STEINWAY STREET PLAYS HOST TO RIBBON CUTTING

Left to Right: G.L. Stamatiades, President CALDC; Nick Tettinati, DOT Design Unit; Lucille Hartmann, District Manager, Community Board 1; Mazeen Farnesa, Steinway Street Business Owner; Kevin Foley, President Steinway Astoria Partnership; Kelly Lagoudis, Steinway Astoria Partnership Board Member; Ed Babor representing Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney; Marie Torniali, Executive Director, Steinway Astoria Partnership; Council Member Peter Vallone JR.; Tony Barsamian, Chairman Steinway Astoria Partnership; Andreea Buteau, NYC Department of Small Business Services; Bruce Last, Executive Vice President Steinway Astoria Partnership; Christine Guzman and Beatriz Rivera, Banco Popular. Front Row: DOT Commissioner Maura McCarthy cuts the ribbon and Senator Michael Gianaris.

Members of the Steinway Astoria Partnership, elected officials and local community leaders attended a ribbon cutting heralding the new 1964 World’s Fair benches lining Steinway Street.

The long awaited benches are part of the Steinway Astoria Partnership’s streetscape vision to create a pedestrian friendly, visually appealing and green urban street for shoppers, residents and visitors.  Replicas of the 1964 Worlds Fair benches made of recycled materials in lime green; the attractive benches add color and, more importantly, offer a chance to rest for shoppers and visitors on the very long shopping street.    Past improvements include hanging flower baskets and plantings along the district adding to its ambiance with more planned in the future.

Kevin Foley, president of the Steinway Astoria Partnership, remarked “this project has been a long time coming; however the results were worth waiting for.”   He went on to say that the project was being done in phases with twenty-eight benches installed now and another round in March of 2012 with other greening efforts planned.    Both Senator Gianaris and Council Member Vallone thanked the Steinway Astoria Partnership for using their resources to continue to improve and beautify Steinway Street.

Queens DOT Commissioner McCarty noted that she was thrilled to be at the ribbon cutting seeing the great results of the two year collaboration with Steinway Street.

Tony Barsamian, chairman of the Steinway Astoria Partnership thanked Commissioner Maura Mc McCarthy and noted that it was her cooperation and that of the entire DOT team that was pivotal in bringing the project to fruition as was the perseverance of the Steinway Astoria Partnership’s Executive Director Marie Torniali.