History
The Court Square Civic Association was largely formed in response to the rapid development taking place in the Court Square and Queens Plaza subdistricts of Long Island City. With most of the neighborhood allowing "as-of-right" development, little consideration needed to be made to the overall livability of the neighborhood. This realization prompted both new and old residents to join together and advocate for holistic development, that takes into account crucial infrastructure such as transportation, green space, and schools, as well as neighborhood character defining factors such as cultural institutions and businesses.
Join Us
If you're interested in joining us, and having your voice heard regarding the biggest issues and opportunities facing our community, get in touch and join us. Annual dues are $25.
Join Us ▸
Officers
President
Frank Wu
Originally from California, Frank has lived in NYC for 6 years and moved to Court Sq/LIC in 2017. Since moving, Frank immediately became involved with the Civic Association, originally serving as chair of the Transportation and Safety Committee. Frank is a firm believer in collaborating with other LIC stakeholders but at the same time is committed to ensuring Court Square has a voice and representation as it sits in a unique location relative to Manhattan, Hunters Point, and nearby Queens neighborhoods.
Vice President
Rebecca Barnes
Rebecca has lived in Court Square so long, she can’t quite remember when people started calling it Court Square. Once upon a time, she and her husband fell so head over heels in love with giant windows and tall ceilings that they promptly abandoned their life in the East Village and never looked back. Rebecca has two young children and also serves as the Education Committee Chair to advocate for K-8 schools to match the explosive residential growth in our community.
Treasurer
Stephen Fox
A mystery to him a decade ago when he moved, Stephen has since fallen in love with Long Island City. A pioneer in Court Square, he moved to the neighborhood when its reputation was still dominated by less-desirable adjectives. But he saw the potential and invested early. He is married with two little boys and committed to the long haul with his family, and is eager to see where the community will go from here.
SECRETARY
Diana Shieh
Diana was a long-time renter in Manhattan until she decided to buy her first home. She fell in love with Long Island City and decided it was the perfect place to start a family while balancing a career in the city due to the unbeatable commute. In 2014, she and her husband purchased a condo in Court Square and spent the rest of the year renovating, just in time for the birth of their first child. Diana is deeply committed to providing children quality education through the public system as well as a healthy environment with protected green space to thrive in. She currently serves on the Education Committee and is an advocate for creating the necessary infrastructure for the well-being of this rapidly growing community.
Board of Directors
Members
Rebecca Barnes
Diana Shieh
Orestes Gonzalez
Mandana Limbert
Advisory Board
Pedro Gomez
Vitali Ogorodnikov
Amadeo Plaza (Founder)
James Smithmeyer
Christian Amez
Betsy Ashton
Lori Bacon
Jerry Barnard
Rebecca Barnes (Education Committee Chair)
Karesia Batan
Amy Bassin
Rachel Berkin (Parks & Recreation Committee Chair)
David Berkin
Carl Bialik
Melissa Bieri
Emir Boydag
Meaghan Brown
Melisa Cadio
Mary Ceruti
Dave Chaves
Min Chen
Courtney Colligan
Cosmic Fit Club
Theresa Fesinstine
Stephen Fox
Orestes Gonzalez
Kristina Gorlich
Jeff Humbert
Peter Johnson
Leslie Koch
Kevin Kung
David Lee
Mandana Limbert
Sean McNulty
Sarah Obraitis
Tom Paino
Anthony Perez
Svea Schneider
Craig Smith
SquareWine & Spirits
Jeremy Swillinger
Gabrielle Tang
Michael Giuppone
Sarah Lyons
Isabella Bustamante
Jacob Dixon
Krystal Yoniak
M. Wells Steakhouse
IndieLIC
barre3 LIC
bridges eyecare