Originally by Victor Gomez in Spanish, translated by Pedro Estevez into English.
New York City District 13 Councilman, and Chair of the Small Business Committee of NYC, Mark Gjonaj, met with the President of the United Auto Merchants Association (UAMA), Pedro J. Estévez, to find a solution to the problem caused by the rezoning of the Jerome Ave corridor.
In this meeting the council member showed interest in the Estévez’s ideas, which consist of the construction of an Automotive Industry Center (auto mall) where these small companies will be located in the “vertical form and not horizontal” as they currently are in the corridor.
For years Estévez has been advocating for the automotive industry, searching for solutions to the businesses’ problems by the rezoning of sectors like the corridor of Jerome Avenue and other areas of the City. Estevez explained that if these small businesses were all located in a vertical way, it would minimize the footprint to a fraction of the size, since over 200 businesses are currently located in an area covering over 2 miles in Jerome Ave in a horizontal way.
The president of UAMA, Estevez, explained to the chair of the Small Business committee and council member of the 13thDistrict,Mark Gjonaj, that these small businesses are being stressed by the City, and to understand that the rezoned corridor of Jerome Avenue places these businesses in danger of displacement and consequently, the loss of their lifelong investments.
Estevez reiterated to the council that the idea of the relocation of these businesses to a vertical location in an Industrial Business Zone (IBZ) where each of these business owners, would be proprietor of their occupying space and ultimately will be the way to end the limitations they have been under for years.
The City Council welcomed the approach of the UAMA President, Pedro J. Estevez, and recognized his leadership. For more than twelve years he has been educating, advocating, and defending small auto businesses in New York City.
