Brooklyn's Progress
October/November 2006

The Mayor’s Office of Industrial and Manufacturing Businesses (IMB) and the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) have named the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce as an Industrial Business Solutions Provider for the Flatlands-Fairfield Industrial Business Zone (IBZ).

This program will allow the Brooklyn Chamber to offer a wide range of services and incentives to industrial and manufacturing businesses in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn.  The Flatlands-Fairfield IBZ is a peninsula-like business area stretching approximately five miles in length from Albany Avenue and Glenwood Road at the foot of Canarsie, to Logan Street and Flatlands Avenue in Flatlands.

There are over 1,000 block and lots within the Flatlands-Fairfield IBZ that are designated for commercial and manufacturing use. 

Services to be offered to the area will include a comprehensive menu of business assistance through the Brooklyn Business Solutions Center.  The Business Solutions Center is a mayoral initiative that partners the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce with the NYC Department of Small Business Services to provide assistance including financing, government facilitation, permits and licenses, procurement, legal assistance, workforce development and other critical business services. 

“The leveraging of Business Solutions coupled with IBZ services will offer businesses an extensive business development toolkit,” notes Rick Russo, Vice President of Business Services and Director of the Brooklyn Business Solutions Center. 

IMB is dedicated to addressing the needs of New York’s industrial and manufacturing businesses.  Understanding the critical contribution of this sector to the City’s vitality, the Office coordinates and implements policies, and offers services and incentives, to retain and promote industrial and manufacturing firms citywide.

The IBZs represent areas in which the City will provide expanded assistance services to industrial firms in partnership with local groups.  In addition, IBZs reflect a commitment by the City not to support the re-zoning of industrial land for residential use within these areas.  To create an incentive for industrial and manufacturing businesses to locate within IBZs, a one-time relocation tax credit of up to $1,000 per employee is available.  In addition, some IBZs include adjacent Industrial Ombudsman Areas that include a greater mix of uses.  Business assistance services will be provided in both types of areas.  However, Ombudsman Areas will not receive the tax credits nor be subject to the same commitments on rezoning.

Darryl Hollon, the newly appointed Director of Industrial and Manufacturing Services of the Flatlands-Fairfield IBZ initiative, is by no means new to the Chamber, or new to working with the industrial and manufacturing sector. In this position he is charged with helping businesses access the full menu of Business Solutions services. He is establishing an on-site location in the Flatlands-Fairfield IBZ that will allow him make field visits and provide local businesses easy access to industrial and manufacturing business assistance.   

Mr. Hollon previously worked at the Chamber as an on-loan executive from Con Edison from 1997 to 1999, and more recently served as the Chamber’s Vice President of Membership from Apr. 2004 through Jun. 2006. His extensive experience working with industrial businesses on City and State incentive packages landed him seats on a number of boards.  He presently serves as Vice-Chair of the Local Development Corporation of East New York, the neighboring Empire Zone to the Flatlands-Fairfield IBZ.

“This is truly a benchmark opportunity to administer services and to help businesses access incentives and other services in an underserved industrial sector of Brooklyn. The designation of the IBZs is pivotal in creating the climate for industrial and manufacturing businesses to remain, expand and move into New York City,” notes Mr. Hollon.  

Further, in his new role at the Brooklyn Chamber, Mr. Hollon will assist businesses borough-wide with Business Solutions as well as with industrial and manufacturing services, he can be reached at 718-875-1000 ext. 131.