AUGUST 2016

MONTHLY
UPDATE

www.sibiztrends.com

ON THE JOB
See this months movers and shakers.

Stop and Stay

website launches
Stop and Stay Staten Island, a
new initiative of the Staten Island
Economic Development Corp.,
was announced recently with the
launch of the new tourism website. ShopandStaySI.com offers
visitors a curated selection of
Staten Island's cultural treasures,
exciting shopping destinations,
expansive hospitality options and
unique dining experiences.
The websites tagline, Staten
Island: the view is better from
here, reminds visitors that all of
these Staten Island attractions
are accessible via a free ferry
with an amazing view of Manhattan's harbor and the Statue of
Liberty.
The website is part of SIEDCs
tourism marketing campaign to
engage and attract potential visitors. Shop and Stay SI has
launched with a basic platform of
promoting SIEDC members within the tourism sectors; however,
advertising opportunities are
available to those who are not
SIEDC members. The responsive
design gives it an effortless and
seamless transition between computers, smartphones and tablets.
In addition to the responsive format, the site features a news blog,
photo gallery and is integrated
with Facebook and Twitter.
The new website connects New
Yorkers and visitors to the unique
and authentic experiences available on Staten Island.
I encourage anyone interested
in vacationing in New York to
visit Staten Island and to utilize
the new website to plan their
stay, said Cesar J. Claro, presiplease see BRIEFS, page 4

PAGE 9

REAL ESTATE NEWS

Pokemon Go is all the rage.
PAGE 8

TAX TALK
Be aware of new overtime rule.
PAGE 2

Gotham Motorcycles celebrates first birthday

Special to Business Trends

Gotham Motorcycles celebrated its one-year anniversary recently. Pictured at the event, from left, are Sopranos actor Tony Sirico, Kevin McVicar, the winner of a 2014 KYMCO scooter, and Gotham Owner Mark Crescitelli. For the full story, see page 10.

NYC the best for women entrepreneurs

By TIM RONALDSON
Business Trends
New York City is home to the best of a lot
of things best delis, best theater scene, best

Danger! Danger!
Protect your business from the
dangers lurking online.
PAGE 6

sports fans and best place to live, a lot of people would argue.
But a far more proud and important honor
was bestowed upon the city earlier this summer best possible place to be a female entre-

preneur.
Dells Women Entrepreneur Cities Index
ranked New York City No. 1 on its list of best
please see CITY page 14

2 BUSINESS TRENDS AUGUST 2016

Parisi Rampulla & Lenza, P.C.

78 Martin Avenue | Staten Island, NY, 10314

(718) 761-3333

By JOHN J. VENTO

Short Sales, Mortgage Modification,

Foreclosure Defense

A new overtime rule takes effect on Dec. 1, and the Department of Labor estimates that
more than 4 million workers will
become entitled to overtime in
the first year of the change. If
your employees are included in
that number, now is the time to
begin preparing. Here's what you
need to know.

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New overtime rule may mean more

of your employees qualify for overtime

The background
The Fair Labor Standards Act
mandates the federal minimum
hourly wage and time-and-onehalf pay for hours worked beyond
40 in a week. The act exempts certain white collar workers and
highly compensated employees
from both the minimum hourly
wage and the time-and-one-half
rules. These workers are collectively classified based on duties
and level of earnings. Though job
titles do not determine status,

typically, executive, administrative, professional, outside sales or

computer workers fit into the
white collar category. Highly compensated employees are subject to
a more relaxed duties test and a
standard annual salary amount.

What's changing
The new rule doubles the annual salary level for the white collar
exemption from $23,660 to $47,476,
or $913 per week.
For highly compensated employees, the total annual compensation level required to claim the
exemption rises from $100,000 to
$134,004.
These salary levels will increase every three years, beginning on Jan. 1, 2020.

How to prepare
Some of your employees may
move from exempt to non-exempt
status. The only way to be sure is

to begin tracking hours and documenting job duties. Once you

have determined how the new
rule will affect your payroll, you'll
have choices to make, including
requiring authorization for any
overtime, increasing salaries, hiring additional workers, re-assigning duties and restricting afterhours work-related activities. You
may need to update your payroll
software as well as your employee
handbook and educate your staff
about the new requirements.
Contact us if you have questions. We'll be happy to work with
your compliance team to assess
the impact of the new overtime
rule.
John J. Vento is a certified public
accountant in private practice and
president of Comprehensive Wealth
Management, Ltd. He may be
reached at (718) 980-9000 or via
email at john@ventocpa.com.

4 BUSINESS TRENDS AUGUST 2016

Monthly Update
BRIEFS
Continued from page 1

dent and CEO of SIEDC.

