Jackson Heights Life

Not to hijack this and perhaps it should have it's own thread but if you go by 75th street and 37th road it is an outdoor market for used office furniture.

Delhi Heights Looks to Open Sidewalk Cafe in Pedestrian Plaza
By Smriti Rao 5/7/12



JACKSON HEIGHTS — Popular Jackson Heights restaurant Delhi Heights wants to open a sidewalk cafe this summer, making it the first eatery to do so along a busy commerical stretch.

Delhi Heights is getting its paperwork together to apply for the permit to serve food on the sidewalk in the new pedestrian plaza at 73rd and 74th streets on 37th Road, owner Mohan Baruwa told DNAinfo.com New York.

“We have a lot of people coming to the plaza now,” said manager Suman Oli.  “We wanted to make the most of our sidewalk outside.”

The pedestrian plaza opened last fall and has been controversial ever since. Many local merchants complain that the plaza has led to traffic congestion problems in the area, and led to a drop in business.

But people who live and work in the area were excited for the sidewalk cafe.

“I think the sidewalk café is a great idea,” restaurant worker Shipan Dey said in Hindi.

Restaurant worker Raju Rama, who spends his day off hanging out with friends at the plaza, was equally enthusiastic about a new café nearby.

“It should be clean and cheap, only then people will come,” he said, adding, “And the food should be tasty.”





Read more: http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20120507/jackson-heights/delhi-heights-looks-open-sidewalk-cafe-pedestrian-plaza#ixzz1uOoB8OyS

it's three guys with a truck. they're also there some evenings when i come home from work around seven or so...they block the sidewalk right alongside the army navy store with file cabinets, desk chairs and a few other things. all new but flimsy. and, chances are, of questionable lineage.

I'd like to see the seating doubled or tripled. It's so rare to be able to get a seat there.

More seating, I agree. Benches, like they have in front of the post office, would be great. I think the problem might be balancing seating on the concave asphalt. Remember when the tables used to be off to the side? They were wobbly. More centered, they seem to work better. This might be a problem they need to overcome, but benches on the street-side of the sidewalk might work.

there were fire trucks on 35th avenue and 77th street twice in the past week.

hey, maybe we should de-map the avenue?

sorry, beech...just having a little fun.

finally! maybe an end to the madness.


http://www.timesledger.com/stories/2012/33/plazareconciled_at_2012_08_16_q.html

In a capstone to a nearly yearlong fight, City Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) and business owners in Jackson Heights announced Friday the controversy around the 37th Road Plaza was essentially over now that the businesses have created an organization to care for the space.

“I have looked forward to this day coming for a very long time,” Dromm said.

Business owners Agha Saleh and Shazia Kausar instituted the new group, Sukhi NY. The organization, the name of which means “prosperity and happiness” in Hindi, aims to both work with the city Department of Transportation to improve the quality of life in the plaza and hold events there to bring the diverse populations of Jackson Heights together.

“This is the best solution,” said Kausar, who is president of the organization and owns the café Bombay Chat. “We will make this plaza beautiful and more people will come.”

Following the findings of a transportation study for Jackson Heights and with the approval of Community Board 3, the city DOT installed a plaza on 37th Road between 73rd and 74th streets in October. After 37th Road was closed, many business owners said they experienced large drops in their sales and witnessed an increase in vagrancy. They raised their problems at multiple meetings with the DOT and members of CB 3.

As the weather became warmer, however, more shoppers and residents began to use the plaza. Sukhi hopes to keep the momentum going by using the plaza as a place to hold events.

From Thursday, Aug. 16, to Monday, Aug. 20, Sukhi will hold a Chaand Raat Festival/Eid Baazar to celebrate the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

“You will see this street further transformed into a beautiful area in honor of those holidays,” Dromm said.

Both Shiv Dass, president of the Jackson Heights Merchants Association, and Mohammad Peer, of the Bangladeshi Merchants Association, said they were glad a compromise had been reached.

“This is a great day,” Peer said. “After months of misunderstanding, we have restored our differences.”

Dromm said he believed a solution was able to be reached because throughout the debate the lines of communication were kept open between those who opposed the plaza and those who were for it. He encouraged all residents, even non-Muslims, to take part in the Eid celebration and enjoy the diverse community.

“We are all in this together, and as Agha said, we are all Americans,” Dromm said. “This is our neighborhood. These are all our shops.”

Reach reporter Rebecca Henely by e-mail at rhenely@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4564.

Yeah, cleaning is a plus, always.