Long Island Main Street News March 31st, 2020
Here is today’s edition of LI Main Street News for day 16 of the Coronavirus shutdown. Included are community updates, new resources and info on upcoming SBA webinars. Check it out…..
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presented by Vision Long Island and the Long Island Main Street Alliance March 31st, 2020
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Helping Main Street through the
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Reports from Local DowntownsAt this time of uncertainty, we are beginning to see a number of downtowns being shuttered as bars, restaurants, and any place where multiple people congregate are running up against fears of and caution at spreading the Coronavirus. While this is a socially responsible action that will help to save lives, in the short term these actions are having a number of adverse effects on our local communities. Vision Long Island has collected a number of experiences from local restaurants and service businesses, but before we go into that we would like to encourage everyone reading this to find a way to responsibly patronize local establishments. Many stores are offering curbside pickup or online shopping to help them get through this difficult time. And your favorite restaurants are also currently open for business with takeout available. We also urge you to consider gift cards in order to purchase something at a later date for yourself, or perhaps to give as a present. Local shops are in a capable position to provide you with what you need in the short-term. Many will also be willing to accommodate you if you contact them ahead of time with requests that will minimize contact and help to lower the spread of this virus. Vision has connected to over 320 small businesses in over 40 downtowns as they weather the economic storm through the Coronavirus. We encourage people to responsibly patronize these and other open establishments who need your help in this time of crisis. Many of them have been there for local organizations and philanthropy – they now need our support. In the meantime, here is a selection of updates from Long Island downtowns, more to follow… Amityville
Day 15 of the Coronavirus economic shutdown brings us to downtown Amityville. The Village of Amityville has been a center of business and transportation on Long Island for years. Most recently it has successfully worked to embrace and balance downtown development, while retaining the charm and historical character of the Village. In 2019, the Village was awarded Vision LI’s 2019 “Strengthening Communities” Smart Growth Award for its GreenTek Living project, now known as the Village by the Bay. This project will transform previously zoned industrial property into 115 rental units in a Transit Oriented District that will help fuel development and spark downtown revitalization. Like all communities right now, the Village is hurting. “Our downtown is not in good shape now with some stores still doing takeout, others closed. People are wondering what kind of assistance they’re going to get. Biggest need is some kind of grants or loans that are less than the posted 3.5% interest rate. They need very low interest loans or grants to keep going,” explains Village Mayor Dennis Siry. Jeffrey Erath, President of the Amityville Chamber of Commerce, recognizes, “At this time, there is no way to estimate the economic loss to our residents and merchants, but we have a good idea where it is headed.” He punctuates, the community support shown in the past is what makes the Village an outstanding place to live. The Chamber invites the community to help support the current essential businesses (those open for curbside pick-up or delivery), as well as visiting local merchant’s websites to shop online. Here are restaurants making it work: Amity Ales is open for takeout, curbside & delivery Athena Greek Restaurant is open for takeout and curbside B & B Fish and Clam is open for curbside Blue T Pizza is open for takeout, curbside & delivery Brooklyn Fish is open for takeout K J Hero & Breakfast is open for takeout, curbside & delivery Peter’s Diner is open for takeout and delivery Raimo’s is open for takeout, curbside & delivery The Better Bagel is open for takeout and delivery The Cheesecake Spot is open for takeout The One Sushi is open for takeout and delivery Touch of Italy is open for takeout, curbside & delivery Zagloba Polish Bar & Restaurant is open for takeout Village of Hempstead
This past Sunday, March 29th was day 14 of the Coronavirus economic shutdown. We featured the Village of Hempstead then, which is an incredibly diverse community that has been planning revitalization projects over the last several years. Their downtown has incredible transportation access with a bus hub, a train station, and a strong street grid for walking and biking. They have a network of community, religious and business organizations that work along with their Village government to keep their downtown managed. Their 400,000 square feet of independent retail features over 50 restaurants that are still open for takeout or delivery. Here is a list of restaurants that are trying to make it work during this tough economic period. (Special thanks to Clariona Griffith from the Hempstead Chamber for getting this “open” listing over to us.) American Cuisine Kennedy Chicken & Sandwiches (Grubhub, doordash) Caribbean Cuisine Wood Fire Grill 516-738-9228 (Take Out) Chinese Cuisine Young Lin Kitchen 516-538-6861 (Take Out) Delis/Bodegas Bakery El Monte Sinai lll Deli (Take Out) Pizzeria/Italian Tony’s Pizza 516-485-7050 (Take Out) Spanish/Latin American Cuisine La Sevillana Bakery & Café 516-538-9857 (Take Out) SoulFood Brother Robinson & Genesis Soul Food Restaurant 516-280-4141 (Doordash, Grubhub, Take out) Huntington Station
