Types of Businesses on Nostrand Avenue North

nostrandpark · May 2009

One of our writers at nostrandpark.com recently completed a survey of businesses on Nostrand Avenue North. Some may be surprised by her findings...

Her survey was published alongside the results of last week's poll on What Crown Heights Needs Most. We were surprised to hear most people cite a book store. Given the low sample on the poll it is hard to register whether this is really how Crown Heights residents really feel, but it was still unexpected.

Check out this link to see the article:
http://tinyurl.com/cuva4o

harrytrav · May 2009

Clearly this survey confirms what we've always suspected, that the commercial/retail space owners are hell bent on extracting the easiest buck from a demographic that they believe doesn't demand much in the way of quality or diversity.

I'd also suspect that the owners of said commercial/retail spaces don't live in the community, and care little that "some" of the bodegas, and "some" of the variety & take out stores are fronts & havens for less than lawful activities.

Perhaps we need to know a bit more about who in habits the Nostrand Ave North Business District...?

davidb · May 2009

Before the thread devolves into innuendoes and suspicions about ownership, please note that there have been lenghty threads before on just such a topic - what is needed along the Avenue in NCH. There was also a survey a few years ago funded in part by the CIty and done under the auspices of the local Business association. Perhaps we can get that uploaded along with the more recent survey conducted by NostrandPark. Then we will have the basis (albeit not statistically robust) for a two data point snapshot of the commerce along the avenue, and how it has evolved over time.

Note that is has started to change in meaningful ways. Major national retailers (such as t_mobile, Metro PCS, Dunkin Donuts) have staked out their storefronts, and the wave of subsequent retailers (McDonalds, Subway, etc) are actively scouting the area looking for storefronts. SO whtatever your prefernce for these types of retailers, please be aware that change is apace - not always as apparent or as swift as one would like.

capt. planet · May 2009

I've been working in the North Crown Heights area for over 20 years and during that entire time, the number one complaint of homeowners in the area has been Nostrand Avenue. As a magnet for idle youth, nail parlors, hair stylists and bodegas, it has been the object of considerable scorn. The ironic thing of course is that prior to the 60's, it was by all accounts, one of the premiere shopping strips in the entire borough. Hard as it may be to believe now, many an old-timer has advised me that one could shop on Nostrand Avenue and find only products of the highest quality.

When the demographics of the neighborhood changed in the 60's however, the landlords failed to lower the rents. Having no doubt paid top dollar for the buildings given their location on a first class shopping district, landlords had to keep the rents up to avoid losing money. To do this, one of the things they did was chop up the stores into tiny spaces. Hence all of the 8 foot wide stores along Nostrand.

How can we return Nostrand to its glory days as a destination for quality merchandise? My first thought is a dialogue with local block associations and local merchants. If the residents clearly articulate what they want, the merchants can deliver it. Residents will rally around those merchants who deliver the goods, but the numbers have to work. The rents have to be consistent with the revenue. Perhaps a short term rent reduction would be possible with the consent of the owners and the mortgage holders. Once traffic grew, the reductions could be reduced and made up in the long run as the strip recovers.

If we don't have a vision for Nostrand, we'll get the same franchise chain outlets we see in other working class n'hoods. Dunkin Donuts? McDonalds? Subways? Is that where we're heading?

Alternatively, we can make Nostrand Avenue a destination of good West Indian food and drink. We already have a number of WI restaurants. If they expanded and provided seating, we might run an advertising campaign targeting Park Slope and Brownstone Brooklyn. Bring in tour buses to expose brownstoners to roti, jerk chicken and fresh fruit drinks. It's real, it's locally owned. It's unique and part of our culture. And it could bring money into our community.

won't ub my nabor · May 2009

CP, I am 100,000,000% with you. We have to develop a vision for Nostrand Avenue before the TMobiles and Metro PCSs of the world develop it for us.

I've actually been thinking about a CH tour for a while now.

In terms of the rent reduction, we are on the same page again. However,t might be hard to get landlord's to voluntarily lower rent.

What I was thinking is that one of the local community organizations could obtain a Community Development Block Grant or the like, and provide rent reduction loans to local merchants. Or, even more exciting, hold a Crown Heights business plan competition, where there residents of Crown Heights, along with expert business advisors, could be the judges of the viability of the business plan.

The business plan idea could attract a lot of attention. An alternative or complimentary idea that I was thinking of is to do a Crown Heights North public relations campaign. I've seen certain creative residential-related ads that compare the amount of space and amenities that you can get for $X in Manhattan versus the appreciably more amount of space and amenities that you can get in Brooklyn. A similar campaign could be waged for the commercial districts in Crown Heights.

It is a matter of who with credibility can spearhead the project? I would love to see one of the local community organizations but not sure that they would have the time and/or inclination. CHNA is working on the landmarking. CHRM is working on the Armory. CHCA is dedicated to Crow Hill. I recently learned about the LDC Crown Heights, but when I met with them it seemed as if they focus primarily on senior citizens/residential matters. Maybe CB8?

snowboardqueen · May 2009

Capt. Planet wrote:

When the demographics of the neighborhood changed in the 60's however, the landlords failed to lower the rents. Having no doubt paid top dollar for the buildings given their location on a first class shopping district, landlords had to keep the rents up to avoid losing money.

I do believe that was probably true in the 60's.., but in the 70's, 80's and early 90's as property owners de-invested in the neighborhood, the value of most of the building more than likely plummeted and were sold and/or brought at bargain basement prices.

So why are the rents now high.., if they are?

capt. planet · May 2009

SnowboardQueen wrote: [quote=Capt. Planet]

When the demographics of the neighborhood changed in the 60's however, the landlords failed to lower the rents. Having no doubt paid top dollar for the buildings given their location on a first class shopping district, landlords had to keep the rents up to avoid losing money.

I do believe that was probably true in the 60's.., but in the 70's, 80's and early 90's as property owners de-invested in the neighborhood, the value of most of the building more than likely plummeted and were sold and/or brought at bargain basement prices.

So why are the rents now high.., if they are?

My experience has been that landlords would rather drink battery acid that lower rents. No one wants to take a loss, and the landlords I know held on until they could sell at a profit, even if it took years and years.

Types of Businesses on Nostrand Avenue North

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