FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM NOVEMBER 7, 2019 • THE QUEENS COURIER 21
Courtesy of Matthew Lapiska
City Councilman Donovan Richards (c.) helps break ground on the project in September.
City awards grants to assist small businesses during
the Downtown Far Rockaway revitalization project
BY BILL PARRY
bparry@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
As the massive $139 million Downtown
Far Rockaway Redevelopment Project gets
underway, the city’s Department of Small
Business Services announced $1.5 million
in investments will be awarded to two key
nonprofi ts to revitalize the neighborhood’s
commercial district over the course of three
years.
Th e grants will be used to help build the
capacity of local organizations, revitalize key
commercial corridors and address locally
identifi ed needs.
“Creating strong neighborhoods
strengthens the city and this investment
will help establish economic prosperity
for Downtown Far Rockaway,” SBS
Commissioner Gregg Bishop said. “Th ese
community partners are the lifeblood of
their neighborhoods and supporting them
means their district can help get its needs
met.”
Th e grant recipients are the Rockaway
Development Revitalization Corporation
(RDRC) — which was founded to promote
the economic and community revitalization
of the Rockaways by improving
the quality of life for its residents — and
the Rockaway East Merchants Association
(REMA), which seeks to inform the public
about opportunities for growth and creating
a safe environment for economic expansion.
“We are excited about the opportunity to
be a part of the Downtown Far Rockaway
Neighborhood 360 Project,” RDRC
President and CEO Kevin Alexander said.
“Neighborhood 360 is another example of
the city’s commitment to creating vibrant
communities across the fi ve boroughs.”
Th e needs of Downtown Far Rockaway
were identifi ed last year through a series of
surveys, observations and stakeholder interviews,
which can be found here.
“For 15 years, the Rockaway East
Merchant Association has been on
the ground working directly with the
Downtown Far Rockaway business community,
serving both as an advocate and
mouthpiece for merchant concerns and as
an activist to resolve those issues,” REMA
Chair Nancy Martinez said. “We are grateful
to NYC Department of Small Business
Services for investing in our community
and helping us expand our support to businesses
and commercial districts.
City Councilman Donovan Richards
(c.) helps break ground on the project in
September. (Courtesy of Matthew Lapiska)
City Councilman Donovan Richards —
who advocated for years for the rezoning,
which will transform a 25 block area which
has not seen large infrastructure investment
in decades — applauded the SBS grants.
“Th is announcement is an important
piece of the revitalization of the Rockaways,”
Richards said. “Th is investment will breathe
life into our business community and help
us strengthen the vibrant small businesses
we have. Small businesses are the backbone
of any thriving community and I am
happy to be a part of strengthening their
foundations.”
Th e project, which began construction
in September and is expected to last three
years, will support the neighborhood’s current
needs and future growth with new
streets, sidewalks, open space, utilities and
green infrastructure.
“Our borough’s commercial corridors
are critical to our economy, so it is great
that these two community-based organizations
have been awarded Neighborhood
360 grants to help revitalize the commercial
corridor in Downtown Rockaway,” Queens
Borough President Melinda Katz said.
“Th e $1.5 million in grants awarded will
address local needs and help Downtown Far
Rockaway maximize its potential as a commercial
center.”
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