Fighting to Save Our Markets!

Sometimes it feels as if all our communities are changing before our eyes! And while revitalization and change can be very good, they can also be a bit frightening, and even in need of guidance and advice.

In that spirit I held a Commuity Meeting with my colleagues, Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo and Assemblyman Walter Mosley, to allow local residents to speak with the Slate Property Group about a building they will be constructing at 325 Lafayette Avenue where there is currently a very beloved Key Food. The owner of the building is exercising his right to develop on his property, and has partnered with Slate Property to construct an 8 story mixed use building. The first floor will be for commercial tenants and the other 7 stories will be a mix of affordable and market rate housing.

It was definitely a spirited discussion and local residents made it very clear how important that having a grocery store in that location is to their lives. Slate indicated a willingness to have a market on the ground floor but would not guarantee that it would be a Key Food. I hope the dialogue between the developer and the community will continue. It's the only way to move Brooklyn smoothly into the future.