Dozens of Bayside establishments have remained open for business despite suffering significant damage during heavy flooding last week after a severe thunderstorm struck the neighborhood.
Numerous vehicles across Bayside were submerged during flash flooding that took place shortly after 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 31, while some local businesses, including several along Bell Boulevard, reported that their basements flooded with up to one foot of water during the weather emergency.
Gaspar Carillo, the owner of long-time Bayside establishment Cinco de Mayo at 42-29 Bell Blvd., showed video footage of his ceiling caving in as water leaked in through the roof above. The footage shows more than 30 feet of ceiling collapsing under the weight of the water onto the floor below, damaging equipment such as a television and a sound system.
Carillo estimates that the flood caused more than $20,000 worth of damage to his restaurant, with storm water also damaging dry goods stored in the restaurant’s basement.
Miraculously, Carillo was able to re-open the restaurant just two days after the floods after his landlord helped repair the collapsed ceiling, although he is still waiting on his insurance company to respond to his claim.
“I thought it would take more time (to reopen),” Carillo said, adding that it was “very scary” watching the water pour in from the ceiling.
Carillo praised the assistance of Council Member Vickie Paladino, the Bayside Village Business Improvement District (BID) and the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS), who deployed its Emergency Response Unit (ERU) to Bayside almost immediately after last week’s flooding.
The ERU, which provides direct, on-the-ground support to businesses impacted by emergencies across the city, helps small businesses by sharing relevant information, securing storefronts, expediting permits and providing free legal assistance both before and after emergencies take place.
Bernadette Nation, the ERU’s chief executive director, said the agency has already spoken directly with at least 50 businesses on Bell Boulevard, roughly a third of which suffered “significant” damage during the flooding.
Nation said the ERU collaborates with multiple city agencies such as the Department of Health, the Department of Buildings and the Fire Department to educate business owners on the type of help available to them, especially during times of emergencies.
She said small business owners typically discover that the ERU is fighting their corner after an emergency such as a flood or a fire and said it is imperative that business owners are aware of the help available to them after an emergency.
Nation implored small businesses to ensure they have adequate insurance that extends to flood coverage at a time when severe thunderstorms are becoming more commonplace. She also insisted that businesses should ensure that any goods stored in a basement are stored at least three feet above the ground to help protect against flood damage and other dangers.
“If I had the ability to speak to every business owner about preparing for disasters… I want them to know that they can prevent a lot of those occurrences if they did certain things.”
Nation said it is important to note that all impacted businesses reopened within two days of the flooding, adding that last week’s flooding did not come close to the damage inflicted by other storms.
Noah Sheroff, executive director of the Bayside BID, concurred with Nation, describing last week’s flood as “a lot but manageable.”
“There was a lot of flooding in the basement of various buildings, there were leaky roofs, there were issues with the windows and that, of course, impacted inventory and equipment,” Sheroff said. “But thankfully, it doesn’t look like anyone was wiped out and hasn’t been able to reopen.”
Sheroff paid tribute to the resiliency of local businesses for remaining open after suffering significant damage in the flooding, pointing to examples such as Cinco de Mayo where owners overcame substantial hurdles to almost immediately reopen. He also praised another business owner for “rolling up her sleeves” and removing mud, dirt and weeds that had ended up on her restaurant floor after the floods.
“I think it really shows their grit and determination,” Sheroff said. “You’re talking about somebody’s livelihood. You’re talking about something that they’ve already poured their blood, sweat and tears into. Of course, they’re going to do whatever they can to save it.”
Sheroff said Paladino has been “phenomenal” since the flooding, stating that the council member has brought multiple agencies into the area to help impacted businesses.
Paladino, meanwhile, said the flooding in Bayside and parts of Little Neck caught the community “by surprise” but praised the business community for its “excellent” response and recovery. Paladino praised city agencies for answering her calls immediately and deploying resources to the neighborhood, singling out the Department of Environmental Protection and Emergency Management commissioner Zach Iscoll.
“We experienced a cloudburst that dropped a significant amount of rain in a concentrated area in a very short period of time, and it accumulated on Bell Boulevard and parts of the Cross Island and Clearview Expressway,” Paladino said. “However, the water dissipated very quickly, cleanup crews removed debris and damaged cars within hours, and reports of damage to property have been far less than we expected.”
Paladino said she has prioritized cleaning sewers and catch basins in the area since taking office in 2022. She said those efforts have paid dividends and improved the area’s ability to handle heavy rainfall.
“Overall what could have been a days-long cleanup and serious property damage amounted to a relatively minor inconvenience. We have a lot more work to do, but we’re making real progress in District 19.”