Tourists will see that our bor-

Now Available
ASE
FOR LE

ASE
FOR LE

St. George - Professional Office Building. Great

Visibility from Victory/Bay Street signage exposure. Heavily traveled location via
car/buses/walking and near Ferry terminal.
Currently available: 2nd flr Office - 2 rooms with
hardwood floors. $1,000+electric 2nd flr Office
- close to courts, restaurants, shopping. Bay Street signage exposure. Call Jennifer x13

West Brighton - Forest Avenue Professional Office Building

---Desk space available
---Private office available
Convenient location near corner of Bement Avenue. Rent includes: Use of conference room, parking, and utilities.
Monthly rent $300.00 to $900.00 Call Robert x17

ASE
FOR LE

ASE
FOR LE

ough is a destination that is big

enough to deliver unique tourism
experiences, yet small enough to
care.
The tourism industry is vital to
the local economy. According to
U.S. travel impact studies, for
every dollar invested in promoting Staten Island as a travel destination, there is a return of $3.50
that can be invested toward job
creation and improving standards of living for residents.

II Programs new Sherwood residence for adults with autism. The

event is open to all ages.
For more information, please
contact Stefanie Racano at sracano@eden2.org or call (718) 8161422 ext. 1030.
To purchase tickets online,
visit www.eden2.org/paint or
send checks payable to Eden II to
the Development Department at
15 Beach St., Staten Island, N.Y.
10304.

Tekamorphosis II to be
held Sept. 17

Neighborhood Services
dinner dance Oct. 20

Save the date for Saturday,

Sept. 17 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Thats the day that Tekamorphosis II will be held on Minthorne
Street in Staten Island, next to the
Flagship Brewing Company.
Tekamorphosis II will be a daylong technology expo where you
can see whats new in the worl of
tech, experience what the gaming
world has to offer, learn how technology can help your home or
business and hear about scientific breakthroughs from experts on
the front line.
For more information, visit
tekamorphosis.com or call (718)
873-4004.

Save the date for the Neighborhood Housing Services of Staten

Islands Annual Dinner Dance, to
be held on Thursday, Oct. 20. The
event will take place from 6 to 9
p.m. at The Vanderbilt at South
Beach, 300 Father Capodanno
Blvd.
For sponsorship opportunities,
email
Mark
Hogan
at
mhogan@nhsofsi.org and/or kniang@nhsofsi.org.

SIBOC hosting Website

101 Aug. 23

St. George - One of a kind duplex unit

available for immediate occupancy. 6
bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms, eat in
kitchen with stainless steel appliances, cherry wood cabinets,
granite, Jacuzzi tub & soaking tub, wet bar, formal living/dining
rooms, heated sun porch, stackable washer/dryer hook-ups,
large garden & use of driveway. In home with old world charm
located in the historic district of St. George. Walking distance
to SI Ferry & public transportation. $3,995.00 per month, heat
included.*Corporate leases considered.

St. George - A newly renovated 4-story 80,000 sq. ft.

"Class A" mid-rise office building with an average floor
plate of 20,000 sq.ft. Landlord will build to suit. Suites
from 500 sq. ft. - 20,000 sq. ft. Full floor plates available
for immediate occupancy. On-site parking & security. Call
Rob for details.

Eden II Programs
fundraiser Sept. 18
Our Knowledge, Experience, Teamwork + Integrity =

Results for You

Your gateway to better business and better living on Staten Island
285 St. Mark's Place Staten Island, NY 10301

718-273-3800
www.gatewayarmsrealty.com

The Staten Island Business

Outreach Center will host a
Website 101 class on Tuesday,
Aug. 23 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at
its office located at 705 Forest
Ave., 2nd Floor in the rear. Street
parking is available on North
Burgher Street.
For more information, visit
westbrightonldc.com.

Contact our Commercial Division for

more information about:
Sales & Leasing Investment Property
Multi-dwellings Industrial/Manufacturing
Retail Space Raw Land
Warehouses 1031 Exchanges
Office Buildings

Pinots Palette will host a

fundraiser to benefit Eden II Programs on Sunday, Sept. 18 from
noon to 2 p.m. The cost of $50 per
person includes painting and
light
refreshments.
Pinots
Palette is located at 20 Ellis St.
Bring your family and friends
for a fun family painting session
at Pinots Palette to benefit Eden

Signature Bank reports

2nd quarter earnings
Signature Bank recently announced results for its second
quarter ended June 30. Net income for the 2016 second quarter
reached $102.2 million, or $1.90 diluted earnings per share, versus
$90.5 million, or $1.77 diluted
earnings per share, for the 2015
second quarter. The increase in
net income for the 2016 second
quarter, versus the comparable
quarter last year, is primarily due
to an increase in net interest income, fueled by strong deposit
and loan growth. These factors
were partially offset by an increase in the provision for loan
losses of $24.3 million and an increase in non-interest expenses,
as well as a decrease in loan prepayment penalty income.
Net interest income for the 2016
second quarter reached $281.6
million, up $45.3 million, or 19.2
percent, when compared with the
2015 second quarter. This increase is primarily due to growth
in average interest-earning assets. Total assets reached $36.55
billion at June 30, 2016, an increase of $6.58 billion.

