LICNYC

Police are asking for the public’s help in finding the suspect who knocked out an intoxicated man on a Long Island City street.

On Sunday, Aug. 5, at approximately 1:15 a.m, it was reported to police that a witness standing on the sidewalk on 29th Street saw an intoxicated man banging on random cars.

One of the cars that the 35-year-old victim banged on belonged to the unidentified male suspect, authorities said, who allegedly got out of his car and punched the man in the face on the corner of 29th Street and 41st Avenue.

The victim fell back and lost consciousness when his head hit the pavement, police said.

Officers from the 114th Precinct responded to the scene. Paramedics brought the victim to a nearby hospital where he is reportedly in critical condition.

Video and photo evidence show the suspect fleeing the scene inside a white SUV, headed northbound on 29th Street. Police sources described the individual as a bald, dark-skinned male, who was last seen wearing a light-colored, long-sleeved shirt and jeans.

Photo courtesy of the NYPD

Photo courtesy of the NYPD

Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls and messages are kept confidential.

NEW YORK, NY, August 07, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ — Earlier in 2018, John Mini Distinctive Landscapes opened a satellite office in Long Island City. John Mini’s new space serves up office space and warehouse with room to grow. The JMDL team was interviewed to talk approach, reasons, and what it means for the future.

The office provides a hub for around 50 members of the 160+ John Mini team from supervisors to sales to design to management. The office was built in a way that aligns with the team’s values. Office workstations are positioned in an open and flexible manner to further promote the value “collaborate relentlessly”. The aesthetics and feel of the space are industrial and scrappy reflecting the value “Be resourceful”, while also nodding to the firm’s entrepreneurial roots. The attached warehouse is a game changer for the company’s operations, most notably their outdoor maintenance division. The warehouse collocates the division’s fleet of vehicles, team, supplies, and equipment.

What were the reasons to open this location?

The investment in the space was thoughtful and purposeful. The decision ultimately boiled down to three overarching reasons.

First, the move is for the customers. The space is minutes from Times Square and Grand Central, two of Manhattan’s greatest transit stations. Situated minutes from the Queensborough bridge, Midtown tunnel, and a plethora of mass transit options allows service teams and managers to easily access any of their customer’s sites and better serve them.

Second, the move presents a slew of operational efficiencies. The company is on a mission to be as efficient as possible, while not sacrificing service or quality. The team’s recent maniacal enthusiasm to minimize inefficiencies is driven by one specific goal: “invest back in their team”. John Mini Distinctive Landscapes is driven to build a distinctive team, built on passion and trained better than anyone else. A quote from ownership: “Relentlessly turning over every stone to find efficiency and reduce waste will allow the company to increase its team’s compensation. We want to shake up the perception of the landscape industry, traditionally understood as a place to just ‘have a job’. We want our teammates to have a career, one their passionate about and which can provide a solid quality of life.”

Third, the move “cherishes nature”. With the new warehouse comes efficient truck routes and better oversight of tools and materials. The new logistics reduce the outdoor maintenance divisions’ fuel usage by 30%. The simplified supply chain minimizes waste and direct oversight of tools reduces wear and loss of equipment. All this syncs with the organization’s value to be mindful of its impact.

What does the move mean for John Mini Distinctive Landscapes long term?

The analysis and decision to move to Long Island City and this specific location was done quickly. Despite John Mini’s large size in its niche market, the move portrays the nimbleness of a start-up. As the company continues to grow, they will balance the strengths of a larger company while maintaining the mindset of a hungry entrepreneur.

Most importantly, the move signals geographic growth beyond its current footprint of New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey. Operations beyond this area are on the horizon for John Mini Distinctive Landscapes. While this is a big move today, this will be a footnote in the future story that unfolds for the team.

Please visit John Mini Distinctive Landscapes at any of their locations or reach out below. If you pop into their new spot in Long Island City, be sure to enter at 10-56 46th Road, Long Island City and look for the garage boldly painted with the team’s purpose: “We Make Places Beautiful”.

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Police are asking for the public’s help in finding the suspect who knocked out an intoxicated man on a Long Island City street.

On Sunday, Aug. 5, at approximately 1:15 a.m, it was reported to police that a witness standing on the sidewalk on 29th Street saw an intoxicated man banging on random cars.

One of the cars that the 35-year-old victim banged on belonged to the unidentified male suspect, authorities said, who allegedly got out of his car and punched the man in the face on the corner of 29th Street and 41st Avenue.

The victim fell back and lost consciousness when his head hit the pavement, police said.

Officers from the 114th Precinct responded to the scene. Paramedics brought the victim to a nearby hospital where he is reportedly in critical condition.

Video and photo evidence show the suspect fleeing the scene inside a white SUV, headed northbound on 29th Street. Police sources described the individual as a bald, dark-skinned male, who was last seen wearing a light-colored, long-sleeved shirt and jeans.

Photo courtesy of the NYPD

Photo courtesy of the NYPD

Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls and messages are kept confidential.

