Just in time for spring GatewayJFK, is launching a new neighborhood beautification program. To kickoff of the program GatewayJFK is holding a 2-day cleanup on Wed. March 20^th and Thurs. March 21^st, where 10 workers will go over every street, sidewalk and median in the 215-acre district to make sure that the neighborhood is thoroughly cleaned.

The cleanup is being directed by Wildcat Services who provide transitional employment and vocational training to public assistance recipients, justice-involved individuals and residents of homeless shelters. After the Spring Clean-up event Wildcat’s staff, recognizable in their bright green shirts; will continue to work in the district on a weekly basis to provide street and sidewalk cleaning, trash removal, graffiti removal, and landscaping services.

“This is the perfect time to hold this event.” Said Scott Grimm-Lyon, Executive Director of GatewayJFK. “Spring Cleanings help us enjoy the nice weather and by cleaning the neighborhood, the workers and residents of the area will be able to take pride in their community and feel like this is a place that’s cared for, healthy, and economically sound.”

This month GatewayJFK has documented and reported over 250 potholes, broken curbs, and other problems in the business improvement district. All issues have been reported to the City, and GatewayJFK is working with the NYC DOT to track and monitor the status of repairs.

“We are going to have the City fill every single pothole, plant a tree in every empty tree pit, and fix the other problems with our streets and sidewalks.” said Scott Grimm-Lyon, Executive Director of GatewayJFK.

Due to the commercial nature of the neighborhood, which includes a lot of heavy truck traffic, potholes are an ongoing problem. This is the first effort GatewayJFK has made to report all potholes in the district at once, and work with the city to implement district wide repairs. Once the initial round of repairs are complete, GatewayJFK plans to continue tracking and reporting issues in the neighborhood.

To help in these efforts GatewayJFK has developed a quality of life tool to help workers and residents report potholes and other issues including flooding, downed telephone poles, abandoned vehicles, and illegal dumping on their website at gatewayjfk.org.

The tool helps GatewayJFK track the problems in the community and improve response times from government agencies. “We help our members by navigating government relationships and spending our staff time to solve problems that they may not have time to deal with,” said Grimm-Lyon.

GatewayJFK is working with local business owners, residents, DSNY, and the NYPD to stop illegal dumping in the area.

GatewayJFK is working to make sure that garbage is removed from the street quickly and in a way that will have as little impact on business as possible.

If you experience illegal dumping near your business or home, or if you have any information related to illegal dumping in the area  please contact Scott Grimm-Lyon the Executive Director of GatewayJFK at 516-730-3400 or by email at scott@gatewayjfk.org.

GatewayJFK will be participating as an exhibitor at the JFK Air Cargo EXPO 2019. This year’s event marks the events 20th Anniversary; it will be held on March 28th at Russo’s on the Bay in nearby Howard Beach, Queens, New York.

Ms. Suzy Wardle, Head of Digital & Distribution, Virgin Atlantic Airways Cargo will be the EXPO Luncheon Keynote Speaker. A well-accomplished industry executive, Suzy will provide her unique and cutting edge views on digitization, business simplification, e-commerce, and the future of customer interaction.

The EXPO begins with Opening Remarks from Charles Everett, General Manager of John F. Kennedy International Airport, followed by the EXPO Panel Session entitled “Connecting Air Cargo’s Dots”.
Brandon Fried, Executive Director of the Airforwarder’s Association will moderate a panel of industry experts which include Joseph Cipolla, Senior Director – Global Airfreight, Crane Worldwide Logistics, Mike Minear, Managing Member of Airport Properties Solutions, LLC, Rene Espinet, Vice President of Global Partnerships, Forwardair, and Ruth Lamdan, North America & Mexico Commercial Manager, CAL Cargo Airlines.

GatewayJFK will have a table in the EXPO Exhibition section, which features scores of exhibitors from all segments of the industry displaying their products and services. As an EXPO exhibitor we will have a direct face-to-face interaction and networking with GatewayJFK members, airlines, freight forwarders, and other air cargo industry key decision-makers in a dedicated and focused environment.

Toronto Students Tour NYC Planning
from Planning Magazine, January 2019

http://gatewayjfk.org/wp-content/uploads/Toronto-Students-Tour-NYC-Planning-Photo-2.pdf

Tom Ostler, an instructor at Toronto’s Ryerson School of Urban & Regional
Planning, crossed the border with a group of his planning students for a study
trip to New York City this past September. With help from fellow instructor
Shahan Deirmenjian and Scott Grimm-Lyon, AICP, the New York City
representative to APA New York Metro Chapter, Ostler organized tours,
discussions, and meetings with planners and allied professionals for insight
into the city’s complex planning issues.

The four-day itinerary
included walking tours of Lower Manhattan — which focused on the history of
architecture and zoning — and Hudson Yards and the High Line, led by staff from
the Hudson Yards/Hell’s Kitchen Alliance and the Pratt Institute. Grimm-Lyon,
executive director of GatewayJFK, facilitated a discussion on the JFK Airport
Business Improvement District, and staff from the department of city planning
shared the history of Hudson Yards and New York City’s Privately Owned Public
Spaces, an incentive program that provides private owners with bonus floor area
in exchange for public space. A meeting with the Metro Transit Authority closed
out the trip, allowing students to hear from the chief environmental engineer
about Hurricane Sandy recovery and implementation of resiliency measures.
Between it all, the students were given plenty of time to explore the city.

“We are very
appreciative of the time and energy that these professionals put into our
meetings,” says Ostler. “These annual field trips are an important
part of Ryerson’s curriculum in that we believe it is important for the
students to experience major international cities through a planner’s
eye.”

Published in: Airport Voice
Monday, April 30, 2018
By: Jeff Yapalater

Gateway JFK began as JFK Ibid in 2014 as a plan to create a district to revitalize the Springfield Garden area surrounding the JFK Airport by making the cargo community aware of the benefits of nearby off airport real estate, business opportunity and economic advantages.

Since the inception the JFK IBid name has now changed to Gateway JFK… Read More

Nov. 16, 2016 – The Greater JFK BID District Plan provides for the creation of the 73rd business improvement district in NYC.  Read More

<Read Press Release>  JFK IBID Planning Committee – Oct 2014

CITY RECORD- 9-25-2014 – NYC Department of Transportation Proposed Rule Change – PUBLIC NOTICE

< Read Article > Wall Street Journal – February 14, 2014