48 The QUENS Courier • december 4, 2014 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com SOUTH ASIAN SENIOR CENTER OPENS IN JAMAICA BY SALVATORE LICATA [email protected] @sal_licata1 New York City’s first facility to serve senior citizens from South Asia three days a week at a single location opened in Jamaica this week. The “Desi Senior Center,” located at the Jamaica Muslim Center, was born out of a $100,000 grant from Councilman Rory Lancman. The center will provide culturally relevant programming and daily meals adhering to religious dietary restrictions three days a week. It will also be the first program of its kind to offer activities like exercise classes, lectures, arts and crafts and special celebrations for the South Asian seniors. “I am proud to announce the opening of the Desi Senior Center, a program that will positively impact the lives of so many area seniors,” Lancman said during a ceremony marking the opening on Dec. 1. “Providing accessible, culturally significant activities for all of our residents is of the utmost importance to me, and I hope this program only grows from here.” Over 23,000 residents of the South Asian descent live within Lancman’s congressional district. It is also the home of the largest Bangladeshi community in New York City. The senior center is operating in collaboration with “India Home,” which is “a nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing the needs of the Indian and larger South Asian senior citizen immigrant community.” “I am truly happy to see this happening in our community,” said Imam Shamsi Ali, director of the Jamaica Muslim Center. “This entire process has enabled the Jamaican Muslim Center to positively collaborate with our Photo courtesy of Councilman Rory Lancman communities, particularly the South Asian community, which has been eye-opening and productive.” Councilman Rory Lancman with members of the Jamaica Muslim Center. 15-story mixed-use building to rise on site of former Jackson Heights church Photo courtesy of Scott Bintner/PropertyShark BY Liam La Guerre [email protected] @LiamLaGuerre Prayers for more housing in Jackson Heights will soon be answered. Permits were filed to the Buildings Department on Dec. 1 to construct a 15-story, 139-unit mixed-use residential, retail and community building at the site of a former church located at 71-17 Roosevelt Ave., which is adjacent to the elevated 7 train tracks. Gilman Architects is designing the building, which will have about 8,400 square feet for retail use and nearly 19,000 square feet for a community facility, according to New York YIMBY. There will also be 167 parking spaces. Roosevelt 5 LLC, which owns the building, bought the property from New York Cho Dae Church last year for $7 million, according to city records. The church closed and moved from the area earlier this year. Demolition permits have yet to be filed at the site. Prayers for more housing in Jackson Heights will soon be answered.
QC12042014
To see the actual publication please follow the link above