–Understand the buying habits and desires of the community;
–Gain insight from local consumers [...]]]>
–Understand the buying habits and desires of the community;
–Gain insight from local consumers to improve business practices, products and promotions;
–Communicate with the community about events, new store openings and special offers;
–Identify type of businesses people want on the Avenue in order attract the right retailers to fill vacant spaces on the Avenue
]]>
Where do you shop?
Where do you eat?
What type of businesses would you like to see on Third Avenue?
TAKE THE THIRD AVENUE SURVEY! Go to www.thirdavenuebayridge.com and click on the survey link!Did you know most of the businesses on Third Avenue are owned by our neighbors? By completing this survey and providing information about where you shop and dine and what you’d like to see happen on Third Avenue, you can help ensure that Bay Ridge continues to flourish and remains a desirable and enjoyable place to live.
What’s in it for you (besides a better Third Avenue of course)? All survey participants providing contact information will be entered to win one of ten $100 gift certificates to local businesses including restaurants, spas and retail stores.
The Third Avenue Survey is a project of The Merchants of Third Avenue Civic Improvement Association, dedicated to promoting and supporting the merchants of Third Avenue. The Market Survey is made possible by grant funding from the New York City Department of Small Business Services and support by local elected officials including Senator Martin Golden and Councilman Vincent Gentile.
Written by Rosalie Drago
Any Bay Ridge resident who strolls the avenues knows that every few weeks a new business opens while another vacant storefront, with skeletal remains of shelves and [...]]]>
Written by Rosalie Drago
Any Bay Ridge resident who strolls the avenues knows that every few weeks a new business opens while another vacant storefront, with skeletal remains of shelves and tables bears the FOR RENT signs.
Though there are many economic development studies dedicated to the workings of a retail corridor, it is difficult to be purely scientific about analyzing the problem. One can compare demographic data and look at trends of course. There is also the conversation with the local businesses and residents that shed at least a little light on the subject.
The obvious and most prominent culprit for the struggle and demise of many businesses in the past year is the economic crisis. Nearly all small businesses rely on a credit line to pay their bills. In order to keep customers coming in they have to order product, in advance of the customer service. To operate a small restaurant, spa or retail shop most owners require between $15k and $30k credit to purchase goods and pay expenses. Each month that credit line gets paid down when customers come in and spend money. When the market crashed last year, many banks pulled the store owner’s credit lines. If a store owner didn’t have several thousand of their personal money saved they couldn’t operate.
What is not so clear is why, when credit lines weren’t an issue, some businesses lived on while others closed their doors. Putting aside those businesses that did not do their research in the market and had no prior experience in the type of place they opened, let’s look at a few examples. Over the course of a few weeks I surveyed about 30 residents and talked with stores who are staying afloat, flourishing as well as those who have invested thousands in a new business only to lose it all and walk away.
One of the most curious cases of a store that didn’t last was Chip Shop. Owner Chris is successful, with business increasing at his other two Brooklyn locations on 5th Avenue and Atlantic Avenue in spite of tough economic times. Chris told me he used all the same promotional tools when he opened his store in Bay Ridge as he did at his other locations: joined the local association, advertised in local papers – to no avail. “The people just never came” he said.
When asked people shopping on Third Avenue about Chip Shop one answer emerged consistently – location. Many people said they rarely venture past 77th Street to dine, doing most of their dining between 77th and 101st. A few others said they didn’t like the service and when asked if other local restaurants provide better service they admitted that, they don’t always, but since they know the owners they are quicker to forgive any mishaps. For Chip Shop, any Bay Ridge customers they did attract are now visiting them at the Park Slope location.
While several business owners agreed that a location in the 80’s would have been more conducive to success, they had a few other things to add.
“Failure is not an option, this is my only business” said Marianna, owner of Lola’s Boutique who recently expanded and moved from 86th Street to Third Avenue. “Maybe they compared sales to the other stores and thought this wouldn’t be profitable. I have had to dip into my own pocket over the years to survive, but I can’t just walk away.”