Day 13 of the Coronavirus economic shutdown brings us to Huntington Station. Rich in diversity, strong community participation and easy access to an active train station are all assets to efforts looking to bring back this historic downtown. There has been a lot of investment into Huntington Station in recent years, especially north and south of the train station, with the goal of creating a walkable downtown area. Residents, business, and government have been working collaboratively for over many years to bring mixed-use development to Huntington Station. From the Northridge project on New York Avenue, to the ground breaking on Columbus Terrace, accomplishments have finally been mounting. In Supervisor Chad Lupinacci’s January 2020 release on the state of the Town of Huntington, he looked ahead by stating that “We will continue to revitalize Huntington Station, including progress on building a sewer infrastructure south of the train station to promote economic development, and we are looking at all levels of government to help source funding, including County, State, and Federal (EPA) branches. We expect to move forward on the Town’s second spray park at Manor Field Park and break ground on the James D. Conte Community Center to offer services for young people, senior citizens and veterans.” The economic calamity that faces all of Long Island’s downtowns as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak is hurting the small business that those revitalization efforts were helping. “Things are not good now,” stated longtime resident Jim McGoldrick as he spoke about Huntington Station on a conference call organized by LI Main Street Alliance. Jim expressed great concern over pending revitalization projects and the state of local businesses. “Business is slacking off, the ones that own their property are a bit more at ease, but shops that rent are having a big problem. Many are having a problem staying afloat. Local businesses need seminars on the programs out there that can help them. We don’t need vacancies – we need more town, state, and federal help.” Restaurants are doing their best to stay creative and remain open. Marie Michele Destil, owner of Gingerbites, exposes how big the hearts are in Huntington Station. “We’re not making any money, but we are staying open as a service to our community. Nurses come in here after long shifts, and serving them is the least we can do to help them.” Here is a sampling of local restaurants trying to make it work: Cinque Terre Ristorante is open for takeout, delivery & curbside Gingerbites Haitian Caribbean Cuisine open for takeout Giuseppes Pizza and Pasta Restaurant is open for takeout, delivery & curbside Joe’s Pizzeria is open for takeout, delivery & curbside Kohaku is open for takeout La Nonna’s Pizzeria is open for takeout, delivery & curbside Mama Lucia’s Pizzeria is open for takeout and delivery Marco’s is open for takeout, delivery & curbside Melissa Restaurant is open for takeout Pancho Villa’s II is open for takeout, delivery & curbside Pollo Campero is open for takeout Rincon Criollo is open for takeout, delivery & curbside Shah’s Halal Huntington Station is open for takeout Taqueria Mexico Lindo is open for takeout Baldwin
Day 12 of the Coronavirus Economic Shutdown has taken us to downtown Baldwin. Vision has had the opportunity to work with the folks in this community for many years as part of their ongoing revitalization effort. Community, business, and government in the Town of Baldwin have worked tirelessly to realize transit oriented development and help the town attract new businesses. They have also worked to create housing that appeals to young people, empty nesters, and community members who want easy access to New York City. Baldwin, like so many other downtowns, has started to make real strides towards this goal of creating a real sense of place. The Hempstead Town Board voted on January 21st to adopt the Baldwin zoning overlay district, which Vision was pleased to help draft. It was a community-driven process, with consensus and community collaboration thanks to all the levels of government working together. This was an important step in clearing the way for the $10 million state grant the town received to redevelop downtown Baldwin, paving the way for beautification projects and spurring growth of mixed-use development along Grand Avenue. The Coronavirus economic shutdown has unfortunately thrown off the course of this project. Town government, the Chamber, and the Baldwin Civic Association are focused on not only the health and safety of residents, but also the economic health and safety of the downtown. The Baldwin Chamber points out the one thing we can learn from this outbreak is that smaller, locally owned stores are vital to our community. While big chain stores are running with empty shelves and big crowds, locally owned small businesses can reorder quickly and from many sources to keep the shelves stocked. Like in every downtown, local businesses are doing their part, and support from residents is so important. Towards that goal, Baldwin Civic Association’s Karen Montalbano said there is a grassroots effort to get the word out, especially through social media, of businesses that are open. Here is a sampling of local restaurants making it work: A Touch Of Italy is open for takeout, delivery and curbside Ayhan’s is open for takeout, delivery and curbside Benny B’S is open for takeout and delivery Caribbean Cove Roti & Grill is open for takeout, delivery and curbside Coach Diner is open for takeout, delivery and curbside Coal House Grill is open for takeout and delivery DeFrancisco’s Pizzeria & Ristorante is open for takeout, delivery and curbside Delicious Moments Caterers is open for takeout and delivery Gino’s Pizza is open for takeout, delivery and curbside Mimi’s Kitchen is open for takeout No Good Burger Joint is open for takeout, delivery and curbside Novi – New Old Venice Inn is open for takeout, delivery and curbside Raagini is open for takeout, delivery and curbside Sweet & Savory Café is open for takeout Tropical Jerk is open for takeout The Irish Pub is open for takeout Valley Stream
