”

The full cast of “La Cucarachita Martina.”

Satchmo and all his workswill be available for perusalon the Web.

SECTION EDITOR: REGINA VOGEL

Send typed announcementsfor your club or

organization’s events atleast TWO weeks in

advance to “Queens Today”Editor, Queens Tribune,174-15 Horace HardingExpressway, Fresh Mead-

ows, NY 11365. Send faxesto 357-9417, c/o Regina.

IF YOUR ORGANIZATIONMEETS ON A REGULARBASIS, SEND ALL DATESFOR THE ENTIRE YEAR.

Queens Today Queens Today

EDUCATION/GAMES/CRAFTS

SCRABBLE CLUBSaturdays at 10 at CountBasie Jr. HS, 132nd Street andGuy R. Brewer Blvd. 886-5236.PET OWNERSSundays (not on holidays)from 1-4 free workshops onpet behavior at CrocheronPark in Bays ide (weatherpermitting). 454-5800.CREATIVE WRITINGMonday, January 3 at theSeaside library at 2.KNIT & CROCHETMondays at the Douglaston/Little Neck library at 4.ENGLISH CONV.Mondays , January 3 , 10Eng l i sh Conver sa t ionGroups at the Bellerose li -brary. Register.ADULT CHESSMondays and Thursdays atthe Queens Village library at5:30.JIC JOB INFOMonday, January 3 at theCentral library at 7.COMPUTER CLASSTuesdays, January 4, 11 atthe Arverne library at 10.COMPUTER CLASSTuesdays, January 4, 11 atthe Sunnyside library. Reg-ister.BASIC COMPUTERTuesday, January 4 at theLIC library at 11.BEGINNER COMPUTERTuesday, January 4 at theSouth Jamaica library Regis-ter .ADULT SCRABBLETuesdays, January 4, 11 atthe Fresh Meadows libraryat 1.LIC CRAFT CLUBTuesday, January 4 at theLIC library at 1.INTRO COMPUTERSTuesday, January 4 at theMaspeth library at 1.LEARN TO DRAWTuesday, January 4 at theHillcrest library. Register.KNIT & CROCHETTuesdays at the WindsorPark library at 2.SCRABBLE CLUBTuesdays at the East Flush-ing library at 3:30.OPEN BRIDGETuesdays at 8 at the ForestHills Jewish Center. Call 263-7000 for fees.CHAIR YOGATuesday, January 4 at theEast Elmhurst library. Regis-ter .DUPLICATE BRIDGEWednesdays 10:30-3:00 atthe Reform Temple of For-est Hi l l s . $12 sess ion, in -cludes light lunch. 261-2900.WATERCOLOR CLASSWednesdays at 9:30 at NAL.Tradit ional and contempo-rary, all levels. 969-1128.INDOOR SOCCER – DADSWednesday evenings at theForest Hills Jewish Center.263-7000.ART LEAGUEStarting January 5 Explora-tions in Abstraction: UsingWatercolor and Mixed Me-dia from 1-4 at the NationalArt League in Douglaston.$100 for 4 classes. 516-223-7659.INTERMEDIATE COMP.Thursday, January 6 at theLIC library at 10.INTRO COMPUTERSThursday, January 6 at the

Pomonok library. Register.US CITIZENSHIPThursdays, January 6, 13Pathway to US Citizenshipat the E lmhurst l ibrary at5:30.QUILTING CLASSESThursdays 10-2 at the MariaRose Dol l Museum in S t .Albans. 917-817-8653 to reg-ister.OPEN BRIDGEThursdays from 8-10pm atthe Forest Hills Jewish Cen-ter . $12 per p layer . 275 -6615 to register.CHESS CLUBThursdays at the East Flush-ing library. Register.KNIT & CROCHETThursdays a t the F reshMeadows library at 6.KNITTING CLUBFridays at the Maspeth li-brary at 10.KNIT & CROCHETFridays at the Fresh Mead-ows library at 10:30.COMPUTER CLASSFridays, January 7, 14 atthe Middle Vil lage l ibrary.Register .SCRABBLEFridays Bananagrams andScrabble at the Windsor Parklibrary at 2:30.FM POETSSaturday, January 8 FreshMeadows Poets meet to dis-cuss their work at 10 at theForest Hills library.RESUME WRITINGSaturday, January 8 at theLIC library at 10:30.CAREER POTENTIALSaturday, January 8 at theCentral library at 2.COMPUTER CLASSMonday, January 10 at theFresh Meadows library. Reg-ister.JOB INFO SERVICESMonday, January 10 at theMiddle Village library. Reg-ister.CRAFT CLUBMonday, January 10 at theLIC library at 6.BALLROOM DANCINGMonday, January 10 at theForest Hills library at 6:30.INTRO E-MAILTuesday, January 11 at theQueens Village library. Reg-ister.WRITER’S WORKSHOPThursday, January 13 at theBayside library. Register.SIGN LANGUAGEThursday, January 13 at Al-l ey Pond Env i ronmenta lCenter. 229-4000 to regis-ter. For the entire family.JIC JOB INFOSaturday, January 15 at theCentral library at 11.POETRY WRITINGTuesday, Januar y 18 a tBa rnes & Nob le , 176 -60Union Turnpike, Fresh Mead-ows at 7:30.NOOK NIGHTWednesday, January 19 atBa rnes & Nob le , 176 -60Union Turnpike, Fresh Mead-ows at 7.DEFENSIVE DRIVINGSaturday, January 22 a tWes ley Uni ted Methodis tChurch in Franklin Square.516-872-8062.DEFENSIVE DRIVINGSunday, January 30 from 9-3:30 at the Forest Hills Jew-ish Center. $50. 263-7000to register.

JH ART CLUBClasses in all art forms daysand evenings for chi ldrenand adults. 899-0065.WOMEN’S NETWORKThe Queens Women’s Net-work can help with resumeass i s t ance , t yp ing andMic roso f t tu to r i a l s , j obsearch, interviewing tech-niques, GED and ESL classes,re fe r ra l s to t r a in ing p ro -grams. 657-6200.BAYVIEW BRIDGETuesdays (except July andAugust) Bayview Bridge Clubmeets at 6 at the Church ofthe Resur rec t ion , 100 -1732nd Avenue, East Elmhurst.ART CLASSESChildren and adults, day andevening, Monday throughSa tu rday. 926 -9821 .www.jacksonheightsartclub.org

ENTERTAINMENT

MOVIE & TALKMondays the F r iends o fPomonok present a movieand discussion. Bring lunch.1 at the Pomonok library.BINGOTuesdays at 7:15 at Ameri-can Martyrs Church, churchbasement , 216 -01 Un ionTurnp ike , Bays ide . 464 -4582. Tuesdays at 7:15(doors open 6) at the RegoPark Jewish Center, 97-30Queens Blvd. 459-1000.$3admis s ion inc ludes 12games.SYMPHONY 101Saturday, January 8 at 1 atthe Forest Hills and at 3 atthe Sunnyside l ibrary. Per-formance/workshop aboutthe different instruments inthe traditional symphonic or-chestra. For the entire fam-ily.KAISSASunday, January 9 African,reggae, jazz, R&B, makossaand Brazilian fusion music byKaissa at 3 at the Central li-brary.TROUBLED WATERMonday, January 10 show-ing of the film “Troubled Wa-ter” with English subtitles anddiscussion at 2 at the FreshMeadows library.OPEN MIC POETRYMonday, January 10 at 7:30at Barnes & Noble, 176-60Union Turnpike, Fresh Mead-ows.FAMILY GAME NIGHTMonday, January 10 at theSouth Jamaica library at 6.DINO ROSITuesday, January 11 con-cert of international songswi th D ino Ros i a t theAuburndale library at 3.KIDS’ CHOIRThursday, January 13 NYHospital Queens will host theSt. Francis Prep Children’sChoir from 3-4 in the LangAuditorium for a free con-cert. 670-1211 to register.ZOMBIE!Thursday, January 13 use ofzombies in literature, mediaand film at the Pomonok li-brary at 6.MLK JR.Friday, January 14 A Com-munity Conversation aboutthe legacy o f Dr . Mar t inLu the r K ing J r . a t theLangston Hughes library at7 .MLK JR.Saturday, Januar y 15 Tri-Boro Intergenerational Ser-vices of Jamaica invites all toan afternoon of reflectionsand entertainment at theirannual celebration dedicatedto the Life and Legacy of Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr. at 2at the Merrick Park BaptistChurch , 120 -02 B i shopCurtis G. Norton, Sr. Drive(Marsden Street), Jamaica.276-5039 information. Freewill offering.CON BRIO ENSEMBLESaturday, January 15 at theFlushing library at 2.,ASTRONOMYSaturday, January 15 from7-9 at Alley Pond Environ-mental Center. 229-4000 toregister. $12 adult, $7 chil-dren.LAS POSADASSaturday, January 15 Ra-dio Jarocho celebrates Las

Posadas at 3 at the Elmhurstlibrary.AMERICAN HEARTLANDSaturday , January 15Claremont Strings presentsMus ic o f the Amer icanHeartland at 3 at the JacksonHeights library.OPEN MICSunday, January 16 at theCentral library at 2.MLK JR.Sunday, January 16 ClergyUnited for Communit y Em-powerment, Inc. presents acelebration service of com-memoration for the Rev. Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. at 5at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church,202-03 Hollis Avenue.CON BRIO ENSEMBLESunday, January 16 at 4:30at Church in the Gardens,50 Ascan Avenue , Fores tHills. $12.GUITAR NIGHTSunday, January 16 Inter-na t iona l Gu i ta r N igh t a tQueens Theatre in the Park.760-0064 tickets.CON BRIO ENSEMBLESaturday, January 22 at 2at the Langston Hughes li -brary.CONCERTISunday, January 23 youngvir tuos i take the stage toper fo rm a p rog ram o fconcerti with orchestra. Allages. 997-3888.GOLDILOCKSSaturday , January 29Goldi locks and the ThreeBears at Queens Theatre inthe Park. 760-0064.BACK TO THE 60SSaturday, January 29 RonDante , Sonny Gerac i andDennis Tufano per form atQueensborough Commu-nity College. 631-6311.COFFEEHOUSEFebruary 5 at the Forest HillsJewish Center. 263-7000.TANGO BUENOS AIRESSunday , February 20 a tQueensborough Commu-nity College. 631-6311.

