Vanderbilt Avenue Open Street Marshal

Employment type: part-time, approximately 6-18 hours/week 

Hourly rate of pay: $25/hour

Start date: August 1, 2023

Duration: August–October 2023, with possibility to extend

Location: Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, NY

Description

The Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Council (PHNDC) is inviting applications for Marshal positions to support our Open Streets program. PHNDC partners with the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) to run the Prospect Heights Open Streets on Vanderbilt Avenue and Underhill Avenue. The Vanderbilt Avenue Open Street operates every weekend spring through fall, during which we close six blocks of the avenue to traffic on Friday evenings, Saturdays and Sundays, to open the street for outdoor dining, entertainment, family programming, walking, biking, playing and for neighbors and visitors to meet up. The Underhill Avenue Open Street runs year-round and hosts light programming events once or twice a week in the spring and summer seasons.

PHNDC is a volunteer-based not-for-profit civic organization currently in the fourth year of Open Streets organizing. We are looking for enthusiastic and motivated Marshals to set up and break down equipment necessary to operate Vanderbilt Avenue Open Streets, maintain correct configuration of safety equipment during event hours, facilitate setup and breakdown of programming events, and perform supplementary sanitation tasks.

Responsibilities

• Retrieval and setup of barriers, cones, and other equipment along Vanderbilt Avenue Open Street from Atlantic Avenue to Park Place according to established procedure.
• Monitoring event operations by continuously circulating through the Vanderbilt Avenue Open Street independently:
  • Observing barriers and other equipment during shift hours, and correcting the placement of any equipment moved by others;
  • Removing and sealing trash bags from street trash cans along the Open Street, and replacing with empty bags;
  • Monitoring restaurant service areas in the roadbed of the Open Street to ensure compliance with Department of Transportation regulations, and advising restaurant management of any issues of non-compliance;
  • Preparing locations along the Open Street for programming events as directed by supervisors, together with breakdown of such locations following the completion of programming events;
  • Greeting any programming participant (e.g., musical acts, artists) arriving at the event, providing them with water as needed, and checking in with them in case of inclement weather and assisting as needed;
  • Advising visitors to the Open Street of any unpermitted behavior (i.e., open fires, unlicensed vending, unpermitted sound devices), and logging such behavior to report to supervisors, but not engaging in enforcement;
  • Assisting emergency vehicles with safe access to blocks on the Open Street that have been closed to all other traffic;
  • Reporting any emergency situations to 911, and logging such incidents to report to supervisors; and
  • Escalating any operational issues to supervisors.
• Breakdown and storage of barriers and other equipment along the Open Street as specified according to established procedure.

What we expect from you

You should have a minimum of one year professional experience in event operations, be able to work independently, and have excellent spoken communication skills. You should be able to work in a dynamic environment and be comfortable interacting with a wide range of stakeholders, including other event staff, volunteers, community residents, visitors, local business owners, DOT, NYPD, and MTA staff. This is an outdoor job with shifts on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. You should be physically prepared to work outdoors, spending the majority of working time on your feet. Our program operates rain or shine, so you should be comfortable working in rain as well as hot and humid weather. Please also be advised that the position involves lifting and moving equipment such as traffic cones, metal barriers, and folding furniture.

We are looking for applicants who are attentive to detail, proactive, thoughtful and resourceful, and have strong problem-solving skills. Experience with the Open Streets program or other DOT initiatives is a bonus but not required.

How to apply

Send a resume and cover letter stating your interest and qualifications, and contact details of two references to PHNDC at [email protected]. Feel free to contact us with questions or inquiries regarding this position. Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis.

Who is PHNDC?

Since its founding in 2004, the Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Council (PHNDC) has been the leading civic organization providing advocacy for neighborhood-wide issues on behalf of the residents and businesses of Prospect Heights. Its programs have engaged and received the support of thousands of community members in Prospect Heights and its environs. In addition, PHNDC holds public meetings on subjects of interest to residents of Prospect Heights, including historic preservation, transportation policy, and local development. PHNDC sponsors non-partisan public forums for candidates for local elected offices. PHNDC also provides technical and operational support to block associations and community organizations within Prospect Heights. 

What is the Open Streets program?

NYC Open Streets was established by the NYC DOT during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to create more public space. PHNDC operates two Open Streets in partnership with NYC DOT: Vanderbilt Avenue and Underhill Avenue. PHNDC’s support of these programs is in keeping with its mission to build a safer, more just and sustainable neighborhood. NYC’s Open Streets program allows communities to embrace new public space and support small businesses. Open Streets prioritize pedestrians and cyclists by transforming streets into public space. These transformations allow for a range of activities, support local businesses, and create opportunities for New Yorkers to gather together safely.

The Vanderbilt Open Street is the only volunteer-run Open Street of its kind in Brooklyn, and one of the most visible in New York City. Dozens of community members have volunteered to help plan and manage the program, conduct neighborhood outreach, raise funds, schedule programming, and design an attractive and safe environment for the thousands of visitors who enjoy the avenue during Open Street hours. The program also employs staff who deploy and monitor the barriers that close Vanderbilt Avenue to traffic and provide supplemental sanitation assistance while the Open Street is in operation.

Vanderbilt Avenue’s Open Street program began in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic as an economic relief initiative intended to help restaurants remain open, keep staff employed and serve customers. Today, more than twenty restaurants on Vanderbilt Avenue help fund the program, as well as assist in its operations. The Open Street is further funded through donations from community members, local businesses, and corporate sponsors, with additional funding from the City of New York.