Day 11 of the Coronavirus economic shutdown takes us to the Village of Valley Stream. The Village has approved and built a number of transit-oriented developments in recent years and was poised for an uptick of downtown activity in 2020. Last Tuesday was supposed to be a big day for local bars and restaurants as St. Patrick’s Day is usually one of the busier days of the year. But with Governor Cuomo’s executive order in full effect it was a rather stark one for Valley Stream businesses beginning to get hit by the Coronavirus shutdown. This mood was felt at numerous local establishments, including Buckley’s Restaurant and Bar, a 51-year-old establishment in downtown Valley Stream that had been reduced to a takeout service. Even with a temporary change in the state’s liquor laws to allow off-site sale of alcohol the business is expecting a big dent in normal patronage. “No one wants to close down, but it’s the right thing to do,” Buckley’s bartender Kenny Collins said. “You don’t want people to get sick, so you do what you have to do.” Another local establishment, Mitchell’s Restaurant, has already had to send home workers as business has declined and is currently working out a plan to be able to switch full time to takeout and delivery service. While owners and managers recognize the need for these sudden shifts, there is still much anxiety over how to do so and what the long term effects will be. But Mr. Notarbartolo also noted that his business had already been seeing a sharp downtick in business as customers began avoiding crowded places in recent weeks. It was already putting his establishment in a place where they needed to cut back on staffing hours. Fortunately for him a number of his staff are high school or college students who were looking for a little bit of extra cash, but there are a number of workers who rely on this as their primary source of income, and those are the ones who businesses are prioritizing at the moment. Kudos to Village of Valley Stream Mayor Ed Fare and his team for keeping the Village well managed during this crisis. Here are some of the restaurants that are open for takeout and delivery. Big Guys Burger & Grill is open for takeout and delivery Biryani House is open for takeout Boston Market is open for takeout, delivery & curbside Buckley’s is open for takeout Charlie Meaney’s is open for takeout, delivery & curbside Chicken Coop is open for takeout Dawat E Khaas is open for takeout Genovese Pizzeria is open for takeout, delivery & curbside IHOP is open for takeout and delivery Inatome Japanese Steak + Sushi is open for takeout, delivery & curbside John Anthony’s Pizzeria is open for takeout and delivery La familia Deli & Grill is open for takeout Mamma Gina’s Pizzeria of Valley Stream is open for takeout and delivery Mary’s is open for takeout is open for takeout and delivery Mia’s is open for takeout, delivery & curbside Mitchell’s Restaurant is open for takeout, delivery & curbside Pizza Amore is open for takeout Pomodorino Rosso is open for takeout and delivery Pretty Toni’s Café is open for takeout RoRo ‘s Gyro Place is open for takeout and delivery Rosas Pizza is open for takeout Sam’s Steak & Grill is open for takeout and delivery TRUFFLE Restaurant & Bar is open for takeout, delivery & curbside Great Neck Plaza
Day 10 of the Coronavirus economic shutdown brings us to the Great Neck Plaza. Amid Coronavirus concerns, the Village of Great Neck Plaza is putting residents first. As per Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order on March 16th, village elections have been delayed to primary Election Day, April 28, 2020. As such, Mayor Jean Celender has delayed her retirement through early May. According to the Mayor, “Our Preparedness Team is meeting daily to ensure we consider the most up-to-date information from public health agencies and government authorities, share key data and best practices with our staff, and ensure we are taking appropriate steps to protect the health and safety of all of our people while continuing to meet the needs of our residents and businesses on Main Street.” The Village of Great Neck Plaza, led by Mayor Celender, has flourished throughout the years. From advocating for safe streets and traffic calming initiatives, demanding affordable housing units in a high wealth area, managing and promoting festivals, events, arts, culture, music, and securing $5million for a range of capital projects and services, the Village of Great Neck Plaza is thriving. Most recently, the Village has been working with Vision to change codes to help promote/preserve Main Street retail and get more affordable units in its downtown. The effects of the pandemic now threaten to interrupt this remarkable trajectory. “We are a ghost town,” described Mayor Celender. “Our eateries are experiencing real hardships. The restaurants are doing yeoman’s work. They need all the advertising help we can give them, especially through the use of social media.” The Great Neck Plaza Business Improvement District is encouraging residents, during this time of crisis as restaurants and patrons do their part in flattening the curve, to visit favorite local eateries and utilize takeout, curbside or delivery options. Here is a sampling of local restaurants making it work: Bareburger is open for takeout, curbside & delivery Francesca’s Pizzeria & Restaurant is open for takeout and delivery Gino’s of Great Neck Pizzeria & Restaurant is open for takeout and delivery Great Neck Diner is open for takeout and delivery La Rotonda Ristorante is open for takeout and deliver Lola is available for takeout S&D Crab House is open for takeout and delivery Lynbrook