DANCE

ISRAELI FOLKMondays 7:15 -10 :00 a tHillcrest Jewish Center, 182-02 Union Turnpike. $10 ses-s ion. 380-4145. Mondays7:30-9:30 at Kowalinski Post4, 61-57 Maspeth Avenue.$5. Cake and coffee. 565-2259 . Wednesdays 7:30 -9:00 at ANIBIC Center, 212-12 26th Avenue, Bayside (BayTer race Shopp ing Centerupper l eve l ) . 939 -4936 .Thursdays 7-9 in the base-ment of Ascension Church,55th Avenue and Van Horn,Elmhurst. $5. 848-482-0153.

HEALTH

NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS7 days a week. 932-6244.www.westernqueensna.org.WAITANKUNGSundays at 2. Waitankung isa great total-body workout.Join these ancient Chineseexercise classes in the Flush-ing Hospital/Medical Centerauditorium on 45th Avenuebe tween Pa r sons andBurling. Free. Jimmy 7-10pm347-2156 information.TAI CHIMondays and Thursdays at11 at the Card iac Heal thCenter in Fresh Meadows.670-1695. $5 a class.CHAIR YOGATuesday, January 4 at theEast Elmhurst library. Regis-ter .YOGA TALKTuesday, January 4 JamieEhrenthal, a certified instruc-tor of yoga, speaks at theRe fo rm Temple o f Fo re stHills, 71-11 112th Street at8:30. Free.YOGA DANCETuesdays 4:30-5:30 at theCard iac Heal th Center inFresh Meadows. 670-1948.$10 class.CAREGIVERS SUPPORTEver y Tuesday We ste rnQueens Caregiver Networkin Sunnyside. 784-6173, ext.431.OAThursdays a t the HowardBeach library at 10:30.MEMORY LOSSFridays Couples with onepar tne r exper ienc ingmemory loss meet a t theSamuel Field Y. 225-6750,ext. 236.OAFridays 6:30-8:30 at UnityCenter of F lushing, 42-11155 th S t ree t . Saturdays10:30-noon at ResurrectionAscension, Feely Hall, 85-1861st Road, Rego Park. Be-ginners meeting except thelast Friday of each month,which is a writing meeting.CO-DEPENDENTS ANON.Fridays 10-11:45 at Resur-rection Ascension PastoralCente r , 85 -18 61 st Road ,Rego Park. Women only.BLOOD DRIVESunday, January 9 blooddr i ve f rom 9 :30 -1 :30 a tTemple Tikvah, 3315 HillsideAvenue, New Hyde Park.

EXHIBIT

QUEENS HISTORICALTuesdays , Sa turdays andSundays 2:30-4:30 new ex-hibit “For Love of the Games:A H i s to ry o f Spor t s i nQueens,” Queens HistoricalSociety at Kingsland Home-stead, 144-35 37th avenue,Flushing. 939-0647, ext. 17.$2 seniors and students, $3adults.AMER. CIVIL RIGHTSThrough January “A JourneyI Stone and Wood,” sculp-tures by Gladys ThompsonRoth . February th roughApril “Bindu Masks from theImperato Collection.” Febru-ary through June “QCC ArtGallery: 20 Years of Collect-ing.” QCC Art Gallery. 631-6396.AFGHANISTANThrough January 13 “Win-dows and Mirrors: The Warin A fghan i s tan” a t theGodwin-Ternbach Museumat Queens College.NAL STUDENTSJanuary 3-29 National ArtLeague Students’ Art Exhibi-t ion a t the league, 44 -21Douglaston Parkway. Mondaythrough Thursday 1-4 andweekends 1-3. Free.FLUSHING COUNCILThrough September 2011“Within the Emperor’s Gar-den : ” The Ten ThousandSprings Pavilion.” ThroughNovember 14 “EndangeredArt/ists: China.” November19 through January 7 “Ko-rean Painting Exhibition: AWalk Through Nature.” Per-manen t d i sp l ays i nc lude“Jazz Live!”, “Flushing TownHall:” Fact or Folklore,” anhistorical exhibition on Flush-ing Town Hall and its placein history, “Legends of theQueens Jazz Trail” 463-7700.

MEETINGS

BEREAVEMENTNew bereavement g roupforming at the Forest HillsJewish Center . 263-7000,ext. 223 for information.FRESH MEADOW CAMERATuesdays the Fresh Mead-ows Camera C lub meets .917-612-3463.WOMANSPACEWednesdays Womanspace,a discussion group devotedto i s sues concern ingwomen, meets 1 -3 at theGreat Neck Senior Center,80 Grace Avenue.CENTRAL ROTARYThursdays 6:30-8:30 Comelearn i f Rotary is for you.465-2914; me1nc@aol.comCIVIL AIR PATROLFridays 6-10 at Vaughn Col-lege of Aeronautics, 86-0123rd Avenue, East Elmhurst.WOMAN’S GROUPFridays the Woman’s Groupof Jamaica Estates meets atnoon. Call 461-3193.UNITED 40SThursday , January 13United Forties Civic Associa-tion, Inc. meets at St. TeresaPar i sh Center , 50 -22 45th

Street, Woodside.

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Queens Today

RELIGIOUS

FOREST HILLSSunday, January 9 ShivaMinyan Breakfast at 9, aftermorning Minyan. $10. RSVPby January 6. Thursdays Tal-mud Class following Morn-ing Minyan. $10 non-mem-bers. Forest Hills Jewish Cen-ter. 263-7000, ext. 200.MLK JR.Sunday, January 16 ClergyUnited for Communit y Em-powerment, Inc. presents acelebration service of com-memoration for the Rev. Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. at 5at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church,202-03 Hollis Avenue.

MISCELLANEOUS

CANNED FOOD DRIVEThrough Saturday, January8 at the Hillcrest library.

TALKS

PARENTS

SINGLES

THEATER

BOARD OF TRUSTEESJanuary 5, February 2, May4, June 1 the RenaissanceCharter School’s Board ofTrustees meet at 6:30. 803-0060.ADHD OR PDDDaily after school programsto meet the needs of elemen-tary school aged chi ldrenwho have learning disabili-ties and ADHD or PDD at theBay Terrace Center, 212-0023rd Avenue, Bayside from2:30-6:00. 225-6750, ext .266.ANIBICAssociation for Neurologi-cally Impaired Brain InjuredChildren, Inc. sponsors pro-grams inc lud ing SaturdayPlay Group (5-17), Tutorial (5to adult), Weekend Respite(17+), Young Adult Program(17+) and Adult Respite Pro-gram (21+). 423-9550, ext.243.KIDS KORNERAfter School Center is at theCentral Queens YM-YWHAin Forest Hi l l s . 268-5011,ext. 201. Extended hours.PLAYGROUPThe CUMC Playgroup is ac-cepting registration for itspreschool parents’ coopera-tive program in Middle Vil-lage. Children 18 months to4 years are e l ig ib le . 894-2293.SCHOOL HELPFree school help for studentsof all ages, parents and teach-ers. FreeSchoolHelp.comSPECIAL NEEDSDay Camp Program for chil-dren with special needs, in-cluding autism and mentalretardat ion at the SamuelField Y in Little Neck. 225-6750, ext. 259.TOUGH LOVETuesdays a t 7 :30 p .m .Toughlove International Par-ent Support Group for par-ents of out-of-control chil -dren (teens, pre-teens andadult children) meet at IS158in Bayside. 393-7788.

SINGLES SOCIAL & DANCESundays , January 2 , 30 ,February 13, 27 singles so-cial and dance from 2-6. $10.Over 45. Rego Park JewishCenter, 97-30 Queens Blvd.,Rego Park. 459-1000.

