Queens gets a seat at the EDC table

 

Queens Post

Former Council Member Costa Constantinides was sworn into the city’s Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors Tuesday.

Constantinides, who is now the CEO of Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens, was nominated to represent Queens by Queens Borough President Donovan Richards. The NYCEDC’s role—as a quasi-private, city-affiliated corporation–is to utilize city assets to stimulate growth. The board helps set the agenda.

“I am honored and thrilled to nominate him to the NYCEDC Board of Directors,” Richards said in a statement. “Costa’s track record clearly shows his devotion to Queens’ economic growth and success, which will continue as long as Costa has a seat at the table.”

Constantinides represented District 22 — which includes his native Astoria, Rikers Island and parts of Jackson Heights, Woodside and East Elmhurst — on the City Council from 2014 through April 2021, when he left office about six months ago to take a position with the Boys & Girls club. The council district has been without a representative since his departure, including during budget season.

He has been appointed to a board of an organization that is often controversial. As part of the EDC’s mission to generate jobs and revenue for the city, it often awards public property to developers.

The NYCEDC has worked with developers on a number of controversial projects–such as at Willets Point and on the Long Island City waterfront. It also has worked on the Sunnyside Yards Master Plan and the BQX connector. It also championed the Amazon deal.