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real estate Jamaica visionary F. Carlisle Towery retires after 40 years BY LIAM LA GUERRE consume. I’m looking forward lguerre@queenscourier.com as the table is set.” @liamlaguerre From 1978 to 1996, private investment When F. Carlisle in Jamaica totaled Towery first took the just $17 million. helm as president of Compare that with the Greater Jamaica the $364 million D e v e l o p m e n t that has been Corporation (GJDC) invested in the last in 1971, he knew a three years, and it’s major challenge was clear how just far coming. the neighborhood The area was heading has come since 1971. into the “disinvestment Back then, not only decade,” and downtown the stores, but also Jamaica’s anchoring The Long Island Daily department store giants were Press closed, and two banks fleeing the area. headquartered in the area also Towery and the GJDC fought to keep moved to Long Island, Towery said. the chains, but Macy’s departed in 1978 Towery credits a number of strong after its lease expired to build a bigger public initiatives in Jamaica in the store in a mall. Gertz exited the area in past few decades with leading to the 1981 after its lease expired and Mays, rebuilding of the downtown. which owned its building, closed its Over the years, the GJDC persistently doors a few years later as well. advocated what he calls “predevelopments” “We had some real serious economic through seven mayors trauma, because those are anchors and when they leave, lots of small stores follow,” Towery said. “Back then downtowns were going out of style and everyone was moving to malls. I’ve often said Jamaica was mall-ed.” Now, Jamaica has transformed into one of the most attractive options for developers in New York. The downtown is buzzing with private development — and Towery is finally retiring after 43 years. “I’m very comfortable and pleased,” Towery said. “It’s a great thing to look back at all these partnerships and gratitude. And more importantly I’m not leaving where I’ve got nostalgia to and eight governors, dating back to John Lindsay and Nelson Rockefeller, and the federal government to attract more private investment. This includes removing the Jamaica Avenue El and extending the subway to Parsons Boulevard, which created the transportation hub of the current downtown, and moving York College into the neighborhood instead of alternative sites. The GJDC supported building the new regional headquarters for the U.S. Social Security Administration and U.S. Food and Drug Administration, two federal entities that brought jobs into Jamaica, and creating the business improvement districts in the downtown to focus on the growth of local stores and companies. The nonprofit also advocated for the AirTrain from John F. Kennedy International Airport in 2003, which further expanded Jamaica’s transportation hub. Towery believes that what Jamaica is missing is more housing developments, as the GJDC worked for decades to make the area more attractive through non-housing initiates. And because of the rapid growth of the AirTrain, which had 4.3 million riders from Jamaica last year compared to 1.1 million a decade ago, he said Jamaica should build more hotels, too. That’s where he expects developers to focus with new projects, and he plans to “stay tuned” to the future. Got a hot real estate story in Queens? The Crossing JFK AirTrain Jamaica Avenue in the 1960s Development District, 1972 Contact Liam La Guerre, Real Estate Editor Email: lguerre@queenscourier.com Twiter: @liamlaguerre


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