Flatbush BID Names New E.D.

I've heard all manner of complaints through the years about Flatbush from Empire down to Parkside. Trash. Crime. Loitering. Lack of this or that amenity. It all boils down to a lack of cooperation in my view. No organization. No strategic thinking. No working merchants association. No Business Improvement District (which is significant step up that involves pooling extra property tax money to provide actual administrative support). But from Parkside on down, Jack Katz and the labor of love of his life, the Flatbush BID, had managed to keep things running fairly smoothly for decades, even the worst decades in the City's history. Jack died earlier this year. And now they've named a new Executive Director, Lauren Elvers Collins.

And here's the genius step. Lauren also heads the active Church Avenue Business Improvement District. The two will share resources and overhead. At this crucial time in the history of Flatbush, the Q is thrilled to see that, at least south of Parkside, serious effort will be taken to look at the big picture.

The Q will take this opportunity to report, too, that new blood is attempting to bring new life to organizing the merchants of the Flatbush Empire (nice ring to it, no?) More info as it becomes printable, er, postable.