Day 9 of the Coronavirus economic shutdown takes us to downtown Lynbrook where the community has banded together on a number of levels. From monitoring experts’ opinions and suggestions, providing COVID-19 education, closing the library and village sponsored recreational events, to partnering with Key Food Supermarket to deliver food to seniors that rely on buses to get to the market, the Village of Lynbrook is working overtime to keep its residents safe. Along with tackling this health crisis, the Village is grappling with the economic crisis all downtowns are now facing. With great schools and friendly residents, many of whom have grown up there, Lynbrook has been able to maintain its local flavor. With its embrace of several recent projects, the Village has begun lowering its oar in the water on transit-oriented development, utilizing its unique rail opportunities. Now, all hands are on deck to try to minimize the economic damage that is ensuing from the fallout of the Coronavirus. Joe Carusone, owner of Vincent’s, embodies the spirit of Lynbrook, “We are hanging in there. Whatever our customers are comfortable with, we’ll do. We’ll deliver to the door, knock, or not, deliver curbside, or welcome you into the restaurant for takeout. Everyone is different and we understand.” The Lynbrook Chamber of Commerce has a message for residents, “Between the mandate that closed restaurants, and the supermarkets out of, well, everything, you can support our member restaurants who are open for takeout and delivery. You’ll be doing yourself and them a big favor.” Kudos to Mayor Alan Beach and his team for managing the Village through this crisis. Here is a sampling of local restaurants making it work: Angelinas Pizzeria & Restaurant is open for takeout, curbside & delivery Burger Shack is open for takeout & delivery Craft Kitchen & Tap House is open for takeout, curbside & delivery Lynbrook Eats is open for takeout & delivery Maier’s Brick Café is open for takeout, curbside & delivery Santorini’s is open for takeout, curbside & delivery SaVino’s Restaurant & Wine Bar is open for takeout, curbside & delivery Villa Formia is open for takeout & delivery Vincent’s is open for takeout, curbside & delivery Babylon Village
Day 8 of the Coronavirus economic shutdown brought us to Suffolk County and the Village of Babylon. The Village of Babylon has been working on redevelopment projects, including a downtown theatre, and maintains a robust business district. The Village understands that money spent on brick and mortar stores in its downtown stays in the community, helps pay local taxes, and keeps jobs and resources in the neighborhood. The advent of the Coronavirus and the steps that towns, villages, counties, and states are necessarily taking to protect the health of residents, may ultimately injure downtown businesses. Kelly Peckholdt, President of the Babylon Village Chamber of Commerce, sees the importance of focusing on the economic impact of this crisis. “Our businesses here in the village are already significantly impacted,” said Ms. Peckholdt. “At this point, pretty much all of the businesses are closing or have modified their hours significantly. A few retailers are still open but are only doing virtual shopping or private shopping appointments. We’re essentially waiting on and expecting the announcement to come that all non-essential businesses must close. There are a lot of business owners and employees of those businesses who are already concerned for their livelihoods considering the government has not provided a timeline on these shut downs. On the other hand, we are already seeing a wave of support from the community. “As a Chamber, we have been working really hard this week at constantly sharing businesses who are offering takeout, virtual shopping, etc, on our social media pages, and have also been trying to share as much information from local governments as possible for business owners to reference. We also have some larger marketing projects in the works, too, as we are trying to help our fellow business owners as much as possible. Another upside, though, is that this situation has forced many businesses to become really creative in what and how they are marketing – only time will tell if these strategies will also work in a post-coronavirus world, but I think these innovative strategies will be what will hopefully allow these businesses to survive for the time being.” Richard Kahn, Bar Manager at The Brixton, sums it up. “We are all in this together. We are trying to restore some sense of normalcy, which is so important right now. We need to take care of each other.” Here is a sampling of local Babylon restaurants making it work: Del Fuego is open for takeout, curbside service and delivery through Uber Eats & Doordash Horace & Sylvia’s Publick House Jack Jack’s Coffee House is open for takeout Lily Flanagan’s Pub is open for takeout and delivery Mary Carroll’s is open for takeout Mulberry Street Babylon Ohayo Japanese Cuisine is open for takeout and delivery Post Office Café is open for takeout and delivery through Uber Eats & Door Dash & Grubhub The Brixton is open for pickup (delivery coming soon) Kudos to Babylon Mayor Ralph Scordino who is managing the Village through this crisis. Kings Park