AUBURNDALEMonday, January 3 “TheLast Time I Saw You” will bed i scussed a t 2 a t theAuburndale library.STEINWAYMonday, January 3 at theSteinway library at 6:30.RICHMOND HILLThursday, January 6 “Yearsof Wonders: A Novel of thePlague” will be discussed at3 at the Richmond Hil l l i -brary.CYBER BULLYINGThursday, January 6 at theRidgewood library. Register.EAST ELMHURSTThursday, January 6 at theEast Elmhurst library at 6.ST. ALBANSThursday, January 6 “Prodi-gal” will be discussed at 6:30at the St. Albans library.FLUSHINGFriday, January 7 “Every-thing Is Illuminated” will bediscussed at 1 at the Flush-ing library. Film at 2.WINDSOR PARKMonday, January 10 “Hotelon the Corner of Bitter andSweet” will be discussed at2 at the Windsor Park library.NYS LABOR LAWSMonday, January 10 Under-standing NY State Labor Lawat 6:30 at the Jackson Heightslibrary.SEASIDEMonday, January 10 “IslandBeneath the Sea” will be dis-

KILLING KOMPANYFriday, February 4 “Murderby Marriage” at Riccardo’sin Astoria. The Killing Com-pany performs mystery din-ner shows. 1-888-SHOOT-EM for information.

cussed at 6:30 at the Seasidelibrary.WHITESTONETuesday, January 11 “OliveKitteridge” will be discussedat 1 at the Whitestone l i -brary.HILLCRESTTuesday, January 11 “TheAssistant” will be discussedat 2 at the Hillcrest library.GLENDALEThursday, January 13 “TheAwaken ing” w i l l be d i s -cussed at 6:30 at the Glen-dale library.WINDSOR PARKThursday, January 13 “TheDiscomfort Zone: A PersonalHistory” will be discussed at6:30 at the Windsor Park li-brary.MYSTERY BOOKSaturday, January 15 Para-normal/Mystery Book Clubmeets at the LIC library at3:30.MOVIES & MUSICMonday, January 17 bookdiscussion focused on titleswith strong ties to music andmovies. “Love Is A Mix Tape:

Life and Loss, One Song at aTime” wil l be discussed at7:30 at Barnes & Noble, 176-60 Union Turnpike , FreshMeadows.

ADOPTION DAYSaturdays 11-2 Adopt ionDay for Cats and Kittens atPet Edibles, 254-07 NorthernBlvd., Little Neck.ADOPTION DAYSundays 11-4 Adopt a home-less dog, cat or kitten at theAnimal Center of Queens, ano-kill organization at 89-10E l io t Avenue , Rego Park .www.acq.pet finder.comADULT CHOIRMost Fridays the Adult Choiro f Temp le Be th Sho lommeets at 7. 172nd Street andNorthern Blvd., Flushing.AUXILIARY OFF.The 105th Precinct Commu-nity Council invites all inter-ested in becoming an Auxil-iary Police Officer to contact776-9268.BARBERSHOPWednesdays the Queenschapter of the BarbershopHarmony Societ y meets atthe school hall, 175-20 74th

Avenue, Flushing. 381-8689.COMMUNITY SINGERSMondays through May theCommun i t y S inge r s o fQueens, Inc. rehearses atMessiah Lutheran Church,42-15 165th Street, Flushing.New members we lcome .658-1021.FOOD PANTRYFr idays Grace Ep i scopa lChurch, 14-15 Clintonvil leStreet, Whitestone, from 10-11. 767-6305.FH VACThe Forest Hil ls VolunteerAmbulance Corps needs vol-unteers. They wil l sponsoryou for a NYS EMT course atno cost to you once youqualif y. 793-2055. Monetarydonations also needed POBox 750617, Fores t H i l l s11375.

SENIORS

STAY WELLMondays at 10 at the Cen-tral library. Tuesdays at 2 atthe F lu sh ing l i b ra ry andWednesdays at 10 at theEast Elmhurst library. Specialexercises and relaxation tech-niques.STARSWednesdays, January 5, 12at 10:30 at the Hollis libraryand Fridays, January 7, 14at 10:30 at the Queens Vil-lage library. Senior TheaterActing Repertory meets.WOMANSPACEWednesdays Womanspace,a discussion group devotedto i s sues concern ingwomen, meets 1 -3 at theGreat Neck Senior Center,80 Grace Avenue . Newmembers welcome.AARP 1405Mondays, January 10, 24Flushing AARP Chapter 1405meets at the Bowne StreetCommunity Church, 143-11Roosevelt Avenue at 1. Newmembers welcome.

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Queens Today

YOUTHTEENS

CHESS CLUBSaturdays at the Flushinglibrary at 2.KNIT & CROCHETMondays at the Douglaston/Little Neck library at 4.COLLEGE BOUNDMonday, January 3 gettingfinancial aid, SAT exams andmore at 4 at the Central li-brary.MANGA CLUBMondays, January 3, 10 atthe Peninsula library at 4.LAPTOPS FOR TEENSMondays-Fridays, January 3-7, 10-14 at the Hollis libraryat 4:30.BOOK BUDDIESTuesdays, January 4, 11 atthe Hillcrest library at 3:30.CHESS & CHECKERSTuesdays, January 4, 11 at4 at the LIC libraryDUNGEONS & DRAGONSTuesdays, January 4, 11 atthe Baisley Park library. Reg-ister.CHESSWednesdays at 3:30 at theQueens Village library.TEEN GAMESWednesdays, January 5, 12at the Central library at 4.GRAPHIC NOVELISTWednesday, January 5 at 4at the Far Rockaway library.Meet and learn from graphicnovelist and children’s bookauthor Neil Numberman inthis art workshop.GAME DAYWednesdays, January 5, 12at the St. Albans library at 4.TEEN GAME DAYWednesdays, January 5, 12at the Kew Gardens Hills li-brary at 4:30.GIRL SCOUTSThursday, January 6 at theQueens Village library at 4.CYBER BULLYINGThursday, January 6 work-shop at the Ridgewood l i -brary. Register.HAPPY HOURFridays, January 7, 14 atthe Flushing library at 3.BOOK BUDDIESFridays, January 7, 14 atthe Fresh Meadows libraryat 4.GAMESFriday, January 7 at the Sea-side library at 4.CHESS CLUBFriday, January 7 a t theDouglaston/Li t t le Neck l i -brary. Register.GAME PLAYERSFridays at the Hi l lcrest l i -brary at 2.TEEN TUTORINGMonday, January 10 at 3:30at the Bayside library.RESUME WRITINGMonday, January 10 at 3:30at the Broadway library.TEEN ADVISORY BD.Monday, January 10 at theCentral library at 4.CHESS CLUBMonday, January 10 at theBayside library at 6.CRAFT CLUBMonday, January 10 at theLIC library at 6.GRAPHIC NOVELISTTuesday, January 11 at 4 atthe Bay Te r race l ib rar y.Thursday, January 13 at 4at the Richmond Hill library.Meet and learn from graphicnovelist and children’s bookauthor Neil Numberman inthis art workshop.

QUEENS LIBRARIESMany b ranches o f theQueensborough Library of-fer toddler and pre-schoolprograms. Contact your localbranch for dates.CHESS CLUBSaturdays at the Flushinglibrary at 2.STORY TIMESSaturdays at 11 and Tues-days at 10:30 weekly storytimes at 7 at Barnes & Noble,176 -60 Un ion Turnp ike ,Fresh Meadows.KNIT & CROCHETMondays a t 4 a t theDouglaston/Li t t le Neck l i -b ra r y. B r ing need les andyarn.HOMEWORK HELPMondays-Fridays, January 3-7, 10-14 at the Lefrak Citylibrary at 3.AFTERSCHOOL TIMEMonday, January 3 for those7-18 at the Arverne libraryat 3.CRAFT KIDSMonday, January 3 at theFlushing library at 3.LITTLE TOT TIMEMondays, January 3, 10 atthe Hillcrest library at 4.BOOK BUDDIESTuesdays, January 4, 11 at3:30 at the Hillcrest library.CHESS & CHECKERSTuesdays, January 4, 11 atthe LIC library at 4.DUNGEONS & DRAGONSTuesdays, January 4, 11 atthe Baisley Park library. Reg-ister.CHESSWednesdays at the QueensVillage library at 3:30.NATURE EXPLORERSWednesdays starting Janu-ary 5 a 10 session activityfor those in grades 3-5 at Al-l ey Pond Env i ronmenta lCenter. 229-4000 to regis-ter .TIMELESS TALESWednesday, January 5 atthe Central library. Register.CRAFTSWednesdays, January 5, 12at the Steinway library. Reg-ister.GAME DAYWednesdays, January 5,1 2at the St. Albans library at 4.TRIVIA FOR KIDSWednesday, January 5 atthe Seaside library at 4:30.AFTERSCHOOL TIMEThursday, January 6 at theArverne library at 3.STORY TIMEThursday, January 6 at theKew Gardens Hills library at3 .GIRL SCOUTSThursday, January 6 at 4 atthe Queens Village library.CYBER BULLYINGThursday, January 6 at theRidgewood library. Register.MOTHER GOOSEFriday, January 7 a t theBriarwood library at 10:30.FAMILY STORY TIMEFriday, January 7 at 11 atthe Seaside library.PRESCHOOL CRAFTSFriday, January 7 a t theSunnyside library. Register.WII SPORTSFriday, January 7 a t theMaspeth library at 3:30.CHESS CLUBFridays, January 7, 14 atthe Poppenhusen library at3:30.