“Many Bay Ridge residents are a bit xenophobic of businesses coming here from other neighborhoods. We had people coming in when we first opened who were practically “accusing” us of being a chain from the city. It was hard for them to accept the fact that we were locals, in my case a 4th generation local. Now that we’ve been there a year, more people are starting to give us a chance.” Says Allison, who owns and operates Rob celli’s “In other neighborhoods, when a new place opens people will flock to it just because its “new” and “exciting”. In Bay Ridge, everything is a routine- people go to the same places to buy the same things on the same days. You need to be around long enough to become part of that routine.”
Sheila, Maria and Maureen, owners of The Green Spa & Wellness Center agreed. “The Bay Ridge customer is very different than that of other neighborhoods. Many people living in Bay Ridge either grew up here, returned here, have family here. Other areas of Brooklyn have a more diverse and transitory group of people who are moving in from Manhattan or other areas. In our experience, Bay Ridge residents want the personal relationship and recognition.”
So what has made these businesses succeed? Perseverance, flexibility and a committed local market.
For The Spa it is the clients. “We truly credit loyal guests who we have developed close relationships over the years and are thankful that they continue to stay with us.” Being hospitable to those loyal customers is the key according to Maureen. “I come from an Irish family when someone came to visit our home; we invited them in for a cup of tea and a snack. They stay a little longer and you have a nice experience together. The point is not to literally feed everyone that walks in your door – if you are a toy store – but find out what you r guest is hungry for and add it to your business.”
What do they cite as they keys to their success? Constantly analyzing business, making changes and creating reasons for customers to come back.
According the Allison being able to change with the economy and keeping our business plan flexible is their main focus. “People said that they wish we had seats so they could sit down, eat and hang out with us. We added seats a few weeks ago for this purpose, and we’re seeing a whole new clientele come in along with our regulars. We also decided to try run with one of our particular strengths. I’d run a successful custom baking company in Bay Ridge for almost 8 years, so I brought that back in the form of our cupcakes and they became more popular than we could have imagined. We’ve been written up nationally, had orders from across the countries, and had people travel across the country specifically to try our cupcakes!”
For Maureen at The Green Spa is a cycle of getting feedback, tweaking the business and hosting events. “We are continuously making changes and focusing on something new. At times our concentration is with our online business, at others it is studying our products and new products that are coming out on the market, at other times it is training our staff on new treatments and practices, at other times there is a focus on special events and spreading the word.”
What have you learned as a result of running a business in Bay Ridge?
“Owning a business here taught me a very important lesson about my own shopping habits” says Allison “if there’s something in the neighborhood that you love and you don’t support it, don‘t be surprised if it goes away”
Advice from the ladies at The Green Spa? “Networking and patronizing local businesses. . It definitely comes back to you in some way… either those businesses return the loyalty or recommend you within the neighborhood.”
While the best business practices that local store owners mentioned are a sure win. What customers want still seems to be an intangible. To that end, the Merchants of Third Avenue Civic Improvement Association will be conducting a market survey to understand what residents of Bay Ridge want from their shops and restaurants. That survey will be available after October 4th on their website www.thirdavenuebayridge.com and in print at many of the local businesses.
Rosalie Drago is a consultant providing marketing and economic development services to neighborhoods and small business in Brooklyn. She works with neighborhood associations to create programs, events and conduct research that provide the much-needed support to help small businesses survive and prosper. For more information visit www.dragobrooklyn.com.
]]>]]>This week, a Manhattan judge ruled that an amendment to New York City’s Human Rights Law obligates landlords to accept section 8 housing and other federal subsidies for units that are already rent stabilized and for those tenants who moved in after the law was already enacted. The case was brought on behalf of a group of tenants whose landlords refused to accept their payments when they tried to use Government vouchers to pay their rent.
… after a two day survey of 3rd avenue and 5th avenue in Bay Ridge, our reporting team found over 25 vacated or vacating storefronts.
Perhaps the most unfortunate block of all is 3rd avenue, between Bay Ridge Avenue and 70th street. Here we found four empty store fronts. The remaining stores are niche food services, a used goods store, a deli and the famous fresh-bread Cangiano’s.
and City Cuncilman Vincent J Gentile and Republican Challenger Robert Capano were kind enough to respond with some comments, suggestions and possible courses of action.
