‘No one wants this’ Queens orgs. get funding
for 2020 census count JetBlue logo on LIC Pepsi-Cola sign raises eyebrows
BY BILL PARRY
Several community-based
organizations in Queens will
receive funding from the
City Council to help ensure
a complete count in the
upcoming 2020 Census.
Council Speaker Corey
Johnson announced an early
allocation of $4 million in this
year’s budget will go towards
providing support in planning
for the census, especially in
hard-to-count communities.
This is part of the overall
$14 million the Council is
dedicating to ensure every
New Yorker gets counted.
“This funding is just the
beginning, a first step toward
getting an accurate count
in order for us to receive the
federal funds and the number
of political representatives
we deserve,” Johnson said.
“TheCity Council recognizes
the vital work communitybased
organizations will
contribute to help ensure every
New Yorker gets counted in the
2020 Census. It is important
that these organizations start
working now.”
Asian Americans for
Equality in Flushing,
CHAZAQ Organization USA
in Flushing and Make the
Road New York in Jackson
Heights are the borough-based
organizations that the City
Council is funding.
“The census is a
monumental opportunity for
our communities to make our
voices heard and get our fair
share of federal funding and
congressional representation,”
Make the Road New York
Co-Executive Director
Javier Valdés said. “Today
New York is sending a clear
message: all communities will
be counted.”
The self-response for the
2010 Census in New York
City was more than 10 points
below the national average.
Acting as city-wide partners,
the groups receiving this
first allocation of funding
will be able to offer training
messaging development,
focus group coordination, and
other planning and capacitybuilding
resources to lay the
groundwork for get-out-thecount
efforts in 2020.
“As our community-based
organization are among the
most trusted institutions
serving New Yorkers on
the ground every day, this
investment will ensure that
out City’s census engagement
efforts are as effective and
efficient as possible,” NYC
Census 2020 Director Julie
Menin said, “We eagerly look
forward to working in close
collaboration with these
city-wide partners, and the
Council, the city’s library
systems, city agencies and
others to ensure we achieve a
complete and accurate count
of all New Yorkers in the
2020 Census.
Additionally, Council
Members will spread the
word about the importance of
the census and help mobilize
communities in their districts
to participate and get counted.
“As an organization serving
hard-to-count residents,
including immigrant and
low-income New Yorkers, and
households with unrelated
adults living in overcrowded
housing, we know all too
well the steep barriers to
full participation in the 2020
Census,” Asian Americans
for Equality Co-Executive
Directors Jennifer Sun and
Thomas Yu said in a joint
statement. “This funding will
provide community-based
organizations with critical
tools to counteract the Trump
administration’s blatant
attempts to disenfranchise
immigrants and communities
of color.”
BY MARK HALLUM
Built by the General
Outdoor Advertising Company
in 1940, the Pepsi-Cola sign has
squatters rights in the hearts
and minds of New Yorkers
and has been a celebrated
protected landmark in the last
few years.
But PepsiCo, which still
owns the sign, and JetBlue
may have struck a deal in poor
taste by adding airline logos to
the iconic piece of Americana
standing above the East River
looking toward Manhattan.
On Aug. 21, workers were
still busy mounting JetBlue
signage on the Pepsi-Cola sign
as people going about their
morning routine did doubletakes
along the waterline.
And while many took to
Twitter to air their grievances,
the airline and the beverage
company issued a joint
statement calling the new
temporary imagery a “sign of
enjoyment for all.”
“We know that people
love the Pepsi-Cola sign in
Long Island City, which also
happens to be JetBlue’s home.
It’s a living monument of both
the Pepsi brand, and New York
City. That’s exactly why we
believe it is the perfect symbol
to celebrate our partnership,”
the joint statement said. “This
is a temporary installation
and the sign will be returned
to its original state on October
1. PepsiCo worked closely
with Landmarks Preservation
Commission, Queens West
Development Corporation and
Landmark Signs to make sure
the integrity of the sign is
carefully preserved throughout
this initiative.”
PepsiCo said that since
Long Island City was also home
to JetBlue, who will also be
serving their beverages in the
sky, the new look was befitting
the partnership.
The companies claimed
the signage will capture the
attention of photography
enthusiasts from many vantage
points throughout the city.
While temporary JetBlue
logo is only temporary,
the companies see it being
completed by Aug. 22 at which
time onlookers can start
tagging #PepsiOnJetBlue,
according to a release.
The sign was designated a
landmark by the Landmark
Preservation Commission
(LPC) in 2016 after a 30-year
fight and a unanimous vote in
City Council. Representative of
a different era in Long Island
City in which large illuminated
signs dominated the landscape
on the eastern side of the river,
many were eager to protect the
sign’s legacy.
Since its installation, zoning
changes have made it one of the
few boisterous advertisements
left from the 1040s.
“The Pepsi plant closed in
1999, and TF Cornerstone took
over much of land. Now the
sign is sandwiched between
Gantry Plaza State Park and
luxury living high-rise towers.
Even though it’s temporary
Photo: Mark Hallum/QNS
it’s unsettling as the door has
been opened. Not happy. No
one wants this,” tweeted @
Eric11714 on Aug. 21.
A spokeswoman from
the LPC said it was in the
agency’s right to authorize the
agreement between PepsiCo
and JetBlue as long as it did not
affect any protected features,
but allowed the advert on the
basis of an escrow agreement
to ensure limited nature of
the arrangement.
“Pursuant to its rules, LPC
can approve temporary signs
on landmark properties for
up to 180 days where such an
installation will have no effect
on the historic features of the
landmark,” the spokeswoman
said. “On Aug. 14, LPC issued
a permit to PepsiCo for the
temporary installation of
illuminated JetBlue signage
on the Pepsi Cola Sign to
be removed on or before
Oct. 1, 2019.”
The agreement obtained
from by QNS cited Section 25-
306 of the Administrative Code
in its authorization to allow the
airline to hitch four logos to the
structure holding up the Pepsi-
Cola sign for no more than
180 days.
“I saw this yesterday when
it was at the "tBlue" stage.
I’m relieved to hear that it is
temporary but why do it at all?
From a design/typography
perspective, it’s dreadful. Will
a series of promos be allowed
because they are temporary?
Leave it alone!,” tweeted
Katzen Jammer.
Photo via Shutterstock
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