Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz set ambitious goals of stimulating the borough's economy and encouraging high-end development in the annual State of the Borough Address Thursday. Borough reporter Jeanine Ramirez filed the following report.

Borough President Marty Markowitz is known as Brooklyn's biggest cheerleader, and during his State of the Borough address in Manhattan Beach Thursday night, he defended the importance of his position.

"Despite what you might read in editorials in some of our tabloids which don't have a clue, and would like nothing more than to see the elimination of borough presidents, the real story is that every single day my office fights to make sure Brooklyn gets its fair share," said Markowitz.

A fair share of access to supermarkets is one of his initiatives, with plans to provide more healthy food options in underserved neighborhoods.

Another is creating the Brooklyn Academy of Global Finances at Middle School 57 in Bedford-Stuyvesant, that help prepare students for business careers starting this fall.

"By next year maybe these kids will have some ideas about fixing this economy. I'm confident they'll do it better than Wall Street," said the borough president.

Markowitz also wants to revamp the Municipal Building at 210 Joralemon Street that sits right across from his office, and wants the City Department of Finance to move out and for retailers to move in.

"Which stores would thrive there? How about Crate and Barrel. Nordstrom, Saks Off Fifth Avenue. It's all possible," he said.

The borough president said the city's first IKEA that opened in Red Hook last year has the top sales in the country. He also urged Brooklynites to keep spending money locally and will expand the holiday "Shop Brooklyn" campaign to other times throughout the year with stores and restaurants offering discount deals.

Markowitz also used the state of the borough address to push for a project that's near and dear to his heart - the controversial Atlantic Yards development.

While lawsuits and the financial crisis have slowed down construction, Markowitz is optimistic about the arena for the Nets and the housing being built along with it, hinting federal stimulus money may keep the project moving along.

"When it comes to ambitious shovel-ready projects, we say, 'Build baby build,'" said Markowitz. "Atlantic Yards? Yes we can, and yes we will."

Markowitz also gave a progress report on another pet project, the amphitheater at Asser Levy Park in Coney Island where he holds his summer concert series. He says it is now in the design and development phase.