brooklyn-sign-1008.jpgThat’s right, the Borough of Kings is willing to go toe to toe with Manhattan for jobs, reports the NY Post, the same day that the NY Times reports the city is gearing up for a 165,000 job loss. “Taking advantage of the slumping economy, the public-private Downtown Brooklyn Partnership plans to kick off an aggressive marketing campaign early next year to attract Manhattan and New Jersey businesses to the cheaper rents in Brooklyn’s business district,” they write. No word on specifics of the campaign, though Marty Markowitz did offer some suggestions concerning the “Brooklyn Renaissance.” Not everyone thinks we should be poaching business from Manhattan, though. Congressmen Alan Gerson told the paper: “Brooklyn and Manhattan should be working together to come up with common marketing strategies to keep businesses in New York rather than trying to steal from one another.”
Brooklyn Is Going Fishing [NY Post]
Photo by lookwithyoureyes.


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

  1. Businesses leave Manhattan because the rents are too high, and they should. If Manhattan wants to compete landlords will have to lower rents. I’m not a finance wizard, but that seems to be ECO 101.

  2. “Brooklyn and Manhattan should be working together to come up with common marketing strategies to keep businesses in New York rather than trying to steal from one another.”

    my lord this guy is a R-E-T-A-R-D. total nitz.

  3. Many companies take advantage of the City by floating from borough to borough. MetLife moved to Long Island City for 26 million in tax breaks in 2001 and decided 5 years later to leave LIC for Manhattan. Anyone know if they were ever required to pay the City back the tax dollars?

  4. “Brooklyn and Manhattan should be working together to come up with common marketing strategies to keep businesses in New York rather than trying to steal from one another.”

    I do believe Brooklyn is a part of NY.

  5. also – wouldn’t call it poaching. All taxes and benefits from the businesses and jobs are for NYC – not Brooklyn – not Manhattan.

  6. If a business can survive because the overhead is cheaper, then I wouldn’t call it poaching. I doubt that Manhattan commercial rents will fall enough to make a difference for certain businesses.