Brooklyn's Progress
June/July 2006

On Jun. 2, the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce’s retail development program, Brooklyn Shops, and the North Crown Heights Nostrand Avenue Merchants Association held a kick-off breakfast, at Café 4000, to celebrate changes planned for Nostrand Avenue. The merchants association is responsible for the commercial revitalization of the stretch of Nostrand Avenue from Atlantic Avenue to Eastern Parkway. 

The New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS), through its Avenue NYC program, made participation of the Brooklyn Shops program possible.  Laura Sanzel, retail development consultant for the Brooklyn Chamber, was assigned to work on the project.  Ms. Sanzel’s work included authoring a Survey and Needs Assessment of the area, which included recommendations for future activities.

The assessment found among other things that crime in the area has drastically declined since 1993 (75%) due to stronger police presence and community involvement, the area benefits from nearby attractions including the Brooklyn Museum, Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Children’s Museum and the neighborhoods housing stock is attractive to new residents. Some of the reports recommendations for the area include recruiting new, locally owned businesses, installation of security cameras and increased support for local merchants.

Ms. Sanzel also assisted with branding, which resulted in The New Nostrand slogan. She coordinated new street banners, trash receptacles, technical and marketing assistance for the strip.  On-going work such as anti-graffiti efforts and retail recruitment will be conducted by the Association, under the direction of Barbara Brown-Allen, program manager.

Nearly one hundred people attended the breakfast. Robert Matthews, Board Chair of the organization, acknowledged a number of people  for their support of the organization.  Speakers included Assemblyman Karim Camara, City Council Member Al Vann, New York State Senator  Carl Andrews, District Attorney Charles Hynes, and Brooklyn Chamber President, Kenneth Adams. Following the breakfast gathering, a walking tour of the area was conducted, with City Council Members David Yassky and Letitia James joining the group of merchants, property owners and community residents. 

“This is a very exciting time for our section of Nostrand Avenue.  Our hard work over the years, which was begun by Margaret Vinson, is finally paying off.  Look at the crowd gathered here this morning, and what we are accomplishing together,” he noted.

Ms. Vinson, a life-long community resident, now unfortunately ill, spent considerable time motivating merchants to work together over the year, for the betterment of the strip.  The kick-off breakfast truly signaled The New Nostrand, demonstrating how a community can succeed by working together.

The full report and recommendations, compiled from the Survey and Needs Assessment, is available at the offices of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce located at 25 Elm Place, Downtown Brooklyn. For more information about the report or the Brooklyn Shops program contact Rick Russo, Vice President of Business Services at 718-875-1000 ext. 108, or at rrusso@brooklynchamber.com.