We recently had a chance to talk to our friends, small businesses, and government leaders in Kings Park to see how they are coping amidst the shutdown. Kings Park has been making slow but steady strides towards revitalizing its aging downtown. With business, community and government working together, the prospects for positive growth has become a reality. The current restrictions associated with combatting the Coronavirus threatens to derail this progress. Like every local Main Street, the businesses, especially restaurants, are struggling to survive. Anthony Tanzi, President of the Kings Park Chamber of Commerce, predicts “Main Street and small business will weather this storm! However, it’s going to take a commitment from our local communities to help them though if we want them there when it’s over.” Kevin Denis, owner of Professor’s Café agrees, “We’ve been taking care of the community for 33 years, we hope the community will be there for us.” Denis explains, “It’s hard to know what the right thing to do is, close for a few weeks or stay open. We are doing everything we can to hang in there and survive.” Michael Grimaudo, owner of Gino’s Kings Park concurs, businesses are hurting, but we are working to stay positive. The Town of Smithtown government understands the immediate challenges of balancing personal health and economic health of communities. “This pandemic has hit our Main Street businesses in a way that has many of them wondering how they will survive. Many are coming up with ways of conducting business without compromising the public. Bakeries are making DIY cookie kits to take home, restaurants are amping up takeout, realtors are filming available homes… they’re each finding their own recipe to make lemonade. And while the public must remain vigilant in social distancing, we can all find a way to safely support our local shops, be it sharing their social media posts or making a donation to those forced to close… the way through this is together,” Supervisor Ed Wehrheim. Linda Henninger, President if the Kings Park Civic encourages residents to support the local businesses downtown as well. We had the chance to also see the Park Bake Shop set up an order window. Owner Lucy Shtanko offered delicious kronuts to go. Here is sampling of Kings Park restaurants making it work: Café Red is open from 12 pm to 8 pm for order and pickup. Ciro’s Kings Park is open from 2 pm to 8 pm for deliveries, takeout and curbside pickup. Gino’s Kings Park is open from 10 am to 9 pm for takeout and delivery. Long River Restaurant is open from 11 am to 6 pm for takeout and delivery. Professor’s Café is open M,T,W from 8 am to 7 pm, Th, F from 8 am to 8 pm, Sat 8 am to 7 pm, Sun from 8 am to 3 pm for takeout and delivery. Relish is open from 11 am to 7 pm for takeout and delivery. Simply Greek is open 11 am to 9 pm for takeout and delivery. Park Bake Shop, 5:00am-6:00pm, Takeout through order window. Park Lounge, 4:00pm-7:00pm, doing takeout of family meals. Kings Park Shipping has been mandated as an essential business by the Governor’s order to remain open as a vessel into the shipping channel for UPS,FEDEX,DHL and USPS. They can also handle printing as needed. Please email any inquiries to: john@kingsparkshipping.com Northport
Vision Long Island was in downtown Northport recently, where a number of small businesses are still open for takeout during the day and the night. Some of the businesses that are open for takeout include: Northport Harbor Delicatessen Rob Breudenbach from the Northport Harbor Delicatessen, both of which have been mainstays in town for decades, has great egg sandwiches, soups and lunches. Martoni’s, a much newer operation, has great coffee, homemade soups, and other entrees and products. They also have pasta for sale for folks that are stocking up and find their local supermarket bare. The Wine Bar is open for takeout and serving up their eclectic menu, which includes other open restaurants in town. It is literally a one stop takeout shop along with wine, of course. Lastly, Maroni’s is open with lots of their award winning meatballs hot and ready to go. Maria Maroni is working long days and nights to keep that operation ready to go for local patrons. Folks can grab their takeout and eat at the waterfront while still remaining good distance apart, or just safely walk around town while avoiding close contact with others. Many of the retail shops voluntarily closed even before the forced shutdown the came last night and the one last Monday. Northport is a village that relies heavily on tourism revenue, so summers are when most restaurants, bars, and retailers benefit and January & February are the slowest months of the month. The shutdown occurring in March, when most of these businesses are beginning to ramp back up, may actually be worse than the winter and is debilitating for many. Sadly, our friend Gene from Oscar’s barbershop was forced to close last week in anticipation of shutdown orders. We hope to see him back. We hope folks can find a responsible way to patronize these small businesses or others in your own downtown. It’s the only way these folks will make it through what will be a rough economic time for all of us. Farmingdale
No single downtown has brought housing, jobs, economic activity and great adaptive reuse with transit-oriented development as the Village of Farmingdale, but as this pandemic begins to cause significant economic distress, very few places or industries will emerge unscathed, and none are more vulnerable than our local Main Street businesses. Farmingdale Village Mayor Ralph Ekstrand and the Village Board of Trustees are not only working to keep their community safe; they are visiting merchants throughout the Village to address the current economic crisis. Mayor Ekstrand tells us, “We have been doing take out every night from a different place. We put out on the Village website, and to all residents on our constant contact, a list of restaurant’s names and phone numbers which are doing delivery and take out. We have given all merchants the SBA information to file for money. We are trying our best to keep Farmingdale a Village to be proud of.” The Farmingdale Chamber of Commerce asks that Farmingdale come together to support the businesses that support the community. “Every day, small business owners and organizations are being asked to make public safety judgement calls, putting themselves, their staff, and their future at risk,” President Joseph Garcia states. “Our restaurants, brewery, and many others have been forced to change business models overnight to comply with State Rules and Guidelines to prevent the spread of the COVID-19. The vast majority of our members are still operating. Food and beverage establishments have made provisions for takeout, curbside