BROOKLYN, NY, October 23, 2015: Yesterday, Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams unveiled over $5 million in capital funding from his Fiscal Year 2016 budget that he is investing in advancing economic development across Brooklyn, including initiatives to further job creation and workforce training. He made the announcement at Sahadi’s, a multi-generationally owned Middle Eastern grocery store in Brooklyn Heights on Atlantic Avenue, which will benefit from a $35,000 allocation for new wayfinding signs to promote small business tourism between Brooklyn Bridge Park and Barclays Center. Borough President Adams discussed his borough-wide vision for strengthening Brooklyn’s economic future, highlighting the importance of traditional mom-and-pop businesses and cutting-edge emerging industries alike.
“Brooklyn’s popularity must translate into economic prosperity for every Brooklynite,” said Borough President Adams. “We want to spur innovation, grow good paying jobs, and provide equal access to economic opportunity across the borough. This budget, an investment of taxpayer dollars, is energizing the economic engine with the fuel that matters – job creation, workforce development, and promotion of our small business community. I will continue to focus on forward-thinking approaches to growing Brooklyn’s local economy and having all Brooklynites sharing in its success.”
“Brooklyn is the place to go for businesses and workers,” said Council Member Stephen Levin. “By investing in innovative ideas like New Lab in the Navy Yard while supporting our local small businesses and workers right here on Atlantic Avenue we can make sure our borough continues to be a great place to live, work, and start a growing business. I thank Borough President Adams for funding these important projects.”
“Our district is such a special place with many unique stores, restaurants, and boutiques,” said Josef Szende, executive director of the Atlantic Avenue Business Improvement District (BID). “With so many visitors coming to the edges of our district we have the opportunity to let them know about some of the wonderful things that give our Brooklyn community so much energy. Once they know, they will find that Atlantic Avenue has a whole world to discover behind each shop window.”
Borough President Adams also allocated $100,000 to the Alliance for Coney Island for an interactive wayfinding project in Coney Island. The effort will provide visitors with information such as important contact numbers and public service announcements, as well as an up-to-date map of all attractions in the area.
“The Alliance for Coney Island is elated to have been selected a recipient of capital grant funds from Borough President Adams,” said Johanna Zaki, executive director of the Alliance for Coney Island. “We would like to thank Borough President Adams for this award which will help support ongoing redevelopment initiatives in Coney Island. In particular, this will help support the implementation of wayfinding solutions throughout the amusement district for the benefit of visitors and locals alike. The Alliance is excited for this new development to begin and is looking forward to the benefits it will provide the local community and tourists.”
In East Williamsburg, Borough President Adams designated $70,000 to go to the Grand Street BID for 70 tree guards to be installed at newly expanded tree beds on the corridor between Bushwick Avenue and Union Avenue. The improvements are intended to enhance and revitalize Grand Street as a commercial shopping district in order to promote business development and to encourage residents to patronize local establishments.
“I would like to thank Borough President Adams for investing in upgrades to Grand Street in my district,” said Council Member Antonio Reynoso. “The Grand Street BID includes many small businesses, and investments like this encourage residents to shop local and keep their money in the community.”
“The Grand Street District Management Association, Inc. is a necessary ingredient toward the revitalization of Grand Street,” said Dealice Fuller, chair of Community Board 1. “We are greatly pleased that Borough President Adams is providing much needed funding to assist them in their quest.”
The Brooklyn Navy Yard is the beneficiary of two grants that Borough President Adams has funded, totaling $1,000,000 in investment, for the coming year. $500,000 will go toward the reconstruction of the ground of Building 77, which will include dining and retail options serving the industrial park and surrounding community, while an additional $500,000 is being directed to the build out of New Lab, a facility focused on innovation in additive manufacturing, advanced robotics, and biotechnology.
“At one million square feet, Building 77 is the largest development project that the Brooklyn Navy Yard has ever undertaken and stands as an iconic symbol for the borough’s booming design, technology and industrial sectors,” said David Ehrenberg, president and CEO of Brooklyn Navy Yard. “Borough President Adams’s investment in Building 77 will not only include amenities for 3,000 new workers and the surrounding community, but it will also help create an environment where businesses can grow and continue to create jobs.”
“Borough President Adams is one of the true few visionaries left in Brooklyn,” said David Belt, founder of New Lab. “He understands what Brooklyn needs and has a unique ability to motivate a diverse set of stakeholders around his ambitious agenda. The New Lab team is honored to have been part of a larger vision for more tech-centric, high-quality jobs in our borough.”
Borough President Adams allotted over $1.1 million in funding to five projects associated with workforce development in the borough. In Brownsville, he apportioned $513,000 to Community Solutions for the build out of the Greg Jackson Center for Brownsville, a multi-service space focused on job training. In Downtown Brooklyn, he gave $300,000 to Brooklyn Community Services (BCS) for the initial outfitting of their new job training center. He granted $190,000 to the FDNY Foundation for a youth workforce development bus to help students access FDNY High School in East New York and the FDNY Exploring Post in Downtown Brooklyn. Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow received $54,000 for a workforce training computer lab network at Industry City in Sunset Park. Finally, $48,000 will go to Agudath Israel of America Community Services for their Project COPE/ ESL Computer Lab in Kensington, helping adults find employment through English language instruction and job skills training.
“With this generous investment from Borough President Adams, we’ll be able to continue the development of the Gregory Jackson Center for Brownsville,” said Maygen Moore, senior project manager for Community Solutions. “The community center has already brought key employment and social services that were once hard for residents to reach under one roof. Through continued expansion using this critical capital funding, we’ll be able to provide the quality spaces Brownsville residents have requested for community problem-solving work, as well as cultural and arts programming.”
