As we look forward to 2023, QNS is looking back at the top stories throughout 2022.
Below are the top stories from the month of September, including the completion of LaGuardia Airport’s new Terminal B; the loss of a beloved White Castle in Jackson Heights’ Robert De Niro getting the green light to build a film studio in Astoria; and a children’s hospital in Bayside landing a huge donation.
Port Authority announces completion of $4 billion Terminal B at LaGuardia Airport
The Port Authority celebrated the completion of the new $4 billion Terminal G at LaGuardia Airport, which features 1.35 million square feet of new facilities, 35 gates, a 3,000-car parking garage, and newly covered pickup areas for taxis and ride-shares. Located on the western side of the airport, the new terminal has opened in phases in recent years, with the first of 18 new gates and the first new concourse welcoming passengers in late 2018.
“Every single traveler coming to Terminal B will now have a world-class experience going from curb to gate or from gate to curb,” Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton said. “New York at long last has the world-class gateway that a world-class city and state deserve.”
The airport, once described by President Joe Biden as something out of a “third-world country,” has transformed into an award-winning flight hub, according to Governor Kathy Hochul.
“We have literally gone from worst to best and I love it,” Hochul said. “This is just a statement of who we are. We know we’re the best. We know we’re the best, but sometimes you need the places to speak that loudly as well, and this place shouts it from the mountaintops.”
Historic Jackson Heights White Castle closes its doors
After almost 87 years in business, the White Castle located on Northern Boulevard in Jackson Heights permanently closed its doors after it was struggling with sales. The restaurant, located at 88-08 Northern Blvd., first opened on Aug. 1, 1935.
“As a family-owned business that’s been around for 100 years, one of the things we’ve learned is that every Castle has different cost structures, challenges and opportunities,” White Castle Vice President Jamie Richardson said. “We reached a point with rising costs and increasing uncertainty as we continue to encounter the pandemic where we made the tough call to close this one location.”
White Castle, best known for its square-shaped sliders, has six other locations around Queens and does not plan to close any of the other stores. The employees at the Jackson Heights location have been offered ongoing employment with White Castle and are continuing to work at the nearby chains.
“Deciding to close a Castle is one of the toughest decisions we ever made,” Richardson said. “It’s an amazing feat in the restaurant world when any location, any type of cuisine, lasts 10 years or more. To have an over 86-year run from a fast food restaurant operating on the same corner is unheard of.”
Robert De Niro-backed Wildflower Studios gets final approval to start construction in Astoria
The city has given the green light to Wildflower Studios to begin construction of its massive, state-of-the-art, $600 million film production facility that will rise next to the Steinway Piano company along Luyster Creek in Astoria.
The Robert De Niro-helmed project received its final permit from the Department of Buildings on Jan. 25 and will start construction on the seven-story studio complex nearly two years after the group closed on a deal for the 5.25 acres for more than $71 million. When completed, Wildflower Studios will join Kaufman Astoria Studios and Silvercup Studios in the entertainment production sector in western Queens.
“Astoria and the borough of Queens as a whole have been titans of the television and film industry for decades, creating thousands of jobs and indirectly supporting countless families,” Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said. “We can’t wait to welcome Robert De Niro, another industry titan, and Wildflower Studios to the ‘World’s Borough’ with open arms. We look forward to seeing the fruits of the studio’s Queens-based vision on the big screen in the near future.”
Queens Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tom Grech said he was delighted to welcome Wildflower Productions, a valued member of the chamber, to Astoria.
“Western Queens has established itself as a premier location for film and television production,” Grech said. “The addition of Wildflower Productions will help create more good-paying jobs for Queens residents working in the industry, and catalyze economic activity that supports local small businesses. I look forward to seeing a generation of iconic films shot and produced in our own backyard.”
St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children in Bayside receives largest donation in its history
A children’s hospital in Bayside, which has served the northeast Queens community for more than 150 years, received the largest gift in its history.
St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children received a $20 million donation from Cindy S. Johnson that will help ensure the financial stability of St. Mary’s and accelerate the launch of innovative programs, including remote services delivery.
St. Mary’s provides a continuum of care to children with medically complex conditions through its in-patient hospital facility in Bayside, as well as home care services and community programs. It is the only provider of rehabilitative and long-term care for children in New York City.
“The families of St. Mary’s will never forget this incredibly generous gift from Cindy Johnson. Her support through the years has been transformative for these children as they face and overcome tremendous obstacles,” said Dr. Edwin Simpser, president and CEO of St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children. “This donation will allow us to expand our innovative programs and continue to fund remote service delivery, which has truly saved lives during the pandemic.”