pick-up, free delivery, discounts, and Alcohol to-go and even delivered. Please continue to support our businesses here in Farmingdale. Order in, have some beer or wine. Continue doing business over the phone. Consider purchasing gift cards for future use, as well. We want to make sure Farmingdale continues to be a strong and vibrant business community.” Here is a sampling of local restaurants making it work: 317 Main Street is open for curbside & delivery Bagel Hut is open for takeout & delivery Caracara Mexican Grill is open for curbside & delivery Charlotte’s Desserts is open for takeout, curbside & delivery Chiddy’s Cheesesteaks is open for pick up & delivery Croxley Ales is open for takeout, curbside & delivery Dominican Restaurant 4 is open for takeout & delivery Flux Coffee is open for takeout Frankie’s Pizzeria is open for takeout & delivery Grecian Grill is open for takeout & delivery High Tide Taco is open for takeout & delivery Library Café is open for takeout, curbside & delivery Lithology is open for curbside & delivery Main Street Pizza is open for takeout, curbside & delivery Palmer’s American Grille is open for curbside & delivery Sobol is open for takeout Stuff-A-Bagel is open for takeout & delivery That Meetball Place is open for curbside & delivery The Republic Pub is open for takeout & delivery Thyme on Your Side (Le Petit Café) is open for takeout, curbside & delivery Tiny Thai is open for takeout TOA is open for takeout & delivery Tre Scalini is open for takeout & delivery Vespa Italian Kitchen & Bar is open for takeout & delivery Wings Over Farmingdale is open for takeout Farmingdale has also released a list of local businesses that are still open and what services they are offering to customers, which you can access here. Mineola
Vision was out in downtown Mineola for day 4 of the forced shutdown of most activities. Restaurants we were able to speak with or observed open included: PS Burgers (It is worth noting that the line for one of the local gun shops was out the door at 8:30 at night.) We had takeout from Taglio Roman Style Pizza, which tasted great. We also stopped in to see Avelino and Elizabeth from Heart of Portugal. Their Grilled Octupus with Vegetables special was particularly delicious! Unfortunately, businesses reported of being 90% down on average, even with takeout orders still being available. Most have had to lay off 50 to 80% of their staff, and are operating under skeleton crews. But it is still worth noting that takeout food delivery is still allowed under the forced measures to be enacted on Sunday. Vision has now spoken to over 160 independent small businesses who have been decimated by the forced shutdowns of most Main Street activities. East Meadow
East Meadow businesses were the latest group to be stunned by a sudden closure of businesses on Monday as they worked to keep their establishments extra clean in hopes of staying open. After the order toc lose came, owners began to work in earnest to figure out how to make up for the loss of revenue. “Up until five minutes ago, we were sanitizing and planning to stay open,” Frank Camarano, the manager of World Gym in East Meadow, said on Monday afternoon. “Now everyone is just stunned, just like I am. The members are heartbroken, and now they don’t know what to do.” Mr. Camarano is also the board chairman of the East Meadow Chamber of Commerce and the vice president of the Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce. Working in those positions have placed him in the position of contacting numerous local businesses so as to calm nerves, but a number of local owners feel as though they have nowhere to go. Right now he is working to gather resources to and information on relief plans at different levels of government that can possibly help. “I think what people have to hear is that ‘You’re not alone,’” said Mr. Camarano. “I know it sounds kind of hokey, but it’s true.” Frank Borrelli, owner of Borrelli’s Italian Restaurant in East Meadow, is hoping to keep his doors open with a takeout menu, but had to fire his entire wait staff in the wake of Cuomo’s order, though it pained him to do so. He made the promise to hire them once the ban on gatherings is lifted, but for the moment he has to make do the best he can. “I guess we could deliver a pizza with ‘quarantini’ to go,” Borrelli said, referencing the loosening of liquor laws to allow alcohol to be sold off premises. Mr. Borrelli also talked about how his business made it through Hurricane Sandy, but could at least look forward to the nearby Nassau Colosseum to help bring in customers. But this time is different as the ban on public gatherings means at least a month without such relief. Local businesses focused on fitness are working to continue providing services on a virtual level for their customers. Anthony Bevilacqua, who owns AB Fitness in East Meadow, will have his staff stream three half-hour sessions in the morning and three at night for members, as well as nutritional seminars each evening. “One of the best ways to fight the coronavirus is to keep staying healthy,” said Mr. Bevilacqua. “Everyone’s definitely more stressed during this time. But the only thing you could control is yourself and the actions you take.” You can read more at the Long Island Herald. Franklin Square and Elmont
