Tune in for this fascinating conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by clicking here.
Tonight’s show is featuring the location of Jamaica, Queens. The guests are Jason Antons, Jennifer Furioli and Elena Calderon. Jason is a returning guest who is a resident of Fleshing, NY. Today, he is the President of Queens Historical Society. Growing up he heavily enjoyed writing about Queens. In 2004, he first got involved with the Queens Historical Society. Jamaica was first given an alternate name by the Dutch which translated to Jamaica. Many different people coming from NJ, Manhattan and more used Jamaica as a crossroad. Historically, the Dutch were settled western while the Native Americans were Eastern and they did not get along. The British fled their homeland in pursuit of religious freedom while the Dutch were looking to colonise. Eventually, a hard fought battle takes place.
In addition, Jason is an author who just published a book. He has book signings coming up soon at the Queens Historical Society. In the past, the majority of the Jamaica population were loyal to the king and were supportive of the colonies. However, there were some people from that location who fought against the king in the war. Many were hanged for treason. Later, the English evacuated but there is still reminisce of them today. Jamaica’s Union Hall is one of the first learning facilities. The city first became a part of New York City in 1899. It has always been a greatly diverse and populated city. Jason urges people to explore the city because of how much it has to offer.
The second half of the show will feature two guests. The first’s name is Jennifer Furioli who is the Executive Director at the Jamaica Center. She works at one of the largest business improvement districts. The second’s name is Elena Calerdon who is the owner of Rincon Salvadoreno. Jennifer originally is not from NY but moved here for grad school. She got her start working an internship then got a job working at the small business districts. With all of the changes that took place in the area, Jennifer loved how she got the opportunity to work in such a location. Elena’s husband originally came to the state pursuing a business opportunity that turned into much more. During the pandemic, Jennifer and her colleagues developed a better communication system which allowed people to better contact each other in a crisis.
Next, the vibe of Jamaica is discussed. Elena really loves the feel of the whole community even though the place previously had a bad reputation. Some people are still afraid to visit due to this despite all of the improvement. Throughout the years, development of the area has improved. There are much more business today. Elena has hopes that the area will grow further once construction is finished. Furthermore, Jennifer states that the community is very excited for the future.
00:00:35.910 --> 00:00:36.780 Jeff Goodman: Hello everyone.
00:00:37.830 --> 00:00:44.760 Jeff Goodman: Welcome to our listeners in the big apple from across the US and around the world i'm Jeff Goodman and you've tuned into rediscovering New York.
00:00:45.750 --> 00:00:58.740 Jeff Goodman: professionally i'm a real estate broker with brown Harris Stevens, but our show is not about real estate rediscovering New York as a weekly program celebrating New York, its history, its texture and the vibe of this amazing city that.
00:00:59.910 --> 00:01:05.070 Jeff Goodman: We do with from interviews story on this local business owners nonprofit organizations preservation is.
00:01:08.760 --> 00:01:12.000 Jeff Goodman: On some shows like tonight and bringing individually your favorite.
00:01:13.200 --> 00:01:15.720 Jeff Goodman: Sports history that's current energy what.
00:01:18.780 --> 00:01:34.740 Jeff Goodman: Other time some other shows you celebrated interesting invited color the city Tennessee history that's not focused on one particular neighbor our episodes have covered topics as diverse and illuminating as American presidential came from some interesting history here.
00:01:37.500 --> 00:01:42.960 Jeff Goodman: You look at the history of women activists suffrage movement look at the history of different in different communities.
00:01:46.770 --> 00:01:54.450 Jeff Goodman: Discrepancies LGBT community and gay rights movement for bicycles and cycling Nathan part of the apply for more than 200 years.
00:01:55.050 --> 00:02:06.300 Jeff Goodman: Look at the history of plumping opera look at our public library systems we have three of them every one in New York, he visited the subway public park or greatest train station even some of our name.
00:02:07.980 --> 00:02:17.940 Jeff Goodman: Broadcasting shows available on you can catch us on apple spotify Amazon podcast stitcher Google podcasts and other services.
00:02:19.290 --> 00:02:22.620 Jeff Goodman: Tonight, for your journey to Jamaica Queens.
00:02:23.850 --> 00:02:24.930 Jeff Goodman: I guess.
00:02:27.690 --> 00:02:31.140 Jeff Goodman: no stranger to me discovering Jason.
00:02:32.250 --> 00:02:40.560 Jeff Goodman: Jason is a journalist and author of six well received books on the Borough of Queens he's a graduate of the University of Miami and his lifelong new yorker.
00:02:42.420 --> 00:02:57.000 Jeff Goodman: family has lived in the five boroughs since 1913 his first book on the history of white stone was published in 2006 when he was 25 and 2007 he wrote the first history book ever written on shea stadium and it's currently in its fourth printing.
00:03:02.760 --> 00:03:03.900 Jeff Goodman: was to other books.
00:03:05.160 --> 00:03:17.010 Jeff Goodman: flushing then and now Jackson heights images of America corona the early years Queens then and now and his latest book just published is on the history of douglaston and little.
00:03:18.120 --> 00:03:26.460 Jeff Goodman: Jason is a contributing writer, to give me a story and magazine is recent professional affiliations, have included the position of associated or of the queen's Chronicle.
00:03:26.850 --> 00:03:35.760 Jeff Goodman: And if that's not enough Jason is the President of the queen's historical society Jason and toast a hearty welcome back to rediscovering New York.
00:03:36.780 --> 00:03:39.270 Jason Antos: Jeff good evening, thank you for having me back on the show.
00:03:39.600 --> 00:03:42.930 Jeff Goodman: I hope my sound is better I rework some of my connections and my coming across better.
00:03:44.040 --> 00:03:48.690 Jason Antos: it's coming across so so it's a little crackling but that's okay.
00:03:49.230 --> 00:03:52.230 Jeff Goodman: I wonder why it's crackly all right i'm going to change one of the connection here.
00:03:52.740 --> 00:03:53.100 Okay.
00:04:08.280 --> 00:04:08.730 Jason Antos: Hello.
00:04:09.180 --> 00:04:10.020 Jeff Goodman: hi can you hear me.
00:04:10.530 --> 00:04:11.010 yep.
00:04:12.810 --> 00:04:13.410 Jason Antos: I can't hear you.
00:04:13.620 --> 00:04:18.780 Jeff Goodman: Okay, great God it sounds like the old days when you're broadcasting by shortwave radio.
00:04:19.260 --> 00:04:20.670 Jeff Goodman: War correspondent from.
00:04:21.660 --> 00:04:22.320 Jason Antos: The trauma.
00:04:23.400 --> 00:04:27.690 Jeff Goodman: or from the Western front well it'll play my Edward R murrow persona will come out a little bit.
00:04:29.520 --> 00:04:32.580 Jeff Goodman: Jason you're not only from New York, but you want from please.
