Information about this lot
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Brooklyn block 7014, lot 52 (2425 MERMAID AVENUE). More details at OASIS.
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Brooklyn block 7014, lot 53 (2427 MERMAID AVENUE). More details at OASIS.
Political Boundaries
Why is this lot here?
We think this lot is vacant because:
Government Agency
Housing Preservation and Development is not granting interim licenses now. The only way to have the community access this lot is by getting it transferred to another agency. Look below for Pathways that will guide you.
Urban Renewal
These lots are part of the Coney Island I urban renewal plan.Pathways
News feed
Hello,
I'm no longer working at the Shorefront Y. Please be in touch with Anna Bro=
nfman anna@shorefronty.org for any questions regarding Teen Department.
Thank you!
Ariella Angert
On July 23, 2015, both these lots were transferred from the City of New York to the NYC Housing Partnership, a not-for-profit organization that facilitates the construction of affordable housing: http://housingpartnership.com/what-we-do/facilitation/
They are holding title to the land for the development of 3-family homes priced between $396,000 and $608,000, through the New Infill Home Opportunities Program (http://www1.nyc.gov/site/hpd/developers/request-for-qualifications/nihop-ncp-rfq.page). These homes will be available to people making between 80% and 130% of the Area Median Income (AMI). The average person living in Community District 13, where these lots are, makes 43% of the Area Median Income (see http://www.anhd.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/2015-ANHD-Affordable-Housing-at-risk-for-mkt-rate.pdf).
For more about Area Median Income and "affordable" housing in general, see: http://welcometocup.org/file_columns/0000/0011/cup-fullbook.pdf
A frustrating note from Minico today:
From: Minico Roberts mbr3028@gmail.com
Subject: Mindfully Living Community Garden will be delayed!
Date: January 14, 2015 1:44:19 PM EST
To: "Paula Z. Segal, Lead Facilitator, 596 Acres" paula@596acres.org, Mary Elizabeth Prall mary@596acres.org
I have some unfortunate news. Rasheed informed me that HPD indicated that the lot was no longer available. Apparently, Nancy [Kohn, GreenThumb Director] went to a meeting with HPD and as they were going over sites, they realized they just signed off for the lot to be developed.
Of course this was a shock but I will begin to look at other possible vacant lots as well as Rasheed put me in contact with another garden that needs volunteers so that the group I assembled can garden for the upcoming garden season.
All the necessary documentation was submitted to Rasheed Hislop of GreenThumb. It is currently under review. It has been a great process gathering all the members and talking to the community board. The 2014 gardening season is almost over but contact Minico for information about how to become a member for the 2015 gardening season!
I am doing research on vacant lands for a summer internship and I just finished reading all the comments and updates that you all have posted up until now. Keep up the good work - its inspiring!
The group had a site visit with Rasheed Hislop, Deputy Director of GreenThumb! Next stop: finish the sketch of the space and creating the mission statement. More members are needed! Contact Minico!
Let's go again!!
A meeting will be held for neighbors interested in becoming active or support volunteers on:
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
6:00 - 7:30 pm
Coney Island Branch Library
1901 Mermaid Avenue (corner of West 19th Street)
Brooklyn, NY 11224
Come out and hear the guidelines for becoming a member and next steps to bring this garden to life!!!
Thank you to those that traveled to Coney Island for Mindfully Living Community Garden's first meeting!
I will schedule another meeting for May!!! In the meantime, I will work on the project design and site visit with GreenThumb!
Hi All,
It's time to meet!
A meeting will be held for neighbors interested in becoming active or support volunteers on:
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
6:00 - 7:45 pm
Coney Island Branch Library
1901 Mermaid Avenue (corner of West 19th Street)
Brooklyn, NY 11224
Come out and hear the vision, guidelines, and next steps for this garden to come to life.
Minico and her team are working on the design now! It was awesome to have her at our general organizing meeting!
Minico, that's awesome!
You can email or call Rasheed Hislop at GreenThumb, an Outreach Coordinator who can help you through the application process:
Rasheed.Hislop@parks.nyc.gov
212.788.1960
No. 7 on this page has the list of things GreenThumb will require:
http://www.greenthumbnyc.org/start_a_garden.html
It's official! The board voted and I have their support! I should receive the letter early next week!!! On to the next step which will be holding a meeting for the neighbors! I am going to a People's Coalition of Coney Island meeting tomorrow and should get the numbers I need for GreenThumb!
I presented the vision for the community garden to the community board last night and they motioned for it to come up for approval at their general meeting tonight! The District Manager and other board members were receptive and welcoming about the idea!! I am very excited!
Quick Update
I am heading to Community District/Board 13's meeting tomorrow at 7pm in Coney Island. Chuck Reichenthal, District Manager informed me of the meeting and we will discuss the community garden! Let's cross fingers!
I have a preliminary volunteer list and four people have signed on! One of the volunteers are speaking with other people to garner interest! We are on our way! The plan is to contact the community board in March!
I am attending the 3rd Public Engagement meeting @ MCU Part Feb. 19th @ 7 pm. I will work to speak to more people interested in gardening as well as meet others very involved with in the Coney Island community. Drop by if you are in the area and watching this lot!
I am getting a new sign for the fence to hang up since someone took down the initial sign. Hopefully no one will be able to remove this one!
Hey,
A quick update.....
I had a great reception from some neighbors I spoke to in Coney Island. I am currently putting up flyers in buildings and businesses to recruit more volunteers. So hopefully we can all meet up pretty soon and discuss this great project!
Hi, I created a gmail account for the community garden I want to start on 2427 Mermaid Avenue!!! Since its google that means I have everything from youtube to google plus so check out Mindful Living Community Garden google+ page and add it to your circle. I plan to put videos of the process on youtube and hopefully can start up a blog in a few months. I'm still looking for volunteers so I can present at the community board soon so email if you want to help or with news, info, or just to say hi at mindfullivingcommunitygarden@gmail.com!!
I just verified with Charlie Marcus, director of Planning at Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), that HPD would be willing to consider licensing this lot for an interim use through GreenThumb. There are long-term plans to build housing on the site but there is no financing for these plans.
The next step is to put to an application together for GreenThumb to consider. GreenThumb staff will then put in a request to HPD.
We got a note from an organizer about this sunny corner lot: "I would like to turn the lot into a botanical garden/farm. A peaceful place where people can grow veggies and sit and chat with other neighbors..."
This person already called Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), who do not seem to have plans for the lot. So -- let's get organizing! It takes 10 people (or more!) to get a proposal together for GreenThumb, who can formalize HPD's permission.
This lot is owned by HPD. Visit http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/my_community.jsp to view any open Request for Proposals (RFPs) for the lot.
This lot is owned by HPD. Visit http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/my_community.jsp to view any open Request for Proposals (RFPs) for the lot.