February 26, 2013 meeting of food manufacturers. Image Courtesy: Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.
Work space, affordable insurance, and information access among chief concerns of small Brooklyn food and beverage manufacturers. On February 26, 2013, the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and Council Member Stephen Levin hosted an event for local food and beverage manufacturing businesses at the Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The organizers sought to give Brooklyn entrepreneurs a chance to raise issues related to starting and growing a successful food-based small business. Organizers hoped to take the ideas generated from the event and help make Brooklyn a top food manufacturing industry location. Over 70 attendees participated in the event, which also provided small businesses an opportunity to network and showcase their products. Attendees sat at 10-person tables and were encouraged to talk through the common pitfalls and problems of starting and maintaining a food manufacturing business in Brooklyn, as well as brainstorm solutions. Attendees were instructed to present the highlights of the small group sessions with the rest of the room at the end of the meeting.
Attendees represented a wide variety of experience and products, such as Salty Road, a salt water taffy maker; The Brooklyn Kitchen, a Williamsburg kitchen supply store and educational facility; Industry City Distillery, a Sunset Park vodka distillery; and the Coalition for the Improvement of Bedford-Stuyvesant, an organization focused on the economic and social advancement of the Bed-Stuy community.
(more…)
Mayor Adams and administrative and agency leaders announce business violation reforms. Image Credit: Benny Polatseck/Mayoral Photography Office.
On May 15, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams announced reforms to 118 city regulations relating to small businesses. In January 2022, Mayor Adams signed the “Small Business Forward” executive order that required several city agencies to review their business regulations to determine which regulations could have reduced fines, extended cure periods, or be repealed to assist small businesses in their recovery from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The new announcement reveals the 118 regulations that will be altered or repealed. (more…)
Image Credit: NYC DOB.
On April 27, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams announced the relaunch of two initiatives aimed at improving building safety while removing financial penalties. The No-Penalty Business Accessory Sign Inspection Program and the No-Penalty Deck and Retaining Wall Inspection Program incentivizes small business owners and other property owners to ensure their buildings are safe without the worry of a penalty if there is an issue to be fixed. (more…)
Rendering of 35-01 Vernon Boulevard. Image Credit: NYC CPC.
The building will offer permanent affordable housing and light manufacturing space for creatives in areas like photography and woodworking. On March 16, 2022, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing for a rezoning application that would facilitate the construction of a nine-story mixed use building at 35-01 Vernon Boulevard in Astoria, Queens. The requested rezoning area consists of the northern portion of the block with 35th Avenue to the north, Vernon Boulevard to the west and 9th Street to the east. The existing site is a two-story manufacturing building for a business that handles auto parts that is relocating the business to the Bronx, where most of its employees already live. The requested rezoning area also includes an adjacent five-story residential building with a deli on the ground floor. (more…)
Mayor Adams announces changes to the City’s COVID-19 protocols in Times Square. Image Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office.
The announcements come after data supports that New York City is currently experiencing low level spread of COVID-19. On March 4, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams announced changes to the City’s COVID-19 protocols in response to the decline of COVID-19 cases citywide. The changes go into effect today, Monday, March 7th. (more…)
