Sky View Partners With Botanical Garden

By Joe Marvilli

While Queens Botanical Garden is usually focused on what is happening and growing out of the ground, they have recently formed a new relationship with the sky. Sky View Center, that is.
The environmental nonprofit has formed a community partnership with the Flushing-based retail developer for four holiday-themed events throughout the year.

This new collaboration follows Sky View Center’s continuous goal to integrate itself into the Flushing community since the retail shopping space was created in 2010. The mall plans to bring new activities to its patrons through the use of various partnerships similar to the one established the Queens Botanical Garden.

“Supporting the local community has always been incredibly important to us, which is one of the reasons we make such an effort to partner with established organizations like the Queens Botanical Garden,” Michael Dana, president of Onex Real Estate Partners which owns Sky View Center, said. “We want to provide unique experiences that appeal to a range of people.”
Queens Botanical Garden was equally enthusiastic about its new partnership.

“I would sum this up as a win-win-win. Everyone benefits; QBG, Sky View and the public who visit Sky View to enjoy the programming,” Darcy Hector, director of marketing and development, said. “We always seek to educate and inspire, however to be able to do so off-site in a new environment allows us to further integrate ourselves in the Flushing community and meet the many visitors that come to shop and dine at Sky View Center.”

The first such experience occurred on Feb. 10 to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Taking place at Sky View Center and hosted by the Botanical Garden, the fun-for-all-ages festivity featured a special Compost cookie bake, which includes a mix of ingredients such as chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, pretzels and potato chips.

Additionally, live jazz music was supplied by Marsha Heydt and the Project of Love. The band’s appearance was organized by CenterStage: The Queens Center, another nonprofit partnered with the mall.

“The place was quite filled with people enjoying the music and working on the craft project,” Hector said.

The three other holiday events will take place on May 12, where Mother’s Day cards will be made with pressed flowers, June 16, which will see the creation of origami wallets for Father’s Day, and Oct. 27, during which either green haired monsters or origami pumpkins will be assembled for Halloween.

Reach Reporter Joe Marvilli at (718) 357-7400, Ext. 125, or at jmarvilli@queenstribune.com.