THE SOUTHWEST BROOKLYN BULLETIN
JOIN SBIDC FOR OUR STABILIZE TO THRIVE WEBINAR SERIES!
This March, SBIDC is holding a 4-part series of conversations with legal, real estate, and financing experts that will provide a 360-degree approach to business planning and operations so you can be ready for whatever surprises and opportunities 2022 might hold for your business.

This series is designed to assist you amidst a rapidly changing business environment. Attend the full series or drop-in to a specific session. Each session will end with dedicated time for Q&A with our panel of industry-specific professionals.

  • Financing along the Capital Continuum (March 1st): Long-time CDFI lender, Conor McCarthy will walk participants through the different steps of the financial ladder to better understand what financial products will best suit your industrial business’s needs as you go through different stages of the business cycle. 

  • COVID, Your Employees, and Employment Law (March 8th): In these turbulent times, attorney Rania Sedhom, will walk you through the ever-changing environment of employment law and compliance. Topics will include vaccine mandates, COVID-related and non-paid sick leave, and employees working from home. Session will be structured as a Q&A, come with questions ready!

  • Negotiating an Industrial Lease Part 1 (March 10th): Attorney Justin Waiser and broker Rich Novak will discuss what you need to know when considering a new industrial lease. They’ll provide a scan of current industrial real estate market conditions, and cover what you should keep in mind when assembling your team to pursue a real estate transaction and close on a lease. 

  • Intro to Small Business Financing (March 15th): Join SBIDC’s Micaela Skoknic as she provides guidance for businesses in early stages of operation. Drop in to learn about current relief programs and tips to consider before taking on debt, an overview of documents commonly required to apply for a loan, and a summary of other loans and grants that are currently available for NYC businesses.

 If you’d like to attend any or all of the sessions:
FX WRX GOES SOLAR WITH HELP FROM FELLOW SBIDC MEMBER, GRIDMARKET
Award-winning cinematography studio and SBIDC member, FX WRX, has signed a contract to install a 31kW solar array atop their Gowanus warehouse. The array is forecast to produce 141% of the business’ yearly electric use (allowing them to sell excess electricity back to the grid), generate nearly $250,000 of savings over the contract term, and reduce GHG emissions by 15,419 lbs of CO2 per year!

FX WRX partners, Graceann Dorse and Christopher Webb, were excited by the opportunity to further green their operations and turned to SBIDC for assistance in going solar. SBIDC referred them to fellow member, GridMarket, a free resource for businesses to plan and source green energy projects. GridMarket modeled their potential energy savings and incentives, and ran a competitive RFP process to find the best solar vendor to fit FX WRX’s needs. The solar project will be installed and generating clean energy -and savings!- in the coming months.

“Running our business as sustainably as possible is very important to us as we face the future of climate change in New York City,” said FX WRX’s Business Manager, Graceann Dorse. “We take our responsibility as business owners and members of the community seriously and want to do our part in helping to lower emissions. The bonus is that we’ll be saving money in the long run as well! GridMarket has been invaluable in helping us figure out the intricacies of the technical and financial aspects of solar power, and we’re so appreciative of SBIDC to have connected us with them!” 

For information on how to benefit from solar or other clean energy technologies, reach out to Brady Meixell: [email protected]g, or to Lisa Ableman at GridMarket: [email protected].
INDUSTRY CITY’S ANDREW KIMBALL TO HEAD NYCEDC
CEO of Industry City, Andrew Kimball, is expected to be appointed by Mayor Adams as the next President and CEO of the NYC Economic Development Corporation. Previously, Kimball served as President and CEO of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation. SBIDC is excited for Kimball to bring his deep knowledge of the industrial landscape and his enthusiasm for helping NYC businesses and residents thrive to the role. We look forward to continuing our long and productive partnership with the EDC to further our thriving working waterfront.
SLOW FACTORY COMING TO MADE IN NY GARMENT HUB
On February 14th, Slow Factory was announced as the first anchor tenant of the Made in NY campus at Bush Terminal in Sunset Park. This will be the first brick-and-mortar location for the company, and will house its multidisciplinary institute which will deliver educational programming and workforce training, a product studio, and an R&D lab. SBIDC welcomes Slow Factory to the Sunset Park IBZ and is eager to support their work. 

This new garment hub will create much-needed state-of-the-art space for local manufacturing companies and host hundreds of jobs in Sunset Park. SBIDC looks forward to working with Slow Factory and other incoming businesses, helping them hire locally and contribute to an equitable economic development strategy in Brooklyn.
PRELEASING FOR 300 HUNTINGTON STREET
Monadnock Development is currently developing a mixed-use property at 300 Huntington Street in the Gowanus IBZ (rendering pictured above) which will include office, retail, and industrial spaces. The building will have 10,000 square feet of light industrial and manufacturing tenants in perpetuity, and offer that space at affordable rents, ensuring that our community's small manufacturers will have access to newly constructed affordable space. The property will also have a publicly-accessible esplanade that leads to a planned mile-long walkway along the Gowanus Canal. 

SBIDC is partnering with Monadnock to tenant the 10,000 square feet of industrial and manufacturing space at 300 Huntington. The project is set to be completed in early 2023.

Companies interested in renting this space at below-market rates should reach out to Brady Meixell at [email protected] to discuss pre-leasing opportunities.
INDUSTRIAL SPACE ON THE MARKET?
LET SBIDC KNOW!
Are you looking to lease or sell industrial space in Gowanus, Red Hook, or Sunset Park? We have a thriving membership of industrial businesses in the area with various space needs as they look to expand or fit changing needs. 
Reach out to Brady Meixell at [email protected] and we can promote your space! 
Please reach out if you have any questions or if SBIDC can assist your business in any way.
 
Sincerely,
Jesse Solomon
Executive Director
SBIDC TEAM DIRECTORY:

Jesse Solomon, Executive Director
718-965-3100 X 114

Marie Nachsin, Deputy Director
718-965-3100 x 113

Micaela Skoknic, Industrial Programs Manager
718-965-3100 X 106

Brady Meixell, Economic Development Specialist
718-965-3100 X 108

Stephanie Dolan, Business Development Consultant
718-965-3100 X 103

Jeff Wells, Temporary Account Manager, Brooklyn Workforce1 Industrial & Transportation Career Center
929-397-0212

Natalie Camacho, Intake Coordinator/ Recruiter, Brooklyn Workforce1 Industrial & Transportation Career Center
929-397-0215

Jessicka Duran, Career Services Manager, Brooklyn Workforce1 Industrial & Transportation Career Center
929-397-0210
THANK YOU TO SBIDC'S SUSTAINING SUPPORTERS!
If you are receiving this for the first time, welcome! In our newsletter, we inform recipients of financing opportunities, new programs, events targeted to the Southwest Brooklyn business community, and more. If you know of anyone interested in this content, have them email [email protected] to subscribe.