The Herkimer Square Block Beautification Project

Not Just Hoops is working with the Herkimer Square Block Association on working on the first part of beautifying Herkimer Street and two (2) adjoining blocks, Dewey and Louis Places.  The project will provide a décor of tree guards, planters with flowers, and solar light to light up the trees at night not only to enhance the beautiful flowers adorned at the bottom of the trees but also lights up the trees at night for safety.

Not Just Hoops not only look to focused on giveaways, but help to building a community block by block. We are focused on building our community through building a relationship with neighborhood residents and listen to their needs and quality of life fulling.  The pandemic has place a strain on many residents a now the strive to achieve a sense of normalcy is a challenge. 

Working on this campaign with the members of the Block Associations will provide an avenue to interact with each other, get to know each other as well as re-build relationships and become not only residents but neighbors. This project will also give our residents the opportunity to heal and overcome the mental health challenges caused by devastating loss that the world has faced these past two years.  Residents working on neighborhood projects, especially projects involving planting and beautifying your block is very therapeutic for our seniors and creates a learning environment for our community youth.

Funds will go to beautifying the three block radius of the Herkimer Square Block Association.  The beautification project will be done in three (3) phases.  Phase 1 – the beautification of 10 trees and stability/repair of their tree guards. This will prevent dogs from destroying the flowers that will be installed.  Phase 2 – the planting of flowers and installation of solar lights that will be strategically placed along these trees.  The solar lights will not only enhance the flowers but will also provide an additional safety. Phase 3 - five (5) large granite stand-alone planters will be strategically place on these blocks for beautification as well.   The planters will house flowers, solar lights along with other decorations that will also enhance beautifying the blocks.  These planters will be decorated throughout the year in celebrations of holidays, seasons and special events. 

This beautification project will be therapeutic for our residents, especially our seniors.  This is also a great way for neighbors to mingle, get some exercise, fresh air and stay active.  The funding will also assist with beautifying neighbors’ yards with painting of the gates that need painting along with placing flowers in planters and inside ground gardens neighborhood residents’ yards.

Part One of the Beautification Project will run from July through September and the steps will be as follows:

Step one -The Beautification Committee of The Herkimer Square Block Association will make a recommendation as to which trees should be part of the beautification project on each of the three (3) blocks.

Step two – Flyers, email blasts and texts will be sent out throughout the neighborhood informing the residents of the project and asking for any volunteers to help bring this project to fruition.

Step three – Person from Beautification Committee will work with Not Just Hoops as to volunteers that will be part of the purchasing of the items required for the beautification project.

Step four – Setting a date with volunteers start the purchase of the items required to start the beautification process.

Step five – Preparation of the trees, i.e. cleaning debris, garbage, etc. from the trees that will be part of the beautification project.

Step six – The planting of flowers, solar lights and other decorations inside the trees and stand-alone planters.

Step seven -  Not Just Hoops and the Herkimer Square Block Association will host a celebration for the neighborhood residents for the completion of this beautification project and also jumpstart the continuation of its upkeep and maintenance throughout the year.

Not Just Hoops mainstay is located on Herkimer Street between Howard Ave and Saratoga Avenues.  These cross avenues are the streets that incorporate the three (3) blocks that we look to support the beautification project.  One of Not Just Hoops goals is to be a resource center for the community and that incorporates the hub where Not Just Hoops is located.

Also, Herkimer Street is a part of Central Brooklyn where the gentrification is moving forward at a rapid rate.  Many young and successful people are relocating to Brooklyn because of the beautiful brownstones, the many restaurants & cafes as well as the convenience of transportation to museums, theatre, fine dining restaurants as well as the nightlife that Manhattan has to offer.

 The senior residents as well as the new residents have a right to live on beautiful blocks to compliment the beautiful brownstones and history of Bedford-Stuyvesant.  Lastly, the residents of this community needs to have a sense of normalcy as the City moves forward from the Pandemic and create a new normal that is now upon us.