Mayor Hails Queens Film Industry

The mayor hailed LICBDC for spotlighting the Kaufman Astoria and Silvercup Studios.

"I love coming to Queens—it’s where the action is," Mayor Michael Bloomberg told the Long Island City Business Development Corporation (LICBDC) at the organization’s annual luncheon and trade show at Terrace on the Park November 12. He hailed LICBDC for spotlighting the Kaufman Astoria and Silvercup Studios as special honorees, noting that the film industry is one of the borough’s greatest assets. "We have more star power than Hollywood," he declared.

There are other improvements to the Queens economic picture as well. "This past week I welcomed Gelmart back to College Point," Bloomberg said. Gelmart, a manufacturer of intimate apparel ("Underwear to the rest of us," Bloomberg remarked) that was founded in Queens 50 years ago moved but found moving back to New York City cheaper and more efficient. "If there are no companies here, there are no jobs, Bloomberg said. "We acknowledge the value of retaining light manufacturing in neighborhoods like College Point."

Bloomberg, aware that his 550-person audience consisted mostly of business owners, turned from encomiums to offer a more realistic assessment of the state of the city in which those businesses operate. "The recession began in the year 2000," he said. "We’re looking at a $2 billion deficit in 2004 and a $3.5 deficit in 2005."

The picture is not entirely bleak, however. "We closed a $5 million deficit this year, and cut $3.5 billion in expenses," the mayor said. "The city has to balance its books. We’ve learned to do more with less. We want to make sure everybody who is here wants to stay here. That seems to be the case—our commercial vacancy rate is lower than that of any other U.S. city."

Gazette photo

Businesses are eager to be good neighbors as well, Bloomberg added. He noted that KeySpan had acceded to the city’s proposition to buy the Elmhurst tanks site so the property could be turned into a park, rather than hold a big box retail operation "KeySpan does care about New York City," Bloomberg said.

The housing picture is also improving, Bloomberg added. "Battery Park City is across the street from Ground Zero. Two years ago, people couldn’t live there. Today, there’s a 98 percent occupancy rate. Co-op apartment prices are higher than they were on Sept. 10, 2001. People want to be here."

However, the improving socioeconomic picture carries a price, Bloomberg added. "You can have safe streets or lower taxes. The only city agency to add more people is the Fire Department—the next class will graduate more firefighters than the last class to graduate two years ago." Running "lean and mean" seems to be working, Bloomberg added. "Crime is down 7.5 percent this year alone. We’ve brought the crime rate down by 10 and 15 percent in the past two years."

Bloomberg also noted other improvements to the quality of life in New York City that he has helped bring about. "We run the schools for the kids," he said. "We’re adding 10,000 new classrooms in Queens alone. The improvements to Queens Plaza, including MetLife moving its headquarters there, added 1,500 jobs. Rezoning Queens Plaza will add 11million square feet of office space. We’re trying to make the city a great partner for all the small businesses where 50 percent of the population are employed."

Bloomberg cited Queens as one of the great arts centers of the city. "But," he noted, "most of the arts in Queens are based in small cultural institutions that need financial help in any and all amounts. But city services are better than ever, and that’s mainly due to the 250,000 municipal employees who keep the city going and attractive."

During the luncheon, state Senator George Onorato swore in the LICBDC board of directors and City Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. installed Gary Kesner, incoming president.

Hal Rosenbluth of Kaufman Astoria Studios and Stuart and Alan Suna of Silvercup Studios were honored for their efforts in bringing about the resurgence of the film and television industry in Queens. The Suna brothers, whose father was a founding member of the LICBDC, bought the vacant Silvercup Bread bakery in 1980, opened Silvercup Studios in 1983, and so took the occasion to celebrate their 20th year in business.

Rosenbluth noted that Kaufman Astoria Studios opened as Paramount Studios in 1920 and was a vital part of the American film industry until the U.S. Army took over the facility in 1942. In 1974, the studio complex on 35th Avenue became vacant. After protracted efforts by George Kaufman and other community activists the city took over the property and leased it to the organization that became Kaufman Astoria Studios. Today a number of network television programs and major motion pictures are filmed on the studio’s sound stages." All of New York City is our home today," Rosenbluth said.

Borough President Helen Marshall noted that the history of the Queens film industry is outlined in a picture display that lines the walls of the corridor leading to her Borough Hall offices. She added that the MetLife tower addition to the insurance company’s headquarters on Queens Plaza is nearly complete and added that another new office tower will be going up on the site of the municipal parking garage on Queens Plaza North. She noted that plans are underway to make life safer for pedestrians who must cross Queens Plaza on foot. "Long Island City has come a long way," she noted.

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