History
Brooklyn ENY — A History
East New York has been home to industrial businesses since the mid-nineteenth century, with the establishment of the Long Island Rail Road in 1836 attracting numerous companies to the area. Small factories emerged on both sides of the railroad along Atlantic Avenue. At one point it was called the “Little Pittsburgh” for its concentration of steel fabrication companies which still exist today.
From the 1950s to the 1970s can be attributed to various factors, primarily significant disinvestment and property abandonment. To counteract this trend, the City initiated several programs to preserve the industrial sector. Notably, in the 1980s, the City established the first-ever in-place Industrial Park in East New York, aiming to foster economic development and support. In 1983, the East New York Brooklyn Business Improvement District was formed by local property and business owners. Since 1997, NYC EDC has successfully sold 33 small city-owned vacant parcels in the ENY IBZ, totaling over 670,000 square feet, and facilitated the relocation of 20 industrial businesses.
Industrial Business
ENY Industrial Business Zone
JOBS AND ECONOMY
In 2005, the Bloomberg Administration designated the Industrial Business Zones (IBZs) to stabilize primarily industrial areas in New York City. The designation fosters high-performing business districts by creating competitive advantages over locating in areas outside of New York City. The IBZs are supported by tax credits for relocating within them, zone-specific planning efforts, and direct business assistance from NYC Business Solutions Industrial Providers.
The East New York Industrial Business Zone (IBZ) hosts over 250 businesses, employing approximately 3,000 individuals. With an average lot size of 8,000 square feet, the area is a hub for companies specializing in steel and metal fabrication, transportation, and warehousing, as well as woodworking and vinyl manufacturing.
Despite being the second smallest IBZ in NYC, East New York boasts a concentration of manufacturing, warehouse, and other industrial-related jobs compared to larger IBZs in the borough.
