I just heard from a knowledgeable friend that the Center for the Urban Environment has closed its doors for good. Their website is down and the staff has been let go.
I know nothing more than that at this time.
The closing of this 30-year-old organization is a real loss to Brooklyn. Since 2001, Sandi Franklin ran the CUE and expanded its
programming, and cultivated new partnerships to allow CUE to become a
leading educational guide to a greener New York City. Under her leadership, the Center relocated its headquarters from Prospect Park to 7th
Street between 3rd and 2nd Avenues in the Gowanus Canal area, where they occupied one of the first green buildings of its
kind in the borough.
Recently they launched the Sustainable Business Network NYC, worked in nearly
every school in Park Slope, established three environmentally-themed
high schools, and spearheaded Brooklyn's first and largest green
conference, Green Brooklyn…Green City.
.
What very sad news. John Muir started BCUE with a wonderful concept for urban environmental education for young and old. I was hopeful that his successor would be able to keep and expand the program with a better grasp of the economics of running a non-profit and a more responsive board. With their move to a new, green buliding and expanded program it looked like a great and growing concern. I’m really sorry to learn, belatedly, that it didn’t work out.
The Board slept while an ED who was in need of serious help (fiscal and psych counseling) mismanaged almost every aspect of the org. Only the hard work of a very dedicated and patient staff kept it going for so long.
Well, having been on a number of non-profit organizations’ boards, I’d have to say that the executive director is always required to report all things financial to the board – the board is really the ed’s “boss” – so, I’m wondering where the board was in all of this.
Apparently so – i wanted to reserve one of their tours and the voice mail on x260 says ‘effective immediately were are closed’. Very unfortunate.
Duh, sorry, just asked this Q on another post. I should have known you’d have been all over it!!
Sandi Franklin did a lot to expand the organization and its mission but in the end she ran the place into the ground through fiscal mismanagement. This will all come out soon. For now, it’s just very sad…