Here is the statement from Vincent J. Gentile’s office
““The recession has hit a lot of people in our area, and that affects local business owners. Those business owners are an important part of our neighborhood’s economic backbone, and to help them I released a brochure to help navigate the federal stimulus package in March,” Councilman Gentile said. “Another way of helping is to continue fighting the ticketing blitzes on major commercial avenues – I’ve spoken personally to store owners who feel that agents are driving shoppers away from their stores, and this is the worst economic climate possible for them to be doing that. I’d also encourage residents to do their shopping locally – let’s spend our money in our neighborhood, show support for local store owners and make sure our neighborhood emerges from this downturn strong and resilient.”
And here is a response to the store front vacancies from Republican Challenger Robert (Bob) Capano
“First, I live right by the area you emphasize. I’m at 73rd and Ridge.
We have to create a positive environment for small businesses and mom and pop shops to open, grow, and succeed. Government has to be a partner to them- not an obstacle that makes it more difficult for them.
For example, traffic agents who use no common sense when they ticket drivers waiting to pull into a parking space is a disincentive for people to shop at avenue stores. This decreases the customer base of local stores. Merchants along 3rd and 5th Avenues, as well as 18th Avenue in Bensonhurst, have complained about this issue.
It was small businesses that provided me my first jobs. While a student at Xaverian High School, I worked at Once Upon a Sundae, which was on 77th and 3rd Avenue, and Logue’s Restaurant, which was also on 3rd Avenue. Prior to this, I worked at a candy store and deli on 4th Avenue between 85th and 86th streets. I will be a strong advocate for local store owners so they can not only stay open, but flourish to provide the same opportunities to young people today that they gave to me.
I will work closely with the City Department of Small Business Services, our Business Improvement Districts, and Merchant organizations to give local merchants access to loans, resource information, and ideas for business growth and expansion.”
Mr. Capano then added this PS. “From me directly- not any staff or aides!!”
Firstly, we would like to say a very gracious thank you to these two gentleman who are putting very much of their personal time and energy into the community. Reaching out to our small blog indicates a transparency of local governance that other nabes surely envy.
Strikingly, the one thing they both emphasized is the ticket blitzing on the main commercial strips. Most car-owners in the neighborhood will tell you about the “nightmare” parking situations. Shopping on 3rd or 5th or 8th avenue or 86th street while trying to look for parking is one of the most dreaded weekend treks for many a Bayridgistani. According to a few deli owners on 3rd Avenue, it’s usually the same 2 or 3 traffic enforcement officers doing the ticketing. (If anyone can get their badge numbers, email us editor@bayridgistan.com… Bayridgistan’s first mini-documentary perhaps? following the ticket-blitzers?)
If you’d like to respond back to Mr. Capano or Mr. Gentile themselves, you can reach Robert Capano at bob@bobcapano.com . If you’re trying to get a message to Councilman Gentile, reach out to Dena Libner, his Director of Communications, at dlibner@council.nyc.gov.
]]>Ed, a local store owner explains it as, “people just don’t wanna spend money–it’s very simple”.
The many “small-town” niche stores and eateries that had previously done well enough in the neighborhood now find themselves struggling to stay afloat.
As one deli owner on 3rd avenue told us, “water bill just went up, electricity is up… if i told you how much I have to make a month just to not go bankrupt and keep my refrigerators working you’d tell me I’m crazy.”
Maybe.
But after a two day survey of 3rd avenue and 5th avenue in Bay Ridge, our reporting team found over 25 vacated or vacating storefronts.
Perhaps the most unfortunate block of all is 3rd avenue, between Bay Ridge Avenue and 70th street. Here we found four empty store fronts. The remaining stores are niche food services, a used goods store, a deli and the famous fresh-bread Cangiano’s. With the exception of the Second Hand Goods store, all other businesses on the block could in some way be threatened by the pending July opening of the Key Food on Bay Ridge Avenue.
–additional reporting by N. Zide
]]>WEDNESDAY JUNE 10TH
…from higher rents, condominiums and
the displacement of working families.
