Brooklyn block 1852, lots 8, 9

Good evening,

There will be a Tompkins Organics Meeting at The Loft Learning Center located at 350 Tompkins Avenue between Madison and Monroe this coming Tuesday April 5th at 6pm.

For any questions please contact me via email:
Mensahbonsuenterprises@gmail.com

The next Tompkins Organics meeting will be held on MONDAY 03/14/2016 at The Loft Learning Center located at:

350 Tompkins Avenue
between Madison and Monroe
Brooklyn, NY 11216

Meeting starts at 7pm.

Please stay connected and let make a greater effort to make all or some of the meetings. those of you that can.

Greetings
Last evening Myself, Darryl and Mr. Harold along with the girls from Prattside attended a meeting at Restoration plaza. In solidarity with Mr Keith Carr of City Harvest who spearheads a community organizing effort and group by the name of CAN stands for Community Action Network. This was the 2nd meeting in support of their health neighborhoods agendas. The ideal is have this and all other local organizations to know of our desires to have a garden and green space at 463 Tomkins Ave. member support form them. Also have Prattside designed a great proposal for the garden that all interested should take a look at. At our recent meeting at the learning loft Rev.Townsley thought that it would be a great idea to start a board of 10 members to represent the face of volunteers for the lot. Going forward we need to address local politicians organizations and the press so we look as cohesive as possible and taken seriously. We need everyone s input but also cant' or won't delay. Darryl mention that he is willing to be the energy that is wiling tol address the youth involvement , I will be acting as the secretary for now. This is just a brief update, HPD still has to be move and only a ground swell of people making noise is going to push our agenda forward so outreach is needed. We would like to have an organic garden free of chemicals and thought that we would try to find a name for 463 Tompkins Ave. Tompkins Organics is a good fit. If anyone has any suggestions pitch your idea and lets vote on it.

Hello everyone just sending out a friendly reminder of tomorrow's meeting at The Loft Learning Center located at 350 Tompkins Avenue between Madison and Monroe.

If anyone has any question please contact me via email at Daryl0618@gmail.com thank you all for your support and positive energy.

Hello everyone this coming Tuesday we will be meeting at The Loft Learning Center located at 350 Tompkins Ave between Madison and Monroe from 7pm-9pm. That's February 2nd, 2016 at 7pm, if anyone has any questions please email me at Daryl0618@gmail.com.

Hi Everyone,

Below is a link to the google drive for all of us to access and add documents to keep track of. Press on the link to get permission to access.

Hope all is well! Happy New Years everyone!

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B6cn0xdCXb5rU3hKdG1lX2QzV2M&usp=sharing

Jenny :)

Greetings everyone and Happy New Year!

I hope this finds you all well and that you had an enjoyable holiday season and that you’re looking forward to a fantastic 2016!!!

2015 ended on a high note with many of our Bed Stuy community gardens being saved from the fingers of HPD, we had 2 amazing community farm tours that educated folks on the benefits of growing local and more!

Let’s get together and brainstorm and decide what we’d like to do this year…

Ø Help NYCHA residents compost?

Ø Connect some bodegas and food pantries to community gardens?

Ø Get more food box locations in Bed Stuy?

Ø A newsletter?

Ø Plan a Bed Stuy garden summit?

Ø ????

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

6:00PM – 8:00PM

Restoration Plaza Multipurpose Room

1368 Fulton Street (at Marcy Avenue)

Bring your energy, bring your ideas and bring a friend!

Of course, there’ll be some good food and refreshments.

Please RSVP so that I’ll know how much to order and how to prepare.

Best,

Keith

City Harvest Keith Carr
Manager, Healthy Neighborhoods, Brooklyn

6 East 32nd St 5th Floor
New York NY 10016
P 646.412.0720 F 646.412.0764

cityharvest.org

Hello for all who are interested in attending meetings and joining the conversation in organizing please give me a call or send an email.