00:04:34.770 --> 00:04:36.600 Jason Antos: Well, I grew up here in flushing.
00:04:37.680 --> 00:04:43.860 Jason Antos: More specifically, in white stone i've been here for over 35 years proud resident.
00:04:45.030 --> 00:04:48.840 Jason Antos: went to school here public school here and.
00:04:50.400 --> 00:04:53.760 Jason Antos: And my family has been living in Queens since 1960.
00:04:55.530 --> 00:04:55.800 Jeff Goodman: wow.
00:04:57.330 --> 00:04:58.500 Jeff Goodman: And you live in white stone now.
00:05:01.380 --> 00:05:01.830 Correct.
00:05:03.360 --> 00:05:06.120 Jeff Goodman: When did you first become interested in New York history Jason.
00:05:07.020 --> 00:05:21.780 Jason Antos: I started writing about New York City history Oh, when I was in high school I started to do like little independent projects writing projects and photography projects on old houses in the neighborhood.
00:05:23.550 --> 00:05:31.170 Jason Antos: You know, having a family that had lived here for so many years prior to me being born here, you know I used to enjoy listening to their stories.
00:05:31.860 --> 00:05:39.300 Jason Antos: about the neighborhood and you know as a local kid growing up and who you know, had aspirations for becoming a writer.
00:05:40.230 --> 00:05:50.460 Jason Antos: I decided that maybe to try to write about Queens and the history Queens and I started I enjoyed writing about it very much and it kind of blossomed from there once I got out of school and.
00:05:52.020 --> 00:06:06.240 Jason Antos: When I graduated with a degree in journalism and I got a job as a recruiter that's really where it started, you know when I had as a writer when I started having access to historical societies and archives and that's really where I would flourish.
00:06:07.860 --> 00:06:11.850 Jeff Goodman: When and how did you get involved with the queen's historical society.
00:06:12.690 --> 00:06:18.210 Jason Antos: I got involved with the queen's historical society back in 2004 when I did the first book on white stone.
00:06:19.710 --> 00:06:26.550 Jason Antos: I was 23 years old, at the time when I started the project and it came out in 2006 when I was.
00:06:27.870 --> 00:06:37.920 Jason Antos: 25 and they were the first place, that I had gone to to look for photos and information I didn't even know that there was a Queens historical society and I found about them.
00:06:38.970 --> 00:06:40.680 Jason Antos: Through the library and.
00:06:41.730 --> 00:06:44.730 Jason Antos: I remember driving down there and I didn't even contact them I had.
00:06:45.810 --> 00:07:00.300 Jason Antos: To be honest with you, I remember writing them a letter like a physical letter and putting it in the mail and they contacted me after I sent them that letter and I set up a time to go down there, and you know, I was hooked from the from the day one.
00:07:01.620 --> 00:07:15.420 Jeff Goodman: um well i've also been informed by our great engineer Stanley would send my audio is almost up to snuff but thankfully on the show I don't do most of the talking except the first couple of minutes it's my guests, so if I am a little staticky it won't.
00:07:15.480 --> 00:07:17.460 Jeff Goodman: It won't carry on for most of the rest of the Program.
00:07:17.940 --> 00:07:27.090 Jeff Goodman: Well, first question about Jamaica Jason how did it get its name, and is it the name from the same place, that the island of Jamaica comes from.
00:07:27.960 --> 00:07:31.110 Jason Antos: Well, yes and no so Jamaica.
00:07:33.180 --> 00:07:45.810 Jason Antos: was first settled by the Dutch and it was known as rust door roosting door, which is a territory in the Netherlands, of the Dutch settled it around the early.
00:07:47.040 --> 00:07:59.280 Jason Antos: 60s 50s and the word Jamaica comes it's a British corruption of the native American word yarmulke, which means the place of the beaver pelts it's a native American term.
00:07:59.820 --> 00:08:11.820 Jason Antos: For that was used by the algonquin and let me learn happy peoples and so it's a English corruption of the word yarmulke and they've as pronounced it Jamaica.
00:08:12.990 --> 00:08:26.520 Jeff Goodman: it's funny when I think of beavers I think of you know, the wild woods in the hills in the mountains of upstate New York in the West, where there are a lot of beavers in Queens and what became Queens or is that just because it became a trading Center and that's where.
00:08:27.540 --> 00:08:32.130 Jason Antos: There were a lot of beavers that were used to be hunted in the hunting.
00:08:32.130 --> 00:08:41.820 Jason Antos: grounds in the southern part of long island and the southern shores of Queens where there was a lot of swamp land and wetlands and.
00:08:43.110 --> 00:08:45.240 Jason Antos: It was a it was kind of a.
00:08:46.440 --> 00:08:58.230 Jason Antos: You know in abundance in the native in the days of the native Americans when they had settlements across the territory, and they would use certain geographical or natural natural.
00:08:59.460 --> 00:09:04.260 Jason Antos: occurrences or oddities in the area from which they named the territories.
00:09:06.600 --> 00:09:13.230 Jeff Goodman: You know i've had been in past guests on the show Jason I always like to ask about the local people who lived here before Europeans came.
00:09:13.650 --> 00:09:21.930 Jeff Goodman: From but not only did local algonquin live here, but what would become Jamaica was actually a crossroads for people of different than I think communities wasn't it.
00:09:23.070 --> 00:09:33.240 Jason Antos: Yes, you had many different peoples coming in from from New Jersey from Manhattan what we now know as Manhattan island.
00:09:34.320 --> 00:09:47.430 Jason Antos: Also down through the Hudson Valley, who would use Jamaica as a crossroad it it basically the what would become known as shoemaker avenue began as a native American.
00:09:48.570 --> 00:09:52.410 Jason Antos: path trail along the south shore of long island.
00:09:54.720 --> 00:10:03.870 Jason Antos: and different, although there were the so called 13 tribes of long island it actually was later debunked and it's basically.
00:10:04.320 --> 00:10:15.120 Jason Antos: You have different groups and there and they're referring to different areas by, as I mentioned by an oddity in the area from from nature or a natural occurrence, for example, I like to tell a.
00:10:15.540 --> 00:10:32.550 Jason Antos: Popular stories that mass beth Queens is letting them out the word which is must bet, which means the place of dirty or stagnant water people get a kick out of that sometimes so that's usually where you know you have these sort of names.
00:10:34.200 --> 00:10:41.640 Jeff Goodman: You mentioned that the Dutch first name to restore and the Dutch settled here a little bit later than they did other parts of new netherland I think it was the 1650s.
00:10:42.750 --> 00:10:53.520 Jeff Goodman: When how quickly did the area that became Jamaica that will come to make again get sort of anglicised with English settlers after the list took over a new netherland from the Dutch.
