5 BRONX WEEKLY February 9, 2020 www.BXTimes.com
City Is. is waiting for protection from future storms
BUS INES S PROFI LE
George Makkos, CEO, Terrace On The Park
George Makkos was born in
Athens, Greece in 1961, and immigrated
to the United States
with his family in 1974. His father
supported the family with
a food vending business that
started with a single pretzel cart
on 34th Street, while Mr. Makkos
attended City College of the City
University of New York, and considered
a career in engineering.
At the request of his father,
however, he joined the family
firm, helping to build it into a
major food concessionaire in
Manhattan’s parks, before leading
its further expansion into
a diverse range of operations.
Initially, these were focused on
food manufacturing to supply
the family’s carts with their own
pretzels and hot dogs, then over
the next decade, grew to include
food distribution, hospitality
and an extensive network of real
estate holdings.
In 1995, the Makkos family
made the winning bid to operate
concessions at the Wollman and
Lasker skating rinks in Manhattan
– artfully out-dealing the
previous licensee, a businessman
named Donald J. Trump.
The success of these locations
led to further contracts with the
City of New York, including the
Carousel in Central Park, Battery
Gardens restaurant in Battery
Park – and in 1997, as one of
two partners in the Crystal Ball
Group, the iconic Terrace On
The Park in Flushing Meadows
Park.
Originally built as a heliport
for the 1964 New York World’s
Fair, Terrace On The Park remains
a well-loved landmark in
the New York City skyline, but
the entire structure was badly
in need of updating by the late
‘90s. Under Makkos’ direction,
Terrace was restored to its Space
Age luster; in the two decades
since, further improvements –
including a just-completed $9
million capital project – have established
Terrace On The Park
as one of the most successful catering
and event facilities in New
York City.
It is also one of the largest, offering
more than nine ballrooms
and event spaces on four different
levels, along with its own
chapel, extensive gardens and,
in place of the original helipad, a
penthouse event space with landscaped
rooftop and sweeping 360
degree views of Queens and the
Manhattan skyline. The size of
the operation can seem daunting:
in any given week, Terrace
On The Park welcomes as many
as 2,500 guests through its doors,
produces 14 or more memorable
events, and employs a staff of
150 on average, including everything
from banquet managers,
chefs, waiters and runners to operation
managers, maintenance
engineers and gardeners.
Yet, as Makkos notes, the
sheer scale of the operation allows
for a far more individualized
wedding – or prom, bar mitzvah,
anniversary celebration
or corporate event – than can
be provided by a smaller venue.
“We’ve designed the entire facility
to provide a completely
one-of-a-kind experience,” he explains.
Most of the event spaces
have private entrances, and all
have advanced sound and lighting
technology that can be programmed
for customized color
schemes. Reflecting the diversity
of the communities served by
Terrace, the culinary staff is fluent
in food preparations ranging
from traditional American and
continental cuisine to regional
Indian, East Asian and Latin
American specialties. Small
wonder that when The New York
Times ran a profile on Terrace in
2015, the story’s headline read:
“Towers With Babel’s Diversity,
but a Much Happier History.”
To Makkos, one key to his organization’s
growth is his dedication
to finding the most qualified
and talented individuals to
manage his businesses, and then
trusting and rewarding them;
it’s worth noting the long tenure
of many members of the Terrace
On The Park Team. But asked
for his secret to success, George
Makkos says it’s simple, if not
easy: “It’s about hard work, and
perseverance, and getting up
each day wanting to make things
just that much better.”
BY JASON COHEN
While billions are being spent
to make Manhattan resilient
from future super storms, where
is the money for the Bronx and
City Island?
In October 2019 the city approved
the $1.45 billion East
Side Coastal Resiliency Project,
which will raise East River Park
to 8 to 10 feet above sea level
from Montgomery Street to East
25th Street with landfi ll to protect
the borough against future
fl oods.
Phil Ortiz deputy diretor for
External Affairs at NYC Mayor’s
Offi ce of Resiliency explained
that the city’s climate adaptation
strategy focuses on establishing
multiple lines of defense
to protect New Yorkers.
Ortiz explained that across
the city Con Edison has invested
over $1 billion on improvements
such as reconfi guring underground
electric networks, securing
tunnels carrying steam
and gas mains and high-voltage
electric feeders to protect them
from fl ooding, and installing
new, stormproof doors.
“From strengthening our
building codes to fl ood-proofing
the electric grid, the city
has taken many important actions
to protect coastal neighborhoods
like City Island,” Ortiz
said. “We are committed to
working closely with communities
to plan for the impacts of
climate change and are continually
identifying new opportunities
to increase resiliency across
all fi ve boroughs.”
But City Island resident and
activist John Doyle wonders
where the help is for his neighborhood.
Doyle explained that City Island
is in Flood Zone 1; meaning
if there was an emergency
it would be the fi rst to be evacuated.
“Seven years after Sandy
what resiliency measures have
taken place in the coastal Bronx”
Doyle said.
“I think it’s not even City Island,
it’s the whole Bronx.”
Doyle explained there are basically
two issues at work here,
one, the need for greater resiliency
improvements along the
shoreline and two, better drainage
and irrigation that’s needed
throughout the neighborhood,
including Pelham Bay Park.
“Overall we’re a front line
community to storm surgence,”
Doyle said. “You would anticipate
that given that designation
and given that we are surrounded
by water on City Island that there
would be protection measures in
place. If we don’t deal with this
issue now, when there is a real
emergency how will we get out?”
Doyle said the city needs
to bring in the correct people
and then maybe things might
change.
In fact, in May 2019 roads including
Shore Road, Park Drive,
Orchard Beach Road and City
Island Road at various locations
saw pooling water remaining after
spring rains, sometimes creating
hazardous conditions for
motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.
City Island businnessman Joe
Mandarino who owns the Lobster
House at 691 Bridge Street,
which had its iconic lobster sign
ripped from the building during
Hurricane Sandy, doesn’t feel
any type of storm prevention will
benefi t the island.
He stressed that there isn’t
much that can be done to avoid
the devastating effects of a storm
because islands are more vulnerable
than the mainland.
Instead, he suggested the city
should invest money to improve
the Bronx’ overall infrastructure.
“What can they do for City
Island,” he said. “I’m a realist. I
can’t even get the city to pave the
streets.”
A fl ooded road in City Island. Photo Courtesy John Doyle
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