Archive

1. Placeholders Closing Party

   June 17, 2025 11:56 am Comments Off on Placeholders Closing Party

   

   

   

   

   

   

   Placeholders Closing Party
   Friday, June 27, 6–8 pm
   367 E 10th Street

   RSVP

   Join us to celebrate the closing of Placeholders, a project that showcases the vibrant spaces HDFCs hold in their storefronts.

   Co-hosted by the Cooper Square Committee, Piragua Art Space, and Relative Arts!

   On display through June 30 at 165 and 169 Ave C in Manhattan, Placeholders showcases objects from small businesses, artists, and community organizations located inside HDFC storefronts on the Lower East Side.

   Due to decades of grassroots organizing, the Lower East Side is home to many Housing Development Fund Corporation cooperatives (HDFCs), a unique type of affordable housing collectively owned and operated by residents. HDFCs often rent their storefronts to small businesses, artists, and nonprofits that serve local needs, nurture creativity, and express culture. Collectively, HDFCs offer a stable model for residents and small businesses facing the threat of displacement.

   Items in the installation include a camera from Fourth Street Photo Gallery, the city’s oldest Black-owned photography studio; a hand-painted mortar and pestle from Puerto Rican restaurant Casa Adela; and handmade Mexican folk art from La Sirena. The exhibition is supplemented by a map of the featured businesses, available for free at the closing reception.

   Cooper Square Committee co-created Placeholders with Scott Kelly and Delphine Le Goff as part of Design Sprints: Building Creative Capacity, an initiative of Van Alen Institute and the NYC Department of Small Business Services. Special thanks to the board and shareholders of the 165-167-169 Avenue C HDFC.

   Design Sprints is supported by the NYC Department of Small Business Services.

   RSVP

2. Van Alen and NYC SBS Unveil Storefront Activations

   June 3, 2025 1:12 pm Comments Off on Van Alen and NYC SBS Unveil Storefront Activations

   Van Alen Institute and NYC Department of Small Business Services Announce Two Community-Led Exhibitions Activating Vacant Storefronts

   Design Sprints: Building Creative Capacity program pairs community organizations with design professionals to create storefront installations highlighting Lower East Side and East Williamsburg histories

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   View and download hi-res photos here.

   (New York City—June 3, 2025)—Van Alen Institute and the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) are pleased to unveil two community-led storefront activations: Placeholders, on view at 165 & 169 Loisaida Ave, Manhattan; and The People Make The Place!, on view at 237 & 246 Graham Ave, Brooklyn.

   These exhibitions are the outcomes of Design Sprints: Building Creative Capacity — a fast-paced community-led design program pairing local organizations with design professionals to activate vacant storefronts. Launched by Van Alen in 2024, Design Sprints has mobilized 60+ community leaders to date, equipping them with design training, technical assistance, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. This current cohort addresses storefront vacancy in creative ways and reinforces the vital role of culture in maintaining thriving commercial corridors, and was made possible by a $100,000 grant awarded through SBS’s Avenue NYC program.

   The Spring 2025 cohort includes: Cooper Square Committee with Scott Kelly and Delphine Le Goff; and Grand Street BID with L&L Studio, ReFrame Architecture, and Sylvia Riveros. Together, the teams activated previously empty storefronts with exhibitions that celebrate the unique histories of the Lower East Side and East Williamsburg and make community stories more visible.

   “Storefronts are an essential part of NYC’s urban landscape, and now they’re also a place of creative community storytelling. It’s thrilling to see these spaces come alive with local histories, and we’re grateful to partner with SBS on Design Sprints as part of our shared commitment to dynamic, welcoming streetscapes,” said Andrew Brown, Director of Programs, Van Alen Institute.

   “New York City’s reputation as a global leader in art and culture is one of the reasons why it attracts the best talent the world has to offer, and serves as a key driver to our economic success,” said SBS Commissioner Dynishal Gross. “Design Sprints recognizes that neighborhood-based arts are key to the strength and vibrancy of our city’s commercial corridors, driving investment and tourism, and attracting the best and brightest from far and wide. I am proud that we are supporting this initiative through our Avenue NYC program, and am eager to see Van Alen Institute’s two community-led storefront activations.”

