Council Member Robert Holden and local leaders officially co-named the 71st Avenue Plaza at Myrtle Avenue as Herman Hochberg Plaza last week, honoring a longtime civic leader and businessman whose decades of service helped shape Ridgewood’s commercial and community landscape.
Herman Hochberg, who passed away on October 19, 2023, at the age of 93, was a founding member and later President and Chairperson of the Myrtle Avenue Business Improvement District (BID). He also served on Community Board 5 and was deeply involved in neighborhood improvement projects and local commerce throughout his life.
Hochberg owned Queens Wines and Liquors, a popular neighborhood liquor store located at 59-03 71st Ave., which he operated for 68 years before selling the business in 2016. The store has been a staple of Myrtle Avenue for nearly 70 years.
That same year, Hochberg reflected on his years of service and his commitment to Ridgewood’s growth. “I love the community and will continue to be active on all of the boards that I serve,” he said in 2016. “I’m not the type of person to sit at a beach. I’ve been working all my life, and I intend to serve on all the community boards I was on. I just want to thank the community for giving me a good run. I made many friends and am proud of the accomplishments of the BID and LDC and hope they continue.”
In addition to his BID leadership, Hochberg was also the founding chairman of the Ridgewood Local Development Corporation (RLDC), further demonstrating his longstanding commitment to revitalizing and supporting local businesses.
“The legacy Herman leaves behind is felt every day in Ridgewood,” said Council Member Holden. “He helped found the Myrtle Avenue BID, served alongside me on Community Board 5, and devoted countless hours to improving our neighborhood—all while running a successful local business. His legacy lives on in the vibrant corridor he helped build.”
The 71st Avenue Plaza, a pedestrian space in the heart of Ridgewood’s commercial core, was officially renamed in his memory during a public ceremony attended by family members, civic leaders and small business owners.
The event also recognized the retirement of Ted Renz, who served as executive director of the Myrtle Avenue BID for over a decade. Renz worked closely with Hochberg and other stakeholders to strengthen Ridgewood’s small business community.
“It was an honor to celebrate the legacy of community leader Herman Hochberg and the retirement of Myrtle Avenue Business Improvement District’s Ted Renz,” the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) said in a statement. “With SBS’s grants, Myrtle Avenue Business Improvement District has brought their community together by making Ridgewood cleaner and safer.”
Formed in the late 1980s, the Myrtle Avenue BID remains one of the longest-running Business Improvement Districts in Queens, covering Myrtle Avenue from Wyckoff Avenue to Fresh Pond Road. It supports Ridgewood businesses with sanitation, beautification, safety, and community engagement initiatives.
