About Sunnyside Shines

History

The mission of Sunnyside Shines is to invigorate and enrich the economic life of the neighborhood by creating a safe, welcoming and dynamic commercial district in Sunnyside, Queens.

Sunnyside Shines is a business improvement district (BID) covering all properties fronting Queens Boulevard from 38th Street to 50th Street, as well as Greenpoint Avenue from Queens Boulevard to mid-block between 42nd and 43rd Streets.

Sunnyside is home to a wide variety of locally-owned businesses offering goods and services catered to a mixed residential and commercial community. There are approximately 350 individual businesses within the Sunnyside Shines district. Sunnyside Shines is funded through a voluntary assessment on area property owners. Sunnyside Shines was born out of the desire of neighborhood stakeholders to have a direct impact on the community. After a five year process to organize property owners into a business improvement district, the Sunnyside Shines BID was signed into law in October, 2007. Sunnyside Shines’ name, proposed by the late great Lillian Gavin of Dazie’s Restaurant, was created to reflect the hopes for the bright future of the community. Sunnyside Shines kicked-off in April 2008 and moved into its renovated offices in July 2009.

Like all BIDs in New York City, the Sunnyside Shines board is comprised of property owners, business owners, residents, leaders of local community non profits, the local community board, and representatives of local elected officials.

Meet Our Team

Dirk McCall de Palomá
Executive Director

Dirk McCall de Palomá is the Executive Director of Sunnyside Shines Business Improvement District. Previously, Dirk served as the Director of Civic Engagement for Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and as the Director of External Affairs to Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

He has an over thirty year career in government, non-profits and political activism, and has worked in such roles as Director of Communications at Gay Men’s Health Crisis, Executive Director of the Bronx Community Pride Center, Executive Director of the Greenwich Village-Chelsea Chamber of Commerce (GVCCC) and as Chief of Staff to NYC Councilmember Alan Jay Gerson.

In his political work, Dirk served as the President of the Stonewall Democratic Club of NYC, the largest LGBTQ club in NYS State, and has been a member of their Board of Directors for more than 30 years. Dirk ran the campaign of NYC Councilmember Mark Weprin in 2009, and served as Deputy Campaign Manager for Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney in 2010.

Married to a Colombian, Dirk is engaged with the Latino communities of NYC and serves on the board of Somos New York, and on the Advisory Board to Casa de las Americas at LaGuardia Community College. A transplanted Southerner living in NYC for decades, Dirk was raised in a military family, growing up on Army bases throughout the South. A longtime resident of Astoria, in Western Queens, Dirk was one of the Grand Marshalls for the 2005 Queens Pride Parade and still coordinates AstoriaCentric and Out Astoria.

Evelyn Chango
Deputy Director

Dirk McCall de Palomá is the Executive Director of Sunnyside Shines Business Improvement District. Previously, Dirk served as the Director of Civic Engagement for Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and as the Director of External Affairs to Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

He has an over thirty year career in government, non-profits and political activism, and has worked in such roles as Director of Communications at Gay Men’s Health Crisis, Executive Director of the Bronx Community Pride Center, Executive Director of the Greenwich Village-Chelsea Chamber of Commerce (GVCCC) and as Chief of Staff to NYC Councilmember Alan Jay Gerson.

In his political work, Dirk served as the President of the Stonewall Democratic Club of NYC, the largest LGBTQ club in NYS State, and has been a member of their Board of Directors for more than 30 years. Dirk ran the campaign of NYC Councilmember Mark Weprin in 2009, and served as Deputy Campaign Manager for Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney in 2010.

Married to a Colombian, Dirk is engaged with the Latino communities of NYC and serves on the board of Somos New York, and on the Advisory Board to Casa de las Americas at LaGuardia Community College. A transplanted Southerner living in NYC for decades, Dirk was raised in a military family, growing up on Army bases throughout the South. A longtime resident of Astoria, in Western Queens, Dirk was one of the Grand Marshalls for the 2005 Queens Pride Parade and still coordinates AstoriaCentric and Out Astoria.

Daniel Flores Alvarado
Marketing Manager

Dirk McCall de Palomá is the Executive Director of Sunnyside Shines Business Improvement District. Previously, Dirk served as the Director of Civic Engagement for Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and as the Director of External Affairs to Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

He has an over thirty year career in government, non-profits and political activism, and has worked in such roles as Director of Communications at Gay Men’s Health Crisis, Executive Director of the Bronx Community Pride Center, Executive Director of the Greenwich Village-Chelsea Chamber of Commerce (GVCCC) and as Chief of Staff to NYC Councilmember Alan Jay Gerson.

In his political work, Dirk served as the President of the Stonewall Democratic Club of NYC, the largest LGBTQ club in NYS State, and has been a member of their Board of Directors for more than 30 years. Dirk ran the campaign of NYC Councilmember Mark Weprin in 2009, and served as Deputy Campaign Manager for Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney in 2010.

Married to a Colombian, Dirk is engaged with the Latino communities of NYC and serves on the board of Somos New York, and on the Advisory Board to Casa de las Americas at LaGuardia Community College. A transplanted Southerner living in NYC for decades, Dirk was raised in a military family, growing up on Army bases throughout the South. A longtime resident of Astoria, in Western Queens, Dirk was one of the Grand Marshalls for the 2005 Queens Pride Parade and still coordinates AstoriaCentric and Out Astoria.