By Courtney Dentch
The Laurelton Local Development Corp. welcomed southeast Queens business and community leaders to their new office with a grand opening celebration Tuesday night.
The LLDC, which was formed just over a year ago, will use its new home at the Social Concern Building, 226-18 Merrick Blvd., to help stimulate economic growth in the area with a variety of programs, including a push to create a business improvement district along Merrick Boulevard, said H. Sidney Holmes, the chairman of the LLDC board.
Through their new office, LLDC members will offer financial and technological planning assistance to Laurelton's small-business owners and others in the community, Holmes said.
“With the opening of this office, the residents, businesses and property owners of Laurelton will now have a local, convenient place to go, in the heart of Laurelton's commercial strip,” Holmes said, describing the group as a “dedicated organization committed to promoting sound planning and improving the development of their neighborhood.”
The group is also sponsoring a Business Improvement District on Merrick Boulevard, which would allow the stores and offices to cooperatively collect funds to pay for sanitation and aesthetic services, including holiday lighting and decorative signs. The BID, an official city designation, requires that half the business owners be willing to participate, and the Merrick Boulevard stores have been receptive to the idea, Holmes said.
It will likely be another six months before the LLDC has the necessary majority needed to present the proposal to the city, Holmes said.
“What we're trying to do through the BID is street cleaning and security, and we hope to have either foot or car patrols,” he said. “By doing those things we hope to attract more of the Laurelton residents and residents from other areas.”
The LLDC also wants to tackle development planning to match businesses with vacant store fronts on Merrick Boulevard, Holmes said. There are about 30 vacancies on the thoroughfare, he said.
“One of the things that we're trying to do is determine what kind of business would be viable there,” he said. “We're looking to fill those stores.”
For example, clothing stores usually do not do well in that area because many Laurelton residents cross into Nassau County to shop at the Green Acres mall, Holmes said.
The LLDC is also working with Councilman James Sanders Jr. (D-Laurelton) on the community fund established by the Pathmark supermarket chain. The store agreed to pay $400,000 over the next 20 years to help local businesses and community groups. The LLDC will be among the first to receive funds so it can use the money to help other businesses, Holmes said.
“Our motto is 'working together to make Laurelton better,'” said Robert Butts, executive director of the LLDC.
Reach reporter Courtney Dentch by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com, or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 138.
