Spring has arrived, with flowers blossoming everywhere, making it the perfect time to plant flowers. In the heart of New York City’s largest Korean community, Murray Hill, representatives including the 40th District Korean-American State Assemblyman Ron Kim gathered with the Asian American Federation (AAF) to launch the “Murray Hill Blooming” initiative. This project aims to beautify the Korean business corridor by encouraging businesses to plant flowers in tree pits and flower beds.
Murray Hill Station, surrounded by the Long Island Rail Road, is where a high concentration of Korean residents and businesses can be found, offering the most authentic Korean cuisine in the area. The AAF has been working tirelessly to transform this community into a hub for authentic Korean food and culture, undertaking initiatives such as creating murals on Barton Avenue, supporting pedestrian zones, and promoting local restaurants through the “Find Your Seoul” campaign.
The “Murray Hill Blooming” project is a collaborative effort between the AAF and local businesses to enhance the community’s image and raise awareness of Korean immigrants, the Korean community, and Asian small businesses, ultimately attracting more customers.
Specific measures include encouraging businesses and residents to plant flowers in tree pits and flower beds, improving green spaces, and decorating the community with colorful flowers during springtime. These efforts aim to beautify the environment, create a warm atmosphere, and attract more customers and tourists to the area.
Ahyoung Kim, Director of Economic Development at the AAF, envisions transforming the area into a bustling Korean street akin to Flushing. Business owners participate in cleaning, tree planting, and flower planting on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays to enhance the environment. Kim Yong-hwan, President of the Prosperous Flushing Korean Food Street Association, expressed his dream of turning the previously residential area into a Korean food street and ultimately into a square where people can leisurely enjoy themselves.
At the press conference, attended by various officials including State Assemblyman Edward Braunstein, State Senator Liu Chunyi, representatives from the New York City Department of Transportation, the New York City Department of Small Business Services, the Greater New York Korean Senior Citizens Association, the New York Horticultural Society, and local community leaders, the vision for the transformation of Murray Hill into a vibrant and welcoming community space was discussed.