"New York City is home to the nation's largest, most comprehensive network of Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) in the country. The City's 64 BIDs annually invest close to $100 million worth of programs and services in neighborhoods across the five boroughs."Source: New York City Small Business Services
At the development sites observed this summer, community opposition and community support have impacted the transition. Often, a Business Improvement District (BID) serves as a community-based organized means for shaping development and viability of communities. BIDs (and other special municipally-recognized categorizations) can be a cause or result of neighborhood transitions such as gentrification, displacement, demographic and cultural shifts, or physical transformations. BIDs can voice the concerns of small business owners and tenants opposing wealthy developers or influencing local politicians to ensure positive, locally-supported development.
Columbus Circle
The Lincoln Square BID was established in 1996 focused on physical improvements of the area’s public spaces, malls, and parks, and to promote local businesses. Demolition of the Coliseum in the late 80s and increased residential development led to the 'upscaling' of the neighborhood from its vaudevillian era. The Times Warner building construction in 2004 and subsequent Mandarin Hotel and Shops at Columbus Circle solidified the transition to a bustling prestigious locale. Columbus Circle’s architecture and green public space anchor the intersection and community with its seating, fountains, monuments and place-making sculptures. The neighborhood has emerged as a place in its own right, distinct from the Upper West Side, Central Park, and Hell’s Kitchen crossroads it once served as.
Atlantic Yards
Several Brooklyn-area BIDs operate under the umbrella of the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, an organization whose mission is “to coordinate the economic development activities in Downtown Brooklyn and ensure implementation of public and private development projects in the area”. MetroTech BID, the Fulton Mall Improvement Association, and the Court-Livingston-Schermerhorn BID are included in the partnership and have not officially opposed or supported the Atlantic Yards development while acknowledging the expected increase in revenue to Brooklyn. The Myrtle Avenue BID has worked to preserve the character of nearby neighborhoods, supporting rezoning efforts to preserve affordability and physical character of the Fort Greene and Clinton Hill neighborhoods. The Fulton Area Business Alliance has focused on safety, streetscaping, and sanitation along the Fulton retail corridor, marketing existing businesses and anticipating increased foot traffic as a result of the development.
Times Square
Since its start in the early 90s, the Times Square Alliance has fostered the transition of Times Square, capitalizing on the crackdown on crime of the municipal administrations. The organization's stated goals are to make Times Square “cleaner, safer and more welcoming”, aligning well with the “Disney-ification” of the area in recent decades. The BID has worked to attract family-friendly hotels and retail as well as encouraged tourism and pedestrian activities. Increasing rents, revived entertainment, and residential development represent progress for an area dependent on visitor spending. In addition, the inclusion of seating and traffic-calming measures demonstrate the area’s transition to a welcoming destination.
High Line
The High Line abandoned initial plans to establish a BID to assist with funding the park’s maintenance; however, local merchant associations and community-based organizations including Save Chelsea, the Meatpacking District Improvement Association, and Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation have worked to advocate for historic preservation and against ‘over-development’ of the neighborhoods. Even the nearby Flatiron – 23rd Street BID has weighed in on development plans that could impact building rents. While the High Line has largely been viewed as a successful and welcome addition to the neighborhoods, some controversy still exists regarding its funding and impact on existing businesses and residents as the area becomes more expensive. Historic District designation has saved the physical character of some buildings, but innovative architecture and increasing property values and rents are influencing the cultural/demographic make-up of the area surrounding the High Line, prompting new uses.
