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Terrace on the Park unveils $9 million makeover

Landmark Flushing Meadows Venue Has a Brooklyn Connection

September 29, 2017 By John Alexander Brooklyn Daily Eagle
From left: Eleni Thermos, Demetrios Kalloidis, George Makkos, Janice Melnick and Bruno Marques. Eagle photos by Andy Katz
From left: Eleni Thermos, Demetrios Kalloidis, George Makkos, Janice Melnick and Bruno Marques. Eagle photos by Andy Katz
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Brooklyn residents who have ventured across the county line to visit the majestic Terrace on the Park, overlooking one of the most beautiful sections of Queens may be pleased to know a couple of things. A recent $9 million renovation has made Terrace on the Park a state-of-the-art facility, and one of the owners is also the owner of one of the most popular diners in Bay Ridge, The Bridgeview Diner.

Terrace on the Park is among the city’s most desirable venues for weddings, corporate events and parties for all occasions. On Wednesday, the grand unveiling was held for VIPs and members of the media. A guided tour of the breathtaking facility was part of the program to introduce the renovations.

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The Terrace is operated under long-term concession from the New York City Parks Department to the venue’s co-managing partners George Makkos and Dimitrios Kaloidis. Kaloidis also owns Bay Ridge’s Bridgeview Diner on 90th Street and Third Avenue.

Originally constructed as a restaurant and heliport for the 1964 World’s Fair, Terrace on the Park has been called a marvel of modernist design, with its signature T-shaped towers soaring 120 feet above the former fairgrounds, now Flushing Meadows Park.

Attendees learned that when the Beatles made their historic U.S. debut at Shea Stadium in 1965, they landed on the Terrace’s rooftop helipad. And during the 1980s, Madonna worked as an elevator operator at the Terrace.

Since 1964, every incumbent New York City mayor has visited the Terrace on the Park, along with presidents, prime ministers and monarchs.

The new improvements include restoration and redesign work in almost every part of the venue, including floors and carpeting. The Penthouse, famed for its sweeping 360-degree vistas, now boasts new height-enhancing ceilings and handcrafted plaster panels, custom-built bars and LED lighting.

Renovations to the Grand Ballroom range from new zebra-wood panels along with LED lighting that can be programmed for a number of settings and special effects.

General manager Bruno Marques, who has been at the Terrace for 11 years, welcomed guests at the luncheon and talked about the renovation the Terrace has undergone during the last five years. He explained the logistics involved in renovating while keeping the venue open and active for the entire period.

“It’s not just one person, it’s a whole bunch of us that really put together what we do here to make everything better and every client happier on their special day,” said Marques. “Whether it be a social event or a corporate event, any event that we have here is a special event in somebody’s life and others lives as well.”

Helping make the new venue even more noteworthy is executive chef Jose Cerqueira, a former competitor on the Food Network’s “Iron Chef,” who heads up an internationally trained kitchen staff.

“The outside deck we worked feverishly to complete before the busy season started included 12,000 square feet of Unilock pavers that had to be laid out with 5,000 square cubic yards of gravel,” said Marques.

The $9-million-dollar enhancement was undertaken to freshen up the facility and keep it competitive with other venues. “We have something that a lot of catering halls do not have,” said Marques. “We have those stunning unobstructed views of the Manhattan skyline, the Unisphere, Arthur Ashe Stadium, the Hall of Science, the New York State Pavilion, the New York Museum. It’s just unparalleled. If you come here at night, that skyline is just breathtaking.”

Catering and sales director Jennifer Jolly, who’s been at the Terrace for 3 1/2 years, said, “I really have to give it up to Bruno, our general manager. His enthusiasm and work ethic has trickled down to the department and made us all want to do a better job. He’s supportive and motivating and I owe a lot of my success to his guidance and leadership.”

Marques said that the three main amenities that make a venue like the Terrace successful are service, ambiance and food. “If you have all three of those and they all work in sync, then you have nothing to be ashamed of, and you have everything to be proud of,” he added.

Flushing Meadows Corona Park administrator Janice Melnick congratulated the Terrace on the Park team for doing a remarkable job. “We are so lucky to have this world-class catering facility in this park. It brings so many visitors to the park who might not otherwise come here. There is no better view anywhere in the borough or in the city than right here at Terrace on the Park,” said Melnick.

 


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