Remote Work is Here to Stay – Hire a CRO
Op-Ed
Ed Jaram, King Street Properties
Boston-based King Street Properties may be new to New York City, but the company made a splash with Innolabs, its first project in Queens.
Innolabs offers state-of-the-art lab and office space in the heart of Long Island City, just a few blocks away from the Court Square Subway Station. Ed Jaram, senior director at King Street Properties, discussed the process of finding a home in Western Queens and bringing a massive new life science building to the borough.
“We were agnostic as to where to build a lab in New York City when we first started looking at the project,” Jaram said. “Queens and Long Island City ended up making sense to us for a few different reasons. The proximity to major New York institutions, like hospitals, universities, and good transport is extremely good.”
Innolabs is within walking distance of seven different subway lines, which supply easy access to Manhattan and JFK Airport. Jaram explained how easy access to these amenities is especially important for a lab building.
“The ability to easily work throughout the city and world is very attractive and helps retain life science staff,” he said. “Long Island City is also a really excellent mixture of a work/play environment. It’s a place where people want to be and live, but also has great access to other spaces and amenities.”
More on that statue of Claire Shulman
Last week in passing, we mentioned that a statue of former Queens borough president Claire Shulman was unveiled at Crystal Windows & Door Systems, a private company in Flushing.
We didn’t really dwell on it, but we were very curious as to why a private company would install a statue of the former borough president on its property. After the column was published, we learned more about the story behind the statue.
Thomas Chen, the founder of Crystal Windows, apparently considered Shulman a mentor and friend who helped him expand and grow his business while she was borough president. Even after she left office in 2001, the two remained in close contact.
“When I was starting my window manufacturing company in Queens, Claire helped me avoid many of the typical setbacks immigrant entrepreneurs face,” Chen said in a statement. “She encouraged me to take executive business courses, engage reputable service providers and suppliers, and make Crystal Windows a good corporate citizen.”
To show his gratitude, Chen decided to commission award-winning sculptor Yutien Chang to create the statue of Shulman. In fact, Shulman had a hand in designing the statue before she passed away in August of 2020, even meeting with the artist in 2019 to discuss concepts.
The statue is made of bronze and stands six feet tall. According to a press release, the statue depicts “Shulman in motion, as was characteristic of the former Queens borough president.”
The statue will be on display at Crystal Windows at 31-10 Whitestone Expressway until October 22. The public is welcome to visit if you would like to get an up close and personal look at the piece of work.
After October 22, it will be moved to Crystal Park, Chen’s private 200-acre art park and nature preserve in Dutchess County. (What, you don’t also have a private art park and nature preserve?!)
The statue will stand on an 18-foot by 8-foot metal pathway base in the shape of an infinity sign, “symbolizing Shulman’s continuous drive forward and her boundless energy,” according to the release.
“I was thrilled Claire was able to visit Crystal Park in October 2019 to see the location selected for her statue along a wooded path overlooking the lake,” said Chen. “Sadly, Claire did not get to see the completed work, but we are glad to share it with her many friends in Queens.”
And apparently Shulman won’t be alone. This is just the first in a series of statues that Chen intends to have created honoring people who have contributed to his personal and business success.
We guess Chen will be able to stroll among people from his past as he wanders his private nature preserve. We’ll be waiting for word on when we should come in for our sitting!
Symbolism and Pragmatism
IN OUR OPINION
Lost dog reunited with her owners
It was a Forest Hills miracle 15 hours in the making.
On Wednesday evening, Sherry, a 14-year-old dog, was rescued after she went missing a night earlier. On Thursday afternoon, she was reunited with her owners, a young couple named Robert Norbeck and Jessica Almonacid.
Michael Conigliaro, Fred Darowitsch, and this columnist were driving through the neighborhood when Conigliaro observed a dog running by his car.
He ran after the dog for five blocks along Jewel Avenue, stopping oncoming traffic. Two passersby helped escort her to the sidewalk on 113th Street.
Meir Malakov brought the dog some turkey breast and water, which was speedily consumed. The group began reaching out via social media, including posting videos made by Michael Vostok, looking for the dog’s owner.
Heddy Schmidt met the group in front of the 112th Precinct, and brought along her friend Josh, who takes care of dogs.
“When I asked if he could hold her overnight if needed, he did not hesitate,” Schmidt said.
The posts in Facebook groups went viral, and her owners were eventually found. Fourteen years ago, Sherry was adopted from North Shore Animal League America in Long Island.
“Sherry has always been very calm, docile, and friendly,” said Norbeck. “Some of our best memories with her occur on holidays like Christmas, Halloween, and birthday parties.”
Norbeck explained how Sherry escaped.
“Last Tuesday, Jessica was taking out the garbage and it was very dark,” he said. “Sherry walked out of the driveway. We walked around Forest Hills, asking people for hours.
“I feel very grateful and happy to see that there are still good people around who care about animals,” he said of her rescuers.
According to the ASPCA, the chances of finding a lost pet after 24 hours drops below 50 percent, and even lower after two days.
