Suozzi moves slightly deeper into Queens

In an effort to be more accessible to his Queens constituents, Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Nassau, Suffolk, Queens) has moved his district office one-half mile deeper into the borough.

He celebrated the move with a ribbon-cutting April 25, where he was joined by other elected officials and civic leaders.

“Five years ago, while running for office, I made a promise to the constituents of Queens that I will be available and remain readily accessible,” Suozzi said Sunday. “Today, I’m continuing to fulfill that promise with the opening of a brand-new larger and more accessible office.”

The new office, located at 242-09 Northern Blvd. in Douglaston, is half a mile west of the previous office, which was less than half a mile from the Queens-Nassau border.

Some of his constituents were disappointed that he didn’t choose a space deeper in his Queens neighborhoods.

“I can’t speak for College Point and I can’t speak for [Bay Terrace], but the community of Whitestone feels like the stepchild that’s been abandoned by the congressman,” said Kim Cody, president of the College Point Civic and Taxpayer’s Association. “He’s making this a token gesture. It’s not fair. We’re not getting the representation we need.”

A canvas conducted by the civic found at least 13 vacant storefronts in Bay Terrace, College Point and Whitestone.

“He really didn’t look like that far,” Cody told the Chronicle, adding he worries especially for his senior neighbors who would be forced to take transportation to get to the new office.

Cody, joking that Suozzi’s move was “generous,” said he often struggles to get in contact with the representative and the Queens community only receives visits when Suozzi is on the re-election campaign trail.

A spokesperson from Suozzi’s Washington team told the Chronicle in response that they had been eyeing the Douglaston storefront for some time because of its accessible first-floor location and its location on busy Northern Boulevard. Suozzi did not want to be stowed away inside an office building, he said.