00:10:54.150 --> 00:11:02.100 Jason Antos: Well, it happened very quickly uh basically what it was was you had two groups, you had the ducks and you have the British.
00:11:02.700 --> 00:11:20.100 Jason Antos: And the Dutch had control of Manhattan island and of of brooklyn or what we call East New York, and that was their territory, and that was their Center excuse me of power, their stronghold and the ducks really didn't settle beyond Western Queens.
00:11:21.810 --> 00:11:27.960 Jason Antos: And the main reason for this was that everything west of let's say long island city or east of long island city, I should say.
00:11:28.560 --> 00:11:38.340 Jason Antos: Was was inhabited by the lemme lemme happy people, and the reason it was more anglicised and Dutch was, for the simple reason that the Dutch.
00:11:38.760 --> 00:11:54.720 Jason Antos: And the native Americans did not get along, they did not get along at all, they could not trade properly with them and they could not communicate with them, but the English, on the other hand, coming from New England coming from Connecticut coming from Massachusetts excuse me.
00:11:55.860 --> 00:12:10.440 Jason Antos: They had a much more positive experience living and trading and working amongst Native Americans, so the Dutch would sell the eastern territories to the English because they were the only ones willing and comfortable to live out.
00:12:11.790 --> 00:12:13.890 Jason Antos: In this area, amongst the natives.
00:12:14.880 --> 00:12:21.150 Jeff Goodman: You know this brings up an interesting question and we've never really talked about on the show before, but now might be a good opportunity to do it, especially since.
00:12:21.420 --> 00:12:28.230 Jeff Goodman: You know, Jamaica also was was a crossroads, but we know where we're Dutchman English before the takeover of new netherland.
00:12:28.740 --> 00:12:39.030 Jeff Goodman: What What was it about the way, because we always think about the Dutch is being you know really great colonists and that they you know they didn't try to subjugate people they just wanted the money you know they just traded.
00:12:39.450 --> 00:12:49.680 Jeff Goodman: And if you follow the rules, you know, there was relative religious freedom, compared to colonies of other European countries What was it about the way the English.
00:12:50.730 --> 00:13:00.210 Jeff Goodman: conducted themselves in the colonies that that made their dealing with the local people more smooth smoother than than the way the Dutch it.
00:13:00.690 --> 00:13:08.670 Jeff Goodman: is actually the josh I know you know there were there were a number of little wars that existed, like in what's now New Jersey, they were raids that.
00:13:09.810 --> 00:13:19.260 Jeff Goodman: The Dutch West India company conducted to try to do something, but you know, in the end, in the end, people were killed and master good as a result of that what was it about the English that.
00:13:19.500 --> 00:13:20.970 Jeff Goodman: had them relate better to.
00:13:23.220 --> 00:13:23.760 Jason Antos: know.
00:13:25.890 --> 00:13:36.840 Jason Antos: Basically, the opposite, you know, no, no rates, so to speak, the Brit of the British were coming here for the English is to say, for you know religious freedom.
00:13:37.530 --> 00:13:52.050 Jason Antos: and also to escape persecution themselves, so I think, since there was some sort of equal billing, so to speak, under the eyes of the Dutch authorities there tolerance of native Americans was.
00:13:53.610 --> 00:14:00.750 Jason Antos: was a improvement over the Dutch and they were here just for different reasons, the ducks were was the colonizer.
00:14:01.350 --> 00:14:07.830 Jason Antos: To you know exploit the area for its riches and, as you said, it was a business, it was the Dutch West in the company.
00:14:08.310 --> 00:14:19.290 Jason Antos: Trading company, and this was a trading outpost slash colony where the original settlers were coming from New England were more about establishing homesteads.
00:14:19.860 --> 00:14:35.400 Jason Antos: Once the British influence increased in eastern Queens in long island, then the British come and take over in a in a bloodless battle, where they seize the New York colony or new netherland call me and it's so quickly transferred over.
00:14:36.570 --> 00:14:48.690 Jeff Goodman: and actually maybe i'm not so, ironically, the oldest extant house in the five boroughs of the city actually is, even though the Dutch with your first it's English built that's the john bound house, and that is in the Borough of Queens.
00:14:49.110 --> 00:14:49.740 Jason Antos: And flushing.
00:14:50.040 --> 00:15:03.090 Jeff Goodman: flushing all right we're gonna take a short break and when we come back we're going to continue our show on Jamaica and are fascinating conversation with Jason and toasters, the President of the English of English, excuse me of the Koreans historical society.
00:15:04.380 --> 00:15:05.280 Jeff Goodman: will be back in a moment.
00:17:32.850 --> 00:17:35.250 Jeff Goodman: we're back you're back to rediscovering new.
00:17:35.250 --> 00:17:37.740 Jeff Goodman: York my first guest on the show.
00:17:37.800 --> 00:17:45.060 Jeff Goodman: on Jamaica it's episode 117, by the way, everyone is Jason and Jason is an author and President of the queen's historical society.
00:17:46.620 --> 00:17:52.560 Jeff Goodman: Jason when I asked you about your latest book, it was just published, it was on the history of douglaston and little neck.
00:17:53.070 --> 00:17:53.700 Jason Antos: Yes.
00:17:53.970 --> 00:17:55.410 Jeff Goodman: It is not, was it still is.
00:17:55.470 --> 00:18:01.410 Jason Antos: Even still it still is, it was published yes and came out on march 22.
00:18:02.880 --> 00:18:08.010 Jason Antos: Actually yeah no yeah march 20 seconds so it's been out for about three months and it's doing well, thank goodness.
00:18:08.610 --> 00:18:24.630 Jason Antos: And now, as things begin to open up, we are in talks of doing book talks at Barnes and noble and those little neck historical society and also Queens historical society so that will be something to look forward to in the late summer.
00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:33.870 Jeff Goodman: And i'm very much looking forward to to going to an event on your book is sort of a coming out of sorts and post pandemic.
00:18:34.440 --> 00:18:35.520 Jeff Goodman: and have to get an autographed.
00:18:35.520 --> 00:18:37.020 Jeff Goodman: copy yes.
00:18:39.300 --> 00:18:44.880 Jeff Goodman: We sometimes talk about neighborhoods in the revolutionary war we don't spend a lot of time talking about it but.
00:18:45.720 --> 00:18:54.210 Jeff Goodman: there's a lot of revolutionary war history or at the end of the of the war, specific to Jamaica, and then happened in Jamaica, but before we talk about that I want to ask you.
00:18:54.900 --> 00:19:04.350 Jeff Goodman: A question about the beginning of the war was Jamaica, and what would become Jamaica stronghold for the Tories, in terms of the people who were living here.
00:19:05.760 --> 00:19:14.310 Jason Antos: Yes, so Jamaica, as was most of Queens county was pro tori tori meant that you were for.