   Participants | Projects

   COOPER SQUARE COMMITTEE

   Placeholders: Revealing the Hidden-in-Plain-Sight World of Storefronts in Affordable Housing Coops

   Location: 165 & 169 Ave C — Loisaida Ave, Manhattan

   Dates: On view through June 30, 2025

   Public Events:

   Info Session: Available Storefronts & Support for Potential Tenants | Wednesday, June 11, 6:30–7:15 pm on Zoom

   Placeholders Closing Reception | Friday, June 27, 6–8 pm, 367 E 10th St (co-hosted with Piragua Art Space & Relative Arts)

   Due to decades of grassroots organizing, the Lower East Side is home to many Housing Development Fund Corporation cooperatives (HDFCs), a unique type of affordable housing collectively owned and operated by residents. HDFCs often rent their storefronts to small businesses, artists, and nonprofits that serve local needs, nurture creativity, and express culture. Collectively, HDFCs offer a stable model for residents and small businesses facing the threat of displacement.

   Offering a glimpse into this vibrant community, Placeholders showcases items from local businesses located in HDFCs in a site-specific installation created by local artist Delphine Le Goff. Items include a camera from Fourth Street Photo Gallery, the city’s oldest Black-owned photography studio; a hand-painted mortar and pestle from Puerto Rican restaurant Casa Adela; and handmade Mexican folk art from La Sirena. The exhibition will be supplemented by a map of local businesses. 

   “This project is the first step in a longer journey towards bringing together HDFC coops and commercial tenants. I’m excited to apply the insights from this experience to Cooper Square Committee’s enduring work to preserve space for housing and culture on the Lower East Side,” said Abigail Ellman, Director of Planning and Development, Cooper Square.

   Team Members:

   • Abigail Ellman, Director of Planning and Development, Cooper Square Committee
   • Scott Kelly, Graphic Designer
   • Delphine Le Goff, Artist

   Participating Businesses: 3rd & B’zaar, A&C Kitchen, Archie’s Press, Bungee Space, Casa Adela, Clove Hair Salon, El Rinconcito, Ergot Records, Fontanez Martial Arts Success Center, Fourth Street Photo Gallery, Green Map System, Jane’s Exchange, La Sirena Mexican Folkart, Lower East Side People’s Federal Credit Union, Michele’s Cleaners & Laundry, Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space, Piccola Strada, Piragua Art Space, Relative Arts.

   More information on Cooper Square Committee: coopersquare.org

   GRAND STREET BID

   The People Make The Place!

   Le Persone Fanno Il Luogo! ¡Las Personas Hacen El Lugar!

   Storefronts: 237 & 246 Graham Ave

   Dates: On view through June 30, 2025

   Public Event: Grand Street Neighborhood Bash | Monday, June 9, 5-7 pm

   Featuring art and archival materials from neighborhood partners, The People Make the Place! spotlights East Williamsburg residents, honors the neighborhood’s leaders, and reflects its culture of co-creating public spaces. On the nearly block-long storefront at 237 Graham Ave, a photo-collage mural by L&L Studio celebrates the past, present, and future of East Williamsburg. Inspired by 1960–70s speculative design, the mural weaves together community-sourced images highlighting key places and people. It is framed by questions in Spanish, Italian, and English — languages historically spoken in the neighborhood — that prompt reflection on how viewers shape their community.

   The mural is complemented by two window activations at Grand Street BID’s headquarters, located across the street at 246 Graham Ave. Re: Place, a series of geometric sculptures by ReFrame Architecture, references the forms of storefronts. Reflective surfaces place the image of viewers within the sculptures, emphasizing the vital role of community in sustaining place. Sylvia Riveros’ photo series Toñita provides an intimate look at the Caribbean Social Club — a long-time gathering space for Puerto Rican and Latin American communities — and its remarkable founder, Maria Antonia “Toñita” Cay.

   “The Grand Street BID is excited to explore storefront activation as a community resource. Despite being private spaces, storefronts can serve critical public functions, from creating a sense of security and engaging the public, to promoting and civic life. We welcome this opportunity to highlight our local artists, leaders and histories with this project, while activating these impactful community spaces,” said Francesca Bruce, Executive Director, Grand Street BID.

