[waxie]

First, a little background....

I am going to work for a businessman who primarly works in one neighborhood of a major East Coast city. He owns a resturant, part of a bank, a bunch of office and retail space, and some residential units. He has a small staff that works directly for him. I will be joining that group.

My new boss is extremely committed to his neighborhood. He has lived there forever and generally has broad community support for his projects. He also sits on a lot of boards and is involved in politics. I think he has been sucessful because he really cares about the community and is seen as more that just a businessman.

I am 22 years old and I will be moving to another neighborhood. This neighborhood is undergoing a rapid transformation. The best comparison is Williamsburg in Brooklyn. I would like to similarly get involved in this emerging community and try to play a similar role.

Any thoughts? How does a small business owner and/or developer cooperate effectivly with community groups? How can developers be viewed as assets rather than an enemy to fight?