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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Justin Pollack from an investment firm on the importance of street vendors for office workers
6:35:45
·
115 sec
Justin Pollack, an employee at a Manhattan investment firm, testifies about the positive impact of street vendors on office workers' willingness to return to work in person. He argues that access to diverse street food options is a key factor in attracting employees back to the office in Midtown.
- Pollack's firm manages over $150 billion and has liberalized work-from-home policies
- Street food vendors offer unique cuisine options not available in suburban areas
- The availability of street food contributes to rebuilding office life in New York City
- Pollack encourages passing the street vendor reform bills to support this ecosystem
Justin Pollack
6:35:45
Good afternoon.
6:35:46
My name is Justin Pollack.
6:35:48
I live on the Upper West Side, and I wanted to address something that I haven't heard yet during this really interesting hearing, which is the impact of street vendors on office workers like myself.
6:36:00
Because I work in Manhattan at an investment firm that manages over $150,000,000,000 And over the past five years, really since COVID, we've liberalized our office policy to allow a lot more work from home.
6:36:13
Because rather than force everyone back to the office, we're looking for reasons to have them want to come into Midtown.
6:36:19
And I wish that was working with me, but the reality is that's not quite enough reason for them to get on trains and buses and and have long commutes.
6:36:28
In the same way, also don't go to Broadway shows every night.
6:36:33
They don't go to lunch for hours at fancy restaurants.
6:36:36
But what they told me is they will come to the office because they get access to street food that they simply can't get where they live.
6:36:44
In a lot of suburban neighborhoods where they are all around the city, they can get salads and hamburgers from the same chain restaurants that exist right off Park Avenue.
6:36:53
But what they can't get is access to Jamrock Jerk Chicken on Park Avenue or Uncle Gusy's Greek food or the King of Falafel and Shwarma's Middle Eastern menu, Khao Kang on Wheels, which has really great Thai food or even a staple, Giannettos Pizza Truck.
6:37:11
All those things are critical to getting our stock traders, our bond traders, our salespeople, all of them back to the firm working and supporting the broader ecosystem and money that they spend in this city because the alternative is to give them an experience in New York that's just like the one that they have at home, and they're going to stay there.
6:37:28
So I just want to encourage you to pass this series of, reform bills for street vendors because it's gonna contribute to the rebuilding of office life here in New York City.
6:37:39
Thank you.