Downtown Brooklyn Partnership

What Downtown Brooklyn Partnership does

Downtown Brooklyn Partnership (DBP) is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) local development corporation founded in 2006 (with one source citing 2004) that serves as the formal manager of the Downtown Brooklyn Business Improvement District (BID) and the primary champion of Downtown Brooklyn as a commercial, cultural, educational, and retail destination. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors comprising over 60 premier organizations spanning corporate (Amazon, Google, JPMorgan Chase), real estate (Two Trees Management, Brookfield Properties, Alloy Development), academic (NYU Tandon, LIU Brooklyn, Brooklyn Law School, St. Francis College), healthcare (The Brooklyn Hospital Center), and cultural (BAM, BRIC, Mark Morris Dance Group) sectors. DBP's president is Regina Myer, with Jared Della Valle of Alloy Development serving as Board Chair. The organization is headquartered at 1 Metrotech Center North, Suite 1003, Brooklyn, NY 11201, and operates with a staff of 11-50.

DBP's core services are organized around four sub-brands: (1) Downtown Brooklyn Presents, a signature event series featuring live music, block parties, fitness classes, and plaza activations; (2) Make It in Brooklyn, an entrepreneurship and innovation initiative; (3) Shared Streets, a DOT-partnered placemaking program; and (4) the Brooklyn Cultural District initiative. The organization activates and manages approximately 220,000+ square feet of public plaza space, including Albee Square (18,800 sq ft, capacity 1,585), The Plaza at 300 Ashland (35,300 sq ft, capacity 2,186), Willoughby Plaza (14,700 sq ft, capacity 960), Brooklyn Commons Park (150,000+ sq ft, capacity 4,558), and Abolitionist Place (1.15 acres). DBP also operates a business directory website (downtownbrooklyn.com), publishes research and statistics on the Downtown Brooklyn market, distributes three email newsletters (Downtown Brooklyn Beat, Make It in Brooklyn, Downtown Brooklyn Press Digest), and commissions public art installations such as the 2026 Ryan Edwards light installation in the former Macy's store funded by a $90,000 city grant.

DBP's revenue model is structured as a nonprofit assessment district: the organization is funded primarily through membership dues and special assessments on businesses and property owners within the Downtown Brooklyn Improvement District, supplemented by government grants (city, state) and private foundation/corporate grants. DBP does not sell products or services for commercial revenue and pricing is not applicable to its operations. The organization serves four primary stakeholder segments: 15 million+ annual visitors, 45,000 residents, 74,000 employees, and 43,000 college students, with the latter attending institutions including LIU Brooklyn, NYU Tandon, St. Francis College, and Brooklyn Law School. Downtown Brooklyn accounts for $3.9B+ in annual retail and dining sales and is served by 13 subway lines and LIRR commuter trains including the three busiest stations in Brooklyn. The organization is not a technology company and has no proprietary technology platform, no AI/ML capabilities, and no software products; its digital presence is a content/directory website rather than a technology product.

Name

Downtown Brooklyn Partnership

Legal name

Downtown Brooklyn Partnership

Website

https://downtownbrooklyn.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Downtown Brooklyn Partnership is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit local development corporation that manages the Downtown Brooklyn Business Improvement District, activating public plazas, programming events, supporting local businesses, and championing the district's growth for 15 million+ annual visitors and 74,000 employees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Economic Development Services

NAICS

Office Administrative Services (5611)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Build-to-Rent (BTR) Community Management (BPAJAFAC)

Keywords

• Business improvement district
• Urban economic development
• Public space management
• Community development services
• Local development corporation

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership dues and assessments: DBP operates as a not-for-profit local development corporation funded through membership fees from businesses and property owners in the Downtown Brooklyn Improvement District, along with special assessments.
2. Government and private grants: The organization receives grants from city government and private sources to fund public realm improvements, events, and initiatives such as the $90,000 city grant for the Macy's light installation project.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Downtown Brooklyn Partnership (DBP) is a not-for-profit local development corporation that manages the Downtown Brooklyn Business Improvement District (BID). It activates and manages public plazas (Albee Square, The Plaza at 300 Ashland, Willoughby Plaza, Brooklyn Commons Park, Abolitionist Place), produces the Downtown Brooklyn Presents signature event series, runs the Make It in Brooklyn entrepreneurship initiative, and provides research, statistics, and business resources to promote Downtown Brooklyn as a destination.

Product overview

Downtown Brooklyn Partnership (DBP) is a not-for-profit local development corporation that serves as the primary champion for Downtown Brooklyn as a world-class destination. The organization does not offer a unified software product or technology platform. Rather, DBP provides a suite of community and economic development services including: managing public spaces and plazas (Albee Square, The Plaza at 300 Ashland, Willoughby Plaza, Abolitionist Place, Brooklyn Commons Park), operating a business directory and local discovery platform featuring hundreds of retail, dining, and service establishments, producing signature events and programming (Downtown Brooklyn Presents series), offering business resources and real estate information, providing research and statistics on the Downtown Brooklyn market, and supporting entrepreneurship through the Make It in Brooklyn initiative. The website functions as a content management and discovery platform rather than a standalone product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Downtown Brooklyn Presents: Signature event series offering live music, block parties, fitness classes, and more.
• Make It in Brooklyn
• Shared Streets
• Brooklyn Cultural District

