The Woodhaven Business Improvement District (WBID) commemorated a successful 2019 fiscal year at their Annual Meeting on September 18, 2019 at local banquet hall, Woodhaven Manor. Included were elected officials, government officiates, Woodhaven community leaders, property owners, merchants, and residents of the district, amongst others. Senator Joe Addabbo, Assemblyman Mike Miller, and representatives from both Councilman Robert Holden and Eric Ulrich’s office, Gregg Bishop, Commissioner at the Department of Small Business Services and Nicole Garcia, Queens Borough Commissioner at the Department of Transportation were among those who spoke. Some of the things discussed were the value of small business to a community, good business practices, working with vacancies in a business district and appreciation and support for the WBID.
WBID Executive Director, Raquel Olivares went into detail on bid accomplishments
during the fiscal year 2018-2019. Raquel spoke in dept about how the Woodhaven Bid dealt with issues, such as awning legislation by meeting with legislators, such as the NYC Department of Buildings Commissioner. She also spoke about the WBID partnering up with the Department of Small Business Services’ Mobile Unit, prioritizing sanitation efforts, enacting new marketing/campaigns, events such as the Mother’s Day celebration at the local senior center and the Weekend Walk, board training, bringing in new businesses on the avenue as part of business attraction initiatives. Finally, she spoke about goals for the next fiscal year (2020)—installing security cameras on Jamaica Avenue, replacing the existing banners with new ones, installing planters on Woodhaven Blvd., new holiday lights, and the continued efforts of outreach and marketing and business attraction/retention.
Post-meeting, attendees savored live Afro-Latin jazz music by the Afro-Latineers Band and food, along with participating in high level conversations on commercial dealings within the Woodhaven area.