AUGUST 2016 BUSINESS TRENDS 5

IlluminArt Productions debuts new play

Special to Business Trends

IlluminArt Productions, the local non-profit that addresses social issues through theater, recently premiered a new play tackling the heroin crisis on Staten Island. It is designed to provide youth and parents
with the tools and knowledge they need to prevent drug abuse. Pictured at the debut of Prescription for
Addiction are members of the Susan Wagner High School theater program - who helped write the play along with IlluminArt's touring company.

6 BUSINESS TRENDS AUGUST 2016

in our opinion

Get ready to vote

T

66 Willow Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10305
718-775-3154

Conventions are over; now we enter the final stretch

he Democratic National Convention ended in Philadelphia
last week, one week after the
Republican National Convention
ended in Cleveland, Ohio.
Now, the two divisive candidates
Hillary Clinton for the Democrats and
Donald Trump for the Republicans
head toward the final stretch in the
race to be our next president.
The general election will be held on
Tuesday, Nov. 8, a little more than three
months from now. And in those three
months, not only are we, the American
public, about to be educated about each
candidates positions and why we
should elect him or her, but were also
about to be bombarded even more
than we already have been with ugly,

political rhetoric through advertising.

Some of these television ads have already begun, and already, they arent
very upstanding.
This is going to be an ugly few
months.
For those of us who are more interested in the issues, or who at least hope
the issues will come to the forefront of
the campaigns, presidential debates
will be held on Monday, Sept. 26 at Hofstra University in New York; Sunday,
Oct. 9 at Washington University in St.
Louis; and Wednesday, Oct. 19 at the
University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
The vice presidential debate will be
held on Tuesday, Oct. 4 at Longwood
University in Farmwood, Va.
Whoever you like more whether it

be Clinton, Trump or another candidate such as Gary Johnson make

sure you cross off Nov. 8 as a day you
have an appointment to vote.
Voting is one of the most sacred of
rights that we have as Americans, so if
youre eligible to vote, you should head
to the polls without reservation. You
only have one chance every four years
to help choose who the leader of our
country will be. Decide to stay on the
sidelines, and youll have passed on the
opportunity to participate in U.S. politics.
Nowadays, as politicians have
seemed to become more separated
from their constituents, voting is the
one last way we can exercise our right
to participate.

JOE EISELE
Publisher
TIM RONALDSON
Executive Editor
STEVE COPPOLA
Director
RICHARD GRADO
Director
ROBERT CUTRONA
Director
LAWRENCE RAMPULLA
Director
JANET WARREN DUGO
Publisher Emeritus
DAN McDONOUGH, JR.
Chairman
Business Trends is mailed each month to the
business and community leaders of Staten
Island. To be added to the mailing list, email joe@sibiztrends.com. To submit a
news release, email news@sibiztrends.com.
For advertising info, call 718-775-3154 or
email joe@sibiztrends.com.

Protect your business from danger lurking online

By BRIDGET WESTON POLLACK
As you grow your company, you might
be amazed by the tools and systems that
can make doing business easier. Technology can help you work more efficiently, connect with customers more easily, and of
course, allow you to make sales and grow
revenue.
But doing business online with the
amount of technology we all use can bring
risk to your business.
Did you know cybercrime is one of the
biggest threats business of all sizes face?
More than 75 percent of data breaches target small and medium-sized businesses,
which can cause major havoc for your business operations.
Sixty percent of small businesses affected by cybercrime will close within six
months of the breach, according to a study
by McAfee. Think those statistics are
scary? Imagine if your business was included among them.
Here are a few tips for protecting your

business from cybercrime.

Protect your network

First and foremost: Create and maintain
a secure network for your business operations. A password may seem second nature
for log-on, but do you have a firewall? Contact your internet service provider to
check on your security options and find
out where your network protection may be
falling short.
Employees should resist the urge to be
helpful by providing your Wi-Fi password
to customers or visitors; if you wish to
offer Wi-Fi to visitors, create a second network for guest use.

