Dan Rose, Author at The Flushing Blog

Goldfish Swim School to open location at Tangram

December 13, 2019December 10, 2019Dan Rose

A leading swim school franchise with nearly 100 locations nationwide is expanding to Tangram.

Goldfish Swim School has committed to an approximately 8,000-square-foot indoor space at the Flushing mega-development, developers announced earlier this week.

The facility is slated to open by spring 2021.

Goldfish Swim School will have a 75-foot, three-lane pool with a viewing area for parents, as well as a snack bar.

The school teaches more than 130,000 children, ranging from infants to 12 year olds, per week across the country.

In addition to offering swim sessions, Goldfish will also host birthday parties with a special party package that includes invitations, two hours of private access to the facility, certified lifeguards, cupcakes and beverages, balloons and more.

The Tangram location is expected to accommodate more than 3,000 kids and parents each week.

Center for the Women of New York reopens in Fort Totten

December 10, 2019Dan Rose

Over the weekend, the Center for the Women of New York (CWNY) celebrated its grand opening at its new facility on Fort Totten.

CWNY was founded in 1987 by Ann Juliano Jawin as a nonprofit membership organization. The group works for full equality for women’s rights.

The center offers women a safe place for their exploration of short-term, low-cost career paths. It includes a legal clinic, referral service, job club, financial clinic and support groups for women in crisis and victims of domestic violence.

For five years, CWNY had a building at 401 Weaver Street on Fort Totten. The city evicted the center, and after a legal challenge, they reached a compromise to restore a historic landmark building at 207 Totten Avenue.

The site had not been used or maintained in 35 years, and required a lot of expensive renovations, estimated at $3 million.

Borough President Melinda Katz, Assemblyman Ed Braunstein, Assemblyman David Weprin, Councilman Paul Vallone and former Assemblywoman Ann-Margaret Carrozza provided the funding, along with private donors.

For now, CWNY will operate on the building’s first floor while funds are raised for the rest of the floors and an elevator.

Queens College Choral Society to perform “Carmina Burana”

December 5, 2019November 26, 2019Dan Rose

At Queens College’s 79th annual Winter Concert on December 14 at 8 p.m., the QC Choral Society will perform the celebrated cantana “Carmina Burana.”

The performance will take place in the Colden Auditorium.

Based on medieval texts, “Carmina Burana” is one of the most popular choral works of all time. Its opening chorus, “O Fortuna,” has permeated pop culture as background music for movies such as “The Doors,” “The Messenger,” “The Hunt for Red October” and “Excalibur.”

The performance will feature pianists Max Midroit and Sarang Kim, percussion students from the Aaron Copland School of Music, professional soloists Stefanie Izzo (soprano), Sungwon Jin (tenor) and Sidney Outlaw (baritone).

James John, a professor of conducting at the Aaron Copland School of Music and music director of the choral society, will conduct.

For more details, including ticket information, see here.

Queens College ranked fourth on National Social Mobility Index

December 3, 2019Dan Rose

Queens College has moved up to fourth in the annual social mobility index.

Issued by CollegeNET, which provides web-based services to higher education and nonprofit institutions, the index measures the extent to which a college or university educates more economically disadvantaged students at lower tuition and graduates them into good-paying jobs.

QC was ranked 11th in the index last year.

According to the index, Queens College has a tuition of $7,138, and 44.4% of Queens College students are considered low-income students.

Those students who graduate earn a median early career salary of $48,200 per year.

Tour six historic Queens houses during #HollyTour2019

November 28, 2019November 26, 2019Dan Rose

Here’s your chance to visit six Flushing landmarks all in one day.

Sunday, December 8 is #HollyTour2019, when the doors for these historic sites will be open to the public: Bowne House, Flushing Town Hall, Quaker Meeting House, Kingsland Homestead, Lewis Latimer House Museum and Voelker Orth House.

There will be family-friend activities, performances, displays and refreshments throughout the tour from 1 to 5 p.m.

All-inclusive tickets are $15 in advance, but $20 at the door. Children under 12 years old can attend for $5 each.

The tour is organized by the Queens Historical Society.

For more information, visit www.queenshistoricalsociety.org or contact Jeran Halfpap at 718-939-0647 ext. 14 or at jeranh@queenshistoricalsociety.org.

