Mangrove Community Wealth

introducing mangrove community wealth

Urbane and its strategic non-profit partner, Mangrove Community Wealth, work together bound by the belief that communities can shape and benefit from neighborhood growth when they inform processes and own assets. 

While Urbane focuses on building the physical foundation — investing in real estate, infrastructure, and commercial hubs — Mangrove expands the impact by delivering programs that allow these spaces to become Centers of Excellence engines of economic mobility and generational wealth for the entire neighborhood. 

Our work goes beyond creating housing and jobs — we are building an ecosystem where local businesses thrive, cultural identity is celebrated, and community ownership is the norm. Through years of iteration and hard work, learning from both the valleys and the peaks, we have created a blueprint for neighborhood prosperity we aim to scale.  

how it all started

In 2017, Urbane became the steward of Flatbush Central — a historic marketplace in Brooklyn that had long served as a hub for Caribbean vendors and small businesses. Urbane’s goal was not simply to preserve Flatbush Central, but to evolve it into a model for community-led economic development. 

Recognizing that physical spaces alone are not enough to create lasting change, Urbane launched Mangrove Community Wealth in 2022 as a dedicated nonprofit organization to drive programming and business incubation in these spaces. Mangrove was designed to act as the programmatic engine — delivering the tools, support, and training needed to turn community investment into sustainable economic mobility. 

For its first year, Mangrove operated under Urbane’s umbrella, with Urbane providing fiscal, operational, and staffing support while Mangrove established itself as an independent entity. In September 2023, Mangrove received its federal tax exemption, positioning it to take on full operational control of Flatbush Central’s programming and expansion efforts.

Now, Mangrove is actively scaling its model to other urban communities nationally, focusing on 4 major practice areas:

1. Center of Excellence Federation - Leading conversation among 10 cities: New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Norfolk, Richmond, Milwaukee, Mobile, Birmingham, and St. Paul.

2. Small Business Services - Providing technical assistance, funding access, and capacity-building for local entrepreneurs, including the signature Mangrove Business Academy curriculum.

3. Community Investment Vehicles - Developing shared ownership and governance models to increase community control over assets. 

4. Next-Gen Development Models - Exploring and integrating cutting-edge infrastructure and technologies, such as Power Parks, smart grids, broadband infrastructure, and bio-materials pilots. 

Flatbush Central

A model in action

Flatbush Central

Flatbush Central is the clearest demonstration of this ecosystem in practice. Located in Brooklyn, Flatbush Central is a 15,000 square-foot facility that combines retail, production, and cultural programming to create a thriving hub for Caribbean vendors and entrepreneurs. 

Flatbush Central includes:

  • 32 retail market booths - Providing affordable spaces for legacy Caribbean vendors.
  • A food hall and 2 bars - Showcasing Caribbean cuisine and driving foot traffic.
  • A shared production kitchen and test kitchen - Offering affordable access to production facilities for food entrepreneurs. 
  • Creative studios - Supporting local artisans and designers with access to equipment and workspaces. 
  • Cultural programming - Hosting events and workshops that celebrate Caribbean culture and connect the community. 

This model isn't just about creating jobs - it's about creating pathways for ownership, financial independence, and long-term community wealth.

Scaling the Impact 

The success of Flatbush Central is not the end goal — it’s the blueprint. Mangrove is doubling down its efforts on Flatbush Central to continuously improve its programming and expand its impact. The Mangrove is also building on this model to expand into other communities in New York and Philadelphia. 

Through strategic partnerships with local governments, nonprofits, and businesses, Urbane and Mangrove are working together to create more Centers of Excellence — spaces that reflect the identity of their communities while generating long-term prosperity and shared ownership. 

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