Talk with your employees

Next, talk with your employees about
keeping your business safe. They should
create strong passwords for work-related
accounts, and avoid completing personal
tasks on company computers to reduce vulnerability.

If your staff or contractors bring their

own devices to work, create a policy to
specify when and how they can access company data on their personal devices.
If you use mobile phones to share company or customer information, be sure to
have a passcode set on your phone and
sync your phone to your computer frequently.

Back up your data

Encourage your staff to back up company data regularly, either to a cloud service,
to a backup hard drive or both. Consider
scheduling a regular backup day each
week to get employees in the habit.
You should also make a plan for how to
handle any downtime that could come with
a breach or other emergency. How will you
access client files, invoices, passwords or
other data you might need to keep your
business running? Whos your point person if theres a breach of some sort or data
disappears? Talk about contingency plans,

and update them regularly so your team is

best prepared to handle difficult situations.

Stay alert
One of the toughest parts of avoiding cybercrime is keeping up with the changing
landscape of how we do business online.
By staying up to date with business news,
youll help yourself stay aware of potential
threats to your cybersecurity system.
Not sure if youre doing enough or
the right things to protect your small
business?
Get in touch with a SCORE mentor, who
can help you review your practices.
Bridget Weston Pollack is the vice president
of marketing and communications at the
SCORE Association. In this role, Bridget is responsible for all branding, marketing, PR and
communication efforts. She focuses on implementing marketing plans and strategies for the
organization to facilitate the growth of
SCOREs mentoring and trainings services.

8 BUSINESS TRENDS AUGUST 2016

Weddings
Sweet 16s
Anniversaries
Birthday Parties
Much much more!
..................................

Steve White
6 Genesee Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10308
Phone: 718.317.5025
Cell: 917.446.4029
Email: statenarts@aol.com

statenarts

Pokemon Go: The 21st centurys

version of hide and go seek
By JAMES PRENDAMANO

Staten Arts Photography

www.statenartsphotography.com

Through the ages, children

have been fascinated by games of
hide and seek. When I was a kid,
we played Man Hunt and we

ushered in spring with Easter

Egg Hunts. Most people enjoy
solving riddles, which is why
Pokemon Go and scavenger hunts
for adults have become so popular.
Escape Rooms have been
popping up in Las Vegas, California, New York, Florida and South
Carolina. These businesses are
made up of various rooms that
seem to be ordinary but are in
fact a mystery puzzle. Players
gain access by purchasing an admission ticket, then they are
locked in a room where they must
find hidden objects, figure out the
clues and solve the puzzles to
earn their freedom within a limited time frame (usually 60 minutes). These rooms and other attractions are now being sought
after by shopping center owners
in an effort to drive traffic to their
retail tenants.
Places such as Broadway at
the Beach in Myrtle Beach, S.C.,
include rides, an aquarium, a 3D
theater and a hotel strategically
intertwined between their retail
tenants to help bolster sales and
elevate the price per square foot
rent landlords can charge for retail leases.
These centers are popping up
in busy metropolitan areas or in
areas where there is fierce competition for tourist dollars because
they attract visitors who are interested in doing something other
than shopping but who figure
that they may as well do some
shopping as long as they are
there. In these experiential retail
centers, retailers become the
cant resist items located near
the checkout counter of most
stores. The model works because

it is a win/win for everyone involved. Retailers get the foot traffic, attractions get to be a part of
the co-op marketing program,
landlords get higher rent and
shoppers/attraction users get
everything they want all in one
Instagram-worthy place.
When Pokemon Go was
launched, it became an instant
craze, demonstrating that children as well as adults, still enjoy a
good game of Hide and Go
Seek. The game is so popular
that the NYPD recently sent out
an alert reminding people to be
careful as they cross the street
and parents to lift an eye off their
phone now and then to be sure
that their children are still safely
with them. Pokemon Go has captured the attention of the world
and has marketers scrambling to
figure out how they can use it in
their daily promotions before the
craze dies down. For real estate
brokers and retail leasing professionals, the lesson to be learned
by Pokemon Go and other interactive games and attractions is
that no matter the age or the geographic location around the
world, humans enjoy an escape
from their daily routine, and
whether that escape is physical or
virtual, they are willing to join in
to have some fun. When landlords offer entertainment and
dining along with shopping in
their retail centers, they will be
able to command higher prices
for their retail leases.
James Prendamano is a managing
director for Casandra Properties,
Inc., Staten Islands premier real estate firm, specializing in all facets of
transactional real estate.