GAME DAYFr idays a t 3 :30 a t theQueens Village library.ARTS & CRAFTSFridays, January 7, 14 at theEast Flushing library. Regis-ter .GAME PLAYERS CLUBFridays at the Hillcrest libraryat 4.LEARN TO ACTFriday, January 7 at the Pen-insula library at 4.GAMESFriday, January 7 at the Sea-side library at 4.GAME TIMEFridays at the Windsor Parklibrary at 4.CHESS CLUBFridays at the Douglaston/Little Neck library. Register.MATH HELPSaturday at the Flushing li-brary.MAD SCIENTISTSaturday, January 8 at Al-l ey Pond Env i ronmenta lCenter for those 8-12. 229-4000 to register.SCIENCE LABSaturdays, January 8, 15 atthe Central library at 11.FOOTPRINTS IN SNOWSaturday , January 8 fo rthose 3 -4 and Saturday ,January 22 for those 5-6 atAl ley Pond EnvironmentalCenter. 229-4000 to regis-ter .SYMPHONY 101Saturday, January 8 at 1 atthe Forest Hills library and at3 at the Sunnyside library.P e r f o r m a n c e / w o r k s h o pabout the dif ferent instru-ments in the traditional sym-phonic orchestra.AFTERSCHOOL TIMEMonday, January 10 at 3 atthe Arverne library.TEEN TUTORINGMonday, January 10 at theBayside library at 3:30.WINTER CRAFTMonday, January 10 at theQueens Village library at 4.FAMILY GAME NIGHTMonday, January 10 at theSouth Jamaica library at 6.PJ STORY TIMEMonday, January 10 at thePomonok library at 7.NUTRITION WORKSHOPTuesday, Januar y 11 fo rthose 11-14 at the LIC l i -brary. Register. Also at theL IC l ib ra ry on Thursday ,January 13. Register.ACTING WORKSHOPTuesday, Januar y 11 fo rthose 10-14 at the Peninsulalibrary,. Register.STORY TIMEWednesday, January 12 atthe East E lmhurst l ib rary.Register .PRESCHOOL CRAFTWednesday, January 12 atthe Windsor Park l ibrary.Register .PICTURE BOOK TIMEWednesday, January 12 atthe Rego Park library at 3:30.SKATEBOARDWednesday , January 12Personalize your own skate-board at the Lefrak Cit y li-brary at 4.ANNIE THE DOGThursday, January 13 at theQueens Village library at 4.PUZZLE PROJECTSThursday, January 13 at theHillcrest library at 4:30.

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Not 4 Publication.com by Dom Nunziato

Henry Stern

By HENRY STERNThe indictment of six people

by the U.S. Attorney, with the as-sistance of the City Departmentof Invest igation, broke open theCityTime scandal. ”Payrollgate”dwarfs many other thefts from theCity of New York. Thiscase is a biggie; it de-serves a name of it sown.

An early warning ofserious problems withthe contracts is laid outin a very specific six-page letter, written inFebruary 2003, signedby Richard Valcich, whoat the time was director of the Of-fice of Payroll Administration,which was in charge of theproject.

The Daily News, which wason the story f ir st, ran JuanGonzalez’s column on p3, the leadnews page. The letter by Valcichwas made available in response toa FOIL (Freedom of InformationLaw) request made by the News.Their repor ter and columnist,Gonzalez, has been writing aboutthe scandal for over a year. Sev-eral of his articles were publishedin the News over at least a year.Apparently, however, they wereignored by the authorities with the

power to correct the situation.As a result of recent revela-

tions, a dozen new questions cometo mind. We know it is easier toask questions than to answer them,but the City pays millions of dol-lars to supervise these activit ies,

in order to save the hun-dreds of millions that maybe wasted because of fail-ure to control a gang ofthieves, not to ment ionthe contract not being ful-filled.

1. Did Valcich sendcopies of his 2003 letterto anyone else besidesthe contractor?

2. Whom did he report toin the Mayor’s Office and theComptroller’s Office?

3. Were they informed ofthe situation?

4. Did SAIC re spond toValcich’s letter in any way? If so,how?

5. Did Valcich have any re-lationship with any contractor af-ter he retired in 2004?

6. Did he write anything atthe time of his departure to indi-cate any concerns about theproject?

7. What, if any, was his re-lationship with his successor, JoelBondy? Did he recommend Bondy

for the job?8. How were Valcich and

Bondy appointed to the OPA po-sition in the first place? How longdid Valcich serve? (The earliest ref-erence on the web to his time atOPA is a March 1997 article.)

9. During his tenure, didValcich ever have contact withoversight agencies, or city inves-tigators, over the situation that wasdeveloping with SAIC?

10. Which staff member, ifany, actually wrote the letter thatValcich signed? Are the employeeswho worked on this mat ter st illwith OPA?

11. What was the role ofComptroller William Thompson’soffice in all this? He had leader-ship responsibility for OPA from2002 until he left office in Decem-ber 2009. Did he ever say or doanyth ing about the bal looningcosts? Was he aware of the prob-lem? Did someone represent himin dealing with these matters?

12. Who in the mayor’s of-fice had responsibility for OPA? DidValcich and Bondy submit regularwritten repor ts dealing with thesituation? If they did, who read thereports and what did they do aboutthem? If they did not submit re-ports, who failed to demand them?If they submitted false reports, did

Valcich’s Letter Blew Whistle, But What Was Follow-Up?anyone check them?

We ask today, what agencies,if any, are trying to find the an-swers to al l the issue s in th iscase? It will take some time to com-pletely solve this massive case. Wewould hope there would be re-ports, from time to time, as factsare discovered by the probers.

The fraud here endured for sixyears. The investigation must notbe as protracted as the

wrongdoing. Although at first itappears like a case of “Who leftthe barn door open, and why,” itmay turn out that there were moreserious derelictions on the part ofindividuals with responsibility tooversee the contracts.

By the way, what ever hap-pened to the payroll reporting sys-tem SAIC and others were sup-posed to produce?

StarQuest@NYCivic.org

Goodbye 2010: That Was Another Year That WasBy MICHAEL SCHENKLER

The year in which the QueensTribune celebrated its 40th Anni-versary is coming to an end as Iwrite this; economically, politically,and in most ways, 2010 was a not-too-compelling continuance of theseveral years before.

The world was wrapped in ashroud of recession and, in spiteof signs of hope, Main St. Queenscontinued to struggle. The plagueof unemployment had not yetabated. The folks from Long IslandCity to Little Neck spent with cau-tion and worried that their retire-ment plans may be in jeopardy —except those who had no job -they just worried.

Politically, the Democrats paida price for the economic situation.The House of Representatives willno longer be in their control andthe Senate will no longer be fili-buster-proof. In New York, theState Senate went back to Repub-lican control – after the Democratsembarrassingly botched their first

shot at control in more than a gen-eration.

Hiram Monserrate is justifiablygone – shat on by his fellow Sen-ate Dems after buying back his vote– and then defeated at the polls.Although not Queens, Pedro Espadais gone too – only he appearsheaded for a long stay at a differenttype of publically-run facility.

Aravella Simotas and EdBraunstein are two new Queenselecteds — Assemblymembers go-ing to Albany to, well, be part ofthat mess. Mike Gianaris movedfrom the Assembly to a position ofleadership for the messed up StateSenate Dems – but in the minority.

David Paterson, a seeminglygood man, ended his embarrass-ing service as Governor with a$62,125 fine for his ethical mis-steps in ripping off Yankee tickets.This final straw is symbolic of hisvery disappointing term in office.

It was another year for a latebudget in New York – a very latebudget with a deficit we’ll be pay-ing off for generations. And a yearwhere the Aqueduct Racino con-tract was finally awarded after be-ing taken out of the hands of thelegislators and governor when theyappeared to be playing personalboard games with the Monopolymoney they thought they wereentitled to spread around.

Emerging Past, a horror filmcentered on the psycho-adventureof Pam, a Tribune photographer,

was shot in 2010 inour offices and ourborough by locally-grown director Tho-mas Churchil l . Itwon for Best Hor-ror Feature at theNew York City Inter-national Film Festi-val.

As a result ofthe 2010 Census,New York State willlose two seats in theHouse of Represen-tatives, bringing ourvoting influence toan all-time low.

Tom White andGloria D’Amico,two giant s of theQueens polit icalscene, left us to dotheir politicking in better places.

The long, drawn out pensionscandal centered in the office ofComptroller Alan Hevesi drews toan end as the once fair-haired in-tellect of Queens politics, coppeda guilty plea and acknowledgescomplicity.

Ed Koch reemerged from hismovie watching and semi-privatelife to lead NY Uprising, an effortto bring reform to Albany – whichwill soon be tested as the legisla-ture begins the budget process andplans for reapportionment.

The voters of New York City,for a third time, ratified a two-term

limit for City officials – only theCharter Revision Commission pre-sented them with the option of giv-ing all present office-holders anextra term.

Our friend and Trib columnistwho shares this page is leading theeffort to get the question back onnext year’s ballot to have thepeople’s two-term limit law takeeffect immediately.