(347) 876-2444

Daryl0618@gmail.com

Hello for all who are interested in attending meetings and joining the conversation in organizing please give me a call or send an email.

(347) 876-2444

Daryl0618@gmail.com

There is another opportunity for meeting about 463 Tompkins this Friday, December 4, at 4-6pm (come when you can!) at 350 Tompkins Ave. Contact Rev. Townsend at 347 651 3246 with any questions.

The focus will be making sure that everyone has information about the petitions, gathering 10 names of future gardeners and looking at other issues in the neighborhood.

We tried have a follow up meeting today but it seems like there was a communication break down. Mishon and Daryl and I spoke and we decided that it would be best to wait until after the holidays to reconvene the group. Daryl is taking the lead on organizing this next meeting.

In the mean time: THE PETITIONING DRIVE!

Here is a petition that folks can print and use to get signatures:
http://livinglotsnyc.org/media/files/Example_Petition_-_Sheet1_1.pdf
You can take these to holiday parties! We can mail some printed sheets to your house if you don’t have access to a printer. Email organizers@596acres.org to request mailed copies.

A few things you can do to make sure that everyone stays in sync:

• post notes about upcoming meetings and campaign strategy on the page (people who are subscribed will get them; not everyone has chosen to have their contact info visible - note that 32 number at the top of the list).


• If you collect signatures, let everyone know how many you got - it will help everyone stay motivated!


• put more signs on the fence surrounding the lot, with visionary ideas and invitations for neighbors to join!

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The meeting was held at 4;30 and no one on this list other than Daryl and I attended. The other people that attended where all new. We will continue moving forward

The next meeting is tomorrow (update from Daryl)!

When: Tuesday 4:00pm -6:00pm (November 24th 2015)

Where: 350 Tompkins Ave between Madison and Monroe (The Loft Learning Center)

For any further information on the location and other directions please contact me Daryl Mensah-Bonsu or Mishon

You can reach me (Daryl) via email or through the number below:

(347) 876-2444

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Great, Mishon! Where is the meeting? Thanks!

Greetings I have invited some people to the meeting that is on for Tues the 24 of November at 4pm.
I am looking forward to their support in these organizing efforts and hope they all can make it.

Hi Everyone! How did the meeting go? Any updates?

Hello Everyone we are Having a meeting tonight (Wednesday, Nov. 4th), at Eugene and Co on 397 Tompkins at 7:00 pm

I just spoke with another woman, Maddy Wilson, who lives in the neighborhood. She's excited to get this going and has several petitions from people in the neighborhood filled out. Let's meet up! Maddy's number is 7184531473.

We should definitely regroup and collect our voices and strengths and improve our weaknesses. I believe we can still move on and can still make something happen.

It would be great if Andrew, if you could help me come up with a good time for everyone as well as a good location.

I just got off the phone with Mishon, who grew up in the neighborhood and went to school across the street from the lots on Tompkins. She is ready to organize and says,

"I am ready to be a part of and have access a community garden we really need more green spaces."

Get in touch with her at 917 207 3643 or mishon@mishonmishon.com. It's time to plan the next move!

A disappointing message from Nancy Kohn at GreenThumb and my response. It is time to organize!

On Oct 9, 2015, at 2:28 PM, Kohn, Nancy (Parks) Nancy.Kohn@parks.nyc.gov wrote:

Hi all,

Unfortunately, I have bad news. Per HPD, these lots are not available because it’s one of the NIHOP homeownership new construction sites.