This past Tuesday was supposed to see an influx of business for local restaurants and bars in Franklin Square and Elmont. Instead, there has been mostly silence in the wake of Governor Cuomo’s order to for bars and restaurants to switch to takeout and delivery instead of dine-in establishments. This turn of events has left local owners worried during what should be one of their busiest times of year. “It might shut down my restaurant,” said Ann Angelino, owner of Murph’s Restaurant in Franklin Square. Ms. Angelino recently invested $10,000 into her business in preparation of St. Patrick’s Day and is afraid that she will be unable to recoup the cost with the ongoing shutdown order. Additionally, she is unable to apply to unemployment insurance as the owner of her own business. This is a problem being seen across the region as owner after owner faces plummeting sales and patronage as local residents stay home for fear of spreading the Coronavirus. This has left local chambers scrambling as they look to help out their businesses. “In the next week or two, everyone’s really going to be hurting,” said Elmont Chamber of Commerce President Paul Sapienza, who also owns Sapienza Bake Shop in downtown Elmont. “If they don’t have any money, they’ll have to close up.” Mr. Sapienza stated that some businesses might be able to take out loans or use money in reserve, but that the shutdown could still lead to a large number of employees being laid off. Part-time employees will probably be the first, a majority of whom are students or people looking for extra disposable income, but the longer this crisis drags on the more difficult it will be for local business to pay even a skeleton staff. That is the primary concern of Mario Testani, owner of Filomena’s Restaurant, who feels as though he has enough money to weather the crisis, but is concerned for his employees. He is trying to figure out the best way to remain open and still paying them while also being conscientious of the safety of others. But on top of that, the main concern is how businesses will be paying their ongoing expenses. “I’ll have to pay my landlord no matter what,” said Anthony Capogna, owner of Olivetto Pizzaria and Ristorante, which is still open for takeout. But the future is suddenly very uncertain for him and a lot of local business on Long Island. You can read more about Franklin Square and Elmont at the Long Island Herald. Rockville Centre |
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Governor Cuomo Announces Statewide Public Private Hospital Plan
The following is an update from Governor Andrew Cuomo’s website: Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced a statewide public-private hospital plan to fight COVID-19. As part of the plan, public and private hospitals from across the state have agreed to implement a new balanced approach to fighting the virus where hospitals that are beginning to reach or exceed capacity can transfer patients to other hospitals that are not as full. The hospital systems across the state have also agreed to share supplies, staff and other resources as needed. The State Department of Health will work with the statewide healthcare system to create a command center to share information between hospitals about the supplies each hospital has in stock and the supplies each hospital is ordering. This central inventory system will help ensure purchasing and distribution of supplies is done strategically and efficiently. The Governor also announced that the first 1,000-bed temporary hospital at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center is open and accepting patients today. The temporary hospital site was constructed in one week. “As the numbers continue to increase, the situation is becoming painfully clear that the front line battle of this virus will be fought in our healthcare system,” Governor Cuomo said. “We need more healthcare professionals, we need more supplies, we need more capacity and we need it now. The entire country has been playing catch up with this virus since day one, but in New York we have been trying to plan forward and get ahead of the problem. We are continuing to stockpile supplies in preparation for the apex of the curve, and we have reached an agreement with the statewide healthcare system to coordinate and work together as one entity to balance the load of patients and share staff and resources.” Finally, the Governor confirmed 6,984 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 66,497 confirmed cases in New York State. Small Businesses Urged to Apply for SBA Loans
There are still a lot of questions in regards to the impact of the Federal aid package on small businesses. Here is the latest fact sheets from US Congresswoman Kathleen Rice that outlines the SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (here) and the SBA’s Paycheck Program Loan with the updated guidelines (here). Congressman Lee Zeldin recently had an SBA representative encourage folks to apply for loans no matter what. In the meantime, there has been an effort to encourage small businesses to work to apply for loans asap. The LI Main Street Alliance and the Nassau & Suffolk Chambers are working to get information out to the small business community to help as much as possible. Newsday and the LIA are both hosting, and will continue to host, video conferences on a range of business resources as well. This past Friday morning, the Queens Chamber of Commerce hosted a webinar for businesses to learn how to apply for SBA loans. Man-Li Lin, from the New York District office of the U.S. Small Business Administration presented information to explain how to apply for an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). This information is subject to change as the situation remains fluid. The local Small Business Development Centers at Farmingdale State College (here) and Stony Brook University (here) will have new information as updates occur. While SBA loans are typically only available for small businesses, during a declared national disaster, they are also available for private not for profit entities as well. Most small businesses and non-profits are eligible except for businesses relating to gambling, religious organizations, investment or lending companies, charitable organizations, speculative activities, or agricultural enterprises. Loans of up to $2 million are available with no payments for 12 months. They can be used to pay expenses such as fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, or other bills affected by the disaster. Interest rates are 