Myrtle Avenue

What Myrtle Avenue does

Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership is a private non-profit Business Improvement District (BID) established in 1999 (with the BID formally codified in November 2004) that manages the commercial revitalization of the Myrtle Avenue corridor in the Fort Greene and Clinton Hill neighborhoods of Brooklyn, New York. The organization serves approximately 180 member businesses and is funded by mandatory annual assessments on commercial property owners within its legally defined district boundaries (Flatbush Avenue Extension to Classon Avenue). Its core service portfolio spans business attraction and retention, storefront improvement grants, sanitation and public safety coordination, urban improvement planning, and cultural and community programming.

The organization's core "products" are community development programs rather than technology products: the Youth Entrepreneur Mentorship Program (YEMP) for youth ages 14-24, Age-friendly Myrtle Avenue senior services, Black Artstory Month annual arts series, the 25,000 square foot Myrtle Avenue Plaza public space managed in partnership with NYC DOT, the Fort Greene Farmers Market, and year-round event programming. The organization operates on a standard WordPress website with MailChimp email and social media channels (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter). There is no proprietary technology, no API, and no AI/ML component.

The business model is a managed-services BID assessment structure: commercial property owners pay an annual assessment that funds district-wide services. Revenue is supplemented by grants from institutional funders including Con Edison, NYC Department of Small Business Services, Brooklyn Community Foundation, TD Charitable Foundation, and elected officials (NYC Councilmember Crystal Hudson, NYS Senator Jabari Brisport, NYS Assemblymember Phara Souffrant Forrest). Revenue is not publicly disclosed. The organization employs 7 staff members and is governed by a Board of Directors with Class A (property owners/institutions including Pratt Institute), Class B (merchants), and Class C (residents) representation.

Name

Myrtle Avenue

Legal name

Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership

Website

https://myrtleavenue.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership is a non-profit Business Improvement District (BID) serving 180 member businesses along the Myrtle Avenue commercial corridor in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. It is funded by commercial property owner assessments and delivers business services, public space management, and community programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Improvement District Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Landscape Architectural Services (54132), Landscaping Services (561730)

SIC

Non-Operating Establishments (9995), Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG, Place-Based Initiatives) (BPAIANAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

State/Provincial Housing, Urban/Regional Planning & Community Development (BPAIABAM), Sustainable Cities, Urban Development & Green Infrastructure (BPADALAL)

Keywords

• Business improvement district
• Commercial corridor revitalization
• Small business support services
• Community economic development
• Neighborhood event programming

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. BID Assessment: The Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Business Improvement District programs are funded by commercial property owners along Myrtle Avenue between Flatbush and Classon. This is an annual assessment paid by property owners within the BID boundaries.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership operates as a Business Improvement District (BID) providing clean-and-safe corridor maintenance, business attraction and retention services, storefront improvement grants, advocacy with city agencies, urban improvement planning, and cultural/community programming for approximately 180 member businesses along the Myrtle Avenue commercial corridor in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. Services are funded by annual assessments on commercial property owners within BID boundaries, supplemented by grants from city agencies, foundations, and elected officials.

Product overview

Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership is a Business Improvement District (BID) organization that provides a portfolio of community and economic development services rather than a technology product. The organization operates as a platform of interconnected programs including business attraction and retention services, workforce development through the Youth Entrepreneur Mentorship Program (YEMP), community programming with events and festivals, the Age-friendly Myrtle Avenue senior program, management of the Myrtle Avenue Plaza public space, and neighborhood directories for shopping and dining. The BID serves approximately 180 member businesses along the Myrtle Avenue commercial corridor in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, Brooklyn.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Black Artstory Month: Annual arts series celebrating the neighborhood's history as a haven for Black artistry, featuring visual art exhibitions and events along Myrtle Avenue.
• Youth Entrepreneur Mentorship Program (YEMP)
• Age-friendly Myrtle Avenue

