Community

The People Make The Place!

The People Make the Place!

¡Las Personas Hacen el Lugar! Le Persone Fanno il Luogo!

The Grand Street BID is proud to present:

The People Make the Place! ¡Las Personas Hacen el Lugar! Le Persone Fanno il Luogo!

“The People Make the Place!” is a temporary, interactive, hybrid installation which aims to engage the community towards a more inclusive vision for its future. The physical installation is set to run from 5/29/25 - 6/30/25 at 246 and 247 Graham Avenue, while the digital installation will continue to be updated here.

Featuring materials submitted by neighborhood partners, and inviting ongoing feedback and storytelling, the multi-media installation frames and reflects (literally and figuratively) the real people of East Williamsburg and their relationship with our shared spaces. It represents a collaborative effort to honor neighborhood history and leaders, a rich culture of co-creating public spaces, and public life through the medium of digital and physical windows.

We want to hear your story! Click the button below to submit a story, image, or vision for the future. Submissions will be collected and shared here, to present an inclusive vision for the future together:

Join us to celebrate the exhibit at The Grand Street Neighborhood Bash on Monday June 9th at 5:00PM at The Last Call (588 Grand Street). Meet your neighbors, share your stories, and win prizes! Refreshments will be provided to RSVP Attendees.

Click here or the button below to RSVP:

The People make the place!

〰️

¡Las personas hacen el lugar!

〰️

Le persone fanno il luogo!

〰️

The People make the place! 〰️ ¡Las personas hacen el lugar! 〰️ Le persone fanno il luogo! 〰️

installation

The physical installation will live temporarily in storefront space along Graham Avenue, at 246 (Grand Street BID office) and 247 (across the street) featuring three graphic and architectural works. These include a Community-sourced Photo Collage Mural by L&L Studio, the photo series Toñita’s by Sylvia Riveros, and Re: Place (a series of sculptural elements) by Reframe Architecture. The physical installation is set to run from 5/29 - 6/30, with the digital portion living on here.

Photo-Collage Mural, L&L Studio:

L&L Studio worked with Grand Street BID to create a photo-collage mural that invites visitors to meditate on the past, present, and future of the East Williamsburg neighborhood. Spanning four large windows of storefront space along Graham Street, the mural combines images sourced from neighborhood organizations El Puente, Powers Street Garden, and Evergreen Exchange, as well as NYPL and NYC public archives. The artwork is framed by questions in Spanish, Italian and English (three languages historically spoken in the neighborhood) that prompt reflection on how viewers interact with and shape their community: 

  1. How do local spaces shape my experience? | ¿Cómo moldean mi experiencia los espacios locales? | In che modo gli spazi locali influenzano la mia esperienza?

  2. Where are opportunities for change? | ¿Dónde están las oportunidades de cambio? |Dove sono le opportunità di cambiamento?

  3. What makes me feel connected here? | ¿Qué me hace sentir conectado aquí? |Cosa mi fa sentire legato a questo luogo?

  4. How do I contribute to my community? | ¿Cómo contribuyo a mi comunidad? | Come contribuisco alla mia comunità?

  5. What do I miss from the past? | ¿Qué extraño del pasado? | Cosa mi manca del passato?

Our team was inspired by speculative design of the 1960s and 1970s that combined photography and architectural renderings to reimagine the relationship between the built environment and culture. As viewers engage with the mural, we hope that they become both observers and participants in the evolving story of the neighborhood, reflecting on its history, transformation, and potential future.

Toñita’s, Sylvia Riveros:

Toñita’s is a photo series by Sylvia Riveros that honors the Caribbean Social Club in Williamsburg and its remarkable founder, Maria Antonia “Toñita” Cay. For over five decades, this space has served as a haven for Puerto Rican and Latin American communities—offering free food, salsa music, and a deep sense of belonging. Through intimate images, the series reflects how people make a place by showing up for one another, sharing joy, and sustaining intergenerational networks of care. Toñita’s bridges generations, cultures, genders, and migration journeys through mutual aid, music, and nourishment.

To learn more, visit: https://www.sylviajulianart.com/ 

Re: Place, Yalda Keramati | Reframe Architecture:

As part of Design Sprints: Building Creative Capacity (The people make the place!), ReFrame Architecture has designed a series of sculptural elements that emphasize the socio-spatial nature of place by highlighting memory and reflection. 

The materiality and geometry of the forms reference the built environment and mimic the folds and volumes of the storefront. It is the reflection of the audience on the sculpture’s surface that brings the installation to life, recognizing the vital role of community in sustaining and transforming the place. It is an invitation for everyone to share their stories and be a part of the collective memory of the neighborhood.

The people make the place!!

〰️

¡Las personas hacen el lugar!

