Brooklyn's Progress
March 2004

By Mack Tham

The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce Real Estate and Development Committee met on Feb. 10 at the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge.  The meeting was jointly sponsored by the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation, and Ingram & Hebron Realty.  A record number,  59 Chamber Members and guests participated.  Hank Auffarth of Citibank serves as Committee Chair.  One reason for the strong response were the recent announcements of several large scale development in Brooklyn.

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 Matt Urbanski, Principal of Michael Van Valkenburg Associates, presented the masterplan for Brooklyn Bridge Park, which the Port Authority Board of Commissioners has committed $85 million for its planning, design and construction. This funding commitment will ensure that an underutilized property will have a new role as a vital and an active part of New York harbor’s waterfront, attracting residents and tourists to this new waterfront park with spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline.

Eric Deutsch, President of Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation, shared the planned development for the 300-acre industrial complex.  One of the projects, Steiner Studios, will complete its construction by this summer.  All committee members will have a first peek of this the East Coast’s premiere motion picture and television studio complex when it is  completed.

The next Real Estate and Development Committee meeting will be held on May 4, 2004.  To join the committee or for more information, please contact Mack Tham at (718) 875-1000 ext. 142.