Major economic development projects have a unique capacity to bridge historical inequities and opportunity gaps for Black and Brown communities, while offering real, lasting benefits for the community. This doesn’t just mean creating new economic opportunities, but also fostering a sustainable positive impact for our communities.
In New York, despite significant progress, Black unemployment remains substantially higher than the national unemployment rate, showing that there’s still a lot of work to do. When job opportunities at a livable wage are steadily unavailable to Black and Brown people, it makes it that much more important for the community to have a seat at the table when new projects come to our neighborhoods.
Take a look at the data from the Brookings Institution released in 2022, which showed that despite a general decline in hiring across the country, Black and Latino-owned businesses actually grew and hired more working people. Entrepreneurs of color are not only resilient but also make significant contributions to local employment. It’s a clear sign that empowering Black and Brown entrepreneurs is crucial for building a strong and resilient economy.
The opportunity to empower diverse business owners and generate growth is one of the many reasons why we’re in support of the Metropolitan Park. With an investment of more than $8 billion in the local Queens economy, Metropolitan Park will bring more than 23,000 good-paying union permanent and construction jobs. This represents significant new opportunities and middle-class career pathways to many underserved communities in our borough.
Unlike other projects that have been proposed over the years, Metropolitan Park is not a top-down, take it or leave it development project. The team took the time to listen to our communities, neighbors, local organizations, and elected leaders over hundreds of meetings, workshops, and door-to-door conversations. The result was a vision for Metropolitan Park based on local ideas and input, and that addresses our community’s needs and goals.
Metropolitan Park has made a commitment to a “Queens-first” hiring approach that prioritizes hiring for our neighbors and Queens residents. They have also signed workforce development partnerships with local nonprofits including Elmcor, and will be opening local hiring centers at Citi Field and in surrounding neighborhoods.
Beyond the direct economic impact, Metropolitan Park will also be a boon for local small businesses, drawing new visitors to the area year round. The Metropolitan Park team has shown a commitment to working with our business owners, events and meetings specific to small businesses including a vendor fair at the New York Hall of Science for those potentially interested in working with Metropolitan Park.
Metropolitan Park will also offer a unique and first of its kind Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise lending program providing Queens small businesses with new opportunities for growth. This means expanding access to small business loans, particularly for businesses run by individuals from historically underserved communities, as well as low-to-zero percent loans to contractors working on the project.
Projects focused on supporting and expanding these businesses naturally lead to further job creation. The economic ripple effect of Metropolitan Park will create thousands of additional indirect and induced jobs both throughout the construction phase as well as once the project is completed. More importantly, these businesses are more likely to employ individuals from our community, directly addressing local unemployment and underemployment issues.
The success of local businesses is key to building strong communities. Supporting and growing these businesses leads to more jobs and better opportunities for residents. Moreover, these jobs often come with the added benefit of skill development, which is crucial for long-term professional growth and resilience in the face of economic fluctuations.
Finally, Metropolitan Park will deliver improved public infrastructure, including transforming the Mets-Willets Point No. 7 train station, creating long-overdue ADA accessibility and safer neighborhood connectivity. Of course, these improvements benefit everyone but are particularly transformative in underserved areas, where better transit and infrastructure can make a huge difference in daily life.
Metropolitan Park is more than just another project — it’s a real chance to create lasting change. Its focus on local workers, entrepreneurs, and small businesses shows a deep understanding: that true progress happens when everyone has a seat at the table and the resources to thrive once they’re there.
Dunston is the chief executive officer at Elmcor Youth & Adult Activities, Inc. Grech is the president & CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce.
