FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM AUGUST 3, 2017 • THE QUEENS COURIER 3
Legionnaires cases at
Flushing apts.
Th e city is investigating two cases of
Legionnaires’ disease at a housing development
in Flushing.
According to the city’s Department of Health
and Mental Hygiene (DOH), the illnesses
occurred at Latimer Gardens, a NYCHA public
housing complex at 34-20 137th St., within
the last 12 months. One patient remains in the
hospital and is recovering, and the other has
been discharged. Th e cases were reported 10
months apart.
Th e potentially deadly Legionnaires’ bacteria
is typically found in water systems, including
indoor plumbing, according to the DOH. It
is not contagious, but individuals can become
sick by breathing in water vapor containing
the bacteria.
Th e city agency is in the process of testing
the building’s water and installing a copper silver
ionization system “out of an abundance of
caution.”
“Adults with fl u-like symptoms, fever, cough,
or diffi culty breathing should seek immediate
medical attention,” a DOH spokesperson said.
Suzanne Monteverdi
State looks to develop
Belmont Park lots
Th e state is off ering developers a diff erent
kind of daily double at Belmont Park — and
it could set up a power play for the New York
Islanders’ ownership.
Empire State Development (ESD) announced
on July 31 a request for proposals (RFP) to
redevelop a pair of parking lots adjacent to the
racetrack on the Queens/Nassau border.
Th e ESD identifi ed two sites for redevelopment:
Site A, an 8-acre parcel at the northeast
corner of Hempstead Turnpike and the
Cross Island Parkway, adjacent to the recently
renovated Belmont Park Long Island Rail
Road station; and Site B, a 28-acre lot south of
Hempstead Turnpike that serves as the racetrack’s
auxiliary parking lot.
According to Newsday, the New York
Islanders -- in need of a new hockey arena --
are expected to submit a proposal as part of
the process.
Th e developments would not confl ict with
racing operations at Belmont Park.
Robert Pozarycki
Holy Cross preps for
coed admissions
As Holy Cross High School prepares to welcome
young women at the start of the 2018
school year, the all-boys Flushing high school
announced two new employees to its admissions/
enrollment team: Andrea Aloi and Lisa
Sanzo.
In May, Holy Cross High School announced
that the Board of Corporate Members unanimously
voted to accept the recommendation
of the Board of Directors to begin welcoming
females as students at the school.
Aloi will be placed in the newly-created position
of Assistant Director for the Admissions/
Enrollment team at Holy Cross beginning in
early August. Sanzo will be joining Aloi on
the Admissions/Enrollment team as the newly
created Admissions Coordinator.
Anthony Giudice
Photos courtesy of Robert LoScalzo
‘OPEN FOR BUSINESS’
Willets Point launches small business marketing campaign
BY SUZANNE MONTEVERDI
smonteverdi@qns.com / @smont76
Th ese Flushing business owners want
you to know they’re still ready to serve.
Th irty of Willets Point’s vibrant
automotive, manufacturing and industrial
businesses have taken to social
media to announce that they’re open
with a new marketing campaign.
Th e colorful Facebook page called
“Willets Point: Open for Business”
features a six-minute video with promotional
snippets from local business
owners. Individual posts profi ling each
owner and their respective business will
also be made on the page periodically.
Th e featured businesses are located
throughout the 39 acres of Willets
Point outside of the city’s long-delayed,
23-acre fi rst phase of planned residential
and commercial development.
Th e project was most recently stalled
aft er the New York State Court of
Appeals ruled that the proposed plan
by the Queens Development Group
LLC (QDG) would not be able to move
forward without approval from state
legislature.
“A common misconception is that
we’re no longer here; all the businesses
are gone and the city’s taken us over,”
said Sam Sambucci, a business owner
in the Willets Point industrial district.
“However, as you can see, we’re all still
here, and we’re open for business.”
Businesses featured in the video
include Dacar Auto Radiator, V.I.P.
Tire Shop Inc., Y & G Metals Inc.,
Discount Muffler and Crown
Container Co. Standing in front of
their business, each owner gives their
business’s name and a list of services
they provide, while their address and
phone number are posted at the bottom.
State Senator Tony Avella and the
business owners offi cially kicked off
the marketing campaign at an Aug. 1
press conference within the neighborhood,
known as the “Iron Triangle.”
Th e Facebook page and video can be
viewed by visiting www.facebook.com/
WilletsPointOpenForBusiness.