At the end of a multi-year,multi-million dollar search, our newvoting machine premiered to: a lackof privacy, malfunctions, poorlytrained inspectors and result de-lays.

Our Junior Senator,Kirstin Gillibrand, emergedafter her election as an ef-fect ive leader, ski l l ful lyhonchoing the 9-11 FirstResponders Health Carebill to a year-end passage.

Carl Paladino came outswinging and quickly disap-peared into oblivion.

And son of Queens,Andrew Cuomo, takes thehelm of a dysfunctional shipof New York State govern-ment and attempts to righta terribly listing, old, tiredand corrupt vessel.

The Tribune, after 20years, moved its offices to

a sparkling new home one blocknorth of the Cross Island inWhitestone and the second logohand cut by my late father-in-lawwho crafted the original for ourmove 20 years ago, was hung inthe new Tribune office.

And it was the first time inyears that our whole family madeit to the annual Tribune HolidayParty to wish to our friends andreaders a Happy Holiday and Maythe New Year Bring only GoodNews to You and Yours.

May 2011 bring health, peaceand prosperity.MSchenkler@QueensTribune.com

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The Tribune is not responsible fortypographical errors beyond the cost of

the space occupied by the advertisement.Michael Nussbaum

Executive V.P./Associate Publisher

Founded in 1970 by Gary AckermanPublished Weekly

Copyright © 2010 Tribco, LLC

Michael SchenklerPublisher/Editor-in-Chief

Shiek Mohamed, Production Manager

Marcia Moxam Comrie, Contributing Editor

Reporters: Sasha Austrie, Harley Benson, Joseph Orovic,Domenick Rafter, Jessica Ablamsky

Editorial Interns: Angy Altamirano, Jason Banrey, TerryChao

Photographers: Ira Cohen, Michael Fischthal, Lee Katzman

Contributors: Tom Allon, Melissa Hom, MichaelVonDerLieth, Barbara Arnstein

Art Department: Sara Gold, Rhonda Leefoon,Candice Lolier, Barbara Townsend

Webmaster: Shiek Mohamed

Assistant to the Publisher: Ria MacPherson

Queens County'sWeekly Newspaper Group Brian M. Rafferty, Executive Editor

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Classified Ad Representatives: Nadia Hack,Peggie Henderson, Fran Gordon, Marty Lieberman,Chris Preasha, Lorraine Shaw, Sheila Scholder,Lillian Saar

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Tony NicodemoJoanne NaumannEarl SteinmanLarry StewartShari Strongin

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Person Of The YearIn past years, the Queens Tribune has honored people

who have made a difference in the lives of the people ofQueens. We have honored philanthropists, soldiers, publicservants and dreamers.

Today, we honor a hard-working man and the institutionhe has led. Carlisle Towery, though he will humbly defer tohis organization and rest the honor on the shoulders of allthose who have supported the Greater Jamaica Develop-ment Corporation through the years, is truly deserving ofthis honor.

The changes that he has led, the initiatives that he haschampioned and the battles he has fought - for the last 40years - have helped transform a neighborhood teetering onthe verge of collapse into a thriving destination, a greatplace to live and own a business.

Congratulations to Carlisle Towery, to the Greater Ja-maica Development Corporation and to the people of Queenswho have benefitted from all of the excellent work done ontheir behalf.

Failure!To The Editor:

In my book, Mayor Bloomberg,the Sanitation Department and theMTA failed the people of this greatcity of ours. I live in Glen Oaks Villageand many of our streets were forgot-ten. In the storm of '06, which hadmore snow, the streets were bettershoveled. The city knew in advanceand yet lives were put in jeopardy.

The MTA was no better and leftmany of us without proper transpor-tation. I think heads ought to rollafter this disaster. We the peoplewant answers and promises that thecity will be better prepared next time.

Frederick R. Bedell Jr.,Glen Oaks

Normalcy?To The Editor:

After the blizzard of Dec. 26,how could Mayor Bloomberg say tothe media that there was normalcyin the city? With nearly 1,000 busesand 120 ambulances stranded inhuge snowdrifts, as well as scores ofcars and other vehicles. Things werefar from normalcy, Mr. Mayor!

You have some nerve tellingpeople to take in a Broadway show,when many people were strugglingto clear their sidewalks, drivewaysand cars from the snow. You do notseem to realize that Manhattan isnot the only borough in this city.

Take a tour of Queens, StatenIsland, Brooklyn and the Bronx ifyou really want to see what chaosthis blizzard caused, and whatstress and hardships it continues

to cause for everyone.John Amato,

Fresh Meadows

What Do I Do?To The Editor:

I hope the local papers do a storyabout The Blizzard of 2010 and thecity's response to the outer bor-oughs. Where are the SanitationDepartment plows? It is almost 9p.m. [Tuesday] and the streets ofWest Maspeth have not been plowedall day. What is going on?

One member of The WestMaspeth Block Association calledme and wanted to know why 62ndAvenue had not been plowed. Theyare in back of the fire house onMetropolitan Avenue.

She said there are elderly peopleand babies on her block who mightneed help.

I spoke to Lydon Sleeper [fromCouncilwoman Elizabeth Crowley'soffice] earlier today and he said hewould get back to me on a timeframe when the streets would beplowed. I never heard back fromhim. I told that member to call Coun-cilwoman Elizabeth Crowley's of-fice tomorrow if nothing changes.

This is ridiculous. The city wantsto issue summonses to propertyowners and they have not plowed thesecondary and tertiary streets evenonce today. How are emergencyvehicles supposed to get around?

I watch the news and see how cleanManhattan looks, but here in Maspeththe roads are impassable. Why is this?

This reminds me of when MayorLindsay ignored Queens back in

the 60s. It seems Mayor Bloombergwants to be like him.

What should I tell members of mycivic association when they ask aboutthe snow plows? People have to goback to work. People need to get outand do errands that can't wait.

C. Charlene Stubbs,Maspeth

Bus WoesTo The Editor:

By now we have all read aboutthe demise of the Q79 Group RideProgram. As one of the civic leaderswho staged rallies and protests tosave the bus line and have the GroupRide Program adopted for this route,it's a sad day for our seniors andothers that have no affordable trans-portation alternatives.

The demise of the Group RideProgram is a failure of our localelected officials. Listening to Coun-cilman Mark Weprin and others talkabout it as if they have no blame islike listening to the teen who killedhis parents and then pleads to thecourt for mercy because he is anorphan. The politicians who deci-mated the MTA budget and thenscreamed about the loss of the Q79bus are the true culprits in this sadchapter. The Group Ride programwas set up for failure by the TLC.The local civics offered all sorts ofinput to make this program work,but the TLC refused to listen andshut out the civics on all Group RideProgram discussions.

I am President of Glen OaksVillage, which is the largest gardenapartment co-op in New York with10,000 residents. We are amongthe hardest hit by the loss of the Q79and the Group Ride Program. Al-though local politicians will tell youotherwise, blame squarely falls onthem. Our local electeds were al-ways quick to appear at press con-ferences and rallies for photo ops,but once the election was over, theywere nowhere to be found. Theytalked the talk, but never walked thewalk. It takes more than a smilingface and some meaningless genericsound bite to a local reporter to fixa problem. When Council membersearn a half million dollars per term,more is expected. Unfortunatelywhen the nuts and bolts of the GroupRide Program needed adjustments,our Councilman was MIA. Sur-prised that the Group Ride Pro-gram has ended? Elect the samepeople, expect the same results.

Bob Friedrich,Glen Oaks

Thanks, TribuneTo The Editor:

This past year, I'm grateful thatthe Queens Tribune has afforded

me the opportunity on numerousoccasions to express my views vialetters to the editor along with oth-ers who may have different opin-ions on the issues of the day.

Thanks to you, an ordinary citizenlike myself has the freedom to com-ment on the actions and legislation ofvarious elected officials at the city,state and federal level. Unlike one ofyour competitors, you have never cen-sored or seriously edited out signifi-cant content of any of my submissions.

Public officials are powerful witheasy access to taxpayers dollars usedon a regular basis to promote theirviews. This is done via mass mail-ings of newsletters, news releases,letters to the editor and guest opin-ion page columns. In many cases,they are produced or ghost writtenby campaign or office staffers paidfor by taxpayers on public time.Ordinary citizens like myself onlyhave the limited ability when we canto find the time and just submit asimple submission. In the market-place of ideas, let us hope therecontinues to be room for everyoneincluding our own Queens Tribune.

Larry Penner,Great Neck

Major HelpTo The Editor:

Thanks for promot ing andpartnering with Major Homes onthe makeover. This home improve-ment company, of which I havebeen a customer for many years, isthe rarest of businesses: one with asocial conscience and a genuinededication to humanity. That maysound corny but it's true. I hadconsidered writing to you aboutthem several times over the yearsbut I didn't because I assumed thatyou would conclude, falsely by theway, that I am a relative of theowners or was otherwise paid off bythe company to do some surrepti-tious advertising for them.

Not only is the quality of theirwork of the highest standard andtheir rates well within the moderaterange, but the "personal touch" is acornerstone of their applied phi-losophy of dealing with the public.They are flexible and amazingly sen-sitive to their customers' wants anddemonstrate, not only with wordsbut with deeds, compassion forhardship. It's clear why they rate anA+, the top Better Business Bureaurating over many decades.

