About the Coalition

The Coalition for a Better Brewster, Inc. (CBB) is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1992 for the purpose of the revitalization of Brewster Village, particularly the downtown/Main Street area. Members are residents, business owners, landlords and supportive visitors. CBB works with governments, churches and other organizations.

The Coalition's early efforts targeted clean-up and promotion as affordable visible changes and a means to attract positive attention to Brewster Village. Main Street had at that time 13 vacant storefronts and a burnt out derelict bar/hotel within a three- block area. Local resources were optimized through improved communication and collaboration with the various entities in Brewster, including Village and Town governments, residents, property owners, merchants, churches and other organizations.

The CBB 1992 Re-Discover Brewster Street Fair received a first place award from NYCOM for downtown revitalization efforts. Re-named in 1993 the 17th Annual Founder's Day Main Street Community Street Fair is scheduled for 10/5/08. True to its collaborative beginnings, the day starts with Brewster Rotary's Annual Putnam County Fall Classic, a half-marathon and 5K walk/run that has the Start/Finish line in the middle of Main Street. As other local organizations develop management of the Street Fair components it continues to grow as an inclusive celebration and attraction.

Other on-going annual events that the Coalition continues to sponsor include a Holiday Tree Lighting (a Main Street walk and sing-a-long, beginning at the Southeast Museum and looping around Main Street, culminating in a tree lighting at the Walter Brewster House) instituted in 1992. This has grown into a Village Lighting with many buildings involved and many former residents return to participate. The Southeast Museum and Landmarks Preservation Society are co-sponsors. The early (1992-3) Main Street Market Days became the Brewster Farmers' Market, begun with seed money (one time award of $5000.) from the Town of Southeast, in-kind services from the Village of Brewster, and located over the years in the Town or Village municipal parking lots. 2008 marks the 14th season of this FMNP market, which continues to draw to the downtown and serves as a forum for people to meet, greet, celebrate improvements and target problems on Main Street. Other events /efforts have included a banner program, the Brewster Project (a site-specific Arts exhibition), downtown music festivals, and group advertising and promotions.

CBB applied for and received a grant from ESDC to hire a consulting firm to develop a formal downtown analysis and recommendations package, completed in 1999 by Saccardi and Schiff. This was augmented with funds acquired through Assemblyman Willis Stephens, Jr. to create a marketing package presenting a cohesive view of the Village for potential investors in the Brewster area.

The CBB Wish List has been pretty well covered as critical infrastructure improvements have been addressed by a series of proactive Village Boards and the engineering firm of Folchetti & Assoc., as well as the attention of NYS Senator Vinnie Leibell,  US Senator Chuck Schumer and more. Village storefronts are mostly full, and façade improvements (Jack & Jill, 20 Main St., and others, and the complete rehabilitation of 50 Main into housing and new Village of Brewster offices via Senator Leibell) and a major investment by MTA in a new station plaza are all enormous visible changes accomplished by state and local collaboration. Many downtown and government entities participate in Team Brewster meetings monthly at the Walter Brewster House to coordinate Village efforts and initiatives. A primary purpose of the CBB continues to be encouraging the type of event and promotion activity to remind folks that you use it or lose it when it comes to Main Streets and Main Street is still the heart of a community. We are seeing new models in shopping destinations and residential planning that indicate created Main Streets; it seems that if a project doesn’t have one, they build it, and then comes the nurturing part.


Board Members (2008)

Officers:
Mark Buzzetto, President (business owner, Brewster Flower Garden)
Irene Hagan, Vice-President (resident and former Brewster Village Mayor)

Members at large:
KC Anderson, (former business owner, Brewster Consignment ) Verna Bergstrom, (resident and former Village Trustee)
James I. Nixon, III, (resident, architect & community design)
Jack Gress, (resident and owner of  Someday Retirement Community)

All photos from the 2007 Street Fair.