50 The QUEE NS Courier • WELCOME TO • march 20, 2014 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com welcome to flushing The growth of Flushing BY COUNCILMEMBER PETER KOO As I walk out of my Downtown Flushing apartment every morning, I am excited by the new small business men and women opening shops throughout the neighborhood, impassioned by the existence and maintenance of local cult Flushing, once scarcely populated farmland, and the historical home of religious freedom, has transformed over the years into a thriving center of opportunity. I have had the privilege of witnessing the growth of the area first as a visitor, then as a pharmacist, a business owner, a local resident, and eventually, a councilmember. I remember walking down Main Street and seeing parishioners congregate in front of St. George’s Parish, how people from across the city would come to shop at Caldor, and how school groups, children, and families, would take day trips out into Flushing to visit our many historical destinations. Over the years, I have been able to witness a beautiful mix of both development and cultural preservation right here in Flushing. While Caldor no longer exists, Flushing is home to the SkyView Shopping Center – a state-of-the-art complex with discount stores and food, which is easily accessible to pedestrians, commuters, and drivers alike. I am proud to say that I have also worked closely with the Economic Development Corporation on the Flushing Commons project, which will ease financial strain on the community by providing an abundance of economic opportunities to all of Queens. Upon its completion, the project will offer jobs, housing, commercial space, a state of the art YMCA, and shopping opportunities for visitors and residents alike. The beauty of Flushing is not only in its economic opportunity, but also in its preservation of history and culture. Although there is much development in the area, we are also home to the Flushing Society of Friends, which began the quest for freedom of religion as early as the 1600s. I have been honored to witness firsthand the beautiful mix of new immigrant culture and storied American traditions with every one of my visits to Flushing Town Hall. Without stepping into an airport, I am able to immerse myself in many cultures by simply walking down the street, while at the same time, educating myself about the stories that came before us. Flushing is more than a store of immigrants, more than the “Site of the Flushing Remonstrance,” more than “Macy’s,” and more than just small business. Flushing is a beautiful conglomeration of everything New York City has to offer, and a living experience of American history. Our economic and cultural strength rivals that of any community in the five boroughs. I am proud to represent and call Flushing my home, and I am thrilled by all of the growth that is happening right now. Councilman Peter Koo was elected to the New York City Council in November 2009. He represents District 20, which includes Flushing, and chairs the Landmarks, Public Siting & Maritime Uses subcommittee. s IMPORTANT CONTACTS Councilmember Peter Koo 135-27 38th Avenue, Suite 388 Flushing, NY 11354 Phone: 718-888-8747 Fax: 718-888-0331 Email: pkoo@council.nyc.gov Congressmember Grace Meng 32-26 Union Street, Suite 1B Flushing, NY 11354 Phone: 718-445-7860 Fax: 718-445-7868 State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky 142-29 37th Avenue, Suite 1 Flushing, NY 11354 Phone: 718-445-0004 Fax: 718-445-8398 Email: stavisky@senate.state.ny.us Assemblymember Ron Kim 136-20 38th Avenue, Suite 10A Flushing, NY 11354 Phone: 718-939-0195 Email: KimR@assembly.state.ny.us Assemblymember Nily Rozic 159-16 Union Turnpike Flushing, NY 11366 Phone: 718-820-0241 Email: RozicN@assembly.state.ny.us Community Board 7 133-32 41st Road, Room 3B Flushing, NY 11355 Phone: 718-359-2800 Fax: 718-463-3891 Email: qn07@cb.nyc.gov The Community Board meets on the second Monday of every month at 7:00 pm at the Union Plaza Care Center, located at 33-23 Union Street. 109th Precinct 37-05 Union Street Flushing, NY Phone: 718-321-2250 Community Affairs: 718-321-2268 The 109th Precinct Community Council meets at the precinct on the second Wednesday of the month, except July and August, at 7:30 p.m. Queens Library at Flushing 41-17 Main Street Flushing, NY 11355 718-661-1200 Flushing Town Hall 137-35 Northern Boulevard Flushing, New York 11354 Main phone: 718-463-7700 Box office: 718-463-7700, Ext. 222 Queens Botanical Garden 43-50 Main Street Flushing, NY 11355 Phone: 718.886.3800 www.queensbotanical.org Flushing Business Improvement District Executive Director Dian Yu 135-20 39th Avenue, 6th Floor Flushing, NY 11354 Phone: 718-888-1805 Email: dyu@flushingbid.com Flushing Chinese Business Association President Liu Tee Shu Executive Director Peter Tu 40-48 Main Street, Room 302 Flushing, NY 11354 Phone: 718-353-2320 One Flushing Director John Choe 39-01 Main Street, Suite 511 Flushing, NY 11354 Phone: 718-961-2866 or 718-961-2833 Email: info@oneflushing.org Queensboro Hill Neighborhood Association President Don Capalbi Phone: 718-757-4444 Email: qhcivic@aol.com Bright future for Flushing Town Hall BY LIAM LA GUERE lguerre@queenscourier.com @liamlaguerre The historic Flushing Town Hall has a new look. The theatre and event space fully reopened on Friday, March 14, after a five-month, $1.2 million interior renovation. The makeover will freshen up the venue after more than a dozen years of use. The Flushing Town Hall building is more than 150 years old, and it has been an active theatre for 35 years. Its last renovation was completed in 1999. “After 15 years of extensive wear and tear on the building it was time to upgrade and to renovate,” said Ellen Kodadek, executive director of Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts, which operates the Hall. The money for the renovation was partly funded by former Borough President Helen Marshall, various Queens City Council members and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. The makeover includes new flooring in the hallways and the gift shop, a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC) throughout the building, and new floors and chairs in the theatre, which seats 308. The theatre’s movable risers were also replaced. Just like the old risers, the new ones will allow the theatre to transform Victoria Schneps, publisher of The Queens Courier, donated $1,500 to Flushing Town Hall, which recently reopened after a $1.2 million interior renovation. at will. “We are capable of taking the seats and the risers out and setting the room up so that it doesn’t look at all like a theatre, but you could do a wedding or a banquet or leave room for salsa dancing,” Kodadek said. “And that’s something very special and different about our theatre. Many theatres don’t have that capability.” Flushing Town Hall hosts about 75 performances around the year, including jazz concerts, THE COURIER/Photo by Liam La Guerre theatre plays, educational events for children, puppetry, dance, art galleries and workshops. They’ve also rented out the space for special events, including weddings and school graduations. On the same day it reopened, The Queens Courier donated $1,500 to Flushing Town Hall, from money that was raised at the annual Rising Stars event. The money will be used to foster educational services for underprivileged students.
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