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By Joanna DelBuono
Brooklyn Daily
Downtown
Huzzah, huzza! Rocco “Roy” Vanasco is officially the longest-serving member of Community Board 2. Our pal Roy has been a part of the board for 45 years. As one of the founding fathers, Roy has gone through many incarnations of the board and our borough, as well as four borough presidents, from the late Abe Stark, who first appointed Roy to the planning board in 1968, all the way up to Standing O’s biggest boosting helper, Borough President Markowitz, who told Standing O, “All of Brooklyn salutes and commends Roy Vanasco, a true son of Brooklyn and Fort Greene.” Yowza. “We thank him for all he has done.” Standing O does, too.
Along with serving his community for forever in various positions in Community Board 2, Roy has also served as president of the 88th Precinct Community Council for eight years, is co-owner of an appliance store in Clinton Hill with his brother for the last 60 years, the founder of the Rockefeller Republican Club, an advocate for the removal of the Myrtle Avenue el tracks and improved bus service to the downtown area, and was instrumental in having the Parks Department return the bronze eagle statues to their perch atop the Prison Ship Martyrs Monument. Oy vey, Standing O is running out of space!
This mensch of all mensches is also the proud pop of two sons, Mark and Joel, two grandchildren, 18 and 16, and the husband of wife Rhoda Hellerman for 40 years.
Marine Park
It’s a big opening
Hooray — Casual Male is coming to a new location. The leading place for big guys looking to get fashionable is opening a Destination XL store. The new superstore will offer more than 100 brands from its existing catalogue of fashions, featuring private labels, hottest designers, and so much more. So if you want a great pair of pants that fit just right, come on down, and don’t worry if those hems don’t crease just right at the shoe, there’s a tailor on board to make sure that those pants will fit like a pair of gloves quicker than you can say “Armani.”
The best part is that the elegant emporium is open just in time for all those fashion-minded stylin’ gents to pick up a holly, jolly outfit for the holidays.
Standing O says, “Welcome to the neighborhood.”
Destination XL (2472 Flatbush Ave. and Avenue U in Marine Park).
Bay Ridge
Ka’ching
TD Bank, the most convenient bank around, has given Gabriella Nortesano a nice Christmas gift: it’s promoted the Staten Island resident (Standing O is an equal opportunity booster), to store manager of its Bay Ridge branch. Our pal Gabriella will be responsible for new business development, consumer and business lending, managing personnel, and overseeing the day-to-day operations of the bank.
Gabriella has been with the bank since 2006, when she started as a teller in its Staten Island location. But, hey, she’s now moving to the big time and Standing O is really glad she’s jumped the bridge. Along with everything banking, she is also a member of the Soroptimist International of Staten Island, a world-wide organization for women in management and professions. Who knew?
Standing O says, welcome, bienvenue and willkommen.
TD Bank [9904 Fourth Ave. at 99th Street in Bay Ridge, (718) 630–9965].
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