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GREAT NECK PLAZA RANKED NUMBER 1 ON THE NICHE WEBSITE’S RANKINGS OF BEST PLACES TO LIVE IN NEW YORK

The market research and data website Niche has ranked Great Neck Plaza as the Number 1 place to live in New York. The Niche Website states:

“Great Neck Plaza is a suburb of New York City with a population of 6,957. Great Neck Plaza is in Nassau County and is one of the best places to live in New York. Living in Great Neck Plaza offers residents a dense urban feel and most residents own their homes. In Great Neck Plaza there are a lot of restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many retirees live in Great Neck Plaza and residents tend to lean liberal. The public schools in Great Neck Plaza are highly rated.”

The Niche Website gives the Plaza an overall Niche grade of A+ and a grade of A+ for public schools. Great Neck Plaza was ranked #1 out of 902 on the Niche website’s rankings of Best Places to Live in New York.

We are very proud of this ranking. We thank the Niche website.

We respectfully and humbly add that this confirms what we in the Plaza have known for a long time: Great Neck Plaza is a beautiful and wonderful place to live.

Ted Rosen, Mayor

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The Village is pleased to announce the kickoff of its “Shop Local”/”Dine Local” campaign, which is a key component of the Village’s campaign to support our local shops, restaurants, and other food establishments in this difficult time.” The campaign features posters displayed in local shops, restaurants and other food establishments, lawn signs placed around the Village and two banners affixed to the Middle Neck Road Bridge over the LIRR tracks.”

Deputy Mayor Gerald Schneiderman commented “I have lived in Great Neck Plaza for many years and have long been a devoted customer of our local shops and restaurants. These establishments offer great products, delicious food, attentive customer service, and great convenience to our local residents.”

Trustee Lawrence Katz noted that “small businesses comprise approximately 99% of all of the businesses in our nation. Many of these businesses are located on main streets throughout our country and their continued success and viability are not only important to our national economy but are also critically important to the vitality of the small towns and communities, like the Plaza, in which they are located.”

The “Shop Local”/”Dine Local” Campaign had been planned in the fall of 2020 and its kickoff was pushed back to a time when it was anticipated that the pandemic would begin to decline and that the weather would improve with the approach of spring. The eye-catching, attractive Shop Local”/”Dine Local” posters were designed by Sam Marksheid, a professional graphic designer, who grew up in Great Neck Plaza and who volunteered his services in designing the posters and banners. Marksheid is the son of Deputy Mayor Pam Marksheid who noted “I am very proud that my son could utilize his beautiful talents and skills to assist the village in which he grew up and which he loves very much in this most important project.”

Trustee Michael DeLuccia, the president of a local cooperative which has street level retail space occupied by merchants and other small businesses observed “I know how challenging it is for the proprietors of our retail shops to remain in business today. All of us should make a determined effort to support them and give them our business so that they can continue to be successful and add so much to our community”.

The “Shop Local”/”Dine Local” campaign, is part of a multi-faceted Village program to support existing retail shops and restaurants and to recruit new businesses to the Plaza and to the Great Neck community. The Village is forming a business advisory group which will be working with a local university to provide instruction to be paid for by the Village to local Village merchants in areas important to retail success, such as marketing, social media marketing, finance, and customer service. The Village is also planning a commercial landlord support group to help landlords be creative and resourceful in renting their commercial space. The Village has worked, and continues to work, closely with the Village’s Business Improvement District in providing various promotions for the Village’s retail businesses, restaurants, and other food establishments. The Village’s Building Superintendent, Rich Belziti, will continue to work closely with the Village’s downtown merchants, as he did last spring, summer, and fall to allow them to maximize available outdoor space for outdoor dining and merchandise displays.

In addition to supporting our existing merchants, the Village is seeking to recruit businesses to come to Great Neck Plaza as well as the greater Great Neck community. The Village has formed a working group with representatives of the Great Neck Chamber of Commerce and certain other government officials to develop strategies to recruit businesses to Great Neck and the Village will also seek to hire a professional downtown recruiter or advocate to bring in new businesses to the Plaza.

Deputy Mayor Marksheid added, “This many-sided approach the Village is taking should help our businesses and restaurants recover from this very difficult year.

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Dear Restaurant Owners and Managers:

Please note that Nassau County Executive Laura Curran has reopened the Nassau County Restaurant Recovery Grant Program which is now accepting new applicants. Please see the County Executive's letter, which is set forth below. I encourage all eligible restaurants to apply for this program.

Please contact me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Ted Rosen, Mayor

Curran Reopens Restaurant Recovery Grant Program - Now Accepting New Applicants

Dear Neighbors,

I am thrilled to share that Nassau County is now accepting NEW applications for our Restaurant Recovery Grant Program, providing a lifeline to full-service restaurants, working hard to meet the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Join the many restaurants in Nassau County that have already received a grant of either $5,000 or $10,000. The program is open to restaurants with fewer than 50 full-time employees. It’s important to note that this is a grant, not a loan – if you’re able to retain at least one low/moderate-income job at full-time status with the use of this grant, you will not have to pay it back.

Nassau Restaurant Grant

As County Executive, I will continue to do everything I can to ensure a strong recovery for small businesses, especially in our cherished downtowns. And our restaurants are the anchor of those once bustling communities. These are uncertain times but one thing I am certain of is that our business owners are innovative, and they are resilient.

