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QUEENS WEEKLY, JUNE 23, 2019
Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (c.) at John Bowne High School Farm in Flushing.
Courtesy of Assemblywoman Nily Rozic’s office
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
John Bowne High School
is Flushing is receiving
funding to benefit its first
hydroponics program.
A s s emb l y woma n
Nily Rozic announced
on June 17 that she
allocated $35,500 in
funding for John Bowne’s
hydroponic program, an
alternative method of
growing plants without
soil by using water-based
nutrient solutions.
The use of hydroponics
is part of John Bowne’s
agriculture program
which has been nationally
recognized for its urban
agricultural education
offerings including classes
in plant and animal
sciences. It is the only
school in New York City
with a four-acre farm.
“John Bowne’s
agriculture program
provides students with
learning opportunities
and internships paving
the way for their future
careers as veterinarians,
laboratory technicians,
urban farmers, landscape
architects and much more,”
said Rozic. “Hydroponics
and aquaponics are
an important part of
sustainable agriculture,
especially in space-scarce
urban areas.
It is with great
excitement that I am able
to provide state funding
for their cutting-edge
hydroponics program that
will keep their students
at the forefront of the
agriculture industry.”
The funding provided
by Rozic for the program,
John Bowne Assistant
Principal Steven Perry
said, teachers will be
able to provide hands-on
instructions to students in
hydroponic systems and
crop production.
“This instructional
exposure could easily
lead to some students
going on for further study
in this field as well as
immediate employment in
the many urban and rural
operations currently in
production,” said Perry.
“The assemblywoman
has always been a great
supporter of our program
and often visits with our
kids and faculty, whether
on-site or in Albany where
she has hosted us when the
Assembly is in session. We
are greatly appreciative
for all she has done for
our department.”
John Bowne’s
agricultural program
provides students
provides students with
a work-based learning
approach that prepares
them for admission
into agricultural and
technical colleges across
the country. Last year, the
program was recognized
by New York state as a
Career and Technical
Education Model Program,
which allows the program
structure and curriculum
to be shared with other
schools across the state for
potential implementation.
Reach reporter
Carlotta Mohamed by
email at cmohamed@
schnepsmedia.com or by
phone at (718) 260–4526.
Bartlett for Queens
City Council gives green light to dairy business
Bartlett Dairy will build its new milk distribution center in Springfield Gardens near JFK
International Airport. Courtesy of NYCEDC
BY BILL PARRY
Economic development
in southeast Queens got
a huge boost on June 13
when Bartlett Dairy Inc.
received Uniform Land
Use Review Procedure to
build a permanent home
for its milk distribution
in New York City on a
significant portion of the
JFK North Site in
Springfield Gardens.
Bartlett Dairy, which
was originally based in
Queens, will become the
only milk distribution
facility in the city since the
Elmhurst Dairy shuttered
in Jamaica costing nearly
300 jobs.
“The closing of the
Elmhurst Dairy plant in
2016 was a devastating
loss for New York City,”
NYCEDC President and
CEO James Patchett said.
“Bartlett’s expansion is a
win-win for New Yorkers
and the city’s local economy.
We are proud to have
helped bring a dedicated
milk distribution company
back to the five boroughs
and create new economic
opportunities for more of
our residents.”
Bartlett, a minorityowned,
family-run business
will develop a 54,000 square
foot distribution center
which is expected to create
nearly 100 construction
jobs and 165 permanent
jobs with average salaries
of $70,000.
“The return of Bartlett
Dairy to Queens is bringing
jobs back to the borough
where so many workers call
home,” City Councilman
Donovan Richards
said. “With additional
opportunities for more
jobs and apprenticeships
along with the resurfacing
of Rockaway Boulevard,
stormwater mitigation and
an expedited construction
timeline for improvements
to Baisley Pond Park,
this development is an
all-around win for
Southeast Queens.”
Construction on the
new facility is expected to
be completed by fall 2020.
Currently, Bartlett Dairy’s
milk distribution occurs
in New Jersey and the
products are then delivered
to New York City by truck.
“We are excited to be
returning home to the
birthplace of Bartlett
Dairy. We look forward
to our continued growth
in conjunction with
the local community,”
Bartlett Dairy President
Thomas Malave said. “To
celebrate this moment,
we are establishing a
scholarship fund for
local graduating high
school students.”
The new facility will
serve as Bartlett’s New
York headquarters.
The company’s largest
contracts are with the city’s
Department of Education,
the Archdiocese of New
York, and Starbucks.
“Queens Community 13
is in full support of Bartlett
Dairy. This project brings
needed development for the
location, job opportunities
for local residents and
a general economic
development all around,”
CB 13 District Manager
Mark McMillan said. “It
also fits in nicely with the
recent creation of Gateway
JFK, the Industrial
Business Improvement
District comprised of the
airport freight business,
hotels and residents within
the Spring-Jam Civic
Association area.”
Gateway JFK began
as JFK Ibid in 2014 as a
plan to create a district to
revitalize the Springfield
Gardens area surrounding
JFK Airport by making the
cargo community aware
of the benefits of nearby
off airport real estate,
business opportunity and
economic advantages.
“Gateway JFK is happy
to see Bartlett come into the
community,” Gateway JFK
Executive Director Scott
Grimm-Lyon said. “We
believe they will be a great
contributor to the area and
a beacon of development.
They will help show that
our community is ripe
for investment.”
Reach reporter Bill
Parry by email at bparry@
schnepsmedia.com or by
phone at (718) 260–4538.
John Bowne high hydroponic
farm grows greener with Rozic
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