“I felt like my favorite football team won the Super Bowl when my wife and her friend found the owner,” said Vostek. “Tough times unfortunately bring us closer, but in those times, we can actually see how beautiful we really are.”
Schmidt has been involved in several rescues of dogs and cats.
“The more people that help spread the word, the more people that offer to help, the better the outcome for the animal in need,” she said.
Schmidt explained how she felt after finding Sherry’s owners.
“It was a beautiful series of coincidences, good hearted people, and social media that helped this sweet girl,” she said. “We all were very lucky in this rescue, but it also brings home the importance of microchipping your animal in the event something like this happens.”
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Jackson Heights couple creating canned cocktails
With over four decades of combined experience in bartending and hospitality, Tara Merdjanoff and Jeremy Bohen are serving up classic cocktails in a can.
The co-founders of QNSY (pronounced “Queen-sey”) Sparkling Cocktails decided to launch a craft beverage company after both lost their jobs during the pandemic.
The husband-and-wife team from Jackson Heights have spent the last four years conceptualizing and perfecting their craft cocktails, which come in 12-ounce slim cans and sixtel kegs.
“When the world shut down, instead of having to find the extra hours to work on it, we had time everyday,” said Bohen. “Frankly, it was good for our mental health to stay positive and have goals.”
The craft cocktails are available in three flavors: Mojito, Cosmo, and Lovely Rita (their version of a margarita). They are 5 percent alcohol by volume.
Bohen and Merdjanoff said they focused on creating high-quality cocktails that, when ordered at a bar, slow down service for even experienced bartenders.
“Busy bars and restaurants run on systems, and some kitchens don’t stock mint,” said Merdjanoff, referring to the classic Mojito ingredient. “Good bartenders can manage that and make it look easy.”
While developing and perfecting the flavors used for QNSY, the pair opted to use real fruit juice and pure cane sugar as the neutral alcohol base for their products.
The drinks are also regulated as beer rather than a distilled spirit, which allows QNSY to potentially be sold at over 19,000 New York-based businesses.
“We wouldn’t have introduced the product if it wasn’t as good as bar quality,” said Bohen.
The pair also credited the Queens Economic Development Corporation (QDEC) for helping them prepare a business plan.
QNSY was one of over 40 local vendors to be featured at QDEC’s recent “Queens Comes Back!” event, where drew over 1000 people.
“QDEC has been by our side the whole way,” said Merdjanoff. “Without their resources, we would not have been able to accomplish this.”
The business is represented by Bronx-based Sarene Craft Beer Distributors. QNSY Sparkling Cocktails are available at over three-dozen Queens locations and select bars in Brooklyn.
“It’s not easy to stand out in a sea of new canned alcohol offerings, but they’ve nailed it by being among the best tasting and highest quality canned cocktails available,” said Matt Schulman, founder and co-owner of Sarene Craft Beer Distributors. “We believe consumers will be just as excited to try these as we were when we first got our hands on them. We’re sure they will not be disappointed.”
Parents denounce plan to end Gifted & Talented program
Say there was no public engagement on the plan
Beautifying Briarwood: collaboration targets trash, graffiti
A series of cleanup initiatives will aim to rid Briarwood of unsightly litter and graffiti.
Councilman James Gennaro announced that new partnerships with the Department of Sanitation (DSNY), Wildcat Service Corporation and The Doe Fund will spearhead the effort.
“I am confident that these partnerships will make a visible difference in our communities and be greatly appreciated by people who love clean streets,” said Gennaro, speaking from the median on Queens Boulevard in Briarwood. “I am committed to making this district the cleanest it has ever been. “
Funding secured for the cleanup initiative includes $185,000 for Wildcat, $150,000 to The Doe Fund and $95,000 for the DSNY, totaling $430,000 in this year’s budget.
The money for DSNY will be used for additional cleaning services from 164th Street to 188th Street along Union Turnpike. Two additional service days will be added for trash pick-up, and the median along Union Turnpike will be maintained as well.
“There are so many tools in creating a clean city,” said DSNY Commissioner Edward Grayson. “This influx of support and leadership in keeping Queens clean is so critical to how we achieve this mission.”
Grayson said residents of Queens try to keep their neighborhoods clean, but the choices of a “few bad actors” are the biggest culprit.
“It takes the village to clean the village,” he said..
Wildcat Service Corporation, a Bronx-based social services organization, will provide snow removal for elderly and disabled residents in the district.
The company will also provide sanitation services to Hillside avenue from Sutphin Boulevard to 173rd Street three times a week. Areas on the Grand Central Parkway Service Road between 188th Street and Utopia Parkway will also be cleaned once every two weeks.
Workers from The Doe Fund will be cleaning the Main Street business corridor and areas of Queens Boulevard twice a week.
“With the effort of Wildcat and The Doe Fund and the sanitation department, we expect to see things looking much better,” said Community Board 8 chair Martha Taylor. “We are delighted to know that our streets will be much cleaner.”