00:19:15.420 --> 00:19:29.100 Jason Antos: The colonies, you were a British Loyalists or Loyalists to the King and thus you did not favor succession from England to create an independent nation.
00:19:30.810 --> 00:19:35.760 Jason Antos: Queens was notoriously pro Tory but with numerous anti.
00:19:36.780 --> 00:19:53.040 Jason Antos: Colonial sentiment throughout flushing was a stronghold for the Tories, as was Jamaica township flushing in Jamaica being the two largest townships along with new town township in the county of Queens.
00:19:54.240 --> 00:19:59.010 Jeff Goodman: But there was a small unit of Jamaica people who actually fought against the English.
00:20:00.270 --> 00:20:02.670 Jeff Goodman: British in the in the battle of Lyle and in the battle of brooklyn.
00:20:04.170 --> 00:20:05.820 Jason Antos: Yes, that would be the famous men.
00:20:07.380 --> 00:20:11.730 Jason Antos: who were in camped in Jamaica, and also throughout flushing as well.
00:20:12.990 --> 00:20:30.570 Jason Antos: flushing and Jamaica saw a lot of action during the revolution era, primarily Jamaica specifically to make her avenue and 150 eighth street was where there was a tremendous encampment of British soldiers.
00:20:32.520 --> 00:20:48.360 Jason Antos: In flushing and downtown flushing on Main Street in northern was where the whipping post was for people who showed disloyalty at towards the King of the quaker meeting house was used as a prison.
00:20:49.620 --> 00:21:07.980 Jason Antos: to imprison pro American and pro revolutionary people, as well as the bound house was used as a prison as well, but mainly the quaker meeting house, so there was a tremendous amount of revolutionary activity in Jamaica and in flushing.
00:21:09.090 --> 00:21:13.380 Jeff Goodman: Within posted sounds pretty serious but I suppose, they did with people as had corporal punishment those.
00:21:13.410 --> 00:21:15.570 Jason Antos: Oh absolutely and they hung people as well.
00:21:16.860 --> 00:21:20.010 Jeff Goodman: Well, we still execute people up as much as we used to.
00:21:21.060 --> 00:21:25.440 Jeff Goodman: Anyway, moving on let's talk about the end of the revolutionary war.
00:21:26.580 --> 00:21:38.130 Jeff Goodman: Very part of the war that a lot of people don't really know about is is really have a lot of information about is what happened when the English left.
00:21:38.790 --> 00:21:57.000 Jeff Goodman: The British lost the battle of yorktown in 1781 and it took two years to negotiate the peace and the Treaty of Paris in September of 1783 but then the British agreed to leave and Jamaica was a big staging area of with him, leaving the area wasn't it.
00:21:57.840 --> 00:22:15.780 Jason Antos: Yes, it was because the Jamaica was how you access brooklyn and thus the Atlantic Ocean, from that point on, so that was a staging area for evacuation Day, which I believe is celebrated March.
00:22:16.560 --> 00:22:29.160 Jason Antos: If i'm not mistaken, and it is yeah it was the area where the British were lined up where they marched out the final orders were given the Union jack was lowered.
00:22:29.670 --> 00:22:44.460 Jason Antos: And they marched from Jamaica into brooklyn and from there to the harbor where they boarded flagships and warships and sailed back to England there is a diary entry from a famous.
00:22:46.020 --> 00:23:04.110 Jason Antos: flushing quaker who was related to the parsons family that said on that day, for most of the morning there was tremendous commotion and then by noon, everything was dead silent and he said, for the first time in years, the the area seemed very lonesome.
00:23:05.310 --> 00:23:07.200 Jason Antos: because all of these people had.
00:23:07.410 --> 00:23:17.670 Jason Antos: had left that they that people were used to seeing for years, you know almost like it's an occupying army in the streets and in the villages, day in and day out, were suddenly gone.
00:23:18.840 --> 00:23:27.930 Jeff Goodman: Once the English started evacuating do we know how many how many people actually disembarked were embarked from New York to go back to to Britain.
00:23:28.500 --> 00:23:35.730 Jason Antos: Oh sure I don't know the number offhand, but there is a tremendous amount of literature on on this on this incident.
00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:40.620 Jason Antos: there's actually a really good book that just came out.
00:23:41.940 --> 00:23:43.560 Jason Antos: On the Washington spice trail.
00:23:44.850 --> 00:23:48.090 Jason Antos: From Queens through the north shore of long island.
00:23:50.070 --> 00:24:07.560 Jason Antos: And it was released by history press just a couple of months ago and people could look it up on Amazon and it's readily available and that's a great tool to learn about the facts and figures of how many British soldiers, they were in all about evacuation day and.
00:24:09.930 --> 00:24:19.290 Jeff Goodman: Is there any thing that lingers or any any remnants of of British time in in New York in Jamaica during the war and during the evacuation.
00:24:19.710 --> 00:24:25.950 Jason Antos: Absolutely, well, we have to note famous Jamaica resident rufus king.
00:24:27.030 --> 00:24:37.320 Jason Antos: He was a Massachusetts representative on the continental Congress, he was a signer of the declaration of independence, who then relocated to Jamaica.
00:24:37.830 --> 00:24:45.150 Jason Antos: And rufus and the rufus King homestead which is located in Jamaica it's still there today, and then in the middle of.
00:24:45.840 --> 00:24:56.760 Jason Antos: King it's a known as King manner and in the middle of rufus King matter Park, it is a national historical landmark and the State landmark and it's.
00:24:57.210 --> 00:25:10.350 Jason Antos: I believe now open for business, as we come out of this pandemic, but that is a beautiful example of revolutionary era life and remnants instilling to make it to this day.
00:25:11.370 --> 00:25:20.550 Jeff Goodman: Well, there was a tavern that existed in Jamaica they're closed number in the big scheme of things, not that long ago but that's why from revolutionary war times you want to talk about pete's.
00:25:21.090 --> 00:25:23.160 Jason Antos: yeah there was a pizza or.
00:25:24.270 --> 00:25:34.830 Jason Antos: pennants tavern and that was a huge area, there was a it was a local watering hole for British soldiers during the revolutionary war.
00:25:36.450 --> 00:25:38.010 Jason Antos: And although he did not.
00:25:39.390 --> 00:25:46.740 Jason Antos: travel through Jamaica that often I mean it was mean the most noted is his tour of long island, we have to mention George Washington.
00:25:47.310 --> 00:26:05.640 Jason Antos: And Vice President john Adams, who toward Queens in in the 1780s from flushing they came from brooklyn up into flushing hopper and then marched or travel down northern boulevard out to Rosalind.
00:26:06.900 --> 00:26:17.220 Jason Antos: To to give thanks to the Loyalists who helped with the cause and and their victory over the British.
00:26:19.770 --> 00:26:28.170 Jeff Goodman: Well let's move beyond the revolutionary war, a bit Jamaica has one of the earliest public school systems that was established in the state.