   Team Members:

   • Francesca Bruce, Executive Director, Grand Street BID
   • Yaz Mansi, Community Engagement Manager, Grand Street BID
   • Leigh Mignogna, Principal & Founder, L&L Studio
   • Liz Seibert Turow, Principal & Founder, L&L Studio
   • Paula Volchok, Senior Designer, L&L Studio
   • Drianne Laliberte, Senior Designer, L&L Studio
   • Yalda Keramati, Founder, ReFrame Architecture
   • Sylvia Riveros, Community Activist & Artist

   Participating Artists: Vanesa Álvarez Díaz; Los Muralistas de el Puente; Danielle Mastrion; and SON-CORO, SINNED + Ria Burns-Wilde

   Participating Organizations: El Puente, Evergreen Exchange, St. Nick’s Alliance, Powers Street Garden

   More information on Grand Street BID: grandstreetbk.org

   PROGRAM ADVISORS

   Throughout the sprint, a team of designers has provided strategic vision and guidance for both teams: Hilary Sample, Co-Founder, MOS Architects, has advised on the cohort’s long-term plans to address storefront vacancy, with graphic design support from Stacey Geller, Founder & Creative Director, American Design Language. Farzana Gandhi, Founder, Farzana Gandhi Design Studio is helping the teams prepare public programs and community engagement activities.

   More information can be found on vanalen.org.

   Van Alen’s programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Design Sprints: Building Creative Capacity is supported by the NYC Department of Small Business Services.

   About Van Alen Institute

   Van Alen Institute is a driving force behind community-led urban design, which believes that local knowledge and care enrich the design process. Since 1894, Van Alen has invested in people with a passion for improving cities through the power of architecture and design. Our public space projects build unconventional coalitions of designers, local stakeholders, and city leaders, and we support their visions through project scoping, hands-on guidance, and seed funding. From our home in New York City, our work confronts longstanding power imbalances in citymaking, showcases the vanguard of community-led design, and supports the next generation of designers in creating more just cities.

   See all work at vanalen.org.

   About the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS)

   SBS helps unlock economic potential and create economic security for all New Yorkers by connecting New Yorkers to good jobs, creating stronger businesses, and building vibrant neighborhoods across the five boroughs. For more information on all SBS services, go to nyc.gov/sbs, call 888-SBS-4NYC, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

   About Avenue NYC

   SBS’s Avenue NYC Organizational Development Grants are specifically intended to fund nonprofit organizations to provide services and technical assistance to enhance the project and fiscal management, program execution, legal compliance, leadership, and strategic capabilities of community-based development organizations (CBDOs) implementing commercial revitalization activities benefitting low- to moderate-income communities across the five boroughs. Avenue NYC is funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. More information on Avenue NYC can be found at nyc.gov/avenuenyc.

   Media Contacts

   Alisha Kim Levin, press@vanalen.org

   Elisa Smilovitz, elisa@elisasmilovitz.com

   Joseph Jourdan, JJourdan@sbs.nyc.gov

3. Cat Garcia-Menocal

   March 13, 2025 10:28 am Comments Off on Cat Garcia-Menocal

   Cat Garcia-Menocal is an accomplished architect, designer, and founder of Garcia-Menocal Studio, known for her work in creative production, sculpture, and architectural design. As Pink Sparrow’s Creative Director, she leads a bicoastal team responsible for designing and pitching custom, immersive environments for brands, agencies, and institutions.

   Her portfolio includes collaborations with prestigious institutions and brands like the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian National Design Museum, the Met Gala, Apple, and Hermès. Prior to joining Pink Sparrow, she worked internationally in Milan and Munich, and designed a factory during the COVID-19 pandemic that produced 1.24 million pieces of PPE for NYC in collaboration with the NYC Economic Development Corporation. She holds an M.Arch from Yale School of Architecture, where she was a George Nelson Scholar and the recipient of the AIA Henry Adams Medal.

4. Yazan Mansi

   February 25, 2025 4:39 pm Comments Off on Yazan Mansi

   Born and raised in Queens, Yazan’s passion for public spaces and placemaking was cultivated by the community he grew up in. This led to him studying Public Affairs at The Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College. He was inspired to pursue a career in the public sector, with hopes of working to better the lives of his fellow New Yorkers.