Products and services

• Downtown Brooklyn Presents Signature event series produced by DBP featuring live music, block parties, fitness classes, and cultural programming for Downtown Brooklyn visitors, residents, and workers.
• Make It in Brooklyn Entrepreneurship support initiative that cultivates a lasting innovation ecosystem throughout Brooklyn, including programs, tenant profiles, pitch contests, and resources for entrepreneurs and startups.
• Public Plaza Management and Activation Management and activation of public plazas and parks in Downtown Brooklyn, hosting events, markets, pop-ups, and programming for businesses, cultural organizations, and the public.
• Downtown Brooklyn Business Directory Online business directory featuring hundreds of retail, dining, and service establishments in Downtown Brooklyn, supporting consumer discovery and foot traffic generation.
• Downtown Brooklyn Research and Statistics Research, statistics, and market data on Downtown Brooklyn covering demographics, retail sales, employment, and visitation trends for businesses, property owners, and prospective tenants.
• Brooklyn Cultural District Cultural district initiative that coordinates programming, public art, and partnerships with premier cultural institutions including BAM, BRIC, and Mark Morris Dance Group.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15 million+ annual visitors to Downtown Brooklyn
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBAM is represented on DBP's Board of Directors. DBP has partnered with BAM for programming at The Plaza at 300 Ashland, including movement workshops and cultural events in the Brooklyn Cultural District.
• BRIC Arts MediacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBRIC is represented on DBP's Board of Directors. BRIC partners with DBP for cultural programming at Downtown Brooklyn venues including The Plaza at 300 Ashland.
• Brooklyn Law SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrooklyn Law School is represented on DBP's Board of Directors, contributing academic perspective to Downtown Brooklyn development initiatives.
• Long Island University (LIU)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLIU Brooklyn is represented on DBP's Board of Directors with two representatives (Kimberly Cline and Joseph Schaefer), contributing academic perspective to Downtown Brooklyn's development.
• NYU Tandon School of EngineeringminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNYU Tandon School of Engineering is represented on DBP's Board of Directors (Dr. Juan J. de Pablo), contributing academic and technical expertise to Downtown Brooklyn initiatives.
• Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corp.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrooklyn Navy Yard Development Corp. is represented on DBP's Board of Directors, contributing expertise in economic development and job creation.
• Mark Morris Dance GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMark Morris Dance Group is represented on DBP's Board of Directors (Nancy Umanoff). DBP partners with Mark Morris for free programming at The Plaza at 300 Ashland.
• Brooklyn Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrooklyn Chamber of Commerce (represented by Randy Peers) is on DBP's Board, supporting business development and advocacy for Downtown Brooklyn.
• Brooklyn Commons/Brookfield PropertiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrooklyn Commons Park is owned by Brookfield Properties and operated in partnership with DBP. The park hosts DBP's Downtown Brooklyn Presents fitness classes, ping pong events, and other programming.
• City of New York (Mayor's Office)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerDBP received a $90,000 city grant from New York City for the light installation project at the former Macy's store, demonstrating city partnership for economic development initiatives.
• Ryan Edwards / Masary StudiosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoston-based sound and installation artist Ryan Edwards, working with Masary Studios, created a light installation commissioned by DBP in the former Macy's store, using sounds recorded on Fulton Street.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Alliance for Downtown New York: Lower Manhattan BID providing district management, public space programming, marketing, and economic development services. Direct functional peer to DBP, with comparable mix of property owner membership, public realm investments, and transit-dependent foot traffic generation.
• Times Square Alliance: Manages the Times Square Business Improvement District in NYC, performing the same core functions - public space activation, sanitation, marketing, advocacy, and signature event programming - for a major commercial district. DBP's structure, mandate, and operating model closely mirror the Times Square Alliance approach at smaller scale.
• Fifth Avenue Association: NYC BID representing Fifth Avenue's commercial corridor with public realm, security, sanitation, and marketing services funded by commercial property assessments. Closely comparable governance, funding model, and mandate to DBP for a different high-traffic Manhattan district.
• Garment District Alliance: BID in Midtown Manhattan providing district management, public realm improvements, and programming for a defined commercial district. Directly comparable BID structure, funding model (property assessments), and operating scope to DBP.
• Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation: Local development corporation managing the Brooklyn Navy Yard, performing economic development, real estate management, and tenant programming for a defined Brooklyn district. DBP Board partner that shares the Brooklyn-focused local development mandate with a more industrial/employment emphasis.
• Flatiron NoMad Partnership: NYC BID managing the Flatiron and NoMad districts with public space, marketing, and member services functions comparable to DBP's portfolio. Closely matched in scale, governance model (property owner assessments), and mandate around public realm improvements and district promotion.
• Bryant Park Corporation: Manages Bryant Park in Midtown Manhattan including programming, activations, amenities, and retail coordination. Directly comparable as a public space manager curating year-round programming in a major commercial district, with a similar nonprofit BID-like operating structure.
• Hudson Yards Hell's Kitchen Alliance: BID managing the Hudson Yards and Hell's Kitchen area in Manhattan with public space activation, district marketing, and BID management mandate very similar to DBP's portfolio of services for a different NYC commercial district.

Regional players

• Chicago Loop Alliance: Chicago's downtown BID providing public space management, marketing, advocacy, and economic development services for a major central business district. Comparable in mandate and operating model to DBP, but serving a different geographic market with different transit and demographic dynamics.
• Golden Triangle BID (Downtown DC): BID in Downtown Washington DC providing public realm improvements, district marketing, and member services for a defined commercial corridor. Comparable BID structure and operating model to DBP, with different geography and tenant mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/downtown-brooklyn-partnership
• Instagraminstagram.com/downtownbrooklyn
• Xx.com/DowntownBklyn
• Facebookfacebook.com/downtownbrooklyn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Downtown Brooklyn Partnership