209 Joralemon Street
Between Court Street and Adams Street
5:00 pm
R train to Court
Marty Markowitz is recommending that we see:
- 7 story buildings on 4th avenue
- Condos for sale for $300,000
- 6 story buildings on 5th avenue
LET HIM KNOW WE ARE AGAINST
IRRESPONSIBLE REZONING!
NO TO THIS RE-ZONING!
For more information, contact: SPAN (Sunset Park Alliance of Neighbors)
www.spanbrooklyn.org spanbrooklyn@yahoo.com
(718) 853-0949
PROTEGE A SUNSET PARK…
MIERCOLES 10 DE JUNIO
…Luche contra las rentas mas altas, nuevos
condominos y el desplazamiento de las familias
trabajadoras.
209 Joralemon Street
entre Court Street and Adams Street
5:00 pm
El tren “R” a Court Street
El presidente del condado Marty Markowitz esta
recomendando que:
- Se pueda construir edificios de 7 pisos en la 4th ave
- Condos a venta a $300,000
- 6 pisos en la 5a avenida
¡DEJELE SABER QUE ESTAMOS CONTRA EL
DESARROLLO IRRESPONSABLE DE NUESTRA
COMUNIDAD! ¡NO A LA
RE-ZONIFICACION!
Para mas informacion: SPAN (Alianza de Vecinos de Sunset Park)
www.spanbrooklyn.org spanbrooklyn@yahoo.com
(718) 853-0949
Once a developer can come in and build a luxury 5-story house next to a non-luxury 3-story house, that will have several specific effects on the neighborhood. First off, the rent pressure will push up for everyone in the neighborhood (“you’re charging 2000/month in rent? then why am I only charging $1400?”). More importantly, seeing how much money can be made on a new building, developers will begin demolishing their older, smaller, cheaper properties so that they can build newer, bigger, more expensive ones. This again, only raises the up-pressure on rent prices.
Now, as old owners see this, they want to get in on the action. Many long time owners see a big buy off as a chance to finally pay off the last of the mortgage, or even as a downpayment on a more solid future. The problem is, as these buildings get sold, the new developers will look to empty them of their old residents. Why? To begin demolition of the small, cheap building, so that they can build a big, expensive building. Make no mistake about it. No one’s spenindg two million dollars to build a 40-story unit, to then rent out a 2 bedroom for $1200. No such thing will ever happen.
Yet the city persists in a miseducation (more like a lie) that the new re-zoning would actually create “affordable housing.” This is wrong. At the very least this is wrong. At most this is a pernicious, face-saving lie pushed through by the worst in greed (financial or otherwise).
So what is “AFFORDABLE HOUSING”? Ok. This is a number game, ready?
The city believes that “affordable housing” is the kind of housing that people who make 80% of the median metropolitan area income can afford. Well, the Median Metropolitan Area Income is.. somewhere around $68,000-72,000 a year. Why is it so high? Because it includes the whole city, as well as super-wealthy outlying neighborhoods like Wesetchester. So, “affordable housing” is housing that can be afforded by a family with a median family income of $56,000-57,000/year.
The actual LOCAL (that is to say SUNSET PARK) median family income floats between $30,000-35,000/year. So they say the apartments they’re building will be cheap–but only for families that earn over $56 thousand a year. So the units they’re building will still be going for $2,000-$3,000/month, and yet they will still somehow be considered “affordable” according to city regulations. Furthermore, because the developers are being so “kind” with their precious properties, the city also gives them HUGE tax rebates and incentives (even though developers don’t have to volunteer any more than 20% of their units to this fake “affordable housing” in order to claim tax credits). So in effect, our tax money is about to be spent on throwing us out of our own neighborhoods and homes.
So, let’s take it all in. The city muscled through a Sunset Park Rezoning plan that 80% of the community spoke out against. Despits this, Community Board 7, which supposedly represents Sunset Park but is actually appointed by pro-development Borough President Marty Markowitz, somehow VOTED IN FAVOR of this measure (with only mild reccomendations). If this rezoning plan makes it through–all rent in Sunset Park will go up. The nature of the neighborhood will change. You can be sure there will be many intimidations of undocumented workers by landlords greedy for an easy dollar. Rent pressure will go up in your building, even if it doesn’t change. For every condo that goes up, that’s many cheap apartments that are no longer available, and that many more families now hungry for affordable housing.
