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January 2001 The member institutions begin to draft organizational documents for the creation of their partnership as an independent nonprofit. Heart of Brooklyn begins to take shape as an innovative extension of the members’ previous collaborations, including flagship programs such as the Trolley. HOB’s Trolley provides a fun and free way to visit member institutions on weekends and federal holidays.

February – April 2001 Heart of Brooklyn receives planning funding from the Wallace Foundation for out of school learning. This leading support enables the organization to start its planning process: selecting a consultant, beginning focus groups and committee meetings, and community outreach.

June 2001 HOB is formally incorporated.

September 2001 Heart of Brooklyn participates in the West Indian Day Parade, a beloved Eastern Parkway celebration and the largest parade in North America. HOB’s first march in the parade establishes an annual tradition, complete with giveaways and a Caribbean DJ.

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February 2002 Heart of Brooklyn has its public launch at Grand Army Plaza with Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz in attendance. Local press outlets such as the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn Papers, and Daily News cover the launch.

At this time, HOB also starts attending regional street fairs, increasing its community presence and providing information about its members.

March – May 2002 Heart of Brooklyn initiates two of its most distinctive programs, its Visitor Survey and Member Calendar. HOB begins working with Alan S. Brown to understand visitation patterns among its institutions. The Member Calendar is constructed in response to the visitor request for an easy reference to events across the HOB sites. The calendar, a brightly colored trifold brochure distributed throughout the borough, becomes an easily recognizable resource for visitors and residents.  

June – August 2002 HOB begins administration of Brooklyn Cultural Adventures Program (BCAP), the innovative, collaborative day camp operating since 1998. BCAP’s distinctive approach to learning gives campers hands on-experiences in a variety of settings throughout HOB’s institutions. The camp reflects a broad-cross section of Brooklyn’s cultural and economic diversity, engaging campers from different backgrounds. Summer 2002’s sessions are quickly sold out, with a waiting list of families.

September – October 2002 HOB’s innovative model receives support from a number of visionary funders, including Independence Community Foundation and MAT Charitable Foundation, Robert Sterling Clark, and New York Community Trust.

November – December 2002 HOB presents the findings from the fall sampling of its Visitor Survey. Notable findings include the fact that HOB members have the most diverse audience of NYC cultural institutions, and that there is great usage by proximal residents. HOB also launches a website to present information about its partnership and upcoming events online.

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February 2003 HOB launches the Neighborhood Weekends program at Ebbets Field Houses. The inaugural event attracts 150 participants to a weekend celebration of culture and exploration at HOB member organizations. 

June – July 2003 HOB holds its second Neighborhood Weekends event with Red Hook Houses, drawing over 600 participants.

August – September 2003 With support from Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation, HOB engages the services of Sydney Wayman, an economic development consultant, to analyze the potential for commercial corridor revitalization. His research forms Crown Heights Renaissance, a plan to promote, strengthen, and beautify the commercial corridors for residents and visitors.

In addition, HOB launches BKLYN Magazine, a quarterly publication highlighting the diverse businesses, personalities, and neighborhoods in the borough. In partnership with Underline Communications, HOB distributes the magazine free of charge throughout Brooklyn and lower Manhattan. The Member Calendar is inserted into issues of BKLYN, significantly increasing the calendar’s circulation.

October – November 2003 HOB begins Heartbeat, a monthly e-newsletter promoting a specific weekend’s events. Like the Member Calendar, this email provides a weekend snapshot of activities across HOB’s six institutions.

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February – June 2004 With support from Arts & Business Council of New York, HOB starts planning for Experience the Heart of Brooklyn, a cultural tourism program with the help of consultant Jennifer Ackerson.  HOB also joins the Steering Committee for the Initiative for a Competitive Brooklyn and for Borough Hall’s Visitor and Tourism Center. As the first year of CHR research comes to a close, HOB starts to draft an action plan based on the research findings.

July – August 2004 In its sixth year, BCAP offers a 4-week camp option, which is quickly sold out, as well as its regular 2-week program.

HOB begins a pilot of BCAP Express, a program where day camps can schedule custom visits to HOB institutions. BCAP Express welcomes over 400 participants to member institutions in its first season.

September – December 2004 Renovations start on 789 Washington Avenue, HOB’s future office space.

HOB’s tourism initiative is featured as model project at Governor’s Tourism Conference in Lake Placid, NY.

A first draft of the CHR plan is circulated to the community, beginning with a series of monthly meetings with local elected officials and merchant associations to assess partner readiness.

The ownership of BKLYN Magazine is transferred. Townhouse Communications, a new, Brooklyn-based publisher, assumes editorial and distribution control of the magazine. HOB continues to insert the Member Calendar in the publication as part of this new relationship.

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January – February 2005 HOB holds a ribbon-cutting ceremony on February 14, 2005 to open its new office space. The community office is located in a storefront on Washington Avenue, a major commercial corridor of Crown Heights.

HOB engages Melissa Wadman, an education research consultant, to analyze the school visitation of member institutions.

March – June 2005 HOB begins operating from its new office space
in March 2005.

HOB and Borough Hall host a tourism education workshop for tourism stakeholders throughout the borough. HOB begins to attend trade shows such as POW WOW, GLAMER, ABA and NTA to cultivate various segments of the tourism industry.

HOB and Brooklyn Borough Hall hold Brooklyn Best, a weekend of programs and performances on June 4 and 5, 2005. Highlights include an outdoor screening of Star Wars at Prospect Park, the Basquiat exhibit at Brooklyn Museum, and mini-golf at Grand Army Plaza.

With the support of Con Edison and NYC SBS, HOB plans for a CHR promotional neighborhood brochure in cooperation with local merchants associations and merchants.

HOB engages Joanna Warren-Smith, a nationally renowned camp consultant, to begin an independent evaluation of BCAP during its 2005 season.

July 2005 HOB hosts two teams of youth artists from Groundswell Mural Program over the summer. The muralists create two vibrantly colored murals on Washington Avenue depicting women activists.

September 2005 Joanna Warren-Smith enthusiastically reports on her evaluation of BCAP. She states that “BCAP is one of the most engaging and culturally rich camps I have encountered in the last 20 years in the camping industry” and suggests that the program is a replicable model.

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February 2006 HOB, Borough Hall, and Leisure Pass North America hold a press launch for The Brooklyn Pass, a 2-day multi-attraction pass that offers admission and special offers throughout the borough. The Pass is featured in articles in the Daily News, Metro, and Brooklyn Papers.

March 2006 The Brooklyn Pass goes on sale to the public. Passes are available at www.brooklynpass.com and selected retail outlets.

April 2006 CHR neighborhood brochures are distributed to businesses on local commercial corridors. These promotional pieces contain a map locating cultural and educational resources in Crown Heights, and feature insert cards detailing local businesses. The brochures work to brand the unique resources of each commercial corridor and stimulate interest in local merchants.

May 2006Heart of Brooklyn relaunches its website. The new site, created by The Brandon Store, offers a comprehensive look at the educational, cultural, and commercial resources of the neighborhood. In addition, the site integrates HOB’s Member Calendar in an easy to use format, helping visitors find out about upcoming events.