00:26:28.620 --> 00:26:29.130 Yes.
00:26:30.150 --> 00:26:34.950 Jason Antos: That would be the Union Hall, it was a seminary school for boys and girls.
00:26:36.030 --> 00:26:47.190 Jason Antos: Are there were two separate schools, I mean it wasn't the boys and girls wasn't co ED so as two separate facilities, and this was started in the 1700s and then.
00:26:48.060 --> 00:27:01.140 Jason Antos: By the early 1800s about a century later, these facilities were turned into public schools and was where the first public schools in Queens county was established.
00:27:01.740 --> 00:27:07.170 Jeff Goodman: I think it might have been the first public school system in in what became the five boroughs if i'm not mistaken.
00:27:07.230 --> 00:27:09.150 Jeff Goodman: Yes, we're certainly one of the earliest ones.
00:27:09.210 --> 00:27:28.710 Jason Antos: One of the earliest ones, also, I just want to mention very quickly I don't think we ever discussed this, but since we're on revolutionary war era subject matter, it is interesting to point out that you know Queens is named after Catherine of braganza you know for the of the King of Spain.
00:27:30.240 --> 00:27:44.040 Jason Antos: Or the Queen of Spain, I should say and or as legend has it, but when, in the early days of the British takeover or the British occupation, it was known as your child.
00:27:45.750 --> 00:27:46.740 Jeff Goodman: mm hmm your true.
00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:52.650 Jason Antos: So yeah so that is the early name or origin name of Queens.
00:27:53.940 --> 00:27:56.730 Jeff Goodman: When did you make it become part of greater New York City.
00:27:57.510 --> 00:28:04.680 Jason Antos: Oh well, when Queens became part of greater New York City, though, be January 1 1898 during the great consolidation.
00:28:06.390 --> 00:28:18.720 Jason Antos: Jamaica, as I said, is one of the original villages of Queens county its new town, which is Western Queens flushing Jamaica, and then.
00:28:20.220 --> 00:28:33.840 Jason Antos: Hempstead and North Hempstead because everything that constituted NASA cat that is present day Nassau county was part of Queens until January 1 1899 and 1900.
00:28:36.150 --> 00:28:41.700 Jeff Goodman: One thing many new Yorkers relate to a lot Jason about Jamaica is the Jamaica station long island railroad when you.
00:28:41.700 --> 00:28:42.510 Jeff Goodman: Say Jamaica.
00:28:42.870 --> 00:28:50.610 Jeff Goodman: A lot of people have been through it and, unfortunately, a lot of people having to go through Jamaica station hasn't been outside, I can say I have i've actually been around.
00:28:50.910 --> 00:29:03.000 Jeff Goodman: i've been to your could talk about Yorkshire i've been to your university a couple of times your colleges and also diamond in the area when did Jamaica station get established when did that get built.
00:29:03.330 --> 00:29:10.830 Jason Antos: Jamaica station got established after the civil war, the long island railroad originated in brooklyn.
00:29:11.400 --> 00:29:21.210 Jason Antos: People have to remember that brooklyn or kings county is as well as Queens is geographically part of long island not legally part of long island, but we are geographically.
00:29:21.870 --> 00:29:28.410 Jason Antos: Part of long island, so the long island railroad begins through brooklyn and makes its way up through Jamaica.
00:29:28.950 --> 00:29:43.350 Jason Antos: And so, should make it became which is you know the southern part of the of the county so Jamaica township becomes a major hub for people coming from Manhattan through brooklyn to access Queens and thus greater long island.
00:29:44.790 --> 00:29:52.980 Jeff Goodman: In the minute, or so we have left Jason do you want to talk briefly about how Jamaica has changed in the 20th century we'll talk about the 21st century with our second guest.
00:29:53.190 --> 00:29:59.100 Jason Antos: Sure well should make a has always been populated a very populated part of the county.
00:30:00.120 --> 00:30:16.530 Jason Antos: From the colonial days up through the 20th century, it was a booming place for industry and businesses are numerous neighborhoods were developed in the 20s and the 30s when real estate Development came to the area.
00:30:18.000 --> 00:30:28.470 Jason Antos: after the First World War, and it has always been a culturally diverse area every you know 30 years or so 40 years at the demographic changes.
00:30:29.130 --> 00:30:40.260 Jason Antos: With all new peoples coming in and it's just as as it is, I guess, with the rest of Queens and all of New York City it's it's forever evolving.
00:30:40.980 --> 00:30:57.810 Jason Antos: it's really never stayed in one place and that's that's very good to see you know it's interesting to see because it brings a lot of change and a lot of change brings a lot of diversity, so it's it's a very special place and I think it's a part of Queens that is still yet to be really.
00:30:59.100 --> 00:31:05.670 Jason Antos: appreciate it it's been widely publicized very successfully so in the past 10 years and I still think it has.
00:31:06.480 --> 00:31:16.620 Jason Antos: You know that there's a lot there for to offer people who may you know who are new to New York City, who are exploring Queens we hear about a story along out and city.
00:31:16.980 --> 00:31:23.850 Jason Antos: And they're just discovering flushing but I urge people to go to Jamaica as well because it's a unique place and there's a lot to offer.
00:31:25.050 --> 00:31:29.520 Jeff Goodman: And we will explore current Jamaica with our second guests in the second half of the Program.
00:31:30.300 --> 00:31:31.620 Jeff Goodman: And thank you so much.
00:31:31.650 --> 00:31:40.020 Jeff Goodman: My first guest on our episode on Jamaica Queens is the historian Jason Antonio Jason is President of the queen's historical society.
00:31:40.260 --> 00:31:51.990 Jeff Goodman: And he's also published he's got at least a half a dozen books his latest is on the history of douglaston a little neck and one if you're going to get any of jason's books, you have to get us on shea stadium Jason thanks for being on the show.
00:31:53.100 --> 00:32:03.990 Jeff Goodman: we're going to be taking a short break and when we come back, we are going to speak with our second guests who will give us a vantage point of more recent happenings in Jamaica we'll be back in a moment.
00:32:08.070 --> 00:32:08.550 And my.
00:32:10.470 --> 00:32:11.610 Education and.
00:34:50.160 --> 00:34:58.140 Jeff Goodman: we're back support for rediscovering New York comes from our sponsors the mark management team mortgage strategist at freedom mortgage.
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00:35:32.070 --> 00:35:38.670 Jeff Goodman: One of the note before we get to our second guests for a second and third guests, technically, even though rediscovering New York is not sure about real estate.
00:35:39.180 --> 00:35:45.330 Jeff Goodman: When i'm not on the air, I am indeed a real estate agent now are amazing city where I help my clients buy sell lease amendment property.
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00:35:57.030 --> 00:36:04.260 Jeff Goodman: Well, we have a treat for the second part of the show we have not one, but we have two guests so we're going to speak about the more current happenings and vibe in Jamaica.