AUGUST 2016 BUSINESS TRENDS 9

on the job
ADRIAN WILTON
Staten Island Economic
Development Corp.
The Staten Island Economic
Development Corp. recently welcomed Cigi
member
Adrian
Wilton
of
Living
Restoration.
Living
Restoration
was founded
in 2011 with
the mission
Wilton
of promoting sustainable building practices, community development and urban agriculture. It is a collaborative of
green roof, environmental, architecture and marketing professionals that specialize in the design,
installation and maintenance of
urban agricultural spaces.
It works with building owners,
urban farmers, educational institutions and food service establish-

ments to create urban greenspaces and community farms. In

addition to the social and ecological benefits, Living Restorations
installations increase building efficiency, take advantage of current local building performance
incentives and increase revenue
for the building owner.
Living Restoration commits to
a business model that generates
green collar jobs and stimulates
local economies. It creates valueadded spaces from the non-traditional and underemployed settings of the urban environment
through functional rooftop design, community engagement
and industry synergy.
JONATHAN JOSEPH
Staten Island Economic
Development Corp.
The Staten Island Economic
Development Corp. recently welcomed
Universal
member
Jonathan Joseph of Fifth Borough Media. Fifth Borough Media
is a Staten Island-based market-

ing agency providing small businesses with high-quality, professional media services at an affordable rate.
ELIZABETH BENNETT
Staten Island Arts
The Staten Island Arts Board of
Directors recently announced the
selection of Elizabeth Bennett as
its next executive director.
We are delighted to have Elizabeth joining the organization. She
has a long history with Staten Island Arts and with many of our
key stakeholders, Board President Diane Kramer said. We are
entering a critical point in our
history with all of the rampant
development on the North Shore,
and Ms. Bennett will help position Staten Island Arts in the
thick of things.
Of her new position, Bennett
recently remarked, I am thrilled
and honored to join the board and
staff at Staten Island Arts. Some
of the most satisfying work I enjoyed at the NYC Department of

Cultural Affairs was with Staten

Island's cultural organizations,
and from that basis, I have great
affection and respect for the Island's artists. I'm also proud to
lead an organization that I respect one that I know to have a
creative, hardworking staff of
outstanding arts leaders and a
committed, loyal board of directors. Over the last 10 years, I
worked with previous executive
directors Laura Jean Watters and
Melanie Franklin Cohn, and it's
an honor to continue their great
work as Staten Island Arts approaches its 25th anniversary.
This is a crucial time for Staten
Islanders, and the staff, board and
I will be working hard to ensure
that the arts are a part of the Island's growth. I look forward to
increasing the support and recognition for individual artists and
organizations, and making the
arts a part of the everyday lives of
Islanders from north to south.
Bennett is an arts advocate
who has worked in the fields of

grantmaking, fundraising, public

service, journalism, dramaturgy
and education.
As the director of the program
services unit in the city Department of Cultural Affairs, Bennett
was part of the team to distribute
public funding to cultural organizations throughout the city. She
also managed the Cultural AfterSchool Adventures Program.
Bennett is a current application
review panelist for the New York
State Council on the Arts and has
served on review panels at the
Bush Foundation, Brooklyn Arts
Council, Staten Island Arts and
the California Arts Council. She
has worked in fundraising at Columbia University School of the
Arts, Park Avenue Armory and
the 92nd Street Y.
Bennett is a New Jersey native
who has also lived on and off
Marthas Vineyard for much of
her life. She earned her MFA at
the Yale School of Drama and
served as a class fundraising
agent for the school.

10 BUSINESS TRENDS AUGUST 2016

Gotham Motorcycles
celebrates one year
SCORE is the most recognized and utilized provider of
FREE Confidential Mentoring and Educational services to Americas small businesses.

Let SCORE help YOU!

BUILD GROW THRIVE
Call: 718-727-1221
Email: info@scoresi.org
Web: www.statenisland.SCORE.org
Staten Island SCORE New Headquarters
1855 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10314
Walk-Ins Welcome
Tuesdays & Thursdays from 9:00 am to Noon
Other Times By Appointment Only

Gotham Motorcycles, New

York Citys only authorized Indian, Victory and Slingshot motorcycle dealership, celebrated its
one-year anniversary on May 22
from noon to 5 p.m. with an outdoor picnic at its Tompkinsville
location.
More than 300 customers and
residents enjoyed an afternoon of
free food, family fun and music by
SINY DJs, posing for pictures
with celebrities and playing
games as they anxiously awaited
the drawing for the winner of the
2014 KYMCO scooter.
Said Gotham Motorcycles
owner Mark Crescitelli, I am so
grateful to our customers and
neighbors who have been tremendously supportive of us over the
past year.
The Crescitelli family has a
long history of selling motorcycles on Staten Island. I am thrilled
to be able to celebrate the success
of our first year and to have firmly replanted new roots by going
back to selling Indian motorcycles on Staten Island as my grandfather did nearly 100 years ago.
The scooter give-away was the
brain child of Gotham Motorcycles General Manager Alex Figliolia Jr. as a way to say thank you

to customers both old and new.