〰️

Le persone fanno il luogo

〰️

The people make the place!! 〰️ ¡Las personas hacen el lugar! 〰️ Le persone fanno il luogo 〰️

Tell us your story! Use the questions below + your experiences being apart of the community to frame your answers. Your stories may be folded into the exhibit at a later date:

  1. How do local spaces shape my experience? | ¿Cómo moldean mi experiencia los espacios locales? | In che modo gli spazi locali influenzano la mia esperienza?

  2. Where are opportunities for change? | ¿Dónde están las oportunidades de cambio? |Dove sono le opportunità di cambiamento?

  3. What makes me feel connected here? | ¿Qué me hace sentir conectado aquí? |Cosa mi fa sentire legato a questo luogo?

  4. How do I contribute to my community? | ¿Cómo contribuyo a mi comunidad? | Come contribuisco alla mia comunità?

  5. What do I miss from the past? | ¿Qué extraño del pasado? | Cosa mi manca del passato?

“The People Make the Place” is part of Design Sprints: Building Creative Capacity, an initiative of Van Alen Institute and the NYC Department of Small Business Services, exploring ways to creatively leverage vacant storefronts.

The installation was made in partnership with branding and digital designers L&L Studio and Reframe Architecture. It features work by artists Sylvia Riveros, Vanesa Álvarez Díaz, Los Muralistas de El Puente, Danielle Mastrion and SON-CORO, SINNED + Ria Burns-Wilder; With submissions by neighborhood partners St. Nick’s Alliance, Evergreen Exchange, El Puente and the Powers Street Garden; with assistance from Absolute Power Gym, Williamsburg Houses and the Brooklyn Public Library.

The physical installation is slated to run through June 2025, with the digital compendium of graphic and story submissions from community members living on this page indefinitely.

The Grand Street BID Welcomes Two New Team Members

Meet the newest additions to the Grand Street BID’s team, Megan Diebboll and Yaz Mansi. Megan is coming on as a Project Manager, and Yaz as a Community Engagement Coordinator. With backgrounds in urban planning and community building, Megan and Yaz are excited to work with the BID in improving the quality of life of the Williamsburg community.

Megan is an urban planner and social justice advocate with a background in community development and prison reform. A Southwest Detroit native, Megan graduated from the Rackham Graduate School at the University of Michigan with a Masters in Social Work and Community Organizing. Throughout her career she’s acted as a facilitator for creative workshops in local prisons and jails to provide therapeutic outlets. Working to support disadvantaged incarcerated people made her aware of the systemic issues that led to their incarceration; This led Megan to pursue her Masters of Urban Planning (MUP) at Hunter College, with a concentration in environmental planning. Megan’s bringing her experience as a planner and advocate to the Project Manager role, where she’s primarily focusing on creating stronger connections with businesses in the adjacent commercial corridor to Grand Street.

Yaz recently graduated from The Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College, with a bachelors in Public affairs. Born and raised in Queens, Yaz’s passion for public spaces and placemaking was cultivated by the community he was surrounded by. This inspired him to pursue a career in the public sector, with hopes of working to better the lives of his fellow New Yorkers. Throughout his career Yaz has acted as a communicator and placemaker, working as a liason for the New York City Council and as a social justice advocate. Yaz is bringing his experience in community building and his passion to improve New York City to his role as Community Engagement Coordinator, where his work focuses on cultivating the BID’s connections with both the businesses and the community of Grand Street. 

Yaz and Megan are excited to work to better the Grand Street BID and can’t wait to meet you all!

Celebrate Small Businesses on Grand Street

The Grand Street BID is excited to celebrate small businesses in honor of Small Business Saturday. The nationwide annual event is this Saturday, November 26th. Help us recognize and support all of the small businesses on Grand Street by spreading the word, visiting neighborhood favorites, and investing in our community.

In an early start to Small Business Saturday, we will be passing out materials and supplies to our businesses encouraging locals and visitors to shop small, and support the storefronts on Grand Street. We can’t wait to meet and talk with our neighbors and businesses this week.

Small businesses have fueled Grand Street for over 100 years and continue to be the cornerstones of our vibrant district. Executive Director of the BID, Erin Piscopink says “We’ve seen a huge increase in patronage on Grand Street in the past year, we hope to continue to fuel our local economy and lift up our small businesses during this campaign. Support for the Grand Street corridor goes a long way toward building up our community.” This Month, be sure to Shop Small on Grand Street. Tag @GrandStreetBID and use #shopsmall to show us how you celebrated our small businesses!

Grand Street Celebrates Small Business Saturday!

It’s that time of year again! The Grand Street BID is gearing up for Small Business Saturday. The nationwide annual event is this Saturday, November 27th. We can’t wait to celebrate all of the small businesses on Grand Street by encouraging locals and visitors to support their neighborhood favorites, and invest in our community.