00:36:04.830 --> 00:36:14.280 Jeff Goodman: One is Jennifer for yowling Jennifer is Executive Director of the Jamaica Center business improvement district, which is actually the largest business improvement district in Queens.
00:36:15.000 --> 00:36:22.290 Jeff Goodman: janice responsible financial management board stewardship and oversight of all programs, including beautification initiatives direct business support.
00:36:22.650 --> 00:36:26.220 Jeff Goodman: Marketing initiatives designed to brand the area to attract shoppers downtown.
00:36:26.700 --> 00:36:33.600 Jeff Goodman: And a supplemental sanitation program that get this everyone removes litter and graffiti from Jamaica avenue, when asked her about the graffiti removal.
00:36:34.050 --> 00:36:39.390 Jeff Goodman: Before joining the Jamaica Center bid Jennifer worked with the new Rochelle downtime business improvement district.
00:36:39.960 --> 00:36:47.940 Jeff Goodman: The Lincoln square bait on the upper West side and New York city's department of small business services, which oversees the city's network of 76 business improvement districts.
00:36:48.690 --> 00:36:55.380 Jeff Goodman: And speaking of the city as business improvement districts Jennifer is a newly appointed Executive Board Member of the nyc bit association.
00:36:55.770 --> 00:37:01.110 Jeff Goodman: And all volunteer association comprised of all executive directors of New York City 76 bids.
00:37:01.500 --> 00:37:10.140 Jeff Goodman: she's an active member of the queen's Chamber of Commerce and as many other affiliations, she holds a master's degree in public administration from nyu Wagner School of Public Service.
00:37:10.800 --> 00:37:20.670 Jeff Goodman: And our third guest our second guest, and the second part is Alina Calderon ELENA is owner of the restaurant rincon Salvador enya which is located in Jamaica.
00:37:21.570 --> 00:37:28.260 Jeff Goodman: ELENA emigrated from El Salvador, to the cold state of Minnesota some time ago during this period, she earned a master's degree in teaching.
00:37:28.800 --> 00:37:34.350 Jeff Goodman: 25 years ago she moved to New York, where she met her husband, who was owner of the family restaurant in Jamaica.
00:37:34.980 --> 00:37:48.060 Jeff Goodman: After his passing Alina decided to continue the business challenging yourself to keep the business open and making it a favorite salvadorean restaurant in New York City Jennifer ollie and ELENA cold it on a hearty welcome to rediscovering New York.
00:37:48.990 --> 00:37:50.940 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: Thank you happy to be here.
00:37:52.500 --> 00:37:53.820 Jeff Goodman: I think elaine is still muted.
00:37:56.430 --> 00:38:00.990 Jeff Goodman: Okay well have her unmuted in a second i'm jenna you from New York originally.
00:38:02.280 --> 00:38:12.600 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: I am not from New York i'm probably from the place as different from New York as one can be, which is, I grew up in cheyenne wyoming.
00:38:13.440 --> 00:38:25.590 Jeff Goodman: wow that is probably among the most it can be yes sparsely populated one representative in the whole state yeah it's one of the decreasing number of states, I haven't been to when when did you move to New York.
00:38:26.040 --> 00:38:35.070 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: I moved to New York in 2005 so i've actually been in new yorker for quite some time I moved there for Grad school and ended up staying, how can I not.
00:38:35.430 --> 00:38:37.200 Jeff Goodman: Yes, well, yes, absolutely.
00:38:38.790 --> 00:38:45.390 Jeff Goodman: We had an author on who wrote a book about the history of New York, called the island at the Center of the world and for those of us who live here that's what it is for us.
00:38:46.590 --> 00:38:57.000 Jeff Goodman: Atlanta you're not from the US, when you move to the States you didn't move to New York originally what took you to Minnesota, of all places, because many, many immigrants, you know their their first place that they moved to is New York.
00:38:59.550 --> 00:39:11.700 Elena Calderon: Yes, it's a very interesting question actually my mom she was she's the one who actually migrated here by herself and a year later, she came back and.
00:39:12.450 --> 00:39:29.400 Elena Calderon: was able to get my sister and I to come and she chose Minnesota first because of a job, offering and she wanted she just the job offering was good, and she just like Minnesota the ambience and so forth, so that's where I grew up.
00:39:30.540 --> 00:39:37.530 Jeff Goodman: Well, I have to say I you know I i'm a new yorker at heart i'm first generation but I love so many parts of this country and I actually really like Minnesota.
00:39:37.800 --> 00:39:43.680 Jeff Goodman: In fact, I used to go do business there when I was in the advertising business and I used to get really excited when i'd have to go in the winter.
00:39:43.980 --> 00:39:49.710 Jeff Goodman: Because I had all this cold clothing, and I would get you know suited up and I wouldn't walk in the skyway as I would actually walk in the streets.
00:39:49.800 --> 00:39:53.160 Jeff Goodman: All the code talk about strange pleasures right.
00:39:54.930 --> 00:40:03.210 Jeff Goodman: Jennifer tell us a little bit about your history with with business improvement districts What was it about bids that had you decided that it would be such become such a focus of your career.
00:40:04.140 --> 00:40:11.760 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: You know um I kind of fell into my career with business improvement districts and I think that's actually.
00:40:12.720 --> 00:40:19.350 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: A very common with people in my field if if you speak to people that work for bids, they may come from everywhere.
00:40:20.220 --> 00:40:32.700 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: Many of them have a background in public administration or nonprofit management, as I do, but we've got people that have come into the field as published authors, as people from the arts.
00:40:34.860 --> 00:40:42.630 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: People you know from the medical field it's it's funny how people fall into this um for me.
00:40:43.170 --> 00:40:52.320 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: I was going to graduate school and I happen to get an internship with an organization just down the street, called the Union square partnership.
00:40:52.860 --> 00:41:05.700 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: which was actually New York city's first official business improvement district prior to business improvement districts, there were something called special assessment districts, which was.
00:41:06.780 --> 00:41:20.340 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: You know very similar but formed by State legislation by anyway so that's that's how I got my start, and then I ended up from there, getting a job with the Department of small business services, which is.
00:41:21.840 --> 00:41:22.590 Elena Calderon: overseeing.
00:41:23.670 --> 00:41:35.940 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: The bid network, and when I started at SBS I remember, there were 51 business improvement districts, so that program has grown significantly since my time working for the city um.
00:41:35.970 --> 00:41:37.170 Jeff Goodman: Now there are 76.
00:41:37.350 --> 00:41:39.780 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: Now there are 75th what.
00:41:40.050 --> 00:41:48.630 Jeff Goodman: What took you to the Jamaica Center bit it I would it's kind of different from new Rochelle and the upper West side you know what what took you to Jamaica.