Figliolia said, Gotham Motorcycles is more than just a motorcycle dealership, it is a place for
people to gather and share stories
about their lives and to come together to help people in need.
The men and women who walk
through the doors are generous to
their very core, and I wanted
them to know how much they are
appreciated, so we decided to
have a contest to give away one of
our 2014 KYMCO scooters.
The contest began in January
with contestants able to enter
both online, by mail and in person.
Sopranos actor Tony
Sirco, aka Paulie Walnuts,
chose the winner from the nearly
10,000 entries.
Gotham Motorcycles has a
10,000-square-foot showroom at
364 Bay St. in a new 40,000-squarefoot commercial complex called
Downtown Plaza. Besides being
the only Indian, Victory and
Slingshot dealer in New York
City, Gotham Motorcycles also
sells riding apparel and used motorcycles and scooters which include BMW, Harley Davidson and
more.
The showroom also includes an
in house repair shop.

PROFESSIONAL WEBSITES.
PEASANT PRICES.

718-273-1200

12 BUSINESS TRENDS AUGUST 2016

Officials celebrate launch of Build It Back

In front of a New Dorp Beach
home left vacant since Hurricane
Sandy more than three years ago,
Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R,C,I-East Shore) and Amy
Peterson, director of the New
York City Housing Recovery Office, announced a pilot program
to address abandoned, stormdamaged properties in several
New York City neighborhoods.
The pilot program will allow the
city to identify and purchase
abandoned, storm-damaged oneto four-unit homes in one strategically chosen neighborhood in
each of three major Build it Back
boroughs.
We've been working with the
City of New York to formulate
this plan to address the problem
of abandoned properties, which
have plagued our neighborhoods
following Hurricane Sandy. Many
buildings were left structurallyunsound by the storm, in danger
of collapsing at any moment, and

some have served as breeding

grounds for harmful mold. We
also fielded an unsettling number
of complaints of rodent infestation on properties like these. If
these buildings are not surveyed,
cleaned and repaired, not only
will our recovery efforts be impeded, but a new set of health issues could arise in communities
full of families that have suffered
enough in the storm's wake,
Malliotakis said.
The pilot program will add a
new component to the Build it
Back Acquisition Program, allowing the city to identify and
purchase abandoned, storm-damaged one- to four-unit homes in
one strategically chosen neighborhood in each of three major
Build it Back boroughs: Brighton
Beach in Brooklyn, Edgemere in
Queens and New Dorp in Staten
Island. Properties will be identified through a canvassing effort,
vetted by a Technical Review

Special to Business Trends

From left, James ONeill of Councilman Steven Matteos office, Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis, Amy Peterson, Anthony Reinhart
of state Sen. Andrew Lanzas office, Stacey Sclafani of Congressman
Dan Donovans office and Nicole Romano speak in front of an abandoned home in New Dorp Beach.
Committee, and their owners will
be invited to apply to the Build it
Back Acquisition Program for
further eligibility review, benefit
determination, acquisition offer

and closing.
The methodology for determining which neighborhoods to target for this pilot resulted in a
focus on Sandy-impacted neigh-

borhoods where the problem of

abandoned properties is most
prevalent.
To ensure the selected neighborhoods matched those where
the most recovery work is occurring, only neighborhoods where
50 or more Build it Back repair, elevation, rebuild or acquisition applicants reside were considered.
An external physical assessment will be combined with a review of other relevant property
specific information to create a
more detailed assessment of potential abandonment.
A Technical Review Committee
will also review each property to
confirm the propertys abandonment status prior to additional research and owner outreach.
A successful piloting of this additional program will result in a
citywide approach for all those
areas impacted by Hurricane
Sandy and served by Build it
Back.

AUGUST 2016 BUSINESS TRENDS 13

WEEKLY MEETINGS
MONDAY
Bus. Outreach Ctr of SI/WBCLDC
Small Bus. Counseling
MWBE/BOC Capital: WBCLDC, 705
Forest Ave., 2nd Fl. By appointment
only. For info, call 718-816-4775.
Kiwanis Club of Richmond Co.:
LaFontana Restaurant, 2879 Amboy
Rd. 7 p.m. Call 718-420-1966.
College of S.I., Small Bus. Dev. Ctr.
Business Counseling: CSI, 2800
Victory Blvd. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. No
charge. For info, call the SBDC at
718-982-2560.

