Greater Jamaica Development Corporation works in partnership with a number of public and private organizations, agencies, and institutions in planning and advancing Jamaica's revitalization and redevelopment.

York College The youngest of the City University's senior colleges, York's large new campus includes the Academic Core building, a sports complex and performing arts theater/auditorium. The new U.S. Food & Drug Administration headquarters and regional laboratory opened in 1999 on York's campus. The potentials for collaborative work with the FDA and York and for related business development are being explored by the Corporation.

Queens Borough President Helen Marshall and her staff are active in initiating, implementing and supporting the full range of community-building activities and services in which the Corporation is engaged.

Elected Officials All levels of government -- local, borough, city, state and federal -- are involved and supportive of the Corporation's work. Congressman Gregory Meeks and U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Hillary Clinton and have led in securing federal investments for Jamaica. Governor George Pataki, MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow and Empire State Development Chair Charles Gargano are leading the State's efforts in Jamaica. State Senators Ada Smith, Malcolm Smith and Serphin Maltese, and Assemblymembers Vivian Cook and William Scarborough are active supporters in Albany. Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his Deputy Mayor Daniel Doctoroff are continuing the City's long-standing partnership with the Corporation. Councilmembers Allan Jennings, Leroy Comrie, James Gennaro and David Weprin work with the corporation interactively representing sections of the downtown; Joseph Addabbo, Jr., Melinda Katz and James Sanders represent the downtown's environs and are supporters.

Community Board 12 of Queens, chaired by James Davis, and the Corporation collaborate routinely on various projects and programs underway in Jamaica, and consult on policy matters and prioritization.

Special Assessment Districts The Corporation was instrumental in establishing three local business entities which provide supplemental services to their areas through special real estate assessments. Jamaica Center Improvement Association manages promotions, supports cultural events, special clean-up and safety services for Jamaica Avenue; the 165th Street Mall Improvement Association pioneered this concept and helps maintain that important retail street. Along 180th Street, a group of property owners and industrialists recently began augmenting city services with a business improvement district (BID) for that zone. A BID is in formation for Sutphin Boulevard.  The Corporation worked with the Jamaica West Group to advance this program.

City of New York Through its Department of Business Services and Economic Development Corporation, the City enables the Corporation to undertake a range of commercial and industrial programs and projects and, with private participators, supports the Corporation's services, financings and general operations.

State of New York The Empire State Development Corporation and State Depart- ment of Economic Development support the Corporation's efforts through project financing, special loan funds and underwriting administrative costs of the Empire Zone (EZ) program. The EZ provides incentives to eligible businesses that develop or expand in Jamaica. NYS Department of Transportation is providing infrastructure improvements; the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and it's Long Island Rail Road are leading the effort to catalyze private development around AirTrain.

The Federal Government has invested substantially in Jamaica's improvement and in the transportation systems focused on Jamaica. The U.S. Department of Trans- portation has provided the Corporation with substantial funds for infrastructure improvements. The U.S. Economic Development Administration provided capital grants for key projects and for GJDC's revolving loan fund. The U.S. Small Business Administration enabled the establishments of the Jamaica Business Resource Center, the nation's first "one stop capital shop." Community Development (CDBG) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development support GJDC's operations.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey with its AirTrain Terminal at Jamaica Station is building and working with the Corporation to realize local economic potentials and to plan and facilitate related development and transportation improvements.

King Manor Museum and Jamaica Center For Arts & Learning are two prominent cultural institutions in Jamaica Center founded with assistance from the Corporation. King Manor, the nineteenth century home of Rufus King, signer of the Constitution and distinguished statesman, now enjoys new life as a historic house museum. Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning (formerly Jamaica Arts Center) provides visual and performing arts programming and educational programs for the residents of southeast Queens and the downtown population in the landmarked former City Register building on Jamaica Avenue. JCAL is sponsoring the rehabili- tation of a landmarked vacant, former church building as a performing arts center.

Cultural Collaborative Jamaica A consortium of fourteen arts groups, cultural institutions and business organizations creatively links local arts activities with economic development programs in Jamaica Center by acting as "arts broker" for the business community and by providing technical assistance to its member groups.

Jamaica Business Resource Center The nation's first federally-sponsored "one-stop capital shop" offers research and planning services, technical assistance, and training in the fundamentals of business management, and assists clients in obtaining loans for the start up and expansion of small businesses.

The Downtown Committee, made up business interests, cultural groups and institutions, meets regularly to address quality-of-life issues in Jamaica Center. The Committee sponsors community events such as the popular annual Jamaica 5K Run and the Jamaica Spring Cleanup. Jamaica First, a non-profit affiliate of the Corporat- ion, was launched in 2001 with the acquisition and improvement of three downtown municipal parking facilities. Its purpose is to provide ample and affordable off-street parking facilities with quality services to support local economic activity and development.

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