3.75% for businesses and 2.75% for private non-profits and long term repayments for COVID crisis will be 30 years. Loans cannot be used for lost revenue, just for expenses. Typically, businesses are not eligible if they are able to secure credit elsewhere. However, they are currently allowing applications without denial letters from other lenders. There is no cost to apply and no obligation to take the loan if it is offered. The amount of the loan application should reflect six months of operating expenses. Documentation of a typical months expenses is required. Businesses are eligible even if they already have a previous SBA loan, disaster loan or other types of SBA loans. Loans over $25000 require collateral, but won’t be denied simply for lack of collateral, they will require a pledge of what is available. Criteria for approval will include eligibility, credit history and the ability to repay. US Small Business Administration Processing and Disbursement Center You can also contact the SBA disaster customer service center at 1-800-659-2955, disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or TTY:1-800-877-8339. They recommend email as the best way to get in touch with someone. If applicants are receiving a 404 error, they recommend clearing your cache and trying again. While this process is still evolving, businesses are encouraged to apply as soon as possible and provide all required documentation. Representatives from the SBA will follow up with questions. Webinars will be held to help gide businesses through the application process, the times are as follows: April 2nd: 10 am to 11 am. Zoom link here. Phone number: 1-929-436-2866 NYS Announces Deferral of Premium Payments for Life, Property, and Casualty Insurance |
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Removal of Local Zoning Pondered During Time of Crisis
In what appears to be one of the more ill-advised and opportunistic suggestions we have seen so far, an op-ed recently popped up that called for Governor Cuomo to override local zoning control and remove it from the hands of local officials. First off we are in the middle of a crisis with health needs, economic needs, and human needs running simultaneously. To advance a proposal for NYS zoning in the middle of a pandemic is unbelievably tone deaf at this time and feels more like an opportunistic power grab rather than a legitimate economic repair tool. With people not paying attention in this climate, it makes it easier for extreme voices, pro or con, to drive the conversations and push out local civics, chambers, and government that are busy caring for their fellow community members. Before this pandemic, no one who actually lives, works or manages any local community wanted to see NYS or any regional zoning control. If that mood changes in what is still a participatory democracy with local control in a home rule state, then that discussion can be advanced only if there was a shift in the public’s feeling. Let us be clear – our organization has supported over 150 downtown redevelopment projects that have yielded approvals and construction of over 14,000 units of transit oriented development (TOD), housing with office, retail and public amenities. What this op-ed ignores is that local civics, chambers and community members supported 89 of 100 downtown and TOD projects with more local support than opposition. Over 40 downtowns have some form of revitalization plan on the books and have approved at least one project, so local control has worked. Many of us will want to see development come out of this, and when planned and controlled locally it will bring jobs and economic activity while providing a shot in the arm to our communities. There will also be a rise in vacancies of existing buildings that need to be filled, so new construction isn’t the only answer. Now is not the time to alter the power relationships of local control while communities are under siege. Floating these types of proposals at this time only builds up more distrust, fear, and anxiety when trust is in short supply. |
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Nassau County Calling for Medical Supplies Donations
Nassau County has placed a call out to residents for much-needed medical supplies among the ongoing pandemic. County Executive Laura Curran, Comission of Police Patrick J. Ryder, and OEM Commissioner Steven Morelli all made the announcement today. Supplies that Nassau County is currently looking for include: – N95 Surgical Masks in unopened container/boxes The supply drive will run this week through Friday, April 3rd from 9 am to 3 pm. Supplies can be brought to the Nassau County Public Safety Parking Lot, Field 3, Eisenhower Park, where a drive-up collection point is set up. The drive has seen success so far with 40,000 gloves, 3,000 N95 masks, and 1,500 gloves donated so far. |
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CDC Guidelines on Coronavirus Prevention
As concern about the ever-expanding impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) grows, we can minimize or prevent the spread of coronavirus by taking these steps:
These are everyday habits that can help prevent the spread of several viruses. CDC does have specific guidance for travelers. For more information see the CDC website or call the NY State Coronavirus hotline to speak with a representative 888-364-3065
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“I know that each day this crisis brings new challenges and hardships, but we are New Yorkers and will get through this together.”
“The COVID-19 Long Island Philanthropic Response Fund will provide critical funding to nonprofits across our region as they struggle to keep up with the increased demand for their services. We are hoping everyone who cares about our communities and its people will contribute.”
“We need to work together to minimize the toll this pandemic will take on our small business community.”
