The event celebrated excellence in Queens in the real estate industry.
Photo by Ramy Mahmoud

Top industry leaders in real estate were able to connect and network with one another while being recognized for their contributions to the Queens community.

Photo by Ramy Mahmoud

New York City Department of Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani was the keynote speaker at this year’s gala.

(Left to right) Queens Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tom Grech and New York City Department of Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani. Photo by Ramy Mahmoud

“As the commissioner of the Department of Buildings, as an urban planner, as a lifelong New Yorker, I can’t help but admire what only can be described as [the Queens Chamber of Commerce’s] aggressive and stubborn, but incredibly progressive and smart movement to celebrating our city’s built environment. One hundred years of celebrating those in the industry that are delivering such tremendous ambitions, which are not only just defining what neighborhoods are, it’s showing the rest of the city, the rest of the neighborhoods, to aspire to what we can be, what we should look like. You are setting the example of the blueprint that they should have done,” Tigani said. “We’re building great, we’re doing great and we’re not sacrificing public safety. That is something that the people in this room have been leaders of. These changes do not happen all at once, but rather small movements of the needle, that were the production of decades of hard work, by laborers, by construction managers, by financing, by manufacturers, by leaders, city and private sector partnership, working together, leading an industry in a direction to progress and prove that this is the greatest city of the world. We will continue building this as the greatest city of the world, and we will be an example that no one can hold a candle to.”

Other notable attendees of the Building Awards Gala included Queens Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tom Grech and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards.
(Left to right) Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and Queens Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tom Grech. Photo by Ramy Mahmoud

“We’re really excited about celebrating this year,” Grech said. “For our 100th, we sought to celebrate the iconic buildings inspired, designed and built in Queens decade by decade.”

Grech addresses attendees of the gala. Photo by Ramy Mahmoud

“It feels like we’re working on dozens of projects at a time together [with the Queens Chamber of Commerce], and that’s because there’s never been a better time to build in Queens than right now,” Richards said. “Congratulations to the Queens Chamber of Commerce for all of the work that they do. I wish you another 100 years in doing this work, and let’s keep building infrastructure. Let’s keep building Queens.”

Richards speaks at the gala. Photo by Ramy Mahmoud

Among the architects recognized at the gala for their work in Queens were J. Frankl Architects for Hillside Tower, Gerald J. Caliendo Architects for Vernon Central, the Roma Condominium and the Vibe Fitness BQE Project, Handel Architects LLP for Link Apartments QPN, SBJ Group Architects for Forte Preparatory Academy High School, CannonDesign for the St. Vincent Health Sciences Center at St. John’s University, Paul A. Castrucci Architects for Grace’s Place, Corgan for John F. Kennedy Airport – Terminal 5, MJM+A Architects for Maspeth Federal Savings Bank at 31-42 Steinway St. in Astoria, SBLM Architects, PC/Bladykas Engineering/Xu Consulting Engineering for the Northwell Cancer Institute Queens Radiation Center, Aufgang Architects for the Baisley Pond Park Residence and Velocity Architecture and Engineering Group, D.P.C./A Company of BRAVO Group for P.S. 993Q at Long Island City High School and the Bayside High School music/computer room conversion.

Photo by Ramy Mahmoud
Photo by Ramy Mahmoud
Photo by Ramy Mahmoud
Photo by Ramy Mahmoud
Photo by Ramy Mahmoud
Photo by Ramy Mahmoud
Photo by Ramy Mahmoud
Photo by Ramy Mahmoud
Photo by Ramy Mahmoud
Photo by Ramy Mahmoud
Photo by Ramy Mahmoud
Photo by Ramy Mahmoud

Recognized builders included Heartfelt Townhouse Builders for Hillside Tower, Federici Builders Corp. for Vernon Central, Consigli Construction Co., Inc. for Link Apartments QPN, Parksite Construction Corp. for the Roma Condominium, Apex Development Group for Forte Preparatory Academy High School, Shamut Design and Construction for the St. Vincent Health Sciences Center at St. John’s University, Mega Contracting Group for Grace’s Place, CDS-Mestel Construction Group for John F. Kennedy Airport – Terminal 5, H.M. Hughes Vincent Massina for Maspeth Federal Savings Bank at 31-42 Steinway St. in Astoria, the L Group or Vibe Fitness for the Vibe Fitness BQE Project, ADI Contracting, LLC for the Northwell Cancer Institute Queens Radiation Center, SD Builders and Construction LLC for the Baisley Pond Park Residence, Empire Control Abatement Inc. for P.S. 993Q at Long Island City High School and LSS Contracting LLC for the Bayside High School music/computer room conversion.

Photo by Ramy Mahmoud