This weekend, The Arc (36-35 35th St) in Long Island City is hosting a benefit to bring awareness to the hundreds of families at the United States-Mexico border who remain separated.

Music media company DMNDR and theater group Slightly Altered States will present “Sanctuary” — a benefit from the Immigrant Families Together (IFT) organization — on Saturday, Aug. 4 from 3 to 6 p.m.

According to a spokesperson for the event, five bands are slated to perform at the event: 86 Supreme, Random Access Music, Martin Kelly, HaRi MiNT, and Billy Conahan. There will also be a theatrical adaptation by Slightly Altered States, during which they will incorporate letters that were written by detained immigrants.

Sari Caine, the co-founder of Slightly Altered States and award-winning playwright wrote the adaptation, which uses letters and articles mixed with first-person fictionalized narrative. The piece involves a diverse cast of 17 people, including DACA recipient Sergio Mauritz Ang who came from Manila, Philippines when he was 11 years old.

Thursday, July 26 marked the court-mandated deadline for the Trump administration to reunite the thousands of children separated from their family. But according to Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, there are still many who have not been brought back together.

“These parents and children have lost valuable time together that can never be replaced, said Gelernt. “We’re thrilled for the families who are finally reunited, but many more remain separated. The Trump administration is trying to sweep them under the rug by unilaterally picking and choosing who is eligible for reunification. We will continue to hold the government accountable and get these families back together.”

The event is free, but donations are welcome and can be made at immigrantfamiliestogether.com. Those who cannot attend the event can watch live performances at facebook.com/DMNDR/.

LONG ISLAND CITY, QUEENS — Police are searching for the perp who shot a man in the leg during an argument outside a Long Island City apartment complex Tuesday.

The 24-year-old man was standing outside the Luna Apartments on Crescent Street near 42nd Road at about 4:30 p.m. when he got into an argument with a man walking along the sidewalk, cops said.

The passerby then pulled a gun on the man in the left thigh, authorities said. He is seen on surveillance footage firing twice before running away.

The man was rushed to Elmhurst General Hospital, where he’s currently in stable condition.

Police described the suspect as a man in his mid-twenties with a medium complexion, a medium build and black hair. He was last seen wearing a black backpack and a tan baseball hat, shirt and cargo pants.

Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).

Lead photo via Google Maps/November 2017

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LONG ISLAND CITY, Queens — Police are asking the public’s help identifying a man who was caught on video pulling out a gun and firing it, hitting another man in Queens.

Police said the victim, 24, got into a verbal dispute with an unknown individual while walking on the side walk on Crescent Street near Queensboro Plaza around 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Surveillance video shows the suspect pulling out a firearm and shooting it, striking the victim in the left thigh.

The victim was transported to a hospital where he is in stable condition.

Police said the suspect is in his mid-20s. He was last seen wearing a black backpack, a black shirt, tan cargo pants and a tan baseball hat.

Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting www.nypdcrimestoppers.com, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).

LONG ISLAND CITY, QUEENS — Long Island City residents can take the New York City Ferry to even more parts of lower Manhattan when the service launches its new Lower East Side route on Aug. 29, city officials announced Wednesday.

Long Island City will be the last stop on the new route, which will take passengers on a 32-minute trip up the coast of Lower Manhattan from Wall Street/Pier 11, to Corlears Hook, Stuyvesant Cove and East 34th Street before landing at Gantry Plaza State Park in the Queens neighborhood, according to the NYC Economic Development Corporation.

“For the same cost of a subway ride, New Yorkers that live and work in these communities will now have a fast, affordable and convenient way to get around the city,” said NYCEDC President James Patchett.

The route will become the third to service west Queens. It’s similar to the Astoria route, which docks in the neighborhood’s Hallets Cove and makes stops in Long Island City, Roosevelt Island, East 34th Street and Wall Street/Pier 11. Though the East River route primarily services Brooklyn, it also makes a stop in Queens at Hunters Point South.

On the borough’s other side, a Rockaway route takes passengers between the southeast Queens beach, Brooklyn’s Sunset Park and Wall Street/Pier 11.

Since its May 2017 launch, NYC Ferry has served more than 5 million riders across the Astoria, East River, South Brooklyn and Rockaway routes. The new Lower East Side route is projected to serve another million riders, which the city expects will shrink commutes for residents of those neighborhoods.

Before the Lower East Side route launches, the city will kick off the Soundview line on Aug. 15. That will shuttle riders between the Bronx’s Clason Point Park, East 90th Street on the Upper East Side, East 34th Street and Wall Street in a 54 minute trip.

Lead photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images

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According to Joia Aliperti, there are a lot of factors that set the Workout Factory in Long Island City apart from other fitness studios.

“There’s a workout culture going on that’s more than just boring workout classes,” said Aliperti, who is the Workout Factory’s studio and marketing manager.

The LIC studio, which is located in the warehouse of LIC Food and Flea (5-25 46th Ave.) is owned by husband-and-wife team Martin Kerestes and Zhana Galijasevic.

A self-proclaimed “product of the product,” Aliperti started out at the Workout Factory as a member, but soon became a part of the fitness studio’s team. The studio and marketing manager has most recently become a certified spin instructor at the studio.