In an early start to Small Business Saturday, we set up a table outside one of our newest Businesses, Strutting Mutts. We handed out some treats and coffee, and got to meet and talk with our neighbors. Thanks to everyone who stopped to chat and learn more about supporting the small business community on Grand Street, it was a great success!

Small businesses have fueled Grand Street for over 100 years and continue to be the cornerstones of our vibrant district. Executive Director of the BID, Erin Piscopink says “After a hard two years, people are excited to shop locally. Dollars spent at a small business go a long way toward helping our community bounce back stronger than before.” This Saturday, be sure to Shop Small on Grand Street. Tag @GrandStreetBID and use #shopsmall to show us how you celebrated our small businesses this weekend!

Calling Mentors! iMentor Student Program at Lyons Community School

We have an amazing opportunity for our community to volunteer and support local youth in East Williamsburg! The BID recently connected with iMentor to learn about a program that works with local students from the Lyons Community School located on the campus at 223 Graham Ave, and thought our super awesome, caring community might be interested in participating. iMentor is an education non-profit and youth mentoring program that works to empower first-generation college students to graduate high school, succeed in college, and achieve their ambitions through one-on-one mentorships.

A majority of iMentor’s students identify as people of color, are international students, or speak languages other than English. When students meet their mentors, it is important that they see successful working professionals who are as diverse and unique as they are. While we almost have enough women to support our female-identifying students for this school year, iMentor still needs more than 350+ male mentors, particularly men of color, to work with our male students.

Mentor Requirements:

  • Have a 2 or 4 year college degree

  • Mentors commit to 3-5 hours per month (1x per week write your mentee, 1x per month meet your mentee at an event, periodic college & Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion trainings)

  • Be willing to be fingerprinted by the NYC Department of Education in-person (downtown Brooklyn)

  • All NYC-based mentors who enter our program this fall will have the option to remain fully virtual throughout the duration of their 4-year match!

What Makes a Good Mentor?

  • Curiosity about your mentee’s life & interests

  • Flexibility & openness

  • Consistency in the highs and lows of the mentorship

Are you or someone you know in our community a good fit for the mentorship program? If you would like to start volunteering to mentor a student through iMentor click here. If you are interested in learning more about the program or have any questions, please reach out to Rachel Hutt at rhutt@imentor.org

Alita Cafe Opens at 797 Grand Street

Grand Street’s newest coffee shop is now open! We’re excited to welcome Alita Cafe, which may be be small in size, but has no shortage of good coffee, good food, and good friends. Partners, Alejandro Ceballos and Paolo Maliksi are native New Yorkers who met in music school. Many years later the two friends have transitioned from music to coffee. Paolo owns Regalia, a small roasting company in long Island City, and wanted to find a space to serve his own coffee, along with baked goods and sandwiches. Hence, Alita was born.

Homemade Biscuits!

Homemade Biscuits!

The partners are excited to start serving the community, aiming to satisfy the idea that “people are always seeking comfort.” Reflected in the cozy interior, homemade menu, and even the name, which is short for Abuelita (Grandmother in Spanish), the Cafe achieves the perfect atmosphere for those seeking warmth. Especially in lieu of this challenging year.

Storefront locations on Grand Street stood out to Alejandro and Paolo as they saw other coffee shops on the corridor attracting a lot of business, and creating a sense of community. The space’s previous tenant, Lula Bean, was included in that observation. Return of another Cafe in Lula Bean’s place is filling a void felt by locals after their closure.

Alita’s in-house menu is filled with sweet and savory, pastries, cakes, and their famous biscuits! As the Cafe continues to get up and running they will be adding more items to the menu, including focaccia sandwiches. Stop by to try some of these delicious treats and local brewed coffee. A warm welcome and good neighbors will be waiting to greet you.


Grand Street BID Welcomes New Team Member

Kathie Brill is the newest addition to the Grand Street Team as the Community Engagement & Marketing Coordinator. A Brooklyn native, Kathie is excited to contribute to the BID’s ongoing community building and to work with local business and property owners as well as residents.

Kathie recently graduated from the University of Pennsylvania’s Weitzman School of Design with a Masters in Historic Preservation, concentrating in Preservation Planning, policy and community development. Growing up in New York City fostered a passion for urban spaces and an interest in architecture and planning. Throughout an early career in architectural administration and graduate school, Kathie became increasingly aware of the power of cultural resources and the intersection between the built and social environments. With experience in municipal government, non-profit programming, and events she is joining the Grand Street BID with conviction to connect with district members, partners, and volunteers to propel the BID’s mission of improving the quality of life in the community.

Kathie can’t wait to meet all of you in the Grand Street BID, and will be making her way to all the businesses on the corridor in the coming weeks.