   Throughout his career Yazan has acted as a communicator and placemaker, working as a liaison for the New York City Council before joining the Grand Street BID as a Community Engagement Manager. Yazan has brought his experience in community building and his passion to improve New York City to the BID, where his work focuses on cultivating the BID’s connections with both the businesses and the community of Grand Street.

5. Francesca Fernandez Bruce

   12:03 pm Comments Off on Francesca Fernandez Bruce

   A native New Yorker, Francesca is passionate about empowering communities. After several years teaching abroad, she returned to pursue a Master’s in Urban Planning at CUNY Hunter College, to further the cause of social and environmental justice. While studying, she worked with small businesses, the Port Authority of NY NJ, the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, and the NYC Department of City Planning. Missing hands-on community work, in 2024 she leapt at the chance to serve the Grand Street BID alongside a rich tapestry of neighbors, small businesses, and planners of all stripes, to build a safer, more beautiful and inclusive community.

6. Hilary Sample

   12:03 pm Comments Off on Hilary Sample

   Hilary Sample is an architect, co-founder of MOS, and professor of architecture at Columbia University GSAPP.

7. Stacey Geller

   12:03 pm Comments Off on Stacey Geller

   Stacey is a creative director dedicated to helping nonprofits and mission-driven organizations craft impactful brand identities and campaigns. Her true passion lies in creating visual concepts from the ground up, ensuring every project resonates with purpose and meaning. As the founder of American Design Language, Stacey has spent over two decades guiding clients through every step of their branding journey, from strategy to execution. After starting her career with corporate giants like Bed Bath & Beyond and Better Homes and Gardens, she shifted her focus to nonprofits and women’s health organizations, collaborating with clients such as Brooklyn Navy Yard and Let’s Talk Menopause. Stacey’s work combines strategic thinking with artistic vision, empowering organizations to share their stories and drive meaningful change.

8. René Cuenca

   12:03 pm Comments Off on René Cuenca

   René Cuenca is a New York-based community development professional with experience partnering with communities, City agencies, and designers to empower locals doing neighborhood improvement and civic engagement projects. He began his career at Design Center Pittsburgh helping organizations access architecture resources and raising awareness about the value of design in the built environment. In NYC, René led community programming at NYC Parks, advising neighborhood leaders across Manhattan on how to develop their ideas to transform public spaces into dynamic community assets. Currently at SBS’ Neighborhood Development Division, René oversees capacity building services that strengthen the long-term viability of NYC’s diverse commercial districts by servicing local emerging leaders with trainings, marketing support, roundtables, leadership programs, and nonprofit management coaching.

   As a native from El Salvador, René likes making art and crafts and going on nature walks. He is part of the Latino American Small Business Task Force and sits on the board for the Park Slope BID, the Meatpacking District, and the West Village BID.

9. Kat Lam

   12:03 pm Comments Off on Kat Lam

   LAMKAT, also known as Kat Lam, is a Brooklyn-based multi-disciplinary artist specializing in abstract geometric murals. Her work challenges the conventional mural by creating immersive pieces that expand beyond a singular wall onto surrounding surfaces like ceilings and floors. A first-generation Chinese American, Kat draws inspiration from the simplification of Chinese characters and her diverse cultural upbringing. Her work transforms walls, ceilings, and floors into vibrant, immersive experiences that inspire hope and growth through upward movement and bright colors. Since 2015, Kat’s murals have enhanced communities worldwide, from the U.S. to the Caribbean, South America, Europe, and Australia. By integrating utilitarian tools and mathematical concepts into her art, she fosters a sense of place while pushing creative boundaries for public and private clients.

   Kat is also a freelance Creative Director and has worked on national and international brands on both agency and client side at places like Droga5, Wieden+Kennedy, R/GA, and Meow Wolf.

10. Yalda Keramati

    12:03 pm Comments Off on Yalda Keramati

    Yalda Keramati is an architect and educator based in Brooklyn, New York, with experience working in Milan, Venice, and New York City. She is passionate about community-driven and accessible architecture. Yalda founded ReFrame Architecture, a research-based architecture practice in Brooklyn. She is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture. Committed to collective growth of the profession, she serves as co-chair of the AIANY Marketing and Communications Committee, and as a mentor at The Architectural League of New York.