Best,
Nancy

Nancy Kohn | Director
GreenThumb Program
New York City Parks & Recreation
100 Gold Street | Suite 3100 | New York, NY 10038
212-602-5301 phone | 347.242.9428 cell | 212.602.5334 fax
nancy.kohn@parks.nyc.gov

From: "Paula Z. Segal, 596 Acres" paula@596acres.org
Subject: Re: 463 Tompkins ave lot
Date: October 9, 2015 at 2:47:21 PM EDT
To: "Wilson, TJ" TJ.Wilson@EmblemHealth.com, "lmariopacb3@aol.com" lmariopacb3@aol.com, "McLean, Shaun (CB)" smcLean@cb.nyc.gov, "Butler, Henry (CB)" hbutler@cb.nyc.gov
Cc: "enak. mcpherson" enak.mcpherson@gmail.com, daryl0618@gmail.com, nicholmurrell@gmail.com, MCP thatartistmark@gmail.com, ccameronmoss@gmail.com, kianoosh.hashemzadeh@gmail.com, jarizala@gmail.com, jared.carrano@gmail.com, weiss.emma@gmail.com, mkauderer@sva.edu, prattside@gmail.com

Hi, all!

HPD’s current refusal to allow a garden on this site just means the community needs to organize to change either HPD’s position or the jurisdiction that the land is under. 596 Acres has helped a few groups successfully not take “No” for an answer in analogous situations.

For reference, here is information on the program that Ms. Kohn referred to: This site has been slated for a rental housing program, Neighborhood Construction Program (NCP). You can see it listed here: http://www1.nyc.gov/assets/hpd/downloads/pdf/developers/NIHOPNCPRFQAddendum%201.pdf (let this document load and then search for “463” and you’ll find it).

The projection is that a developer will build and manage 15-30 units of rental housing going to people making less than 165% of the Area Median Income (AMI); this means rents in these units could be more than $3,200. per month for a family of four. Term sheets and program details are here: http://www1.nyc.gov/site/hpd/developers/request-for-qualifications/nihop-ncp-rfq.page

GreenThumb, being a part of the Parks Department, can’t help with this kind of organizing. But the Council Member and the Community Board (!) certainly can!

I’ll share this challenge with the group that has been organizing around this site (I’ve copied the folks who use email on this message - a few members don’t).

Feel free to connect the other people who have also reached out to the Community Board so that the community can determine a unified next step.

As you can see from the Profile for District 36 just released by New Yorkers for Parks (http://www.ny4p.org/research/d-profiles/2015_36.pdf), it is generally underserved with green space compared to the rest of the city.

In solidarity,

Paula Z. Segal, Esq.
Executive Director
Director of Policy & Advocacy
596 Acres, Inc.

Samuel and Mr. Barbour braved the rain last night and represented the Tompkins Ave group at the 596 Acres General Meeting. We talked about moving forward with creating the proposal that Renée and Daryl are working on and getting the support from the Community Board, elected officials, and neighborhood groups. Another strategy that was introduced was using the just-released City Council District Parks Profile created by New Yorkers for Parks (http://www.ny4p.org/research/ccd-profiles). As you can see from the profile for District 36 (http://www.ny4p.org/research/d-profiles/2015_36.pdf), it is generally underserved with green space compared to the rest of the city. The group can use that information as a persuasive argument for why the Parks Department should request a transfer of the Tompkins lot from HPD to their department, citing that it would create more green space for an underserved neighborhood.

I'm still waiting to hear back from CB3 about the record they have of the decision they made in the past for the lot. That will be useful in determining how we move forward approaching them.

We talked about having another meeting to collectively work on the proposal once their is a draft to work from, possibly in two weeks. How is the proposal coming along Renée and Daryl? Please let us know if we can support in any way!

**Here is the response from Chairperson Little:**

Good Morning Andrew After speaking with you yesterday afternoon I review some parks arts and culture committee records and was able to verify that the particular parcel of lot that your organization were interested in on Tompkins Avenue & Macon Street being block1852 lot 8 & 9 has already been voted on by the Parks Arts & culture Committee to award a community garden to be place there. so we will not be able to consider this matter any further.

thank you for your organizations commitment in addressing community gardens needs in community board #3.

Marion Little
Chairperson
Parks arts and culture committee.

