Businesses lost a bundle to blizzard

The record setting blizzard that pounded all five boroughs on Sunday, December 26 brought the post-Christmas shopping rush to a stand-still for days after the storm.
Maria Thomson, executive director of the Greater Woodhaven Development Corporation Business Improvement District (GWDCBID), said that small business owners were hit hard by the lack of foot traffic following the storm.
“It’s going to cost them a lot,” said Thomson, who said that Woodhaven Boulevard and Jamaica Avenue were plowed quickly after the storm. “There was no one out shopping. There were no food deliveries because bikes and cars couldn’t get through. The snow was just unbelievable.”
“It affected business terribly,” said Dominick Bruccoleri, owner of Papazzio Restaurant on Bell Boulevard and vice president of the Bayside BID. “Right after Christmas, you get people that are still out and about. This blizzard put everybody in their house for three days.”
While Bell Boulevard was canvassed by snow-clearing vehicles, the mountains of man-made snow drifts hindered patrons parking availability. Bruccoleri said that his only option was to grin and bear it.
“They usually do a good job. The [Department of Sanitation (DOS)] workers were working 36 straight hours. I say hats off.”
Matthew Lipani, spokesperson for the DOS, said they are still engaged in snow clearing and hauling operations and those residents who need help with snow and ice removal should call 3-1-1. The DOS said that snow melters throughout the city have the capacity to melt 60 tons of snow an hour. That liquefied melted snow is drained through approved sewer connections after passing through filters that catch large debris.
Lipani said that the DOS will be attacking the issue of backlogged garbage for the rest of the week and collections should be all caught up “by the end of the week.” Residents can also put trees out for collection after stripping off all decorations.
Parking may have been scarce citywide, but those who found a spot enjoyed a week of free parking at meters. According to the Department of Transportation (DOT), suspending metered parking “made things easier for snow removal,” at a cost of about $300G a day citywide.