Major Homes is not only a cor-poration; it's a Queens treasure.

Ron Isaac,Fresh Meadows,

Census & TaxesTo The Editor:

For many years, the tri-state area

and the northeast more generallyhave seen lower population growthultimately resulting in fewer Houseseats in Congress being allocated tothe region every 10 years. With theCensus numbers released yesterday,the relative influence of the North-east both in Congress and in theElectoral College will be further di-minished.

This can matter greatly in closeCongressional votes and also in closepresidential contests because thestates gaining strength all tend to tiltRepublican at the national level.Under the new Census numbers, inwhich many self-styled progressivestates are losing Electoral Collegevotes, the impact of this shift couldprove particularly stark.

Half a century ago New Yorkhad 45 House seats. Now we willhave only 27 - the same number asFlorida. The last time New Yorkhad so few House seats was actually200 years ago!

Half a century ago, Florida hadonly eight House seats. While thereare lots of reasons folks may migrateto sunny Florida bolstering its popu-lation growth, some have observedthat government policy has been acritical factor in their populationexpansion and our population de-cline.

Economic development organi-zation and Business groups like NewYorker's For Growth have high-lighted that New York's high taxesand onerous business regulationshave caused both employers andpeople to seek greener pastures fordecades. The more business-friendlyenvironment and absence of a statesales tax have fueled growth in stateslike Florida and Texas. Because ofthe public policy decisions thesetwo states have made, they will nowgain six House seats.

In fact, states that do not imposean income tax generally grew fasterthan the national average in the pastdecade and therefore these are thestates that will have more federalrepresentation.

In short, the observation thatfailure of State legislatures in theNortheast to control spending andthe drive to increase taxes, fees andregulations on the middle class andsmall businesses hasn't just harmedjob creation and our economy.Public policy preferences that havedriven away friends and neighborsand opportunity will ultimately con-tinue to diminish our state's and ourregion's political clout on a Nationallevel.

It has never been clearer thatenactment of pro-growth, pro-smallbusiness policies are critical to thefuture of our state and to ourchildren's futures.

Vince Tabone,Bayside

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SUPREME COURT OF THESTATE OF NEW YORK,COUNTY OF QUEENS ,Sonam Gyalpo, Plaintiff –against- Phuntsok Dolma, De-fendant. Index No. 15616/2010. Date Summons filed:June 18, 2010. Plaintiff des-ignates Queens County asthe place of the trial. Thebasis of venue is: Plaintiff’sre s idence . SUMMONSWITH NOTICE Plaintiff re-sides at: 85-39 58th Avenue,1st Floor, Elmhurst, NY 11373,County of Queens. ACTIONFOR DIVORCE to the abovenamed Defendant: YOU AREHEREBY SUMMONED toserve a notice of appearanceon the Plaintiff’s Attorney(s)within twenty (20) days afterthe service of this summons,exclusive of the day of ser-vice (or within thirty (30) daysafter the service is completeif this summons is not per-sonally delivered to you withinthe State or New York); andin case of your failure to ap-pear, judgment will be takenagainst you by default for therelief demanded in the no-tice set forth below. Dated:June 17, 2010. Attorneys forPlaintiff: Yoon & Hong, Ad-dress: 75-21 Broadway, 3rd

Floor, Elmhurst, New York11373 Phone No.: (718) 533-1111. NOTICE: the nature ofthis action is to dissolve themarriage between the par-ties on the following grounds:DRL 170 subd. 2 – Abandon-ment in accordance with DRL170(2). The relief sought is aJudgment of Absolute Di-vorce in favor of the Plaintiffdissolving the marriage be-tween the parties in this ac-tion. The nature of the ancil-lary relief demanded is: a)Granting to Defendant leaveto resume use of her pre-marital or former surname,to wit: “Dolma”; b) Such otherand further relief as to thecourt seems just and proper.________________________________________________________________P&F Sheetmetal Works, LLCArticles of Org. filed NY Sec.of State (SSNY) on 10/5/2010as P&F Mechanical, LLC. Of-f ice in Queens Co. SSNYdesig. agent of LLC uponwhom process may beserved. SSNY shall mail copyof process to 58-33 57th Dr.,Maspeth, NY 11378, whichis also the address of the reg-istered agent of the LLC,Doug la s Droga l i s , uponwhom process against the LLCmay be served. Purpose: Anylawful purpose.________________________________________________________________PROBATE CITATION File No.2009-5054/B SURROGATE’SCOURT – QUEENS COUNTYCITATION THE PEOPLE OFTHE STATE OF NEW YORK,By the Grace of God Freeand Independent TO theheirs at law, next of kin, andd i s t r ibu tees o f MAXINEPLANKARD SMITH, De -ceased, if living, and if any ofthem be dead, their heirs atlaw, next of kin, distributees,legatees, executors, admin-istrators, assignees and suc-cessors in interest whosenames are unknown and can-not be ascertained after dued i l i gence , and J EANNEBASSETT PIROUTEK, RAEMcHENRY RANDALL, MARYCASTILLO, * JOHN NOELBRENNAND,* and QUEENS

LEGAL NOTICELEGAL NOTICELEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICELEGAL NOTICELEGAL NOTICE

COUNTY PUBLIC ADMINIS-TRATOR *adversely affectedby codicil A petition havingbeen duly filed by Edward L.Smith, who is domiciled at34-20 79th Street, JacksonHeights, New York 11372YOU ARE HEREBY CITED TOSHOW CAUSE before theSurrogate’s Court, QueensCounty, at 88-11 SutphinBoulevard, Jamaica , NewYork, on February 17 2011,at 9:30 o’clock in the fore-noon of that day, why a de-cree should not be made inthe estate of Maxine PlankardSmith lately domiciled at 34-21 78 th S t ree t , J acksonHeights, New York, admit-ting to probate a Will datedAugust 28, 2007, (a Codicildated August 21, 2009), acopy of which is attached, asthe Will of Maxine PlankardSmith deceased, relating toreal and personal property,and directing that (x) Letterstestamentary issue to: EdwardL. Smith (State any furtherrelief requested) Dated, At-tested and Sealed DEC 162010 HON. ROBERT L .NAHMAN Surrogate MAR-GARET M. GRIBBON ChiefClerk Edward L. Smith Attor-ney for Petitioner (212) 490-3340 Te lephone NumberRockett & Smith LLP, 521Fifth Avenue-17th Floor, NewYork, New York 10175 Ad-dress of Attorney [NOTE: Thiscitation is served upon youas required by law. You arenot required to appear. Ifyou fail to appear it will beassumed you do not object tothe rel ief requested. Youhave a right to have an attor-ney appear for you.]________________________________________________________________Notice is hereby given thatan Order entered by the CivilCourt, Queens County on12/3/10 , bea r ing IndexNumber NC-001175-10/QU,a copy of which may be exam-ined at the Office of the Clerk,located at 89-17 Sutphin Bou-levard, Jamaica, NY 11435,grants me the right to: As-sume the name of (First) Wai(Middle) Kwong (Last) ChanMy present name is (First)Benny (Middle) Wai Kwong(Last) Chan aka Wai KwongChan My present address is145 -29 22 nd Avenue ,Whitestone, NY 11357 Myplace of birth is China Mydate of birth is August 04,1959________________________________________________________________At an IAS Term Part 2 of theSupreme Court of the Stateof New York held in and forthe County of Queens at theSupreme Courthouse at 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Ja-maica, New York on the 15day of December 2010 IN-DEX NO: 28170/10 ORDERTO SHOW CAUSE PRESENT:HON. ALLAN B. WEISS ANAM. CALIO, Plaintiff, -against-SAMUEL BREITER & CO.,INC. and WANDACLEMONS, CITY REGISTERQUEENS COUNTY Defen-dants. Upon reading and fil-ing the annexed affirmationof Thomas E. Lee dated No-vember 5, 2010, togetherwith all prior papers and pro-ceedings in this action andsufficient cause appearing,LET Defendants named in theabove caption show causebefore this Court at an IAS