**And this was my response:**

Dear Chairperson Little,

Thank you for checking into that and I apologize if our request was redundant. I knew that we have supported a group of neighbors in going before the PAC Committee previously, but did not have a record of the outcome. We are happy to hear that the Committee is in support of a community garden on Block 1852, Lots 8 & 9, as there is a strong and growing group of community members excited to create neighborhood open green space at that location. Could you please send me the records of that vote?

Additionally, are you aware if a letter of support from the PAC Committee was written expressing the Committee's support for the community garden? If so, would you be able to send me a copy of that as well?

We appreciate your support and look forward to continuing to work together.

Best

Andrew Meeker
Program Manager | 596 Acres' NYC Community Land Access Program

**So we will not be going before the PAC Committee at this time. I will let you all know what I hear back.**

I just spoke with Marion Little, the chair of the Parks, Arts and Culture Committee of Community Board 3. Mr. Little said he is going to bring our intent before the committee to see if they can give us space on the next agenda. I'll update when I hear back!

Hey all – reminder that there will be a meeting today, Tuesday 9/12 at 6pm to discuss next steps for getting access to the lot! We are meeting at the Loft Learning Center, 350 Tompkins Ave between Madison and Monroe. We have a request for time into the CB3 Parks Committee for their next meeting on October 7th, so we must be prepared! All neighbors who are interested in the lot are welcome to the meeting tonight, bring your friends and neighbors!

On Friday, 9/11, members of community met to discuss next steps in revitalizing the efforts to get access to this lot. The eight people that were there were Harold, Daryl, Mark, Meg, Agathe, Amira, Dennis, and myself. People represented the Hancock Block Association, Young Gents Club, PrattSIDE, the NYC Dept of Health, and the Fort Greene Stuyvesant Heights Senior Center where we met. There was a spread of 60 years between the youngest and eldest participants!

At the meeting, we discussed the history of the campaign for access to the lot (the last iteration of the campaign stalled after the HPD announced their affordable housing program) and got on the same page around the current circumstances of HPD's plans for development. The group spent time sharing on what they envision for the lot, seeing its potential as a garden, as a meeting space for young and old people in the neighborhood, as a space where people can share skills and knowledge, as a beautiful place to sit peacefully.

"People who have been living here their whole lives don't feel like this is their neighborhood. We want people to feel like this is their neighborhood."

The group decided against going before the Community Board 3 General Meeting tonight (Monday) due to feeling like they are not prepared. The plan is to develop a proposal, make connections to different key groups and representatives in the neighborhood and collect letters of support, and then go before Community Board 3's Parks Committee seeking support at their next meeting on October 7th (http://cb3brooklyn.org/ai1ec_event/parks-arts-culture-pac-cmte-mtg-3/?instance_id=318).

If anybody has documents/proposals/petitions/letters of support from previous efforts of this campaign, please gather them and share with us! If you were involved in the past, we invite you to join us again!

The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, September 22nd at 6pm. It is planned to be hosted by Daryl at the Loft Learning Center, 350 Tompkins Ave between Madison and Monroe. If you are interested in getting involved, please be in touch: andrew@596acres.org

We are reigniting this campaign!

Harold Barbour is organizing a meeting to discuss next steps this Friday, 9/11, at 3pm. The meeting will be at Stuyvesant Heights Christian Church on the corner of Tompkins and MacDonough. Entrance is on Tompkins, we will be meeting down the stairs in the basement.

The meeting will focus on what we want to present to the Community Board 3 general meeting on Monday, 9/14 when we request their support (Agenda: http://cb3brooklyn.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Agenda-September-14-2015.pdf ). We can also discuss what has happened around this lot in the past and other next steps.

All who have been involved before are enthusiastically invited to join us! If you are interested in joining the campaign but are unable to attend this Friday's meeting, please get in touch with me: andrew@596acres.org

Any updates about a September meeting? We're back and ready to help get one off the ground!

