Tuesday, January 24, 2012

What exactly does GJDC do anyway?

From the NY Post:

It rakes in millions in taxpayer money, pays its executives handsomely, and likes to tout its grand visions.

But critics and business owners say that in the 45 years the Greater Jamaica Development Corp. has existed, it’s done little to further its single mission: Make Jamaica, Queens, a better place to work and live.

The nonprofit’s latest plan is a $25 million project to widen a road and create a public plaza. To do it, GJDC asked the city’s help to evict more than a dozen small businesses and several apartment dwellers — the exact groups the organization is supposed to help.

Carol Radin is fuming over the impending loss of her property at Sutphin Boulevard and Archer Avenue, which includes three apartments, retail shops and office space. She has operated businesses at the corner since 1960.

Greater Jamaica, formed in 1967 to revitalize the struggling Queens business district, has reaped a windfall of public money from its allies, including embattled Rep. Gregory Meeks, but its track record is disputed.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I dunno...
Carlyle Towrey lived pretty good off of it for years!

What's dat "white bread boy" up to these days?

Maybe GJDC was set up to be a Donald Manes money laundry!

Anonymous said...

Outside of living in "The Estates"...Jamaica's a crap hole.

It doesn't matter what anyone tries to do to make it a better neighborhood.

It won't happen because it became a ghetto way back when.

Anonymous said...

Jamaica used to be nice...too bad..what happened???

Anonymous said...

"Jamaica used to be nice."

During the 60s and 70s it became vibrantly diverse.

Gary the Agnostic said...

Not much. But they sure do get paid a lot to do it.

Anonymous said...

Jamaica will always be Jamaica. Maybe the city should change the name.

Captain Jack Sparrow said...

As the troubled "Jamaica Tourist Board" once proclaimed in the midst of their violent troubles...
"Come back to Jamaica".

If I were privateer captain Henry Morgan commanding a 24 gun vessel, I wouldn't set foot there on land after dark.

Shiver me timbers!

Anonymous said...

GJDC also owns the parking lots in the area that used to be owned by NYC. It's a tax-exempt organization, but brings in lots of dough.