Part 2 to be assigned beforethe Honorable Justice AllanB. Weiss to be held at theSupreme Court of the Stateo f New York , QueensCounty, 88-11 Sutphin Bou-levard, Jamaica, New York onthe 23 day of Feb 2011 at9:30 a.m. or as soon thereaf-ter as counsel can be heardwhy an Order pursuant toCPLR 316 should not be en-tered directing service of theSummons and Compla intherein upon Samuel Breiter& Co., Inc. by publication.LET service of a copy of thisOrder to Show Cause uponthe De fendan t , Samue lBreiter & Co., Inc. be madeon or before 2/15/11 by pub-lication pursuant to CPLR 316in the Queens Tribune &Queens Ledger ENTER J.S.C.12/15/10________________________________________________________________SUPREME COURT OF THESTATE OF NEW YORKCOUNTY OF QUEENS DATEFILED: 11/15/10 INDEX NO.28170/10 SUMMONSPLAINT IFF DES IGNATESQUEENS COUNTY AS THEPLACE OF TRIAL The basis ofvenue is County where realproperty subject matter islocated Plaintiff resides at 94-42 134th Avenue OzonePark, New York ANA M.CALIO, Plaint i f f , -against -SAMUEL BREITER & CO.INC. and WANDACLEMONS, CITY REGISTERQUEENS COUNTY Defen-dants . YOU ARE HEREBYSUMMONED to answer theComplaint in this action, andto serve a copy of your An-swer, or if the Complaint isnot served with this Sum-mons, to serve a Notice ofAppearance on the Plaintiff'sAttorney within twenty (20)days after the service of thisSummons exclusive of thedate of service, or withinthirty (30) days after comple-tion of service where serviceis made in any manner otherthan by personal serv icewithin the State of New York.In case of your failure to ap-pear, or answer, judgmentwill be taken against you bydefaul t for the re l ief de-manded in the Complaint.Venue is based upon theCounty in which the pre-mises are situated. Dated:New York, New York Octo-ber 27, 2010 LEE & KANE,P.C. Attorneys for Plaintiff2175 Flatbush Avenue Brook-lyn, New York 11234 (718)252-4467 The object of thisact ion is to discharge ofrecord a mortgage betweenAnna Ca l io and Samue lBreiter & Co. Inc. dated 9/20/89 in the amount o f$78,000 and recorded on 9/20/89 in Reel 2876, Page0149 with the NYC Register,Queens County which is alien on the premises 94-42134th Avenue, Ozone Park,New York, Block 11494, Lot28 pursuant to RPAPL 1501(4)________________________________________________________________EURO CRAFT DESIGN &CONSTRUCTION LLC, Ar-ticles of Org. filed N.Y. Sec.of State (SSNY) 8th day ofOctober 2010. Of f ice inQueens Co. at 30-72 37th

Street, Astoria, New York11103. SSNY des ig . ag t .Upon whom process maybeserved. SSNY shall mail copy

of process to 30-72 37 th

Street, Astoria, New York11103 . Reg . Ag t . Uponwhom process may beserved: Spiegel & Utrera,P.A., P.C. 1 Maiden Lane,NYC 10038 1 800 576-1100.Purpose: Any lawful purpose.________________________________________________________________Notice of Formation CampHighlight LLC art. of org. filedSecy. of State NY (SSNY) 8/23/10. Off. Loc. In QueensCo. SSNY des igna ted asagent of LLC upon whomprocess may be served. SSNYshall mail copy of process to:PO Box 5173, Astoria, NY11105. Purpose: Any lawfulpurpose.________________________________________________________________SUMMONS: JONES V JONESSUPREME COURT OF THESTATE OF NEW YORK,COUNTY OF QUEENS, IN-DEX NO. 20747/10 ;CYNTHIA JONES, Plaintiff, —against- QUENTIN LAVARJONES, Defendant, Summonsand Notice in divorce action,venue based upon Plaintiff’sresidence, cause of action isabandonment. You are sum-moned to appear in this ac-tion by serving a Notice ofAppearance on the Plaintiff’sa t to rney , Thomas P .McNulty, Esq., 347 5th Av-enue, Suite 310, New York,NY 10016 (212) 344-0272within 30 days after serviceis completed and if you fail toappear, judgment wi l l betaken against you by default.To the above named Defen-dant, this Summons is servedupon you by publication by

Order of Hon. Thomas D.Raffaele, a justice of thiscourt, granted on December6, 2010. The nature of theancillary relief demanded is:The Plaintiff may resume useof her maiden name, CynthiaMcClough , o r any o therformer surname. The FamilyCourt shall have concurrentju r i sd ic t ion wi th the Su -preme Court with respect toany future issues of mainte-nance and support. The pro-visions of DRL Section 236Part B Section 2, and DRLSection 255 shall apply. TheCourt may grant such otherand further relief as it maydeem just and proper. Therelief sought is a Judgment ofDivorce.________________________________________________________________NOTICE OF FORMATIONOF LIMITED LIABILITY COM-PANY. NAME: EASTERN REALESTATE HOLDINGS, LLC. Ar-ticles of Organization werefiled with the Secretary ofState of New York (SSNY) on12/03/10. The latest date ofdissolution is 12/31/2110.Of f i ce loca t ion : QueensCounty. SSNY has been des-ignated as agent of the LLCupon whom process againstit may be served. SSNY shallmail a copy of process to theLLC, 37-08 Main Street, Suite301, F lushing, New York11354. Purpose: For any law-ful purpose.________________________________________________________________Notice of formation of Con-nect Global, LLC, a limitedliability company. Articles ofOrganization filed with the

Secretary of State of NewYork (SSNY) on October 29,2010. Off ice Located inQueens County. SSNY hasbeen designated for serviceof process. SSNY shall mail acopy of any process servedagainst the LLC to c/o theLLC to 41-25 Kissena Boule-vard, Suite 119, Flushing, NY11355-3150.________________________________________________________________Notice is hereby given that anOrder entered by the CivilCourt, Queens County on 12/14/10, bearing Index Num-ber NC-001231-10/QU, acopy of which may be exam-ined at the Office of the Clerk,located at 89-17 Sutphin Bou-levard, Jamaica, NY 11435,grants me the right to: Assumethe name of (First) Crystal(Middle) Caryn (Last) FinardoMy present name is (First)Crystal (Middle) Caryn (Last)Mayol aka Crystal C. Mayol Mypresent address is 66-08 102nd

Street, Apt #2E, Rego Park,NY 11374 My place of birth isBrooklyn, NY My date of birthis January 16, 1991________________________________________________________________1059 Manhattan Avenue,LLC, a domestic Limited Li-ability Company (LLC), filedwith the Sec of State of NY on9/27/10. NY Office location:Queens County . SSNY isdesignated as agent uponwhom process against the LLCmay be served. SSNY shallmail a copy of any processagainst the LLC served uponhim/her to The LLC, 60-43Maspeth Ave., Maspeth, NY11378. General Purposes.

Queens Deadline

Queens Stranded In Massive Snow

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By DOMENICK RAFTERAt the height of the blizzard late Sunday

night, 400 people stepped on an A trainheaded for Manhattan. They would never getthere.

Shortly after departing the Aqueduct-NorthConduit Avenue station at 1 a.m., the trainstopped in its tracks. Though the train man-aged to return to the Aqueduct station sopassengers could use the bathroom, they re-mained stranded there for more than 11 hours.

A few miles to the south, another A trainwas stranded at the Broad Channel station.MTA chairman Jay Walder said the agencytried every option it had to move the trains,including pushing the train into a positionwhere it can reconnect with the third rail.When that failed, they had to get a diesel trainto come from the yards to tow the trains toEuclid Avenue in Brooklyn, something thattook hours.

“It’s easy to do; it’s not easy to do undersnow,” Walder said Monday. “We allowed thetrain to get to stations so passengers can getoff the trains.”

Walder rejected claims that the MTA did notwork hard enough to get the trains moving.

“One option would be stop all services,”he said. “We didn’t want to do that. Weneeded a balance.”

By morning rush on Tuesday, many sub-way lines were still experiencing service sus-pensions, including the entire A line betweenFar Rockaway and Euclid Avenue. As ofWednesday afternoon, most bus and rail ser-

At 153rd Avenue and 84th Street onTuesday, plowing of this major routethrough South Queens still had not oc-curred.

The Q8 Bus runs through Ozone Parklast Sunday. These buses were laterstranded, with the line not operatingfully again until Wednesday.

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vice had been restored, but the massive num-ber of streets unplowed in Queens was stillcausing havoc across the borough’s bus lines.

At JFK, the situation turned from con-trolled chaos to just chaos overnight Sundayas thousands of stranded passengers campedout in the terminal.

Jason Cochran boarded Virgin AtlanticFlight 4 to London at 6 p.m. on Sundaynight; the plane pulled away from the gate,but never took off. After four and a half hourson the tarmac, Cochran and his fellow pas-sengers deplaned and went to the terminal,where they camped out overnight.

There, passengers nearly rioted after theMcDonalds in the terminal ran out of food beforedawn. Some 36 hours after his ordeal began,Cochran’s flight finally took off for London.

While hundreds of residential streets ofQueens remained unplowed and impassableat 4 p.m. on Monday, a lonely Sanitationtruck, plow in front, sat idle at the corner of101st Street and 103rd Avenue in OzonePark. Eight hours later, at midnight, theplow was still there, unattended and aban-doned, but not stuck in the snow.

“It’s almost like it’s mocking us,” said onewoman who walked by and snarled at the plow.

That sentiment was shared by thousandsof people across the borough who foundthemselves isolated, demanding answers.

On Wednesday, Queens Borough Presi-dent Helen Marshall said that her office wasstill inundated with calls from irate residentscomplaining that side streets still have not

been plowed in many neighborhoods acrossthe borough since Sunday’s blizzard.

“Some streets and even neighborhoodsare still virtually untouched by a plow and cutoff from emergency services and food deliv-eries,” spokesman Dan Andrews said.

Reach Reporter Domenick Rafter atdrafter@queenstribune.com or (718) 357-7400, Ext. 125.