I spoke to Harold Barbour ( 516-285-1656), who got a bunch of the petition forms I sent him signed and handed them over to Glynis from the church on the corner. Harold would love to have a meeting in the church basement in September!

Hi everyone! A heads up: 596 Acres is going a little quiet for the month of August, so we won't be around to help hold a meeting. Want to squeeze one in before then? I left a message with Ms. Glynis Urqhart from the church to check in, so we'll hopefully hear that her board is jazzed about the potential of this space and wants to help advocate and collect signatures.

Hi Renee! Which church? The one across on the corner or a different one?

Good morning, I'm speaking with some members from one of the churches and seeing if we can get their support.. I will still gather signatures mostly on Fridays when I'm off.When can arrange to meet in two weeks to report in and greet new members. Be well.

Thanks,
Renee

Last week I got a call from Glynis Urqhart (718-230-0824) from the senior center across/on the corner from the lot. She is super interested in supporting this project. I sent her an email covering all the background and the attachments of the petitions. She is going to speak to her board about writing a letter of support.

I also got a call from Mr. Harold Barbour (who owns one of the buildings next door to the lot, 516-285-1656) who wants petitions so I'm putting them in the mail to him today.

Anyone have any updates?

Hi Renee! Have you collected signatures?

Anyone else?

Should we have a little event where we split up and scour the streets for signatures?!

We had a great meeting last night in front of the lot. Jenny, Emma, Renee and I were all present. Jenny and Emma are both from PrattSIDE (a student-led organization at Pratt who are working with the block association on the 200 block of Lexington Ave on a separate project [Contact: Kasha Belay]) and can provide support, and Renee will be more of a leader.

To start, there will be petition gathering and some sign posting! One great idea Emma had was to create two petitions: one that asked for support in starting the garden and/or interest in becoming a member, and one that expresses the demand for neighborhood input of the potential "affordable" housing that could happen if a developer is selected as a part of the HPD Small Homes program that this lot is included in. (More on this in past notes on this lot's page.) I'll create some simple petitions and upload it to the lot's page, and Renee will start gathering! We'll just see how that goes! Hopefully there will be tons of neighbors interested and we can hold a second meeting in front of the lot and start getting folks to loop in more people.

I also mentioned connecting with the community board early on. They're likely about to go into their summer break, but it's important to contact them early (maybe at or before a second meeting) and ask what they want the group to do to earn a letter of support. They will likely say that the group should head to the Parks Committee meeting first, and it might take awhile to get their attention and get on the agenda...Just something to keep in mind.

We also met a man passing by named Harold who owns the building next door to the lot, and know the folks that own (or at least live in) the building on the other side! Harold would be happy to gather signatures if we gave him some petition forms. He also knows a lot of the seniors who participate in the church on the corner, Stuyvesant Heights Christian Church. We got his number so we'll keep him looped in!

MEETING TONIGHT!
Wednesday, June 10th
6:30 pm
In front of the lot!

We've got a good handful of folks coming out to talk about how we gather LOTS of support for creating a garden on this long-vacant space!

Hi 596 Acres!

We're PrattSIDE, a student organization at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, that would love to be involved in helping mobilize the community to sign the petition for adopting and transforming the lot into a viable community garden.

Our goal as an organization of architecture and design students, is to regenerate and strengthen communities by building efficient and effective environments. We collaborate with the community in a grassroots implementation that will allow them to maintain their facilities in the future. These projects are part of a widespread effort to collaborate with local and international organizations and apply architectural thinking to change the way the world engages with developing communities.

Please let us know how we can be of assistance!

How about June 1 in the evening, say 7:00 PM? I can do later, but probably not much earlier.

Renee, does that work for you? Others?

I am available to meet today, this afternoon or this evening.

Hi Jared! I don't know if anyone else got back to you, but I can't meet. How about planning something for June 1st or 3rd? Or the next week in order to spread the word!