TUESDAY
Greater New Dorp Networking
Group: 8 a.m. Perkins, 1409 Hylan
Blvd. For information, call Steve
Lombardo at 718-702-8623.
Richmond Business Connections:
Z One, 1821 Richmond Ave. 8 a.m.
For information, call Ronald P.
Cutrone at (347) 258-8131.
SI Business Friends: 7:30 - 8:45
a.m. Hilton Garden Inn, 1100 South
Ave. For information, call Dr. Richard
Bove at 718-938-5978 or visit
www.sibfnetwork.com.
Bus. Outreach Ctr of SI/WBCLDC
Small Bus. Counseling
MWBE/BOC Capital: WBCLDC, 705
Forest Ave., 2nd Fl. By appointment
only. For info, call 718-816-4775.
Direct120.com, Ultimate Think
Tank: Lorenzos, 1100 South Ave. For
info, visit www.direct120.com.
Kiwanis Club of South Shore:
LaFontana, 2879 Amboy Rd. 7:30
p.m. For info, call 718-370-2770.
SCORE Business Counseling: S.I.
Bank & Trust, 1550 Richmond Rd. 9
a.m. to noon. No appointment necessary. No charge. For info, call 718727-1221.
Business Guild I of the S.I. Chamber of Commerce: Hilton Garden
Inn, 1100 South Ave. 7:45 a.m. Members and invited guests only. Call
Michael Anicito at 646-606-2111.
Business Network Intl. (BNI) Network Alliance Chapter: Z-One
Lounge, 1821 Richmond Ave. 7 to
8:30 a.m. For info, call Timothy
Houston at 718-981-8600.
Rotary Club Staten Island: LiGrecis Staten, 697 Forest Ave. 12:30 to
1:30 p.m. Members and guests welcome. For info, call 718-370-3140.
College of S.I., Small Bus. Dev. Ctr.
Business Counseling: Chamber of
Commerce, 130 Bay St. 9 a.m. No
charge. Call 718-982-2560.

College of S.I., Small Bus. Dev. Ctr.

Business Counseling: CSI, 2800
Victory Blvd. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. No
charge. Call the SBDC at 982-2560.

WEDNESDAY
Bus. Outreach Ctr of SI/WBCLDC
Small Bus. Counseling
MWBE/BOC Capital: WBCLDC, 705
Forest Ave., 2nd Fl. By appointment
only. For info, call 718-816-4775.
Richmond County Referral Source:
Comfort Inn. 7:00 to 8:15 a.m. For
info, email jcmexp@aol.com
Staten Island Business Council:
Andrews Diner, 4160 Hylan Blvd. 7
a.m. Members and invited guests
only. For info, call 347-855-4488 or
send an e-mail to info@sibizcouncil.com.
Bucks Business Network: Hampton Inn, 1120 South Ave. 7:45 a.m.
For info, call 718-351-2557 or visit
www.sibucks.com.
Kiwanis Club of Brighton: Jodys
Club Forest, 372 Forest Ave. 7:30
p.m. For info, call 718-348-0505.
Kiwanis Club of North Central:
LiGrecis Staten, 697 Forest Ave.
7:30 p.m. Call Len Bosso at 718-4427804.
SCORE Business Counseling:
Chamber of Commerce, 130 Bay St.
9 to 11:30 a.m. Appointment necessary. No charge. Call 718-727-1221.
E.L.I.T.E. (Executive, Leadership,
Interactive, Team, Effort) Networking Group: 1110 South Ave. 8
a.m. New members welcome. For
info, call 347-273-1375.
College of S.I., Small Bus. Dev. Ctr.
Business Counseling: CSI, 2800
Victory Blvd. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For
info, call 718-982-2560.

THURSDAY
Bus. Outreach Ctr of SI/WBCLDC
Small Bus. Counseling
MWBE/BOC Capital: WBCLDC, 705
Forest Ave., 2nd Fl. By appointment
only. For info, call 718-816-4775.
Kiwanis Club of Staten Island:
LiGrecis Staten, 697 Forest Ave.
7:30 p.m. For info, call 718-967-4345
or kiwanisclubofstatenisland.com.
Rotary Club of South Shore: Mansion Grand, 141 Mansion Ave. 12:15
p.m. For info, call 718-987-2061 or
visit southshorerotary.org.
Rotary Club Mid-Island: New Dakota Diner, 921 Richmond Ave. 7:30 to
9:00 a.m. Call 718-981-0700.