By JESSICA ABLAMSKYA five-alarm fire in Elmhurst left 230

people homeless.More than 1,000 Bayside residents faced

life without power in frigid winter tempera-tures, 80 until Monday night, because ConEdison could not reach the transformers.

Ambulances, MTA buses and SanitationDept. vehicles were scattered across the bor-ough, trapped in snow-clogged streets.

These incidents are all attributed to theCity’s slow storm response, something thatQueens’ City Council delegation wants toensure never happens again.

Resting the blame firmly at the feet of

Mayor Mike Bloomberg, council memberscalled on him to have the streets plowedimmediately, and promised to hold hearingson the failed storm response.

“This is, as they say, a first-class city,” saidState Sen. Malcolm Smith (D-St. Albans).“This has turned into a first-class embarrass-ment.”

Bloomberg held a press conference onDec. 28, updating reports of the City’sprogress in plowing the snow as well asaddressing concerns about the slow response.

The Mayor said he recognized the hard-ship and difficulty many New Yorkers facedin the blizzard’s aftermath.

Boro Elected Officials Pin Blame On Mayor“We are doing everything we possibly

can,” he said, calling the cleanup “the biggesteffort to clear snow our city has ever seen.

“You’re always going to have situationswhere your system is overloaded.”

According to Bloomberg, the City’s policyis to send out plows after the storm is over.A high rate of abandoned cars and strandedvehicles, including ambulances and MTAbuses, blocked off streets, according toBloomberg.

On Monday, the mayor accepted responsi-bility for the poor snow cleanup, saying, “Wedid not do as good a job as we wanted to do,or as the city has the right to accept.”

Two days after the snow stopped, Queenshad yet to emerge from the blizzard that crippledNew York City, trapping people in their homesand preventing emergency vehicles from re-sponding in a timely manner – or atall.

Although there is no hard dataregarding storm response, the pic-ture that emerges from anecdotalevidence is one of widespreadchaos: doctors unable to make itto work, a cancer patient whofeared for her life after missing achemotherapy appointment.

“My neighbor had to be walkedthree blocks to an ambulance for acardiac emergency,” said Coun-ci lman Ruben Wil ls (D-SouthOzone Park).

Counc i lwoman Ka renKoslowitz (D-Forest Hills) had fivepeople in her office manningphones; constituent pleas for helpjust kept coming, like one from awoman who desperately neededinsulin to avoid slipping into aninsulin coma.

“To put it simply, the City’s

A color guard drapes a flag over the casket of Queens County Clerk GloriaD’Amico, who was laid to rest Christmas Eve after succumbing on cancer onDec. 21.

Saying Goodbye:

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Elected officials gathered at Borough Hall to callfor an investigation into the poor snow removal.Pictured l. to r.: Council Members Danny Dromm,Ruben Wills, Karen Koslowitz, Eric Ulrich, JimmyVan Bramer (at podium), Leroy Comrie, DanHalloran, Boro President Helen Marshall, andCouncil Members Peter Koo and Liz Crowley.

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response has been abysmal,” said Council-man Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park). “Mr. Mayor,my constituents and I do not want to go to aBroadway play. We want to go to work.”

If the City was unprepared for the storm,it is not for lack of warning, Wills said.

“This is unacceptable by any means,” hesaid. “You can’t be unprepared when theweather service told you three days in ad-vance.”

Bloomberg asked the public for patience.“It is a bad situation and we’re going to fix

it.” he said. “We are doing everything we canthink of, working as hard as we can.”

The Dept. of Sanitation promised to haveall streets cleared by 7 a.m. Thursday.

Jessica Ablamsky can be reached atjablamsky@queenstribune.com or (718)357-7400, Ext. 124.

Conf ident ia l ly, New York . . .

This Old AmpSymire JonesJamaicaAge: 20Height: 5’ 3"Weight: 115 lbsStats: 34-27-37

For years, Symire Jones thought of delving intothe modeling industry, but standing at 5-foot-3, thepetite beauty did not think it was possible.

Living by the motto, where there’s a will there’sa way, Symire has decided to pursue a career in print

and commercial modeling.“When I am in front of the camera, I feel so happy,” she

said. “If you want something, then you go after it and youwill get it.”

Symire has hinged her future on more than justher pretty face. She is currently enrolled atLaGuardia Community College and hopesto transfer to the Fashion Institute of Tech-nology in June.

“I want to be around the fashion in-dustry,” she said.

Symire’s transfer to her dream schoolrests on her ability to sew, but she isconfident in her abilities. She said hermother taught her to sew and she has takenclasses to fine tune her skills.

Symire has tunnel vision where hergoals are concerned; hobbies and hang-outs have taken a backseat to her fu-ture.

“My days consist of school, thenwork, shows and photo shoots,” shesaid.

In five years, Symire would like to haveher own high fashion clothing line.

We’ll keep looking.

Fashion Forward

Time’s Up

Workers remove Christmas

decorations two days before

Christmas.

As we ran out by our new officeduring our lunch hour, to get thosefinal gifts for our loved ones onDec. 23, we were momentarily de-tained by City workers on 150thStreet in Whitestone while theyworked.

We were a little shocked to seetheir job for the day was takingdown the Christmas decorationsthat were hanging joyfully overthe street for the last month or so.As the workers took down the redgarland from the telephone polesin front of Cherry Valley Deli, wenoticed there were quite a fewother decorations in the back ofthe truck, confirming that this wasnot an isolated incident.

Apparently, for the City of NewYork, Christmastime ends two daysbefore Christmas.

Or maybe it just costs too muchto leave them out. That’s whathappens when you start puttingthem up in October.

What Is In A Name?Finding a name can sometimes

be a challenge; just ask any parentwho struggled even after the babywas born.

But for bloggers, who oftenkeep their real identity secret, bor-rowing an old name or displayinga twist on a classic is fairly com-monplace.

We think, though, that theblogger who goes by the nameSheaStadiumBK, and whose onlinephoto is simply a reworked designof the former Mets home seating chart, might be confusing people intothinking that the stadium that was branded as the worst in Major LeagueBaseball before it was demolished, was somehow located in Brooklyn.

Hey, you guys had Ebbets Field, the Dodgers and Jackie Robinson,but you certainly didn’t have Shea.

Perhaps the real question to ask hearkens back to Shakespeare:“What is in a name?” Would a borough by any other name still smellas bad?

Hmmm… perhaps SheaStdiumBK might say the same about ourMets. Touché, in advance.

SheaStadiumBK’s Blogger avatar.

Madonna Stretches Privilege

We’ve always known Madonna to be flexible.

Not even Madonna can fly dur-ing an epic blizzard.

Stranded by snow on a plane inHeathrow Airport, the Material Girlfound a novel way to pass thetime. To the dismay of the formerCorona resident’s fellow first-classpassengers, the well-known work-out fanatic began doing her yogaroutine in the aisle.

After about an hour, a bus re-trieved Madge and her 15-memberentourage, while the flight’s lessfortunate passengers had to waitanother two hours before disem-barking.

It’s good to be the Queen ofPop.

TurncoatThe Mets have had their fair

share of Benedict Arnolds, sowe’re not too surprised to seereliever Pedro Feliciano switchover to New York’s other team.

The lefty declined arbitrationwith the Mets, instead opting fora multi-year deal reportedly worth$8 million with the Yankees.

The reliever set a franchiserecord for the Amazin’s by ap-pearing in 86 games in 2008, 88games in 2009 and 92 games in2010.

We’re torn. As a reliablepitcher, he served us well… Buthe’s going to the Yankees. Wewish him nothing but the worst ofluck.

Former Met and new Yankee

(right) Pedro Feliciano

We wonder whose guitar buzzed

through this box.

The label shows that the

amplifier was made in Woodside.

This old Ampeg guitar ampli-fier from the 1950s, recently postedfor sale on Craigslist, is made by acompany with an address inWoodside. It’s not clear if themanufacturing was done there aswell, but we never knew they wereassociated with Queens at all.

Ampeg is still big today andwas always used by the biggestnames in popular music – you’dsee them in the background of anyfootage of Bob Dylan or the Roll-ing Stones in the 60s. Yet anotherspot for Queens in the history ofRock and Roll.

Edited by: Michael Schenkler.Contributors: Jessica Ablamsky, SashaAustrie, Marcia Moxom Comrie,Mike Nussbaum, Joe Orovic, BrianRafferty, Domenick Rafter.

You can reach us by email atConf@QueensTribune.com

Who We Are

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No matter the challenges that face Jamaica, Carlisle Towery and the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation stand poised to work to improve life in their section of our borough.

Businesses, residents, visitors and neighbors have all gained from the hard work of this organization, and have reaped the rewards that Towery and the GJDC have brought to Jamaica.

The Queens Tribune looks forward to continuing to watch the growth, development and future of this growing hub of social, cultural and economic activity. We thank Carlisle Towery, the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation and all of the men and women of Jamaica and beyond who have helped transform this slice of Queens into the thriving destination it is today.

It is with great anticipation and confidence in the region’s leadership that we look toward a brilliant future.

The people, businesses and culture of Jamaica will continue to thrive under the

leadership of Carlisle Towery and the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation.

Photo by Ira Cohen

FOCUS ON TOMORROW

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