Can people meet on Tuesday 5/26 in front of the lot?

IGNORE THE LAST EMAIL, EVERYONE! Sorry for the confusion - that was meant for a delightful situation in Bushwick!

Last time we had a meeting at Stuyvesant Heights Christian Church on the corner of Macdonough and Tompkins Ave, which Mark made happen! Though I would be happy to meet anywhere. In front of the lot is a good way to draw attention if people don't mind standing.

I just want to share what I last emailed to Mark and Jared so that everyone can see:
"So...yes, this spot is still included in two small homes programs of Housing Preservation and Development, which had developers apply for them starting in February. (More info is listed in one of the most recent notes on the lot's page.) We won't know if a developer is selected to use the lot (if any is chosen at all) until sometime this summer.

Neighbors can definitely keep organizing and creating a campaign, it's just a slightly bigger fight! You'll need to do all the regular stuff required for an application to GreenThumb program (which sits within the Parks Department and licenses and registers gardens) such as create a design plan, get neighbors to sign a petition, get support from your community boards, and more but really just cause a lot of commotion and interest around your garden. Maybe that means bugging the Parks department and seeing if they will request the property out of HPD and into the jurisdiction of Parks. This means you can become a GreenThumb garden and not be threatened by the possibility of development. The reason this space is include in these small homes programs to begin with is that they're small and difficult to develop! HPD may be resistant to giving the parcels up, but they also might be glad to remove inconveniences from their "difficult to develop" list.

Alternatively, neighbors could wait and see what happens this summer. If nothing is going to happen to the lot anyhow, it would be great to have a proposal ready to turn into the Parks Department, asking them to request that this property is transferred out of the jurisdiction of HPD and into the Parks Department.

I don't folks to get their hopes up and then be frustrated, but there's so much neighbor interest around this space it might be worth it to keep organizing. Just this morning I got a call from a guy who owns a house around the corner and really wants to see the garden happen.... "

Hi Renee,

I have not been active in this community or this organizing effort in the
past, but I'm eager to join the effort! I know the site may still be
developed, but maybe a strong showing from the community can help win over
the folks at HPD.

I'm available to meet this week or next. Where have meetings been held in
the past? Depending on the number of people, I'm happy to offer up my
apartment.

Cheers,
Jared Carrano

When will there be another meeting to plan and to move forward? How do we apply for this lot? Can we have a meeting within the next two weeks? I appreciate your time.

Thank you,
Renee Holmes

Here's an email I sent to the people who were at the initial meeting months ago:

Hello all!

I wanted to touch base about this group meeting up again! As most of you might have saw on the lot's page (http://596acres.org/en/lot/3018520008/) this lot was listed on HPD's rfq for their small homes programs. Don't dismay! This is only means that now we know that it's on the list, and sometime in early March we'll know if any developers applied for it.

In the mean time, how does everyone feel about trying to raise support to apply for the lot anyhow? I feel like this group had such an awesome and productive meeting, and had such wonderful connections to getting support. (Even if someone does end up being granted the space, it's going to be awhile before they start to build, and interim use is possible, which may or may not be of interest to any of you..)

Best,
Mary

This site was included in a list of sites that developers are being asked to apply to build housing on by the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development. (see http://http://www1.nyc.gov/site/hpd/developers/request-for-qualifications/nihop-ncp-rfq.page

The list was published on January 14, 2015 and developers' responses are due on February 20, 2015. The fact that this site was included DOES NOT necessarily mean that housing will be developed here, but it does me that HPD is encouraging housing development and is not likely to consider other uses for the time being. If no one applies for this site, it may again be available in March!

The list and RFQ are products of HPD, under the direction of the Mayor's office. Development is not certain - this is simply a request for developers to apply to become qualified to build in these sites.

This site has been slated for a rental housing program: 15-30 units of housing going to people making less than 165% of the Area Median Income (AMI); this means rents in these units could be more than $3,000. per month for a family of four.