Photo courtesy of Workout Factory

Aliperti described the Workout Factory as a facility where members can get an “awesome workout,” as well as a place that fosters friendships inside and outside the studio. 

“Many of our members never thought they’d have such a tight-knit group of people to hang out with that care so much about their well-being,” Aliperti said.

She attributes the warm and friendly workout culture in the studio to its slate of “all-star” trainers who strive to help members stay inspired and have fun.

Three of the Workout Factory instructors that she highlighted are Alex Redelico (@alexredfit), Dean DeLuna (@deanfitmachine) and Cameron Norsworthy (@littlegirlbigbun), all of whom Aliperti praised for their commitment to the studio and its members.

“The instructors we have are the best in the industry. I’m picky about who we hire because I want the quality of the product to stay high,” Aliperti said.

She said that Redelico and DeLuna came to them from the team at ClassPass Live, which offers digital, at-home fitness classes to those who may not be able to make it to a gym or studio to work out. Norsworthy joined the Workout Factory from one of Kerestes and Galijasevic’s other companies, The Yoga Room. The trio teaches a variety of classes including fitness, spin and barre.

Photo courtesy of Workout Factory

“All of our instructors know our members’ names and many have become good friends. That’s something I just don’t see anywhere else,” Aliperti said. “When you have top-notch instructors who care, it translates into genuine friendships that happen organically.”

Recently, instructors and members from the Workout Factory participated in a bowling tournament at the Gutter Bar LIC. Aliperti said that each of the instructors led a team of members and it was a great opportunity for everyone to get together outside of the gym.

In addition to the studio’s workout culture, Aliperti shared that the Workout Factory hosts special contests for its members, both to encourage members and to foster a fun environment.

One of the contests is the Spin Club challenge, which awards gold stars to members who complete spin classes at the studio. Once someone reaches 15 classes, they get a special T-shirt that Aliperti said “initiates” them into the club, as well as a hot pink bracelet. Aliperti added that members could also gain “bonus stars” by being active on social media and posting photos.

“What happens at Spin Club stays at Spin Club,” said Aliperti, who shared that the name is a play on “Fight Club.”

Photo courtesy of Workout Factory

Another contest is the Summer InBody challenge, where members weigh themselves on the InBody machine, which Aliperti described as a “super high-tech, incredible scale,” to measure things like their weight, body fat percentage, symmetry in limbs and basal metabolic rate. She said that the challenge is used to help members with their eating and lifestyle choices.

In June, 75 members got on the scale and weighed themselves and Aliperti said they will get back on the scale in September to see if they achieved their goals. At the end of the challenge, members will be gifted with a backpack of swag, containing items like a water bottle, socks, a bandana and a sweat wristband.

The Workout Factory is opened seven days a week and a schedule of classes is available on the studio’s page. For more information about the studio, visit their website at wfnyc.com or call 718-392-2797.

There has been a noticeably sharp increase in residential development in New York City so far in 2018, but nowhere is it more prominent than in Queens, according to a new report released by New York YIMBY.

In the real estate publication’s first-ever mid-year pipeline report on July 30, it shows that the number of new residential units in Queens rose from 1,867 in the first half of 2017 to 4,536 in 2018 — an increase of 243 percent and the largest growth of the five boroughs. Overall, the citywide year-over-year numbers show that new residential units have risen from 9,134 in the first six months of 2017, to 15,305 in 2018 — an increase of 67.5 percent. 

Much of the growth in housing in Queens has been powered by Long Island City, which is rapidly turning into a city all its own. In just the past two weeks, two proposed developments have been revealed as being contenders for the tallest buildings in the borough; a 750-foot, mixed-use tower on 24th Street and a 752-foot condominium tower on 44th Drive.

In April, the previous contender for the tallest building in Queens was a 710-foot mixed-use tower on 41st Avenue.

While such towers have prompted local leaders to speak out about the zoning laws in the area, the YIMBY report suggests that the surge in Long Island City could have positive effects as the supply meets the demand for housing.

“As supply finally meets demand, price decreases in the neighborhood may also continue, offering New Yorkers opportunities for legitimately affordable market-rate housing that is extremely proximate to the city’s main job centers in Manhattan, and disproving the NIMBYs who insist that new construction can only result in rising housing costs,” the article said.

In other parts of the borough where developments call for zoning changes, the plans have been met with heavy resistance. In June, Community Board 2 voted against a proposed development with 561 apartments on Queens Boulevard, but the plan is still under review by the borough president, City Planning Commission and City Council.

Plans for another tower on Queens Boulevard that would reach 23 stories and contain more than 100 apartments were also revealed in July.

In addition, the report suggests that hotel applications have seen an increase while the city attempts to curb their growth by amending the zoning laws for M-1 districts. Through the first half of 2018, 2,337 new hotel rooms have been submitted compared to 2,114 in the first half of 2017, an increase of 11 percent.

Overall, new units filed in the five boroughs are projected to reach 30,000 by the end of the year, according to the report.