LONG ISLAND BOARD OF REALTORS® TURNS NAR GRANTS

INTO BELOVED URBAN SPACE AND CHERISHED COMMUNITY GARDEN

THAT SERVE MULTIPLE GENERATIONS

Marlo Paventi, the senior director of public policy & government affairs for The Long Island Board of REALTORS® (LIBOR) said the Wyandanch Senior Center Community Garden was yet another opportunity to create a safe, productive space during the pandemic.

She noted that LIBOR was happy that the town of Babylon provided an amenity that will pay dividends perpetually.

When the garden opened a few years ago, LIBOR thanked Shaffer, Suffolk County Legislator Jason Richberg, Town Councilman DuWayne Gregory and Assemblywoman Kimberly Jean Pierre for their support of the project.

The LIBOR community amenity initiatives are wonderful examples of cross-generational ideas and projects that will provide connections within the neighborhoods for generations to come.

LONG ISLAND BOARD OF REALTORS® TURNS NAR GRANTS

INTO BELOVED URBAN SPACE AND CHERISHED COMMUNITY GARDEN

THAT SERVE MULTIPLE GENERATIONS

The town of Babylon horticulturist oversees the Wyandanch Senior Center Community Garden, which produces various fruits and vegetables depending on the season.

The garden was created on less than an acre of town-owned land by the senior center parking lot. It features raised beds to allow gardening access by people with limited mobility.

“Engaging in gardening activities has been proven to have positive effects on mental health, reducing stress and anxiety while promoting a sense of accomplishment and purpose.

The therapeutic aspects of working in a community garden cannot be understated, as it provides a peaceful and nurturing environment for individuals to connect with nature and each other,” said Babylon Town Supervisor Richard Schaffer and Deputy Supervisor and Councilman Antonio Martinez, in a joint statement.

“The Wyandanch Senior Center Community Garden is a shining example of how a simple initiative can have far-reaching benefits for our community.

Together, let us continue to cultivate a healthier and happier community for all.”

LONG ISLAND BOARD OF REALTORS® TURNS NAR GRANTS

INTO BELOVED URBAN SPACE AND CHERISHED COMMUNITY GARDEN

THAT SERVE MULTIPLE GENERATIONS

The Long Island Board of REALTORS® (LIBOR) used an NAR Placemaking Grant to create the Wyandanch Senior Center Community Garden in the town of Babylon in Suffolk County on Long Island.

The garden provides fresh fruits and vegetables to a local soup kitchen and the Wyandanch Senior Nutrition Center.

“The Wyandanch Senior Center Community Garden not only provides access to fresh produce but also fosters a sense of community and well-being among our residents.

The proximity of the garden to the senior center is invaluable, as it allows our seniors to engage in meaningful activities that promote physical health and social interaction,” said Babylon Town Supervisor Richard Schaffer and Deputy Supervisor and Councilman Antonio Martinez, in a joint statement.

“Furthermore, the provision of free produce in a lower-income community like Wyandanch is a testament to our commitment to addressing food insecurity and promoting healthy eating habits.

By offering fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables, we are not only nourishing bodies but also empowering individuals to make nutritious choices for themselves and their families.”

LONG ISLAND BOARD OF REALTORS® TURNS NAR GRANTS

INTO BELOVED URBAN SPACE AND CHERISHED COMMUNITY GARDEN

THAT SERVE MULTIPLE GENERATIONS

The Long Island Board of REALTORS® funded urban space is shaded by a large sunshade sail provided by Rockaway Brewing Company.

It is fixed to the Rockaway building and spans over the sidewalk and the Street Seat.

The colorful theme of the Street Seat matches a mural on the face of the adjacent Rockaway Brewing Company.

Rockaway graciously agreed to cover the liability of the space and maintain it.

“Community is at the heart of real estate, which is why REALTORS® volunteer at twice the rate of the general population,” said LIBOR President Kevin Leatherman, in a statement released during this year’s spruce up of the Long Island City Street Seat.

“We are incredibly proud of our members who go above and beyond helping consumers buy and sell homes.

At LIBOR, we are committed to creating better, more vibrant communities, and volunteerism is central to that mission.