How can this be stopped?
There are several local organization. Some of them are more authentic than others. Some receive money to back campaigns, other are centrally directed, and some are actually fake fronts for big businesses and developers. After doing some serious background, Bayridgistan.com has come to believe that SPAN (the Sunset Park Alliance of Neighbors) may be the most genuine and diverse of all the Sunset Park groups, as well as the most productive and goal-oriented.
That being said, SPAN has organized a major rally for this Wednesday at 5pm at the Brooklyn Burough Hall. They will try to stop the current re-zoning which is irresponsible, and will change the character and affordability of our neighborhood forever. For those interested in joining SPAN, they tend to be very welcoming, and you can reach out to them at spanbrooklyn@yahoo.com or (718) 853-0949. Below are details on this Wendesday’s rally.
Si Se Puede! — The Editor
PROTECT SUNSET PARK…
WEDNESDAY JUNE 10TH
…from higher rents, condominiums and
the displacement of working families.
209 Joralemon Street
Between Court Street and Adams Street
5:00 pm
R train to Court
Marty Markowitz is recommending that we see:
- 7 story buildings on 4th avenue
- Condos for sale for $300,000
- 6 story buildings on 5th avenue
LET HIM KNOW WE ARE AGAINST
IRRESPONSIBLE REZONING!
NO TO THIS RE-ZONING!
For more information, contact: SPAN (Sunset Park Alliance of Neighbors)
www.spanbrooklyn.org spanbrooklyn@yahoo.com
(718) 853-0949
PROTEGE A SUNSET PARK…
MIERCOLES 10 DE JUNIO
…Luche contra las rentas mas altas, nuevos
condominos y el desplazamiento de las familias
trabajadoras.
209 Joralemon Street
entre Court Street and Adams Street
5:00 pm
El tren “R” a Court Street
El presidente del condado Marty Markowitz esta
recomendando que:
- Se pueda construir edificios de 7 pisos en la 4th ave
- Condos a venta a $300,000
- 6 pisos en la 5a avenida
¡DEJELE SABER QUE ESTAMOS CONTRA EL
DESARROLLO IRRESPONSABLE DE NUESTRA
COMUNIDAD! ¡NO A LA
RE-ZONIFICACION!
Para mas informacion: SPAN (Alianza de Vecinos de Sunset Park)
www.spanbrooklyn.org spanbrooklyn@yahoo.com
(718) 853-0949
HAVE YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBORS CHECKED OUT THE DEPT. OF CITY PLANNING’s
PROPOSED REZONING PLAN
FOR THE SUNSET PARK BLOCK WHERE YOU LIVE OR HAVE YOUR BUSINESS?
GO TO: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/sunset_park/sunset3.shtml
CLICK ON THE MAP TO ENLARGE VIEW
LOCATE YOUR BLOCK AND JOT DOWN THE PROPOSED ZONING DESIGNATION(S)
LOOK-UP THE DETAILS ABOUT EACH DESIGNATION ON THE SAME PAGE AS MAP.
PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO CATEGORIES R6A, R6B, R7A.
AFTER YOU CHECK YOUR BLOCK, LOOK AT THE AVENUES.
COME TO THE HEARING AT BOROUGH HALL AT 5:00 PM ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10TH
FOR EXAMPLE-NYC Zoning Handbook: Residential Districts: R6A
R6A districts differ from R6 districts primarily in greater lot coverage and modified height and setback regulations. These typically produce six-story apartment buildings designed to be compatible with existing buildings found in older neighborhoods. …….. The R6A district is mapped primarily in Brooklyn and Queens; Prospect Park Southwest in Brooklyn is a typical R6A street.
The FAR in R6A districts is 3.0. The street wall of a building must be located within a mandated front wall setback area of eight feet on a wide street or 15 feet on a narrow street. The maximum building height is determined by the building envelope which may not be penetrated by the building. The building envelope is controlled by the intersection of front and rear sky exposure planes that rise according to a specific ratio. The Quality Housing Program is mandatory in R6A districts.
