StartUPFinalists

Last night there was twice the fun at Flushing Town Hall. Upstairs in the theater area, our friends at the Queens Economic Development Corporation hosted a networking event, while art-lovers flocked to the first floor gallery to attend the opening of Erasing Borders, an exhibition of contemporary Indian painting, sculpture, video art, installation art and photography.

As part of the networking event, which Delta, the Mets, the USTA and Magna Restaurant co-hosted, QEDC announced the nine finalists (some in above photo) of the Seventh Annual Queens StartUP! Business Plan Competition, a five-month challenge-and-instruction course sponsored by Citi.

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03/15/13 2:00pm

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The Forest Hills Times reminds us that the West Side Tennis Club turns 100 this year, and changes are coming. The actual club itself was established in 1892 on West Side of Manhattan. In 1913, the club bought land in Forest Hills, which is still its home. For it, they paid a $2,000 down payment and a $75,000 mortgage. (more…)

02/27/13 9:00am

applepie

Image Source: Entrepreneur Space

Terrible twos? Not in these parts! All are invited to LIC to celebrate the Entrepreneur Space’s second birthday! In addition to networking with roughly 300 others, attendees will be able to sample and purchase a wide array of products made by clients of this food-and-business incubator. Expect everything from designer marshmallows to gluten-free baked goods to pigs-in-a-blanket to vegetarian seitan gyros. Plus, Coffeed, a new café located near the E-Space, will provide coffee and other treats, while Delta will raffle two free, round-trip tickets to anywhere in the United States. The E-Space officially opened on Jan. 19, 2011 (above photo). A partnership with the Queens Economic Development Corporation and the NYC Economic Development Corporation, this 12,500-sq.-ft. hub features a fully equipped commercial kitchen, offices and classrooms that entrepreneurs can rent at below-market rates as they build their businesses. And if all this isn’t reason enough, this blog, QNYC, is the event’s media sponsor!

E-Space’s Second Birthday Bash
Entrepreneur Space
36-46 47th Street, LIC
Wednesday, March 6
6pm – 9pm | Free

11/08/12 3:45pm

We’ve partnered with the Queens Economic Development Corporation!

We just had to tell you the good news – the Queens Economic Development Corporation (QEDC) is partnering with BlankSlate (the folks behind QueensNYC)! From the press release:

(Long Island City, N.Y.) – The Queens Economic Development Corporation and BlankSlate — a partially Long Island City-based company that helps web publishers thrive, including BrownstonerBrokelynDumboNYCBushwick Daily and Prince of Petworth — have formed a partnership on QueensNYC.com, a daily site about the happenings in New York City’s biggest and most diverse borough.

Hurricane Sandy videos

We put together a collection of videos of Hurricane Sandy before, during, and after it hit. It’s interesting to look back in time, and heartbreaking to see the destruction afterwards. We wonder if this might have been the most recorded hurricane in history, thanks to the explosion of social media and smartphone use lately.

A personal account of Sandy’s devastation by a Broad Channel resident

Christina Sullivan has written about her experience with Hurricane Sandy as a Broad Channel resident. No doubt, there are many of these stories, but take a look at hers, published by the Quinnipiac Chronicle. Particularly poignant is this:

My grandmother’s two-story bungalow stood 30 feet out on Jamaica Bay and was destroyed. The home was 100 years old and has been in my family for nearly 40 years. Her home, and my favorite place in the world, collapsed on itself and floated away.

On the other hand, there’s some good news coming out of Broad Channel – lights and donations

We were happy to learn about some pretty amazing donations coming to the community of Broad Channel. Ambulances and a fire truck have been donated by local groups in Glendale and out in Sag Harbor (Long Island), as well as all the way from Minnesota! The traffic light near the bridge is also back on. Progress.

The Today Show discovers 5 Pointz in LIC

Sara Haines, of the Today Show’s Sara in the City series, took a visit to LIC to check out 5 Pointz. We think it blew her mind. She certainly looked like she was having fun.

11/08/12 2:00pm

We wanted to post our good news – the Queens Economic Development Corporation (QEDC) and BlankSlate (the folks behind QueensNYC) have formed a partnership on QueensNYC. Here is the press release.

(Long Island City, N.Y.) – The Queens Economic Development Corporation and BlankSlate — a partially Long Island City-based company that helps web publishers thrive, including BrownstonerBrokelynDumboNYCBushwick Daily and Prince of Petworth — have formed a partnership on QueensNYC.com, a daily site about the happenings in New York City’s biggest and most diverse borough.

The site delves into the life, culture and changing landscape of Queens, focusing on the places, food and adventures in this unique borough, where more than 170 languages and dialects are spoken. While the site is primarily about Queens, it also makes relevant connections to the rest of NYC and other surrounding areas.

QEDC’s mission is to create and retain jobs through programming that grows neighborhoods, assists small businesses and promotes tourism and business development. As such, QEDC spearheads the Queens Tourism Council, which has its finger on the pulse of cultural, recreational, culinary and civic activities throughout the 80-neighborhood borough, which is home to more than 2.2 million residents and 45,000 businesses.  (more…)

10/14/12 2:00pm

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Image source: Discover Queens - (from left) Queens Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jack Friedman, Commissioner Kenneth Adams, Assemblywoman Margaret Markey, Queens Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Seth Bornstein, Queens Chamber President Carol Conslato and Irene and Marie DeBenedittis from Mama’s.

Our friends over at Discover Queens sent this great photo our way of the ladies of Leo’s Latticini (AKA Mama’s). As you know from yesterday, Mama’s has the second best sandwich in the Zagat list of the eight best sandwiches in NYC.

This shot was taken at the end of the day of a tour around Queens last Tuesday (10/9), taken by Kenneth Adams, commissioner of the NYS Department of Economic Development and the president/CEO of the Empire State Development Corporation. (more…)

10/05/12 12:00pm

We have two restaurant weeks coming up in Queens! The first one is throughout the borough and the other is based solely in Astoria.

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Image source: QEDC

Last week we told you about Queens Restaurant Week, now in its ninth year. Over 125 restaurants are expected participate, and most spots will offer a three-course, prix fixe meal for $25 during the dates of  Oct. 8-11 and Oct. 15-18. Some restaurants will also offer their specials Oct. 12-14 and beyond Oct. 18. Here is a list of participating restaurants. (more…)

09/20/12 3:00pm

corona-plaza-queens

Image source: QEDC

We’ve written about Corona Plaza, the new pedestrian plaza along Roosevelt Ave by the 103rd Street 7 stop. The community has embraced it and it has become a true gathering place in the neighborhood, colloquially known now as “La Placita.” Last week (9/13) various stakeholders – the Queens Economic Development Corporation, NY Community Bancorp, elected officials, residents, nonprofits – came out to celebrate the first phase of the renovation.

And there is a second phase in the works, with more improvements to be implemented next year. (more…)