Thanks to everyone for all the support we've received since announcing that we're moving from Manhattan. We've also gotten a lot of questions and wanted to provide answers to some of the concerns that have come up most frequently.
Are we closing down?
Nah, son.
Why are we moving?
In a word: Gentrification.
In some more words: Moinian is the landlord organization that owns the historic Miss Major-Jay Toole building at 147 W 24th Street. Moinian has increased our monthly rent over the past 9 years (from around $2,400 to nearly $10K) and this has been unsustainable for some time. Because we know our work to be far from finished, we are making this move back to Fort Greene to save, fundraise, and intentionally plan for a future in a more permanent and accessible home.
Where are we moving to?
Back to our original office in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.
What’s happening to the Manhattan office?
That's up to Moinian, the landlord organization (and/or the remaining organizations who call the building home).
Are y'all planning to stay in the Brooklyn office forever?
Nah. It's a smaller space lacking an elevator, which we already know is not what our people need or desire for our organizing work.
What happens around accessibility for the Brooklyn office?
ALP Brooklyn is less than 4 minutes from the Lafayette Avenue C train and has a total of 14 steps (separated by landings of 3-8-3 steps) between the front door on the ground floor and our office space. During the Restoration Period (now through June 2020), some of our community forums will be held in our Brooklyn office, but throughout our stay, we intend to lean on our community partners for whom we have offered free/low-cost space for workshops and meetings in the past.
Join us in our Manhattan office for Monday Moving Parties this December and we can brainstorm specifics on your needs together.