Pratt Center

Dear Friends of the Pratt Center for Community Development:

We are pleased to announce the consolidation of the New York Industrial Retention Network (NYIRN) with the Pratt Center for Community Development. New York has a long tradition of incubating new models in the community development and non-profit fields. We believe that this consolidation reflects a necessary realignment to help usher in the next phase of community development that is capital-markets smart, cutting-edge green, and comprehensive in its approach.

The practice of community development is transforming after several decades of experience and the emergence of a new set of challenges. At the federal level, we are seeing the alignment of housing, transportation and environmental policy to reinvigorate a stalled economy and move the nation toward more sustainable patterns of development. At the local level, we need to create a new set of tools, a new way of thinking, and an expanded set of partners to help communities meet the challenges of the next century.

The two organizations have a history of collaborating to promote a more diverse, equitable and sustainable economy that provides jobs for all New Yorkers. Since 1963, the Pratt Center has provided architectural, urban planning and other professional services to community groups serving low- and moderate-income communities. Alongside its highly visible work advancing community-based planning and affordable housing, the Pratt Center has always also advanced a comprehensive approach to community development that includes a diverse economic base.

Pratt was one of the founding members of NYIRN in 1997. Since then, NYIRN has provided services to more then 2,000 companies and helped to retain tens of thousands of jobs. NYIRN’s research and advocacy led to creation of New York City’s Industrial Business Zones, to the growth of a green manufacturing sector, and the launch of numerous new initiatives to promote sustainable economic growth.

We have now integrated staffs, integrated boards, and achieved a greater capacity for delivering services and advocating to help low- and moderate-income communities. We are both excited by the opportunities created by this consolidation and believe that with your continued support we and our community partners throughout the city can achieve a more just, equitable and sustainable New York.

Sincerely,

Gary Hattem, Chair, Pratt Center Advisory Board

Adam Friedman, Director, New York Industrial Retention Network