This article sums things up pretty well (and has the voices of folks from across the 596 Acres network): http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20150116/morningside-heights/community-gardens-threatened-by-de-blasios-affordable-housing-plan

You can let your City Council member, the mayor's office and HPD know if you have feedback about the program or the selection of this site.

GreenThumb let the group organizing here know that HPD is putting out an rfp for affordable housing on this site. I think it's highly unlikely they'll find a developer: the size of the lots (only 40' by 100') make it difficult to build affordable units, not to the mention that the site needs a ton of remediation. .

I encourage all those interested to meet up again a couple months and check on this site!

Last night's meeting at the Stuyvesant Heights Christian Church was wonderful - neighbors Ian, Amanda, Alanna, Luke and Mark were all there! The group voiced their visions for the space (gardening and relaxed social space!) and talked about next steps.

If you'd like to get involved contact Mark who's listed as an organizer or stay tuned her for details about the next meeting two weeks from now. If you were a member of the previous organizing group it would be great to have you input and hear about the struggles you faced!

Our meeting for TOMORROW Wednesday, October 15th is a go!

MEETING AT 8pm at the Stuyvesant Heights Christian Church on the corner of Macdonough and Tompkins Ave. (Please enter via Macdonough at the childcare center.)

Here's the agenda from the organizers:
1) 8 - 8:15 meet and greet
2) 8:15- 8:35 discussion of personal interests, vision (for the site) and resources we each bring to the table.
3) 8:35- 8:50 Mary educates us about the larger process, sequence of presentations and approvals, pitfalls, etc
4) 8:50- 9pm we establish next steps.

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD! ALL ARE WELCOME!

I spoke to Housing Preservation and Development again today just to check in on this property. They said there's wasn't anything planned for this space and it's a good place to organize!!! Contact the new organizer, Mark and let's have a meeting!

My name is Christopher Smith and I live at Hancock and Tompkins. I really would love to try and speak with someone about an idea I have for the space. I am a little overwhelmed about where to even start. The idea would benefit the community, cost next to nothing and require the smallest of upkeep. Can someone point me in the right direction?

Thanks,
Chris Smith
Your Neighbor

Is anyone interested in taking the lead on reinvigorating this project? We learned at the recent CB3 meeting that projects looking for support need to get on the agenda for the September meeting.

You can also reintroduce yourselves to GreenThumb, as much of their staff changed after the new year:
Rasheed Hislop

Outreach Coordinator

T 212.788.1960
F 212.788.8052
E Rasheed.Hislop@parks.nyc.gov

Contact me if anyone needs help:
mary@596acres.org or 718-316-6092 ext 3

We re-labeled this lot yesterday!

Community Board 3's Parks and Land Use Committee will be hosting a special forum on Tuesday, June 4th with GreenThumb! This is a great opportunity to speak directly with GreenThumb and CB3 - in the same room!!! Here's a link to the event:
http://cb3brooklyn.org/ai1ec_event/pac-green-thumb-forum/?instance_id=34

Thanks Kelly, it would be wonderful if everybody who is watching this lot could write a short email to Evelyn and cc Mary as well.
That's great that you have landscaping skills! The space needs a lot of work so I'm glad you have the skills. I put the names of other block presidents below. I didn't get email addresses but if you live on their block it should be easy enough to locate them to ask for a support letter from them.

Sewaa Sandra Codrington
168 Macon Street

Joan Smallwood
234 Macon Street

Vanessa Parkinson
294 Halsey Street

And to your point that echoes Sarah's post, the space does not have to become a vegetable garden space where raised beds dominate the scene. Brooklyn College can test the soil for a reasonable price and we can landscape and work the natural soil.

Hi everyone,

I wrote an email to the block president and vice president requesting a letter of support, no answer yet. If anyone else would like to reach out to them their contact information is listed below.

