Flushing business improvement official #000;background:#ff6

The chairperson of the Flushing, Queens Business Improvement District has quit his post, allegedly due to his opposition of the Flushing Commons development, a five-acre multi-use project, according to the New York Daily News. Jim Gerson announced his resignation shortly after the BID board voted down a planned study of how the development would affect local businesses. Although the city had allocated around $2 million for a business assistance program, Gerson has contended that the economic impact study was needed to determine what kind of assistance local businesses would need to weather the sprawling development‘s construction. Gerson, who has been in his post since 2003, has been a vehement opponent of Flushing Commons, contending that it would “destroy the community.” [NYDN]