Crains New York Demo - (Page 7)

NEIGHBORHOOD JOURNAL office of councilman jumaane williams B’klyn residents have say on spending Will vote on security cameras, performingarts studio, other budget proposals BY SHANE DIXON KAVANAUGH and actually participate by casting a ballot. Descriptions of the 13 final proposals were widely distributed, beginning in February. Next, the Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum, the Rugby Library and a handful of other spaces will serve as polling stations from March 25 to April 1. “It’s the biggest battle we have,” Mr. Gabriel said. To win it, he and others are redoubling their efforts. Teams of volunteer canvassers and interns are out in the streets spreading the word.They’ve put up signs in storefronts and spoken to block associations to educate people on the process. And they’ve unleashed a blizzard of fliers on housing complexes, churches and schools. J umaane Williams calls it a crash course in city government. Six months ago, the freshman city councilman kicked off an unusual civic experiment with his constituents in the central Brooklyn neighborhoods of Midwood, East Flatbush and Canarsie. He set aside $1 million of his district’s expected $3 million to $6 million capital budget for this year and asked residents how they’d like to see it spent. “It’s their neighborhood,” said Mr. Williams, who points out that he’s borrowing on a practice pioneered years ago in Porto Alegre, Brazil, which has since spread as far afield as Montreal and Córdoba, Spain. “At the end of the day, it’s their money, too.” From seniors to students, people in Mr. Williams’ largely AfroCaribbean district have responded vigorously to the process known as participatory budgeting. They packed churches, school auditoriums and community centers to pitch everything from solarpowered greenhouses in apartment complexes to roof repairs for the St. Paul Lutheran Church on Avenue J and a city-funded food cooperative. All told, after months of effort and dozens of meetings, 278 proposals were collected. In recent weeks, that number has been whittled down to 13 finalists. Among them are security cameras for dangerous street intersections, additional air conditioners for P.S. 198 and a performing-arts studio at the Tilden Educational Campus. A positive response On a recent afternoon, a trio of canvassers stopped Helen Kettrell on the street while she was walking to her single-family home on Tilden Avenue and East 58th Street, and got an enthusiastic response. “I thought it was wonderful,” said the 78-year-old Ms. Kettrell. “It’s the way it should be.” Mr.Williams admits he’s not setting his hopes too high. He insists he’d be thrilled to have 2,000 people vote by April 1—that’s 1,400 fewer than the number who voted for him in the six-way primary he won three years ago.This is not, he said, necessarily about the numbers. “We’re achieving what I hoped PARTICIPATING: Central Brooklyn residents meet to discuss spending proposals. we’d achieve,” he said. “We’re engaging our community and empowering them.” Construction as of 2/20/2012 WINTER 2012 DELIVERY TO TENANTS One of the few Mr. Williams is among four city council members experimenting with participatory budgeting as New York becomes only the second U.S. city to pick up the idea. The other council members are in Park Slope, East Harlem and Far Rockaway. In 2009, a lone alderman in Chicago put that city on the map as the first place in the nation to try. The results there proved wildly popular, said the alderman, Joe Moore. Early indications are that it’s working well here, too. “It’s been a somewhat new and wonderful adventure,” said Morgan Gabriel, a community organizer in East Flatbush, who has helped by fielding volunteers to perform such tasks as organizing meetings and coordinating logistics.“This is a real opportunity for people to participate, discuss real issues and make real decisions.” Now Mr. Gabriel and others are gearing up for the hard part: getting residents 18 and older to come out Designed to Inspire The new M&B Building at 201 E. 57th Street and 3rd Avenue The striking presence of the M&B building will be a fitting introduction to the Decorator and Design District. In an area that applauds fresh thinking, this building will be a catalyst for creativity. The ultra-high ceilings and limited columns will provide open floor plans, igniting your imagination. True design creativity will come from one of the most desirable corners of Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Inspiration will be provided daily in the form of floor-to-ceiling glass with limitless views of the city. While it’s true that inspiration can come from anywhere, soon it will have one permanent address. The artistic renderings are for illustration purposes only, and are subject to change without notice by Owner (“The M&B Building Owners LLC”) in its sole and absolute discretion. No guarantee is made that the project depicted will be built, or built, will be of the same type, size or nature, as depicted. Owner does not represent, warrant or guarantee the accuracy, quality, completeness, or suitability of any information for any purpose and is at all times subject to errors, omissions, inaccuracies or changes in rental rates (and additional rental) without notice. Owner, its principals, directors, shareholders, managers, agents, assigns or inaccuracies or changes in rental rates (and additional rental) without notice. Owner, its principals, directors, shareholders, managers, agents, assigns or employees shall not be held liable to anyone for any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies under any circumstances. The information herein has been obtained from sources believed reliable. The entire risk for utilizing the information contained herein rests solely with the recipients hereof. It is your responsibility to independently confirm its accuracy and completeness and to determine the suitability of the property for your needs and requirements. The material and information contained herein is the sole and exclusive property of Owner. Reproduction, republishing, transmission and redistribution of any material, plans, graphic elements, or photographs without written consent of developer, and manager/agents, Merchants’ National Properties, Inc. and Marx Realty & Improvement Co, Inc. is strictly prohibited. Modification of the materials or use of the materials for any other purpose is a violation of copyright and other proprietary rights. March 26, 2012 | Crain’s New York Business | 7 http://www.mandbbuilding.com http://www.marxrealty.com http://www.merchantsnationalproperties.com http://www.mandbbuilding.com http://www.marxrealty.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Crains New York Demo

Crains New York Demo
Contents
Sweet project in danger of a total meltdown
More red ink on the books at Reader’s Digest
Bank in the tank: Bad bet on rates sinks Hudson City
Neighborhood Journal
The Insider
Small Business
Viewpoint
Really dumb move, Upper West Side
Real Estate Deals
Classifieds
Business Lives
Hot Jobs
Executive Moves
The Week Ahead

Crains New York Demo

https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130729
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130722
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130715
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130624
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130617
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130603
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130527
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130520
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130513
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130429
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130422
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130415
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130325
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130318
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130225
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130218
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130128
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130121
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130114
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20130107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20121224
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20121217
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20121210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20121203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20121203_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20121126
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20121119
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20121112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20121105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20121029
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20121022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20121015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20121008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20121001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20120924
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20120917
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20120910_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20120910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20120827
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20120820
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20120813
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20120806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20120806_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20120730
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20120723
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20120716
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20120709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20120625
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20120618
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20120611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20120604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20120528
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20120521
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/20120514
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crainsnewyork/nxtd
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com