Our REALTORS® are dedicated to making a lasting impact, ensuring that our neighborhoods are wonderful places to live, work and thrive for generations.”

 

 

LONG ISLAND BOARD OF REALTORS® TURNS NAR GRANTS

INTO BELOVED URBAN SPACE AND CHERISHED COMMUNITY GARDEN

THAT SERVE MULTIPLE GENERATIONS

The Long Island Board of REALTORS® funded a parklet in Long Island City Queens.

“This was done during COVID, to provide more outdoor space for distancing in a bustling Queens community,” said Marlo Paventi, the senior director of public policy & government affairs for LIBOR.

“It is boxed in and protected from cars by larger planter boxes that have bench seating built into them. There also are circular benches built in the middle and connected together.”

A NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of REALTORS® Placemaking Grant funded the project that immediately became part of the growing neighborhood’s fabric.

“We hired a consultant, got permits, worked with New York City Parks and hired a firm to build it,” Paventi said.

“Several of our REALTORS® volunteered in July to repaint, plant flowers and spruce up the 2021 project.”

 

LONG ISLAND BOARD OF REALTORS® TURNS NAR GRANTS

INTO BELOVED URBAN SPACE AND CHERISHED COMMUNITY GARDEN

THAT SERVE MULTIPLE GENERATIONS

Long Island City is a vibrant neighborhood known for restaurants, shops, galleries, event venues and million-dollar views of Manhattan across the East River.

The location at 46th and 5th Street is footsteps from the waterfront featuring Gantry Plaza State Park, NYC Ferry dock and the famous neon-lit historic Pepsi Cola sign. It was the perfect place to turn a trio of parking spaces into a Street Seat.

A Street Seat, sometimes known as a parklet, turns parking spaces into people places by introducing seating, greenery and shade over asphalt.

The Long Island Board of REALTORS® (LIBOR) chose the location to accommodate the hundreds of thousands of individuals who patronize local businesses—providing a safe and inviting place to rest, meet up, eat and enjoy the community.

 

UNITED SPINAL’S ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES HELPS

MUSEUMS TO BECOME DISABILITY-INCLUSIVE

Matt Castelluccio -- Vice President of Community Support for United Spinal -- said thousands of museums could benefit from duplicating NYSCI’s immersive exhibit, which explores technology while approaching disability as an everyday part of life.

He especially praised a sit-ski experience that replicated the Paralympic sport.

In a time trial run, kids could virtually slalom between the flags and down the giant slope.

“All these kids were asking my boys about mobility because they saw me using a wheelchair,” said Matt.

“My boys get it, but I think about hundreds of people that day who left the exhibit with an appreciation and understanding of life with a disability.”

And not just that day.

“Think about every day the museum is open.

How many people who might not have direct experience with disability – how they walk away with such a positive experience.”

 

UNITED SPINAL’S ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES HELPS

MUSEUMS TO BECOME DISABILITY-INCLUSIVE

“One of the things that has emerged is quiet rooms or spaces, where a person on the spectrum can avoid the roar of the crowd,” says Kleo King, the Senior Director of Accessibility Operations for United Spinal’s Accessibility Services and a NYSCI board member.

Braille signage and wayfinding are a must, as well as infrared hearing loops at ticket counters, concessions, and more.

At the disability-inclusive Human Plus exhibit, visitors can virtually sit-ski the Alps.

Dana Schloss, Associate Vice President of Exhibits at NYSCI, notes that the building was built six decades ago for the World’s Fair, long before the ADA was enacted.

However, NYSCI leadership constantly develops programming and facilities that include people with a full range of disabilities.

“We have redone a lot of the museum in the last six years.

We’re thinking of inclusivity in all exhibits and all parts of the building,” she said.

“We think about Universal Design all the time. 

We know that ADA compliance is the beginning. NYSCI aims to offer an inclusive design for all.”

UNITED SPINAL’S ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES HELPS

MUSEUMS TO BECOME DISABILITY-INCLUSIVE

Accessibility Services teamed up with the Buffalo Bills to build a stadium that exceeds the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.

Today, Accessibility Services is working on the first-ever soccer-specific stadium in New York City.

