BID Expansion Gains Momentum
The 82nd Street Partnership is leading a community effort to expand its district boundaries along Roosevelt Avenue from 81st Street to 114th Street. The future
Jackson Heights - Corona Business Improvement District, proposed earlier this year by
Councilmember Julissa Ferreras as part of the
New Deal for Roosevelt Avenue, also includes the vital stretch of Junction Boulevard from Roosevelt Avenue to 34th Avenue; and the busy commercial and cultural center at Corona Plaza. Currently in its planning phase, the Partnership and Councilmember Ferreras have joined with local groups including the
Queens Chamber of Commerce,
Make the Road New York,
Immigrant Movement International,
Corona Community Action Network and the
Queens Economic Development Corporation, to educate property owners, small business owners and residents on the benefits of the BID. To read more about the plan, including information on the Steering Committee and project timeline, please visit
www.JHCoronaBID.org
New Bike Corral Adds Parking for 14
The City's Department of Transportation recently installed a bicycle corral near the corner of 82nd Street and Roosevelt Avenue. According to DOT, "This design is a great solution for places where demand for bicycle parking outstrips the available sidewalk space." Maintained by the 82nd Street Partnership, the corral--one of just twenty citywide--provides much needed parking for up to 14 bicycles and beautifies the corridor with two beautiful planters. The installation was made by DOT after a request from the Partnership and with the support of Community Board 4. You can read more about 82nd Street's bike corral on
Streetsblog, a local news source for livable communities and sustainable transportation.
Historic Building Restoration Underway
The 82nd Street Partnership's Storefront Improvement Program kicks off with a major restoration at the corner of 82nd Street and Roosevelt Avenue. New store signs, awnings, windows, and lights will transform the look of this historic building, an integral part of the Jackson Heights Historic District. With the storefront design recently approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission, construction is expected to begin in the next month. Both the architecture and construction costs are funded in part through the BID Challenge Award, a new initiative from the City's Department of Small Business Services that encourages innovation and creativity in neighborhood development programs.
Taste of the BID on Roosevelt Avenue
Councilmember Julissa Ferreras and Deputy Commissioner Elizabeth De Leon of the Department of Small Business Services were joined by community leaders today to announce that supplemental sanitation and graffiti removal services have come to Roosevelt Avenue and Junction Boulevard through a program called Taste of the BID. Expected to run through the end of 2013, the program will give businesses, property owners and residents a taste of what a business improvement district can do to improve the neighborhood's quality of life by making its streets and sidewalks cleaner and safer. Cleaning ambassadors will be in the district each day of the week from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, and will be easily recognizable in the yellow and grey uniform. To report graffiti or any unsightly condition, please contact the 82nd Street Partnership at info@82ndstreet.org or call (718) 335-9421.
