Brooklyn's Progress
January 2004

The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce Real Estate and Development Committee met on Nov. 18 at the New York Marriott at The Brooklyn Bridge.  The meeting, the first coordinated by Mack Tham, Manager of Real Estate and Development for the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, was extremely well attended, with 34 members and guests participating.  Hank Auffarth of Citibank serves as Committee Chair. 

The Real Estate and Development Committee is a group of Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce members from the real estate, development and finance communities who work actively to identify borough-wide opportunities for business attraction and retention.  The Committee also hosts the annual “Building Brooklyn Awards” as a fund raising event to support business attraction and retention in the borough.

At the meeting Michael Burke, Director of the Downtown Brooklyn Council, presented the multi-billion dollar Downtown Brooklyn Redevelopment Plan.  All attendees had a chance to ask questions about the 4.5 million square feet of new office space, 1,000 new units of housing and 900,000 square feet of retail space the new plan will create.

In addition Doug Jones, Director of Economic Development for the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, updated Committee members about Fulton FIRST, the redevelopment initiative focused on the revitalization of Fulton Street in Fort Greene, Clinton Hill and Bedford-Stuyvesant.  He outlined the strategy developed for the revitalization of Fulton Street between Classon and Utica Avenues.

The next Real Estate and Development Committee meeting will be held on February 10, 2004.  For more information please contact Mack Tham at 718-875-1000 ext. 142.