The 25,000-seat stadium for the New York City FC Major League Soccer team is projected to open in 2027.

Designed by HOK, it is next to Citi Field and part of a mixed-use project featuring thousands of affordable housing units.

When the ADA was enacted in 1990, most public facilities first considered access for wheelchair users.

However, Accessibility Services has always addressed compliance and innovative solutions to create a more inclusive environment for all people with disabilities.

UNITED SPINAL’S ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES HELPS

MUSEUMS TO BECOME DISABILITY-INCLUSIVE

“The Hall of Science is very conscientious about accessibility,” says Kleo King.

She is the Senior Director of Accessibility Operations for United Spinal’s Accessibility Services and a NYSCI board member.

“When the Hall of Science gets funding for capital upgrades, they never say, ‘We are doing this because we have to comply.’

Instead, it’s a very upfront, ‘we want to upgrade for better access and inclusion.’”

One of Accessibility Services’ larger projects is at the same MTA subway stop as the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park grounds that host the NYSCI facility.

Citi Field, home of the New York Mets and other events that take advantage of its 40,000-plus seats, opened in 2009 to replace Shea Stadium.

Accessibility Services consulted with famed stadium architectural firm Populous to gather information from a full range of people with disabilities, design seating in all price ranges and vantage points in the $850,000 ballpark, and more.

UNITED SPINAL’S ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES HELPS

MUSEUMS TO BECOME DISABILITY-INCLUSIVE

“Most kids don’t get to hop in a wheelchair and experience how to navigate in it. It breaks down the stigmas,” said Matt Castelluccio -- Vice President of Community Support for United Spinal -- about Human Plus’s wheelchair exhibit.

“I was also impressed that it wasn’t just a tiny, temporary exhibit like some places do to observe a disability awareness month.

This full-scale, immersive exhibit presents disability and adaptations as part of the bigger picture of science.”

Matt sent photos of the disability-inclusive exhibit to fellow advocates at United Spinal, which is how he discovered that his coworker Kleo King helped make it happen.

 

UNITED SPINAL’S ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES HELPS

MUSEUMS TO BECOME DISABILITY-INCLUSIVE

Matthew Castelluccio was interested in an outing with his wife Elaine and twin 12-year-old sons Dominic and RJ for Veterans Day when he settled on the New York Hall of Science.

While there, the family came upon Human Plus, an exhibit on disability and adaptive technology.

“My kids grew up knowing me as a wheelchair user,” says Matt, Vice President of Community Support for United Spinal.

“They are familiar with adaptations and my mobility.

But it was mind-blowing to come across a technology- and disability-related exhibit.”

The exhibit features a white cane navigation pathway demonstrating low-vision mobility.

It also offers an auditory experience featuring the pulse of music to demonstrate how people experience music without fully hearing it.

There are also prosthetic exhibits, and visitors can design their own wheelchairs.

MANHATTAN SKYLINE

FROM LONG ISLAND CITY

Blues, purples, reds, oranges and other pastels enhance the beauty of Manhattan at dusk.

MANHATTAN SKYLINE

FROM LONG ISLAND CITY

Even though the super-tall buildings are vintage 2021, there's something about the tone and texture of this image that feels like 1970s NYC.

MANHATTAN SKYLINE

FROM LONG ISLAND CITY

Sun setting over Manhattan's ever-evolving skyline of skyscrapers.

MANHATTAN SKYLINE

FROM LONG ISLAND CITY

Gantry Plaza State Park is the perfect waterfront location for photographing the Manhattan skyline.

The park, fronting the East River, is totally wheelchair-accessible.

MANHATTAN SKYLINE

 FROM LONG ISLAND CITY

The Chrysler Building -- an American art deco classic.

MANHATTAN SKYLINE

FROM LONG ISLAND CITY

Moon over Manhattan.

June 2021

First trip since COVID pandemic.

MANHATTAN SKYLINE

 FROM LONG ISLAND CITY

A slight thematic blur in this shot across the East River taking in Midtown to Lower Manhattan.

PEPSI COLA NEON SIGN

LONG ISLAND CITY

The sign, visible from Manhattan and the East River, was built in 1940 and originally installed atop PepsiCo's bottling factory nearby.