18 THE QUEENS COURIER • OCTOBER 31, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
First phase of Astoria Park renovation fi nishes seven months early
Developer Carl Mattone creates own Queens-based real estate fi rm
BY BILL PARRY
bparry@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
For Douglaston resident Carl F.
Mattone, commercial real estate development
is the family business.
Aft er nearly four decades working with
his father Joseph at the Mattone Group,
which developed dozens of properties all
across Queens — including the Jamaica
Center theater and retail complex and the
restaurant row that is located alongside
the Queens Center Mall — Carl, along
with his son Carl Jr., formed their own
real estate company, CFM Development,
based in Whitestone, late last year.
“We just ventured out to start a new
family business with the blessing of my
father and the Mattone Group, in fact I’m
still president there,” Mattone said. “We
just wanted to branch out and do our own
thing — my son and I and recently my
daughter Irene came aboard the team, so
yeah. It’s the family business.”
When he began his career, Mattone was
a building superintendent and worked
his way up to president while learning
every aspect of the business from maintenance
to construction supervision, zoning
and leasing, property development fi nance
and management. Mattone is expecting
an economic downturn and wants his
new company to stay liquid, so for now,
CFM Development will not be undertaking
major projects like Jamaica Center.
“But we will be ready to take advantage
of whatever situation comes along,”
Mattone said. “We started out with a Class
B offi ce building in Bayside and fi xed up
really nice and now all of the tenants are
happy and renewing our leases. So, for
now that’s what we’ll concentrate on, getting
properties back to where they should
be be it supermarkets and other anchor
retail or buying shopping centers upstate
and back here in Queens.”
CFM Development looks to build its
property portfolio while developing communities.
“When we do a project in a neighborhood,
it’s not like we’re an absentee landlord,
we get involved in the community
be it sponsoring a football league in
Jamaica and Springfi eld Gardens or a tennis
club in Whitestone,” Mattone said.
“We’re very community oriented and like
to get involved with local activities especially
when it comes to Queens. Queens
is in our blood.”
Mattone watched as real estate development
exploded in Long Island City and
Flushing in recent years and he feels the borough
needs more equitable development.
“Wherever we go it’s important that we
create jobs and help people along the way,”
Mattone said. “Finance and construction
are the two biggest sectors in the city. We
need to fi nance to build and create construction
jobs but you always have to look
out for the mom-and-pop businesses too.”
Mattone added that his father was his
“greatest mentor and role model” who taught
him the importance of philanthropy and supporting
local charities and veterans groups.
“My father is tremendously involved in
philanthropy and he taught me that life
is not a one-way street,” Mattone said.
“Look, Queens has been very good to me
and my family so I feel a moral obligation
to be good to Queens.”
Courtesy of Daniel Avila/NYC Parks
The running track at Astoria Park has been completely reconstructed as part of a $30 million renovation project.
BY BILL PARRY
bparry@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Th e crowned jewel of Astoria has a special
shine aft er the city’s Parks Department
completed the fi rst phase of its $30 million
Astoria Park renovation project seven
months ahead of schedule.
Th e project covered the 12-acre athletic
portion of the green space that included
a complete reconstruction of the track
for runners and a brand-new interior synthetic
turf for soccer.
“I’m so happy to see this new track and
soccer fi eld, which we could only dream
of a decade ago, is open ahead of schedule,”
Councilman Costa Constantinides
said. “Astoria Park is a 60-acre jewel for
this community, and this state-of-the-art
facility only solidifi ed that fact. I want to
thank the Parks Department for delivering
this seven months early as well as
our great civic organizations, especially
the Astoria Park Alliance, whose members
have fought so long for this transformative
renovation.”
Additionally, several paths were
realigned to allow for better drainage, new
bleachers and lighting were installed and
to take advantage of the sweeping views of
the East River and the Manhattan skyline
and new seating was installed along the
eastern edge of the park. An adult fi tness
area with new equipment is right next to
the track and the bleachers.
“We could not be more pleased that the
track is open in time for folks to enjoy it
on these beautiful fall days,” NYC Park
Commissioner Mitchell Silver said. “Th is
is the fi rst of the Anchor Park transformations
to make our old destinations new
again.”
Th e de Blasio administration fi rst introduced
the Anchor Parks initiative, in
which one park in each borough was
selected for major renovations, in 2016.
One of the criteria for Astoria Park’s selection
was that at least 750,000 people live
within walking distance of it.
“I am so pleased that Phase 1 of the
Astoria Park project renovations were
completed months ahead of schedule.
It is crucial that we continue to expand,
modernize and protect our public spaces,
especially our parks,” Assemblywoman
Aravella Simotas said. “I am grateful to
the Astoria Park Alliance that led the
fi ght to rehabilitate the park’s soccer and
track fi elds, and to my friend and partner
in government, Council member
Constantinides, whose eff orts have created
major improvements to the jewel of
our community. Growing up in Astoria,
the park was always a place I explored
and cherished, and I am so thrilled that
we are fi nally making these major capital
investments.”
Phase 2 of the project will include
the reconstruction of the Charybdis
Playground with new spray showers and
comfort station with construction expected
to be completed by 2021.
“Th is is just the fi rst leg in the new
Astoria Park, with work on a renovated
Charybdis Playground already underway
as part of the historic $30 million
investment we secured three years ago,”
Constantinides said.
As for the incessant fl ooding that takes
place during heavy rainstorms and turn
Shore Boulevard into a canal, a rain garden
with native plantings has been proposed
as part of the larger drainage strategy
and was one of the most requested
design features at a scoping meeting last
November.
“I am pleased the upgrades to Astoria
Park will be completed sooner than
expected,” state Senator Michael Gianaris
said. “Th is park is a treasure to our neighborhood
and an asset for the entire city.
Th ese improvements will make it a destination
for another generation.”
Courtesy of CFM Development
Carl F. Mattone starts own commercial real
estate development company based in
Whitestone.
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