00:41:49.830 --> 00:42:05.640 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: That outgoing executive director and I knew each other professionally and, as she was getting ready to depart she suggested that I look at that opportunity and I went out there and instantly fell in love with the Community.
00:42:07.620 --> 00:42:17.970 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: I liked the feel of the streetscape I liked the passion of the board of directors, for the work that they were trying to do in downtown Jamaica and.
00:42:18.900 --> 00:42:33.870 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: You know, as I, as I scroll the street I couldn't help but notice King manner, museum was referenced earlier by your guests Jason that really caught my eye that interesting and eclectic retail mix I liked.
00:42:34.950 --> 00:42:48.240 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: You know I I passed Margarita pizza and anybody who's familiar with Jamaica knows Margarita pizza and I just I loved that vintage storefront and I popped my head in there and I thought babe and had the vintage.
00:42:49.260 --> 00:43:02.640 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: registers and and then I liked yeah just that I could tell that things were happening with all of the new development, you know that the skyline is rapidly changing, and so you can see, this kind of.
00:43:03.300 --> 00:43:10.830 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: interesting contrast of historic can new when I thought this would be a really great neighborhood to work in.
00:43:12.060 --> 00:43:16.290 Jeff Goodman: Atlanta when did your husband open wrinkle in southern Virginia did I pronounce it okay.
00:43:16.680 --> 00:43:29.160 Elena Calderon: Yes, wrinkles around the Rainbow yes, well, I that he goes around your was opened in 1980 and the original owners, they had it for two months, and they had an emergency.
00:43:29.700 --> 00:43:38.310 Elena Calderon: And therefore, my husband bought the wrong, but the restaurant was actually i'm located in the corner of 149 in Jamaica avenue.
00:43:39.450 --> 00:43:39.810 Elena Calderon: and
00:43:41.130 --> 00:43:55.800 Elena Calderon: The address they were like a back entrance but now I expand the restaurant in now we're facing right in Jamaica and i'm right in the corner there so it's we've been there for a while the first salvadorean restaurant, you know your.
00:43:56.520 --> 00:43:57.480 Elena Calderon: wow that's exciting.
00:43:58.410 --> 00:44:03.870 Jeff Goodman: or in a couple of minutes i'm going to ask each of you how the neighborhood has changed in the last decade, maybe, but.
00:44:04.890 --> 00:44:14.730 Jeff Goodman: The Jamaica 40 years ago, Elena was much different from the from the the Jamaica, we received today what had your husband decided to go into business in Jamaica back then.
00:44:15.750 --> 00:44:28.710 Elena Calderon: Well, I think, really, because they came my husband and his family are from our from our departments and El Salvador santana and the food, it was actually the 40% opportunity that.
00:44:29.220 --> 00:44:48.990 Elena Calderon: I don't think that, back then, you really realize what Jamaica was, I mean I don't think it that he when he got it was just a business opportunity that in later on, that of course changed because of the customers and so forth, so he he started the salvadorean restaurant yeah.
00:44:50.700 --> 00:44:59.550 Jeff Goodman: Jennifer, are there any challenges that you encounter at the Jamaica Center bid that you didn't experience in any other any other business improvement district.
00:45:00.720 --> 00:45:16.140 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: I would say the biggest and most unique challenge hasn't necessarily been a place based challenge it's been a a historical challenge and that historic challenge was what we are now emerging from which is coven.
00:45:17.190 --> 00:45:27.900 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: I you know, have never worked in a situation where things changed so rapidly, I mean within a matter of weeks, we had to shut down our office go remotely.
00:45:29.040 --> 00:45:38.550 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: But we also you know essentially help advocate for and service approximately 400 businesses in our district and.
00:45:40.560 --> 00:45:48.720 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: You know, it was sort of drinking from a fire hose for our staff trying to figure out how do we.
00:45:49.260 --> 00:46:07.050 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: keep on top of all of these rapidly changing business regulations and information and to help her businesses absorb all of that elena's you know very good at staying on top of these things, but we have a lot of very small businesses that aren't necessarily tapped in.
00:46:08.100 --> 00:46:21.150 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: To technology and things like that, and you know we tend to communicate with them by walking into the store and speaking with them and developing those kinds of relationships and that works very well in ordinary times.
00:46:22.470 --> 00:46:33.300 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: But it was quite a different experience when all of a sudden everybody was trying to work remotely and the city was really leaning into us to help reach these businesses so.
00:46:34.620 --> 00:46:41.850 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: It was quite an experience, we had a lot of late late nights we were trying to publish lists of.
00:46:42.270 --> 00:46:59.280 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: You know, if you remember it all feel so long ago now, but essential businesses and helping businesses understand if they were essential and then communicating to customers, which has central businesses world pin and how could they buy goods from them and.
00:47:00.660 --> 00:47:09.930 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: So i've clearly never experienced anything like that, but some really innovative things came out of this as well during the course of this we developed.
00:47:11.580 --> 00:47:21.990 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: An emergency cell phone notification system so that we could better reach out to businesses and so overall you know things worked out, but.
00:47:23.190 --> 00:47:33.090 Jeff Goodman: Oh great we're gonna take a short break and when we come back we're going to continue our discussion with Jennifer free Ali and Alina called it on on Jamaica in Queens will be back in a moment.
00:49:48.330 --> 00:49:55.500 Jeff Goodman: we're back to rediscovering New York and our show in Jamaica Queens my second guests or my guest, for the second part of the show.
00:49:55.890 --> 00:50:01.050 Jeff Goodman: But Jennifer 40 ollie the Executive Director of the Jamaica Center business improvement district and Atlanta called Iran.
00:50:01.530 --> 00:50:13.380 Jeff Goodman: who owns of income, Salvador El Nino, which is actually the first salvadorean restaurant in New York and talk about small world Jen is from cheyenne and we just found out that our first guest his mother lives and like happening now.
00:50:14.760 --> 00:50:24.330 Jeff Goodman: Country of 330 million people right go figure um let's talk more about Jamaica describe the vibe of Jamaica Jen and ELENA, what do you, what do you like about it.
00:50:26.580 --> 00:50:27.510 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: I had ELENA.
00:50:28.080 --> 00:50:31.230 Elena Calderon: Okay um I love Jamaica I.
00:50:32.580 --> 00:50:42.660 Elena Calderon: I I after I moved from Minnesota I am I fell in love in Jamaica, I was I said was it was like in the late 80s.
00:50:43.680 --> 00:50:49.920 Elena Calderon: And I like the diversity, if it had a really bad reputation back then, but.
00:50:51.840 --> 00:51:08.400 Elena Calderon: I like the culture, I just I just really always like the feel of of the whole Community, and, of course, when I started going into the restaurant then more of the customers, and so I felt like I was kind of like given El Salvador, in a way.
