http://www.sunnysidechamber.org/
When I was elected as the president of the Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce in 2009 I was both honored and challenged. My other full-time jobs – parent and attorney were enough to fill my time. It was an honor for my peers in the businesses in Sunnyside to have the confidence in me to lead us during difficult economic times. No one on our hardworking Board of Directors, including myself is paid.
The Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce includes the area bounded by 39th Street, 50th Avenue, 52nd Street and 39th Avenue. We currently have over 100 members, some from neighboring Woodside, mostly small businesses employing 0 to 5 employees. Membership is open to all area businesses and organizations and some of our activities are described below. We hold monthly luncheon meetings at Dazies Restaurant with guest speakers on the second Tuesday of every month except July and August, open to the public, at a cost of $20.
SPEAKERS: Topics of past luncheons this year included topics such as “social networking” from an industry leader and historic Queensborough Bridge /LIC from an Astoria historian. Scheduled for May 11 are NYPD experts addressing us on computer fraud, and on June 8, John Young, Director of the Queens Office of New York City Planning Department. Mr. Young will be speaking about the planned rezoning of the commercial strips in Sunnyside. Our advocacy includes asking City Planning to consider repealing the prohibition of sidewalk cafes on Queens Boulevard as part of their comprehensive effort.
NYC GOVERNMENT WORKING WITH US: As a result of the Consumer Affairs Commissioner Jonathan Mintz speaking at one of our lunch meetings last year, the Department of Consumer Affairs staff came to the Sunnyside to go door to door to inform merchants regarding the City’s rules and regulations – not to look for violations but to help merchants comply with Consumer Affairs Regulations so that our businesses can avoid fines and find out what Consumer Affairs has to offer them.
COMPREHENSIVE DIRECTORY: We launched our new website in January which we invite you to see at http://www.sunnysidechamber.org. Our site includes the “Sunnyside Directory,” a comprehensive directory which includes over 750 entries of members and non-members alike, with telephone numbers, addresses and website links. Our website has been at the top of the search engines for fourteen years for all things Sunnyside. Want to be listed? Email me at IraGreenberg@sunnysidechamber.org.
OUTSIDE RECOGNITION: The Chamber encourages visitors to Sunnyside, this month recently rated third most livable neighborhood in all of NYC by New York Magazine, making Sunnyside the highest rated area in Queens. Known as one of the most ethnically diverse communities in the world, we can boast many great and interesting restaurants, some Michelin Guide and Zagat, rated at all price ranges. As a resident, when dining out, I find no reason to leave the area.
OLD TIME RADIO SHOW: The “On-Stage Radio Show,” a Sunnyside Chamber benefit is on for October 4. Customized commercial jingles will be sold for 1940’s prices to our businesses. Raffles, prizes and excerpts from “Bob and Ray” skits will be presented in a formal gala, directed by and starring many of our local actors and theater folk, also Chamber members.
THE ARTS: Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce is chock full of creative people and we are working with member SunnysideArtists.org, an organization of fine artists, to present three art shows June 13. The three venues, many of our businesses, and two theater productions are participants in “Queens Art Express,” (QAX) a borough-wide arts festival along the #7 train. QAX partners with the MTA to show the world Queens fine art, theater, and dance on the weekend of June 10-13. Our venues are “Art Fair at Queen of Angels III,” on the affordable art fair model, “The Art of Architecture” with special emphasis on Sunnyside Gardens, and “Portrait of the Exquisite,” a juried show. Theatrical presentations include those by Unity Stage Company and Thalia Spanish Theater. More details on our site coming and at http://queensartexpress.com/events/neighborhood/#sunnysidehood.
XBESTPIX PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST: Our website photography contest, XbestPix (ten best pix”) culminating in a live and online exhibit and wine reception, will launch this week. Contest entry is free and open worldwide.
UPCOMING TOURS: Local tours in the works, making use of our unique features, are the historic Calvary Cemetery Tour, the newly land marked and architecturally celebrated Sunnyside Gardens, and the Rail Tour, which will feature the rich history of trains beneath and below ground, still actively changing in Long Island City and Sunnyside with East Side Access making its way under the historic Sunnyside Yards.
SUNNYSIDE SHINES: We are proud to say that the Chamber was instrumental in forming a Business Improvement District for Queens Boulevard and Greenpoint Avenue in 2008. Our past Chamber president worked with a team of our members to form the BID, and is now the Chairman of “Sunnyside Shines,” the Sunnyside BID. Sunnyside Shines is located along Queens Boulevard and Greenpoint, and seeks to make Sunnyside even more appealing. Our organizations are separate but we work together when we can. Some of wonderful member restaurants are working with Sunnyside Shines to hold a “Taste of Sunnyside” that would feature all our food stars under one roof on one evening in October of this year.
WE ADVOCATE WITH THE CITY: We strongly seek reconfiguration of traffic in and around Sunnyside as result of community opinion. Recent changes such as removal of our bus stop used by over 200 seniors, ticketing of vehicles seemingly being given more attention than traffic safety, and complete North/South street closures, have not been beneficial to the businesses or pedestrian safety. Queens Boulevard is not a super highway just for the convenience of commuters. We advocate that “necking down” needs to be looked at to provide safer streets and pedestrian space. We think that traffic diverted from closed through streets that are now closed off has made other through streets congested and dangerous. Reducing rather than closing would allow for traffic flow at a reasonable speed and improved pedestrian safety throughout our community, and moreover help accessibility to our businesses.
WE WANT YOU: Come to a luncheon, $20, open to the public. Our Chamber has long been called “the most active Chamber of Commerce in the City,” and we see ourselves attracting the best and the brightest businesspeople, organizations, and residents through our open and voluntary membership. The $125 yearly membership is the same for global corporations or yoga instructors. Individuals not joining as businesses may join for $25 a year. We want everyone to have a place to share new ideas, work for a better place to live and work, and continue a tradition that began in 1947.
. Photos by Audrey Gottlieb.