Products and services

• Business Attraction Services Services to attract new businesses to Myrtle Avenue, including available storefront listings, market information, retail demand analysis, local demographics data, neighborhood development news, and incentives for prospective merchants.
• BID Storefront Improvement Grants Small matching grants and design services provided to business owners to improve their storefronts along Myrtle Avenue.
• Business Retention Services Advocacy for existing businesses and liaison services between merchants and city agencies to support local business success.
• Neighborhood Job Board Online job board connecting local residents with employment opportunities along Myrtle Avenue and the surrounding Fort Greene and Clinton Hill neighborhoods.
• Youth Entrepreneur Mentorship Program (YEMP) Six-week summer internship program for youth ages 14-24 from Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, connecting participants with paid job placements at local businesses, work readiness workshops, financial literacy training, and entrepreneurship education.
• Age-friendly Myrtle Avenue Designated age-friendly neighborhood program including the Senior Advisory Council, senior discounts guide, programming, and advocacy for older adult residents and shoppers along Myrtle Avenue.
• Myrtle Avenue Plaza 25,000 square foot pedestrian plaza between Hall Street and Emerson Place, managed with supplemental maintenance support from the BID, featuring 42 trees, seating, event space, and amenities.
• Events Programming Year-round community events including wine tastings, jazz nights, karaoke nights, trivia nights, farmers markets, Black Artstory Month, Touch A Truck, Summer Sounds, and seasonal festivals.
• Black Artstory Month Annual arts series celebrating Black artistry in the neighborhood, featuring visual art exhibitions along Myrtle Avenue storefronts and community events, curated by external artists.
• Fort Greene Farmers Market Year-round farmers market at Washington Park and DeKalb Avenue featuring fresh, local, small-batch food producers and handmade crafts.
• Shop Myrtle Avenue Directory of retail businesses along Myrtle Avenue featuring searchable map, business categories, and downloadable neighborhood guides.
• Dine on Myrtle Avenue Directory of restaurants, bars, and food & drink establishments along Myrtle Avenue with searchable map and downloadable food guide.
• BID Resource Guide Multilingual resource guides for merchants available in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic, providing information on BID services and city resources.
• Senior Resource Guide Guide to discounts available for older adult shoppers along Myrtle Avenue, compiled by the Senior Advisory Council.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced commercial vacancy rate from over 20% to 5%
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pratt InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPratt Institute is represented on the BID Board of Directors (Co-Chair Frances Bronet) and provides institutional partnership for various programs and initiatives along Myrtle Avenue.
• TankhousecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTankhouse is the program sponsor for Black Artstory Month 2022, providing funding support for the annual arts series celebrating Black artistry in the neighborhood.
• BRIC Arts MediaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBRIC co-presented the Gold Fronts virtual discussion celebrating Black womxn in visual storytelling as part of Black Artstory Month 2022.
• The CirriminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Cirri presented 'We are the Original: Womanist Craftivist Poetry & Collage Making' as part of Black Artstory Month 2022 programming.
• Brooklyn Navy YardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor neighborhood institution and BID funder, historically stimulated growth of Myrtle Avenue corridor through employment and housing demand.
• Fort Greene Park ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting park stewardship and neighborhood beautification.
• Progress PlaybookminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram partner leading YEMP workshop components on work readiness, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship for youth participants.
• NYC Department of TransportationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity agency partnering on Myrtle Avenue Plaza construction and management, providing supplemental maintenance support.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Sunset Park Business Improvement District: Brooklyn BID serving a working-class commercial corridor with a demographically diverse, multilingual merchant base - closely analogous to Myrtle Avenue's mandate of serving immigrant-owned small businesses with multilingual merchant guides.
• DUMBO Business Improvement District: A high-profile Brooklyn BID performing identical functions (sanitation, marketing, business support, public realm management) along a Brooklyn commercial corridor. Comparable governance, funding model, and community programming orientation.
• Bay Ridge 5th Avenue BID: The BID where current Myrtle Avenue ED Amanda Zenteno previously served as Executive Director. Same NYC BID model, funding mechanic (commercial property owner assessments), and core service portfolio (sanitation, marketing, advocacy) - a directly comparable Brooklyn BID peer.
• Fulton Mall Improvement Association: Brooklyn BID operating the Fulton Street pedestrian mall - shared operating complexity of managing pedestrian-only public space (analogous to Myrtle Avenue Plaza) and an SMB-heavy merchant base.
• Atlantic Avenue Local Development Corporation: A nearby Brooklyn BID/LDC performing the same commercial district revitalization, business attraction, and cultural programming functions along Atlantic Avenue. Directly comparable due to shared services, geography, and merchant-base constitution.
• Flatbush Avenue BID: Adjacent Brooklyn BID operating on the Flatbush corridor that terminates at Myrtle Avenue's western edge. Same BID structure, same commercial corridor mandate, and overlapping constituencies (Pratt-adjacent, Fort Greene-touching).

Broad incumbents

• National Main Street Center: The national nonprofit that disseminates the Main Street Approach (business attraction, retention, facade improvement, community programming) - the standard methodology Myrtle Avenue's services follow. A comparable category leader for the broader commercial revitalization discipline.
• Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership: Well-established city-scale BID/main street management organization performing corridor-wide revitalization, events programming, BID-equivalent assessments, and public space management - a broader but structurally analogous central business district operator.
• International Downtown Association: The national trade association for BID/downtown management organizations. Operates at an industry level rather than corridor level but is comparable as the umbrella organization governing the same BID methodology Myrtle Avenue uses.

Others

• BID Association (NYC): The NYC BID industry body; Myrtle Avenue ED Amanda Zenteno serves as co-chair of its Mentoring Committee. Not a peer in the operational sense but a directly comparable stakeholder/peer organization within the same BID ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MyrtleAveBklyn
• Facebookfacebook.com/MyrtleAveBrooklyn
• Instagraminstagram.com/myrtleavebklyn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

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 Myrtle Avenue