The leader of the Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce has a vision to see future businesses cash in on the city”™s “jackpots.”
“We would like to see luxury affordable apartments here around the train stations,” said Frank Fraley, president of the 150-member business group.
“There are three transportation hubs that Mount Vernon is blessed to have, and the vision for those three stations is really mini-cities unto themselves. There is no reason developers shouldn”™t look at those locations as real jackpots for future business; we”™re 22 minutes from Grand Central.
The right kind of housing and retail there would be a gold mine. It is our long-term vision to see those things happen.”
Fraley took the reins of the Mount Vernon chamber in July 2008.
“Since then, the largest initiative to date was just done last month, and that was the first Mount Vernon Business Expo,” said Fraley, the former chief of staff for the city of Mount Vernon. “We partnered with the city and together we were able to put together seminars, a large exhibit for businesses located here in Mount Vernon and showcase the city”™s restaurants. It was free and open to the public. We had a very action-packed, two-day kickoff and I think it”™s going to be the start of great things to come. We were all feeling very positive about our city.”
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The chamber represents the entire city, he said.
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“We”™re not mom and pop only, we”™re not large corporation only and we”™re not anti-industrial,” Fraley said. “We are open for business, and we”™re open to new members. I”™ve increased our membership probably 30 or 40 percent in 2009.”
Fraley said chamber members range from big-box stores like Target on Sanford Boulevard to the neighborhood barber shop on Gramatan Avenue.
The goal, he said, is the recirculation of wealth within the Mount Vernon community.
“I”™m trying to keep money here in Mount Vernon,” Fraley said.
Fraley acknowledged the city has a perception problem when it comes to safety.
“We have got to bring crime under control to make people comfortable in their environment and more apt to stay here and spend their money in the business district,” he said. ”˜Most crime is isolated incidents, but that is not the perception when it hits the front page of a newspaper. It does seem to make people more fearful in their own communities.”
Fraley said he would like to see the city”™s parking garages “made more comfortable because in many cases, because some of the garages have fallen into disrepair, the merchants don”™t park their cars there, and if those garages were in better condition there would be more opportunities for the public to come and go. We need a more commodious atmosphere so our merchants and shoppers can have a place to park.”
The chamber is planning its annual gala awards dinner at the Bronxville Field Club on Dec. 3. For information, visit www.mtvernonchamber.org.
