Life in the Triangle Part 4: EWVIDCO

Sitting quietly on the edge of quaint Catherine Street in East Williamsburg, EWVIDCO—East Williamsburg Valley Industrial Development Corporation—is a business’ best friend. Perched on the third floor of the St. Nick’s headquarters, EWVIDO, a six-person development corporation that provides technical assistance to local businesses and industrial firms, has been deeply involved in the Broadway Triangle rezoning process since 2007, but you may not know it. Working closely with businesses faced with the threat of eminent domain, for two years EWVIDCO has acted as an intermediary between the city and these North Brooklyn entrepreneurs, providing them with resources and support, advocacy and advice in the face of a relocation that looms large over the land—a 31-acre, predominantly government-owned parcel on the border of Williamsburg, Bushwick and Bed-Stuy that is in the process of being rezoned for affordable housing.
“We are working to try and get these businesses to be made whole again,” said EWVIDCO Executive Director Leah Archibald. “We are dedicated to mitigating the negative impacts of eminent domain on business owners.”
EWVIDCO has been working primarily with Shanghai Steel, Excellent Bus Service and Service Smoked Fish—two of which are slated for eminent domain, while the third is facing increasing complaints due to the recent residential rezoning that surrounds the factory. While protecting the livelihood and interests of business owners in North Brooklyn, especially those operating within the Industrial Zone, EWVIDCO’s primary concern is preserving and creating high-quality industrial and manufacturing jobs in and around the Greenpoint/Williamsburg community. Though there is a common misconception that manufacturing—and industry in general—is in rapid decline in New York City, Archibald attests that this is not the case. In fact, EWVIDCO’s involvement in the Broadway Triangle rezoning debacle started with a request for aid from Ernie Wong of Shanghai Steel, who was looking for ways to expand his business. Now, because of the rezoning, renovations are no longer in the cards for these business owners on their current parcels, but EWVIDCO wants to make sure that, wherever they are relocated, they will have an opportunity to expand. “Even in times of economic hardship, here we have three businesses—Shanghai Steel, Excellent Bus Service and Service Smoked Fish—that are doing so well that they want to expand, and create more jobs in the community, and now they are not able to do so,” Archibald said. “They are actually having to turn business away as a result. Our ultimate goal at EWVIDCO is to retail the high quality jobs that manufacturing companies provide in our community, and these jobs at stake are quality jobs.”
According to city-wide statistics, manufacturing jobs are 63 per cent more likely to include comprehensive benefits packages than those in the service industry. In addition, they provide competitive wages and few barriers to entry, which is, according to Archibald, why they absolutely must be protected, especially in an area like North Brooklyn. These jobs also provide opportunities for trained artisans—be them steel workers or fish smokers—to practice their craft, and get paid well for it.
“New York City—and Brooklyn—is home to so many architects, designers and distributors who rely on a high degree of local craftsmanship,” said Archibald. “If it’s here, you can touch it, feel it, oversee the work, it gives entrepreneurs an opportunity for growth that is not necessarily available if you manufacture far away.”
Throughout the past two years, Archibald and the EWVIDCO staff have been acting as advocates for the business owners in the Triangle, helping them navigate the turbulent waters of city politics, public hearings and rezoning protocol, and are determined to make sure that not only are the business owners’ voices heard, but that when they relocate, they are given the resources and support necessary to make their businesses whole again, and in a position to survive, flourish and expand. Their role has been primarily advisory, keeping close tabs on the businesses as they move through the eminent domain process, and supportive, providing them with insight and advice about how to proceed.
“We are really just trying to get the city to understand all of this,” Archibald said, in her usual cheery way. “We are trying to educate the elected and appointed officials about the quantifiable costs of relocating apart from just hiring movers. But in this case, more than anything, we’re the business owners’ friend. We help smooth over the annoyances and alleviate the speed bumps so they can stay here in the community and tell their stories.”