Nancy Shannon joins Queens Botanical Garden board

November 26, 2019Dan Rose

Portrait of Nancy Shannon. Photographed on April, 3, 2019 at 4 Irving Place

Queens Botanical Garden’s Board of Trustees has welcomed a new member.

Nancy Shannon, the vice president of human resources at Con Edison, joined the board this month.

A Queens resident, Shannon has over 30 years of managerial and leadership experience in human resources, environment, health and safety and customer operations.

She will play a big role in helping QBG advance its mission during her three-year term.

“The QBG is one of our city’s treasures because of its wonderful educational programs and dedicated environmental stewardship,” Shannon said. “I am honored, delighted and eager to help carry on such great work.”

Braunstein sponsors 9th annual Holiday Gift Drive

November 24, 2019November 19, 2019Dan Rose

Assemblyman Ed Braunstein is sponsoring his 9th annual holiday gift drive for hospitalized veterans and hospitalized children.

For the veterans, his office will collect donations of items such as:

Candy
Pajamas
Robes
Slippers
Socks
Sweaters
Shaving cream
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Playing cards
Puzzles

They will be distributed to the men and women at St. Albans VA Community Living Center, as well as the New York State Veterans’ Home.

For the toy drive for needy and hospitalized children, donate unwrapped new toys for children of all ages.

Gifts should be delivered by Tuesday, December 17 at Braunstein’s office, located at 213-33 39th Avenue, Suite 238.

They can also be dropped off at the offices of Dr. William M. Duke (35-01 202nd Street) or Community Board 11 (46-21 Little Neck Parkway).

For more information, call Braunstein’s office at 718-357-3588.

Kim, AREAA host Thanksgiving turkey giveaway

November 21, 2019November 19, 2019Dan Rose

On Tuesday, November 26, Assemblyman Ron Kim is teaming up with the New York East Chapter of the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) and Flushing Town Hall for a Thanksgiving turkey giveaway.

The event will be held at the Garden of Flushing Town Hall, located at 137-35 Northern Boulevard at 1 p.m.

All those who are interested in receiving a free turkey and live in Flushing can pick up a voucher ticket at Assemblyman Kim’s office, located at 136-20 28th Avenue from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

AREAA sponsored 275 turkeys this year. The giveaway is limited to one turkey per family.

The priority will be given to local residents, especially those living in Flushing.

Flushing Chamber to present marketing workshop for local buinesses

November 19, 2019Dan Rose

On Wednesday, November 20, the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce will host a mobile marketing workshop called “5 Easy Ways to Use Your Phone for Marketing.”

The workshop for local business owners will take place at Kenvic Training Center, located at 36-57 Main Street, 2nd floor, from noon to 2 p.m.

The event is free and open to the public. Advance registration required here.

The workshop will be led by Giovanna Sun, a marketing expert with a decade of experience as a Google-certified search engine optimization (SEO) and paid search strategist.

Sun co-founded Sosokan Technology and is a minority and women-owned business enterprise (MWBE)-certified entrepreneur. Sun’s expertise includes digital media planning and buying, graphic design, project management, brand identity and social media.

At the end of the workshop, small business owners will understand how to use their phones for mobile app promotions, photography, videos and social media.

The workshop is organized by the Greater Flushing Chamber as part of its Flushing Fantastic digital marketing campaign, funded by the Department of Small Business Service’s Neighborhood 360° program.

Tangram House South to begin closings

November 16, 2019November 12, 2019Dan Rose

Tangram House South, the first residential tower to be completed at Tangram, has commenced closings and begun move-ins, the developers announced last week.

The building is already nearly sold out thanks to its “unprecedented new lifestyle offerings” that combine 192 luxury homes with amenities, the developers said.

Located at 133-27 39th Avenue, Tangram House South has homes ranging from studios to three-bedrooms and penthouses.

Household amenities include five-inch wide white oak floors, ceiling that go up to 10 feet Miele kitchen appliances, custom-designed Italian cabinets with LED lighting, spacious closets, a washer and dryer, and even a built-in wine cooler in some units.

Nearly all of the homes offer balconies. Some have fireplaces, outdoor barbecue grills and private terraces.

Residents will also enjoy a health and wellness club, space facilities with saunas and a salt room, indoor-heated saltwater lap pool and more.

The attended lobby will have a 24-hour doorman, concierge and residents’ manager.