By Bill Parry
Two months after the massive Astoria Cove construction project got final approval by the City Council, nearly 150 people came to PS 85 to learn more about job opportunities the development will bring. Councilman Costa Constantinides (D-Astoria) hosted Astoria Cove Learning Day with the help of community groups such as Build Up NYC and Urban Upbound.
Tenant associations from Queensbridge, Ravenswood and the Astoria Houses were also on hand.
“I was happy to see the community turn out to get information about jobs,” Constantinides said. “One of the issues that we made sure to address in the agreement on Astoria Cove was to ensure that there would be good job opportunities at the development and that workers would be able to afford to live in this community.”
Job seekers looking for careers in construction, building operations, security or the hospitality industry attended.
“We are pleased to bring valuable information to Astoria about programs available in the building trades, hotel trades, and building operations and maintenance that teach workers how to do their jobs right,” Build Up NYC President Gary LaBarbera said. “As our city skyline continues to transform, we must ensure that good jobs are ones that lift and keep communities in the middle class.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4538.