To learn more and APPLY, visit www.nassaucountyny.gov/restaurantrecovery. For any questions, or to check the status of your application, please contact the Restaurant Recovery team at nassaurestaurants@ndconline.org and 1-646-825-9617.

Sincerely,

Laura Curran, Nassau County Executive

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Owners of Great Neck Plaza Businesses, Restaurants and Food Establishments:

On November 18, 2020, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran announced the County’s new Restaurant Recovery Grant Program (RRGP). The Village encourages all restaurants to investigate the requirements of this program and, if eligible, to apply. If there are any questions or if any restaurants need assistance, please contact my office. Please see announcement below.

On November 18, 2020, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran announced the County’s new Restaurant Recovery Grant Program (RRGP). The program is intended to support full-service restaurants – the industry hit hardest by the pandemic – during the winter months when outdoor dining is limited and as restaurants adjust to New York State’s COVID-19 safety restrictions and new mandates.

The link for the online application will be posted on November 30th. Check back for updates!

• Full-Service Restaurants (NAICS code 722511), or establishments engaged in providing food services and meals prepared on-premises to patrons who traditionally order and are served while seated (i.e., waiter/waitress service), including on-premises food and drinking establishments licensed through the State Liquor Authority (SLA)
• Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs) are encouraged to apply

•     Located in Nassau County
•     In operation on or before March 1, 2019
•     Fewer than 50 Full-Time equivalent (FTE) employees
o Maximum $5,000 grant – 0 (sole proprietor)-10 employees
o Maximum $10,000 grant – 11-50 employees
•     Must agree to create or retain at least one low/moderate-income job at full-time status
•     Must certify and demonstrate that they have experienced financial hardship due to COVID-19

• Grant funds to cover working capital and operating expenses including:
o payroll, rent, utilities, purchase of PPE and sanitation supplies; lease or purchase of equipment like kitchen equipment or delivery vehicles; or COVID-19 related business improvements like patio heaters or contactless technology.

•     Non-profit organizations
•     Businesses with greater than 50 employees
•     Businesses in violation of New York State Executive orders relating to the COVID-19 pandemic or other State, County or local ordinances
o E.g., EO 202.74 effective Friday, November 13 at 10 PM

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Recently, New York State has seen an increase in positive COVID-19 diagnoses which has led to clusters in Queens, Brooklyn, and other areas throughout New York State. Unfortunately, there has also been an increasing amount of reported COVID-19 cases in Great Neck as well. We do not want to be the next cluster, and we must to work together to ensure that our community remains vigilant against the spread of COVID-19.

The health and safety of our residents, your families, neighbors, and friends is our top priority, so we want to take this opportunity to once again urge you to adhere to all State-mandated or recommended precautions, including: social distancing (maintaining a six foot distance between you and those not in your household); washing your hands regularly; avoiding touching your face; avoiding large social gatherings and events; and, most importantly, wearing a mask in public whenever you are unable to social distance. These measures have been extremely effec- tive at slowing and preventing the spread of the virus, and we implore you to follow them.

We would also like to make you aware that New York State has launched the new COVID Alert NY app, which allows residents to use your phones in the fight against COVID-19. This important app is part of our continued joint effort to contain the spread and keep New Yorkers informed. The app does not track your GPS location. It uses Bluetooth technology to detect when another phone, with the app, is within six feet. Those with the app on their phone will receive an alert if they have come into contact with someone who has tested positive. More information about the app can be found at: NY.gov/COVIDAlerts.

Additionally, we encourage you to remain vigilant and report any observed social gatherings exceeding 50 indi- viduals, the current limit under New York State law. Large gatherings lead to clusters, which in turn lead to commu- nity spread. You can report these gatherings to Nassau County Police, the Nassau County Fire Marshal or the Village Police, if the gathering is taking place in a Village that has its own police force.

It is important to remember that we are all in this together, and it is up to each and every one of us to do our part to prevent any further spread of COVID-19 in our community. Again, please follow all social distancing guidelines, wear a mask, and wash your hands. Please stay safe.

Supervisor Judi Bosworth County Executive Laura Curran
Town of North Hempstead Nassau County

Mayor Billy Warner Council Member Veronica Lurvey
Great Neck Estates Town of North Hempstead

Mayor Steven Weinberg Council Member Lee Seeman
Thomaston Town of North Hempstead

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Mayor Ted Rosen announces a vacancy on the Board of Zoning Appeals of the Village of Great Neck Plaza. The Board of Zoning Appeals hears and determines applications for variances under the Village’s zoning laws. The members of the Board of Zoning Appeals play a crucial role in the planning and development of the Village. The decisions of the Board of Zoning Appeals have a great impact on both the present and the future appearance of the Village and the quality of life of its residents. This is a volunteer position and members of the Board of Zoning Appeals must be residents of Great Neck Plaza. The Board of Zoning Appeals meets after an application is filed. Meetings are held in the evenings. If you are interested in applying for this position, please forward a letter to Mayor Rosen at the following address:

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FOR ANY BUILDING DEPT.
MATTERS PLEASE CALL 516-482-4500 EXT:107
or email us @belzitir@greatneckplaza.net

Welcome to the official website of the Incorporated Village of Great Neck Plaza, New York. Our website has been designed so that you may find general information about our Village government and the services we provide.

This website is part of the Village Board's ongoing effort to engage residents and business people in our decision making process. We hope you find the site interesting and useful. As always, we value your input. If you have comments or questions, please contact the Village Hall at (516) 482-4500 or you can email us at info@greatneckplaza.net