Brooklyn's Progress
April/May 2008

In Oct. 2006 the Bloomberg administration formed the Mayor’s Office for Industrial and Manufacturing Businesses (IMB) to protect the manufacturing and industrial properties in New York City’s most productive manufacturing areas from changes in zoning to residential. The Brooklyn Chamber was chosen as the Industrial Business Solutions Provider for the Flatlands-Fairfield Industrial Business Zone (FF-IBZ) one of the sixteen IBZ’s throughout New York City’s five boroughs. 

Darryl Hollon, as the director of industrial and manufacturing services for the FF- IBZ, and the Chamber’s boroughwide ombudsman as liaison to City agencies, has been assisting manufacturers and small businesses in accessing City programs and services and navigating red tape issues.

Over the past seventeen months Mr. Hollon has assisted four manufacturers, working with the New York City DOT, obtain loading zones in congested areas of the Flatlands-Fairfield IBZ that now allows for timely deliveries and pick-ups by 53’ tractor trailer trucks.  He’s been instrumental in assisting a businesses relocate, expand and start-up manufacturing operations throughout the five-mile long peninsula-like belt consisting of approximately 500 businesses. 

Mr. Hollon has uncovered areas and groups of businesses with multiple, complex and long-standing issues focusing attention as a liaison with City agencies through the Mayor’s Office for Industrial and Manufacturing Businesses, to implement plans for remediation and addressing critical matters. "Scrap Metal Central," a name he’s coined for a back street of seventeen business within the IBZ, with long-standing environmental issues, and the Brooklyn Terminal Market with 31 businesses embarking on a renaissance to remain profitable in a  competitive market-place, are a few of the projects for which he’s been a proactive liaison. 

The IBZ director, on behalf of the businesses, regularly interacts with DOT, DOS, DOHMH, DEP, Con Edison, KeySpan Energy Delivery and public and private entities.

“Now, through the IMB Program, issues and obstacles businesses face day-to-day in industrial areas are being examined, and plans for remediation are coming to the table,” said Mr. Hollon. “It’s going to take some time and it’s not going to happen overnight, but right now this is what I call progress for industrial sector businesses.” 

Mr. Hollon, along with colleagues from the Mayor’s Office for Industrial and Manufacturing Businesses, presented successful testimony to the Board of Standards and Appeals against re-zoning an M-1 (manufacturing) property in Canarsie to residential. Mr. Hollon actively promoted the property to potential buyers and was instrumental in locating a client who has purchased the property for industrial use.

In his ombudsman role, Mr. Hollon was recently honored for outstanding community service at the Bensonhurst Business Club’s monthly meeting.  As part of a greater Brooklyn Business Solutions Center outreach to communities across Brooklyn, he, along with his colleague Elizaveta Efuni, director of financial services at the Brooklyn Business Solutions Center (BSC), have developed a working relationship to assist Russian speaking immigrants. Ms. Efuni presented information about BSC services in Russian at the club’s monthly meeting.  Mr. Hollon has also worked closely with Cheryl Gladstone, director of real estate and development, assisting businesses as a liaison with utilities and other City agencies to expedite amenable resolutions. 

Mr. Hollon has also assisted four retail businesses in Sunset Park and Bedford Stuyvesant in obtaining 1-hour parking meters and traffic lights that will, in the words of the business owner, “enhance our competitiveness and drive more customers to our establishments, because there are places to park with a time limit and a smooth traffic flow.”

Mr. Hollon has worked with the entire BSC staff in assisting businesses with wide-ranging issues.  Rick Russo, vice president for economic development and strategic partnerships at the Brooklyn Chamber, notes, “Mr. Hollon’s government facilitation work has had a very real impact for businesses, both manufacturers and retailers, across the borough.  His extensive network of contacts both public and private, afford him the ability of assisting businesses with unique red tape issues,” he adds.    

Mr. Hollon wants to hear from businesses interested in learning more about receiving assistance and can be reached at (718) 246-5219 ext. 2022 or at dhollon@brooklynchamber.com. For additional information about the Flatlands-Fairfield IBZ, please access the program’s link at http://www.ibrooklyn.com/. In the next Progress, you’ll read about three manufacturers up close when their facilities were toured in early spring by the Mayor’s Office for IMB and Brooklyn Chamber IBZ staffers.