SCORE Business Counseling: SI

Bank & Trust, 1550 Richmond Rd. 9
a.m. to noon. No appointment necessary. No charge. Call 718-727-1221.
Rotary Club of North Shore: LiGrecis Staten, 697 Forest Ave. 7 p.m.
For info, call Christine DeHart at
718-448-4725.
Business Network Intl. (BNI) High
Achievers Chapter: PKs Restaurant,1281 Arthur Kill Rd. 7 to 8:30
a.m. For info, call Timothy Houston
at 718-981-8600.
Business Guild II of the S.I. Chamber of Commerce: Hilton Garden
Inn, 1100 South Ave. 7:45 to 8:45
a.m. Members and invited guests
only. For info, call Lou Rizzo at 718490-0057.
Business Guild III of the SI Chamber of Commerce: Hilton Garden
Inn, 1100 South Ave. 8 a.m. New
members welcome. Call Nick Testa
at 646-823-4494.
College of S.I., Small Bus. Dev. Ctr.
Business Counseling: CSI, 2800
Victory Blvd. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For
info, call 718-982-2560.
Community Emergency Response
Team (CERT): 7 p.m. For info. and
locations, call John Tidona at 4487160 or portrichcert@yahoo.com.

TEMPORARY PERSONNEL / STAFFING FOR YOUR:

Custodial / Superintendant Needs
Vacation Coverage
Handy Man Repairs
Interior / Exterior Maintenance
Emergency Staffing
Truck with driver available (local)

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emp sshows
hows u
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761-8390
61-8390

FRIDAY
Bus. Outreach Ctr of SI/WBCLDC
Small Bus. Counseling
MWBE/BOC Capital: WBCLDC, 705
Forest Ave., 2nd Fl. By appointment
only. For info, call 718-816-4775.

SATURDAY
SCORE Business Counseling: St.
George Library, 5 Central Ave. 10
a.m. to noon. Appointment necessary. No charge. Call 718-442-8560.
SCORE Business Counseling: Richmondtown Library, 200 Clarke Ave.
10 to 11:30 a.m. Call 718-668-0413.

718-698-3462
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14 BUSINESS TRENDS AUGUST 2016

City launches portal to help

support its women entrepreneurs
CITY
Continued from page 1

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places to be a female entrepreneur, based on a citys ability to

attract and support high-potential female entrepreneurs ahead
of 27 other global cities the company and research firm HIS studied.
A week after the honor was bestowed, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the launch of a tool to
help women entrepreneurs in the
city be even more successful. De
Blasio dubbed The Women Entrepreneurs of New York City Portal
a digital one-stop shop for small
business owners.
The portal provides women
with the necessary resources for
managing a business, including
access to how-to-guides for starting a business, a directory of organizations that support entrepreneurs, a searchable database
of courses and professional development events, a map of womenowned businesses, question and
answer tools to interact with
mentors and narratives from successful business owners.
The portal, which can be found
at https://we.nyc, is offered in 90

languages, and will be continually developed over the next two

years based on user feedback, officials said.
The city is at its best when
everyone regardless of race,
gender and ethnicity has the
means they need to thrive, de
Blasio said. The WE NYC Portal
is yet another resource for low-income and immigrant women entrepreneurs to start, manage and
sustain their businesses, allowing
them to uplift communities
across the city.
WE NYC partnered with
Blenderbox, a woman-owned
business, to develop the portal.
The company hosted user testing
sessions for groups of women
representing different industries,
backgrounds and boroughs online and at its headquarters in
Brooklyn.
SBS is dedicated to helping
businesses start, operate and
grow and women entrepreneurs
are key economic drivers in New
York City, generating approximately $50 billion in sales annually, said Gregg Bishop, commissioner of the Department of
Small Business Services. The
WE NYC program at SBS is delivering on its promise to create a
one-stop shop that makes it easier
for women entrepreneurs to start

and run a business at any stage.

We are excited about the launch
of this new online tool, which is
just one more reason why New
York is the best city in the world
for women entrepreneurs.
As part of the WE NYC initiative, officials said the portal will
help reduce the citys gender gap
in entrepreneurship by empowering underserved women to reach
their full economic potential by
providing high quality and curated information to help them grow
their businesses. The portal
helps women access mentors, networks, courses, training, inspiration and a broader community of
women entrepreneurs.
The WE NYC Portal will harness the creativity, savvy and talent of women entrepreneurs and
connect them with the tools and
resources to succeed, Council
Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito
said. By tapping into the entrepreneurial spirit of our city,
women can build ladders of opportunity and financial independence, and become thought leaders
and innovators in their chosen
fields. We need more women in
business, and WE NYC is a critical part of that goal. I thank the
city for its commitment to advancing access and opportunity
for women.