Julian Wager, President, Central Astoria LDC
Julian Wager, founder and president of the Central Astoria LDC, passed away on Wednesday, January 6. He was 80 years old.
A merchant on Steinway Street who was born and raised in the neighborhood, he founded the organization in 1979 and also went on to establish the Steinway Street Business Improvement District (BID) in 1991.
“He was irreplaceable in all the things he did,” said Marie Torniali, Executive Director, Central Astoria LDC. “Without him the BID would never have been. He did so many things for this community.”
Among them, she said, was the creation of the Waterfront Concert Series as well as Movies on the Waterfront.
“He was a very determined, ‘I won’t take no for an answer’ kind of person,” she explained. “He was more than our leader, he was oru friend.”
Wager is survived by six daughters and nine grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at the Astoria Center of Israel. Interment was at Mt. Hebron Cemetery.
