BID Summary

Facts on the Business Improvement Districts influencing/influenced by Columbus Circle, Times Square, and Atlantic Yards.

New York City is one of the most dense urban areas in the Unites States having set the standard for mixed use, multi-family/multi-unit development, and the accompanying traffic and pedestrians.  Each of the areas in my four-week study has changed over time to address traffic and pedestrians needs, incorporating residential concerns and commercial viability with structural resources.  Some areas have balanced the public vs. private better than others, resulting in appealing and improved spaces with a strong sense of place.   A crucial element that reflects this balance is the inclusion of public/open space in development plans that encourages a range of diverse uses.

Columbus Circle, Atlantic Yards, Times Square, and the High Line all include public/open spaces, either privately-owned such as commercial plazas, city-owned such as parks and intersections, or a combination of private/public such as DOT/BID-encouraged pop-up cafes, intersection improvements, and traffic-calming.  

Sources:

Project for Public Spaces “The Big Apple Hall of Shame” 

http://www.cleanhippie.net/2010/05/  

The Independent "New York turns Times Square into al fresco dining area" April 2011

AM New York Concessions planned for Times Square pedestrian plazas 3/29/11

The Architects Newspaper 09.30.2010 "NEW FRONT YARD FOR ATLANTIC YARDS: SHoP unveils design for temporary plaza outside Barclays Center arena" 

High Line BID Alternatives: Community Representation Beyond the BID

While not directly served by a municipally-approved Business Improvement District (BID), the communities along the High Line are not without representation. Property and business owners in Chelsea, Greenwich Village, and the Meatpacking District have organized various citizens groups, many aimed to preserve the historic buildings and advocate on behalf of local merchants. While many support the High Line development and welcome the subsequent commercial revitalization, these organizations also work to retain and preserve affordability and diversity of the existing business owners, a balance that is difficult to maintain as development increases.

Source: http://gis.nyc.gov/doitt/nycitymap/ with author additions

, established in 2010, works to manage the neighborhood's public plazas and provide programming to "promote and enliven" the neighborhood and serves as "a collective voice for businesses regarding area changes, relationships with governmental agencies and other community groups". (Meatpacking District Initiative)

High Line - Insufficient support for BID

While many transitioning area residents and businesses have organized to manage development, the High Line developers were unable to generate adequate support for a business improvement district (BID).  In 2009, The High Line Improvement District Steering Committee sought community support for the BID with a plan for the BID to cover "park maintenance services on the High Line itself and possibly the access points to the High Line, not the more usual street level, district-wide security and sanitation services that most BIDs focus on." (High Line FAQs)