More than 500 people crowded into Gargiulo’s in Coney Island for the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce Annual Membership Meeting and Trade Show which was marked by a promise to strengthen the borough’s economic power through the announcement of a Brooklyn Economic Development Hub.
“We want our own space. We want to have a space that Brooklyn can say is it’s own, said Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce President, Carlo Scissura. “The future home of The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. The future home of the Business Solutions Center. It would house a one-stop-tourism-shop for the entire borough right in this building. It would have a Brooklyn made pop-up store selling only Brooklyn made products, it will have a health insurance center, an [entrepreneurial] incubator, co-working space, event space.”
This plan is to be fully realized by 2021 as outlined in The Chamber’s Strategic Plan of 2016 and includes strengthening existing business partnerships and policy and fundraising goals.
“Now you are from all over Brooklyn but you can’t be everywhere. We want to have a home for you where you can come and make your own. Again, we are going to make it happen because of everybody in this room and we are very excited,” were Scissura’s closing remarks.
The Chamber’s centennial is in 2018, and will be celebrated with a Centennial Gala at which the official announcement of the plan for the Center will be made.
“What’s good for Brooklyn is good for New York”, was the statement Keynote Speaker of the night, Mayor Bill De Blasio made to highlight the achievements the borough has made in the recent year. “What has developed in this borough is truly amazing. There is so much to be proud of, Brooklyn is going to get better and better.”
The Mayor also received an honorary membership plaque from Scissura during the event to mark his contributions to the organization and his commitment to Brooklyn’s growing business and economic sectors.
Another highlight of the evening was the support by Scissura for the Brooklyn Queens Connector (BQX) which is a new above ground railway project that will connect neighborhoods from Sunset Park to Astoria, Queens in order to decongest streets and improve commuter traffic to the Brooklyn Queens Waterfront. The BQX is expected to be integrated over the next few years.
“It is changing the way people in the largest public housing development in New York City will be able to get to work in places like Williamsburg and other places and that is very critical.”