00:51:09.720 --> 00:51:20.070 Elena Calderon: I think that's the fuel that I got from Jamaica very warm and so that's I I really I really like to make, I always have.
00:51:21.780 --> 00:51:31.350 Jeff Goodman: ELENA, how do you have you've you've been in doing business in Jamaica for a lot longer than Jensen, want to direct this next question to you how has to make a change, since you first.
00:51:32.670 --> 00:51:38.070 Jeff Goodman: started doing business in the neighborhood and being a business owner and the neighbor compared to now what, what are the change has been like.
00:51:40.620 --> 00:51:45.360 Elena Calderon: I think that there's been a lot of diversity there's much more businesses.
00:51:47.940 --> 00:52:02.220 Elena Calderon: and definitely the development now back in when I first went to Jamaica I also remember that it was not a very safe, it did not have a very good reputation and that's carried over for many, many years.
00:52:03.840 --> 00:52:11.880 Elena Calderon: But you know I always saw beyond that and I did I never knew when I when I first went there, I never thought about all the.
00:52:12.420 --> 00:52:21.090 Elena Calderon: All the development that was going to go on and throughout the years all of that has automatically change the whole area there's.
00:52:21.690 --> 00:52:25.680 Elena Calderon: More businesses like i've said there's more diversity and.
00:52:26.610 --> 00:52:42.240 Elena Calderon: Even with my old customers my old customers they're not they're not necessarily anymore in the Jamaica area they've moved out and there's no people have come in so it's definitely a huge change, and I think it's changing even more, as you know, as time goes by.
00:52:42.840 --> 00:52:57.840 Jeff Goodman: hmm well want to direct this next question to each of you gentlemen director, the bed and elaine as a business owner um is there anything that that you struggle with in the neighborhood that you would like to see some kind of a breakthrough, a resolution.
00:53:00.300 --> 00:53:05.280 Elena Calderon: yeah i'll answer that, from my perspective, I think that.
00:53:06.360 --> 00:53:16.050 Elena Calderon: One of the things the reputation that Jamaica has like I said it's still not good, and people are afraid for example here in I live.
00:53:16.680 --> 00:53:28.110 Elena Calderon: I live in in long island and a lot of people when they find out when I talk to them about the restaurant where it's located right away it's negative because it's got such a negative.
00:53:29.370 --> 00:53:31.800 Elena Calderon: repetition style and I think that.
00:53:33.900 --> 00:53:43.470 Elena Calderon: You know, clean up there's been a lot of cleaning up the throat Jamaica and it's improved a lot and I think is continuing to do the same thing.
00:53:44.640 --> 00:53:46.290 Elena Calderon: So that's been a struggle with.
00:53:47.640 --> 00:53:49.770 Elena Calderon: The homeless, has been a struggle there.
00:53:52.050 --> 00:54:03.480 Elena Calderon: But like I said it's improved it has improved and it's and I think that more involvement has to be from you know from other resources.
00:54:04.050 --> 00:54:19.680 Elena Calderon: And, but I think it's it's it's an exciting it's very exciting i'm very excited now that all these buildings are going to be finished and hopefully occupied there's going to be a lot of diversity in the area, so i'm very excited about that.
00:54:20.370 --> 00:54:34.020 Jeff Goodman: Well, great we have a couple of minutes left jenna wanted to ask you about some initiatives that you're working on now with the bid and things that you hope to to accomplish and that will you know, contribute to the to the evolution of the neighborhood.
00:54:35.220 --> 00:54:48.810 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: Sure, so you know, Elena was talking about things that we struggle with, and I think, for me, one of the things I really struggle with is kind of what I see as sort of different investment.
00:54:50.370 --> 00:54:58.860 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: In the streetscape we have crosswalks you know that are in poor condition and empty tree pits and just.
00:54:59.940 --> 00:55:03.420 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: Things that haven't been cared for are managed well and I know.
00:55:03.720 --> 00:55:14.370 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: You were asking one thing we really like about the area and it's the Community and and there's such Community pride there and people that really, really care about this neighborhood long standing residents and.
00:55:14.760 --> 00:55:26.460 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: I just think that these people know they deserve better and they want better for their downtown and so that's something that our business improvement district, has been working hard to address we're.
00:55:27.120 --> 00:55:36.990 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: Working with our local elected leadership to refurbish our tree pits which are in very sad condition our tree canopy is you know almost non existent.
00:55:38.610 --> 00:55:54.450 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: And we just partnered with greater Jamaica development corporation and with support of local City Council member Denise Miller and department of small business services we're restoring our landmarked historic clock, which is from the early 1900s.
00:55:54.510 --> 00:55:55.680 Jeff Goodman: and beautiful clock.
00:55:56.040 --> 00:56:09.450 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: Uniform clock and it's going to be even more beautiful and it's going to work and so that's going to be reinstalled in about a month and a half and so we're very excited to get that project done.
00:56:09.870 --> 00:56:13.230 Jeff Goodman: And how can people find out about the bid what's your website address.
00:56:14.130 --> 00:56:21.720 Jennifer Furioli-Jamaica Center BID: We are at Jamaica time in my see and you can also find us on social media at jam Center bed.
00:56:22.170 --> 00:56:27.120 Jeff Goodman: Oh great and Atlanta what's the Web address for food in Pennsylvania.
00:56:27.780 --> 00:56:31.860 Elena Calderon: it's www on salary know that us.
00:56:33.300 --> 00:56:42.750 Jeff Goodman: Great alright well Jennifer free ollie Executive Director of the Jamaica Center bid and Alina Calderon owner of the conservatory and you Thank you so much for being guest on the Program.
00:56:43.500 --> 00:56:44.100 Elena Calderon: Thank you.
00:56:44.610 --> 00:56:51.000 Jeff Goodman: If you have comments or questions about the show if you'd like to get on our mailing list, please email me Jeff at rediscovering your pit nyc.
00:56:51.630 --> 00:56:54.690 Jeff Goodman: You can like us on Facebook and also follow me on instagram and Twitter.
00:56:55.230 --> 00:57:05.700 Jeff Goodman: Once again i'd like to thank our sponsors for the program the mark my team working strategies that freedom mortgage and the law offices of Tom sciatica focusing on wills estate planning probate and inheritance litigation.
00:57:06.270 --> 00:57:10.800 Jeff Goodman: One more thing, before we sign off i'm Jeff Goodman a real estate agent and brown Harris Stevens in New York City.
00:57:11.190 --> 00:57:17.190 Jeff Goodman: And whether you're selling buying leasing or renting my team and I provide the best service and expertise in your in New York City real estate.
00:57:17.760 --> 00:57:34.530 Jeff Goodman: To help you, with your real estate needs, you can reach us at 646-306-4761 our producers for our story or our engineer this evening is Sam leibowitz our special consultant for the program is David Griffin of landmark branding thanks so much for listening, everyone will see you next time.
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