Living History Lunch Chat with Seth Bornstein

Join us for an informal lunch chat with author, economic development expert, one-time Villager, and unconventional adventurer Seth Bornstein. Seth will share his living history rooted in his time residing on Grove and Bedford Streets while attending The New School/Parsons School of Design in the 1970s – 1990. Hear about the impact of this neighborhood on Seth’s life and his observations about the neighborhood and New York City during this pivotal time, and see how they line up with yours. Along with his own experiences, this natural storyteller will share tales from his landlady who bought 18 Grove Street in 1954 and lived there until her death at 97 in 2003.

Author of an upcoming novel whose protagonists lived in Greenwich Village in the late 20th century, Seth is the Executive Director of the Queens Economic Development Corporation. Seth is a native New Yorker and a graduate of The New School/Parsons School of Design who also enjoys exploring the neighborhoods of Queens to find the newest places to eat. A competitive winter swimmer, he has the dubious honor of holding world records in taking the longest times to swim the shortest distances in the coldest waters. His novel, Swimming to Jerusalem, portions of which take on Grove Street, will be published next month.

Seth Bornstein first joined the QEDC in 1979 where he helped coordinate the borough’s first commercial revitalization programs, which led to the founding of many local development corporations and business improvement districts. He became Executive Director in 2009, and has transformed the organization by significantly increasing the scope of the corporation’s activities. Notably this has included the opening of the Entrepreneur Space, a commercial kitchen business incubator in Long Island City; MiQ ™ (Made in Queens) that helps local artisans market their products; specialized programs for immigrant, minority and low-income entrepreneurs; and the expansion of the Queens Tourism Council. In addition to being a founding staff member of the QEDC, he served as the Director of Economic Development for the Office of the Queens Borough President for two administrations.