Block president Evelyn Collier ecol49@aol.com
Block vice-president: Mary-Ann Monforton monforton@bombsite.com,

I would also be happy to help with any planning, design, construction or whatever else needs to be done. I just completed a landscape architecture graduate program and would love to put my skills to work on this project. Does anyone know if there is any chance we could have the soil tested?

Hello,

I live a few blocks from this lot and walk past quite often. While I think the typical community garden model--plots for individual gardeners--is a good one, I would love to see a more inclusive community green space. Perhaps, an educational native plant garden that benefits the entire urban ecosystem--the birds, butterflies, and wildlife, as well as the community. An inviting space enhanced by beautiful plants.
While I don't know the aforementioned block presidents, I'm happy to help with clean up, planning, gardening,etc.

We have GreenThumb's attention but we need your help! If you know the block president of either Macon or MacDonough between Marcy and Tompkins or Tompkins and Throop, please reply with their info or post that you will be requesting a short (two lines) letter of support from them. If we can get these to the parks committee at CB3 we can get the final letter of support we need to have access to this space.
Feel free to post anything else, like what you would like to see the space used for! If we get access to the lot soon, we as the community determine how it will be used. I know that Children of Promise, who is moving to the AME Zion church across the street would like to have a couple of planter boxes for a garden education program. What's your idea?

Sorry -- I spelled Dyanne's name wrong! Here's her email: dyanne.norris@parks.nyc.gov

She suggests re-sending the application to Roland and copying her so that she can follow up. Copy paula@596acres.org and Cameron Moss, ccameronmoss@gmail.com, too.

Cameron is also getting a letter of support from Children of Promise (http://www.cpnyc.org/), a program that works with children of incarcerated parents and is moving into the church across the street and planning to start a garden program as well.

Cameron and I checked in with GreenThumb this afternoon and spoke with Diane, who was in a very good mood but was not able to find the application and associated papers in the GreenThumb office.

Henry Butler, the Chair of Community Board 3, is also following up with the Board's Parks Committee to see if the CB letter of support is somewhere in transit.

Happy July!

Any updates on getting Community Board support?

CB 3 Parks Committee is meeting tonight at 630pm. One of the other organizers has been in touch with them, and they have invited us to come and talk about the site, and garden project. The last thing needed for Green Thumb is a letter of support form CB3, so the plan is to get that from them and also share information on the lot/community garden site to other community members in attendance. We have a few of us going to the meeting to present and welcome those who have been in touch with me via email etc to join and support. Feel free to email if you have questions other wise the meeting is today here are the details.

463 Tompkins Ave. Community Garden present request for Letter of Support from CB3
Parks/Arts/Culture Committee Meeting
May 1, 2013 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
1360 Fulton St. 2FL Ste. 202, Brooklyn, NY 11216
Above Applebees

If folks could meet at the Applebees bar at 6:15 pm, we can touch base and arrive at the meeting together.

Thanks
Beatriz.

Some nice press from DNAInfo here:

http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20130320/bedford-stuyvesant/locals-hope-turn-two-vacant-lots-into-community-gardens

Good luck with the garden, everyone. I wrote about your efforts for local website DNAinfo: http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20130320/bedford-stuyvesant/locals-hope-turn-two-vacant-lots-into-community-gardens

Directly from GreenThumb:

"HPD has granted you access to the land and please take note you now have access to both lots (8 and 9)

Next, you and I will need to work together to get you all ready to present the project in front of the Community Board who in return will issue a letter of support (one of our vetting requirements). Also we will need a letter from you all affirming the understanding that access is granted on an interim basis; and that when ready HPD deserves the right to take back the land and you all agree to vacate at which time. And don't worry. When such a time comes we will work together to get you all relocated. "

GreenThumb is moving ahead verifying the availability of this lot for community use from HPD. We should hear their answer soon.

I just talked to B. She says she just submitted an application to GreenThumb. Great!