Cortelyou Smart Growth

a new Vox Pop-based project of citizen activists, merchants, non-profit workers, and potential entrepreneurs in Flatbush/Ditmas Park, Brooklyn

UPDATE:

Posted 9/4/07 (Sent to e-list. to get on this e-list, email Sander.)

First of all, I would like to suggest we change the name of this project from "Cortelyou Recruits Entrepreneurs" to "Cortelyou Smart Growth"

Because as this group has come together, it's not just about entrepneneurs, but also non profit activists, and residents who are concerned, and people who want to do stuff out of the goodness of their hearts.

Make sense?

Here's an update on what's going on:

Morry Hermon deserves a "kudos" --he found a space for his Yoga studio, over on Coney Island Avenue! He just inked the deal, and he came over to let Vox Pop know the good news, first!

He's looking for prospective partners, and a more formal email will follow on this.

I have made contact with a potential brewery/brew pub who said they are interested in seeing the space at 1502 Cortelyou. (Hopefully it's not yet rented.)

NEXT MEETING: 3rd Friday of September, 9/21, 9 AM. at VOX POP

Let's spend time helping get the Yoga project off the ground, and getting report-backs from others. Feel free to email the group!

THANKS!

S

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Original Posting from 8/19/07

Hi Gang!

Here's a report on the new Cortelyou community development project, "Cortelyou Recruits Entrepreneurs."

The meeting on Friday (8/17/07) went well.

We discussed WHY this group got started, and what specifically we can do to fill the empty storefronts on Cortelyou. We talked about the importance of using new media and it's powerful "social networking" effects, especially on sites such as LinkedIn.com. Almost everyone who attended the meeting was already LINKED on LinkedIn.com!

 

We talked about the need for smart growth, not gentrification, on Cortelyou, and how to best answer consumer demand for new businesses.

Our Mission: Help connect Cortelyou to the entrepreneurs who want to start the businesses that residents and merchants WANT.

NEXT MEETING: 3rd Friday of September, 9/21, 9 AM. at VOX POP, Yes, this is a weekday. Yes, people have day jobs. But the meeting only goes ONE hour, sharp, and many of the people who attended on Friday were able to justify this to their day jobs, because of the importance of community development.

Here are the tasks we are working on:

I, Sander, will work on networking with micro-breweries and other businesses to find a tenant for the 1052 Cortelyou space (ex Cornerstone). I have pitched the idea to the head of Dogfish Craft Ale, he already runs a successful brew pub in Rehobeth Beach, and is opening one in Falls Church, VA right now. I am also pitching my friends at Sixpoint Craft Ale here in Brooklyn. [UPDATE: still looking, no serious bits yet, will most likley be working with Julie Kestyn on this deal.]

Mannix Gordon of FDC will take on trying to help Nicole find someone to take over the lease/business at Cortelyou Vintage.

Morry Hermon is talking to Jan and Barry at the Flatbush Food Coop, and has already had a positive conversation with Jan about possibly converting the Co-op space (when they move across the street in the Fall) into a group Yoga/healing center.

There's a space on Argyle between the cleaners and Chinese take out that is not yet assigned.

We discussed taking on a letter-writing campaign to landlords: perhaps saying that with the reductions in crime in the neighborhood, and the need for more services, it would benefit the landlords to stop warehousing their gated storefronts, and open them up to retail tenants. The real estate market is volatile right now, but Cortelyou is in a great new phase of expansion, and rehabilitation: there are great new benches, trees, bike racks, and black iron fences around the trees, the neighborhood has really come of age. Let's work on a draft and have this ready for the 9/21 meeting.

GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER ONLINE!

Here are the people who came to the meeting:
For this web page posting, I am deleting peoples emails, to prevent spam. To get into contact with the group, come to our next meeting, or email sander [at] voxpopnet.net

Tah Phrum Duh Bush  local hip hop MC and entrepreneur/runs record label
Mannix Gordon, FDC, director of economic development, FDC
Morry Hermon (works at Vocational Foundation, Inc.) wants to start a yoga non-profit on Cortelyou)
Shaundelle Moor (is interested in possibly starting a craft and yarn store)
Sander Hicks, Vox Pop sander [at] voxpopnet.net (2007 President, Cortelyou Road Merchants Association, CEO of Vox Pop/DKMC)

Other people who are interested in this group, and are now on the CRE Email List:

Susan Grossman, Domani Studio Local community activist interested in partnering with real estate industry, commercial banking, and local artists to create a "Cortelyou Road Arts District" Has been successful in re-igniting interest from Washington Mutual Bank

Dan Shapiro, Madison Realty 917 912 8669 broker whose company "controls half the commercial real estate on Cortelyou"

Coco Wilde, Director of Development, Brave New World Theatre, local theatre group

"Elena Azzoni interested in starting a business (not Yoga) on Cortelyou

Kati Duncan interested in Kensington/Cortelyou and is starting a business in the East Village

"Rebecca" supportive of Yoga studio, wanted to attend mtg

Andrew Oliphant Local dentist on Cortelyou, active in CoRMA, has this idea: "I would also like to see more residential buidings going up in the neighborhood....some of the buildings on Coney Island Ave that are eyesores [could] come down and market rentals and condos go up."

Nancy Campbell original coworker/Shareholder in Vox Pop
Master's Degree Candidate/City & Regional Planning/Graduate Center for Planning & the Environment

"Erin Joslyn" Local mom, writer, and community activist

Anna Ortega local activist, working on Bold Hope Community Center, recently pulled off successful Community Festival to launch this project.