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Brooklyn's Progress
February 2001 Congressman Ed Towns Secures Funding from Mayor For Chamber NYC Dept. of Business Services to Partner With Chamber to Improve Fulton Street Shopping in Bedford-Stuyvesant At a Town Hall meeting in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani announced a $3 million grant to the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce to support the Bedford-Stuyvesant Fulton Street Initiative. Congressman Ed Towns played a key role in requesting the funds for the program, which seeks to promote retail development on Fulton Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Over the past few years, Bedford-Stuyvesant has seen notable improvements: rising property values, the restoration of historic homes and growth of private investment in the community. However, according to many local residents and community leaders, the area is underserved when it comes to retail shopping and services. Major objectives of the Fulton Street Initiative are to strengthen existing businesses and attract new retail shops to the area to meet the needs of local residents. “Mayor Giuliani, Deputy Mayor Rudy Washington and I are excited about the Bedford-Stuyvesant Fulton Street Initiative,” explained Deborah Weeks, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Business Services. “We are looking forward to working with the Chamber, elected officials and local team members to ensure the success of this initiative.” “It’s a great day for Brooklyn,” said Congressman Towns. “Fulton FIRST is long overdue. In order to stabilize existing businesses and attract new businesses to the area, we must make sure Fulton Street is clean, well lit and that there are façade and infrastructure improvements. This is the first step in the right direction.” “We are pleased to have this opportunity to provide vital economic development services in the Bedford-Stuyvesant community”, said Kenneth Adams, president of the Chamber of Commerce. “This is the largest grant we have ever received -- it will enable us to focus significant talent, energy and resources on the goal of improving neighborhood shopping on Fulton Street. The Chamber is grateful to Mayor Giuliani and Congressman Towns for their generous support of this effort.” Services to be provided under the initiative include: Streetscape improvements such as improved lighting and supplemental street cleaning; Major planning and marketing studies; marketing and public relations programs; real estate assistance; business and financial planning; securing available tax, financial and energy benefits; Storefront design and merchandising; local promotions and outreach, and more. “We look forward to working with the NYC Department of Business Services and other City agencies to provide a coordinated program of services that addresses the critical needs of this historic community,” said Jacqui Williams, director of economic development for the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, who will spearhead the program. The Chamber sought assistance from Congressman Towns and Mayor Giuliani after it received a $750,000 grant from the Fleet Boston Financial Foundation for its Fulton FIRST initiative last November. Fulton FIRST (Fleet Initiative for Retail, Services and Trade) was created by the Chamber to help stabilize local businesses and to attract new retail shops to meet the needs of the neighborhoods flanking Fulton Street. The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce is a borough-wide business assistance and economic development organization. It is the largest Chamber of Commerce in New York City. To carry out the Fulton FIRST program, the Chamber will partner with community–based organizations to provide services at the neighborhood level. To date, these partners include the Bogolan Merchants Association, the Central Brooklyn Partnership and the Business Outreach Center Network. |
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