Basic Data
R6A: General residence district
- Maximum FAR: 3.0
- Maximum lot coverage:
- Corner lot. 80%
- Interior lot or through-lot. 65%
- Maximum front wall setback:
- Wide street: 8 feet
- Narrow street: 15 feet
- Minimum lot area per DU: 227 square feet
- Maximum DUs per acre: 192
- Required parking: One per dwelling unit or 50% of dwelling units if grouped
- Quality Housing Program: Mandatory
THIS PLAN MUST BE SCALED BACK: 6 STORIES ON SIDE STREETS OR 7 STORIES ON 7TH AVENUE IS TOO TALL. ALSO, THE NEW TALL BUILDINGS ARE EXPENSIVE CONDOS THAT SERVE THE PURPOSE OF A TAX HAVEN (READ- PLACES TO HIDE CASH), THESE ARE NOT APARTMENTS FOR WORKING CLASS OR MIDDLE CLASS PEOPLE WHO REPORT THEIR INCOME. TENS OF THOUSANDS OF AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS WERE LOST LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF THE DEMOLITION/BUILDING BOOM OF THE PAST 2 YEARS.
WAKE UP, SUNSET PARK! SPEAK-UP BEFORE WE LOOSE THE VIEW FROM THE PARK, OUR BEAUTIFUL ROW HOUSE STREETS AND OUR HERITAGE AS A FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD FOR MANY DIFFERENT ETHNIC GROUPS SINCE THE 19TH CENTURY. WHAT HAS TAKEN OVER 170 YEARS TO BUILD IS BEING DESTROYED IN 1 DECADE.
…
Day of Action Against Displacement
Saturday June 6th
3pm
Trinity Lutheran Church
4th Avenue between 45th and 46th Street
Learn about how the proposed rezoning in Sunset Park could raise your
rent and eliminate small businesses.
Come out and look at the rezoning plan, write letters, and prepare for
the upcoming public hearings.
Sunset Park is Not For Sale!
SPAN (Sunset Park Alliance of Neighbors)
www.spanbrooklyn.org
spanbrooklyn@yahoo.com
(718) 853-0949
Dia de Accion Contra El Desplazamiento
sab. 6 de junio :: 3pm
Trinity Lutheran Church
4a Av. entre las Calles 45 & 46
Aprenda como la rezonificacion de Sunset Park poderia
aumentar su renta y eliminar las pequenas empresas.
Venga y vea el plan de rezonificacion, escriba cartas, y
preparese para las audiencias publicas.
¡El Sunset Park No Se Vende!
SPAN (Alianza de Vecinos de Sunset Park)
www.spanbrooklyn.org
spanbrooklyn@yahoo.com
(718) 853-0949
Saturday June 6th 3pm Trinity Lutheran Church 4th Avenue between 45th and 46th Street
Learn about how the proposed rezoning in Sunset Park could raise your rent and eliminate small businesses.
Come out and look at the rezoning plan, write letters, and prepare for the upcoming public hearings.
Sunset Park is Not For [...]]]>
Day of Action Against Displacement
Saturday June 6th
3pm
Trinity Lutheran Church
4th Avenue between 45th and 46th Street
Learn about how the proposed rezoning in Sunset Park could raise your
rent and eliminate small businesses.
Come out and look at the rezoning plan, write letters, and prepare for
the upcoming public hearings.
Sunset Park is Not For Sale!
SPAN (Sunset Park Alliance of Neighbors)
www.spanbrooklyn.org
spanbrooklyn@yahoo.com
(718) 853-0949
Dia de Accion Contra El Desplazamiento
sab. 6 de junio :: 3pm
Trinity Lutheran Church
4a Av. entre las Calles 45 & 46
Aprenda como la rezonificacion de Sunset Park poderia
aumentar su renta y eliminar las pequenas empresas.
Venga y vea el plan de rezonificacion, escriba cartas, y
preparese para las audiencias publicas.
¡El Sunset Park No Se Vende!
SPAN (Alianza de Vecinos de Sunset Park)
www.spanbrooklyn.org
spanbrooklyn@yahoo.com
(718) 853-0949