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November 6, 2007
A BID to Maintain and Improve 5th Avenue
A bid for a 5th Avenue BID got stronger last night after receiving unanimous support from members of CB6’s economic/waterfront development committee. The Park Slope 5th Avenue BID—which is set to include the blocks between Dean and 18th streets—would tax the strip’s 600 or so commercial property owners around $500 each (a fee that’d mostly be passed along to the landlords’ retail tenants), thus giving the BID about $300,000 to play with every year. The bulk of that dough would go to promoting and maintaining the avenue, with an emphasis on improving sanitation services. The business improvement district would be the third formed in Community Board 6 (after the ones for Flatbush and Smith Street), and it’s been influenced by Sunset Park’s BID. Irene LoRe, co-owner of Aunt Suzie's Restaurant and one of the BID’s chief architects, noted that “BIDs get better service from the city because they have someone yelling for them.” The proposal still needs to be OK’d by the full community board and various powers that be in city government (including the Council and mayor’s office), but it could be formed as early as next summer. Seems to us like a great way to make a thriving commercial stretch even better, and it’s difficult to see any downsides to the plan. Anything we're missing?
Photo by Betty Blade
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Comments
How much of that bulk of money is going to be for promoting and maintaining the avenue?
Posted by: guest at November 6, 2007 9:04 AM
If this BID wants to immediately improve 5th Ave exponentially - immediately ban solid roll-down gates.
Its not Newark circa 1968 - these gates invite graffiti, give a negative feel to the street after dark (and on weekends) and remove a prominent form of advertising for the merchants (the window).
Trash removal on what has been traditionally a filthy street wouldn't hurt either.
Posted by: guest at November 6, 2007 9:11 AM
Any news on the status of the Fulton Street BID?
Posted by: guest at November 6, 2007 9:11 AM
Yes, the one downside is why on earth would it stop at 18th street? The natural place to end it would be at 23rd street - south of that 5th ave. just runs alongside the cemetery and low-density commercial businesses, not retail.
There are new businesses, bars and restaurants sprouting up between 18th and 23rd, so this just doesn't make any sense to me.
Posted by: guest at November 6, 2007 9:23 AM
It wasn't so long ago that NYC gave incentives to attract business to 5th Ave. - Ozzie's on 5th Ave. was a recipient - a "cinderella project". This is no longer the case. As long as tax dollars aren't used I don't care what they set up - this stretch of 5th Ave. doesn't need any handouts to succeed.
Posted by: guest at November 6, 2007 9:24 AM
the BID is not a "hand out" it is in essence a government mandated additional tax that goes to maintaining the retail corridor in question as well as providing standard guidelines regarding aesthetic appeal.
There are more than a few retail stores owned by a few folks who moved into the neighborhood during the 1970s. They haven't changed or improved their properties at all since that time and quite frankly they are an eyesore.
The Puerto Rican garbage dealer near 7th Street really comes to mind - those buildings need to be razed.
Posted by: Polemicist at November 6, 2007 9:51 AM
Polemicist,
If I interpret your post correctly, you support "a government mandated additional tax that goes to maintaining the retail corridor in question as well as providing standard guidelines regarding aesthetic appeal". If that is the case, how do you reconcile this position with your opposition to zoning regulations?
Also, is the business you label as "The Puerto Rican garbage dealer near 7th Street" the one called "Save on Fifth"?
Posted by: Bob Marvin at November 6, 2007 10:09 AM
I think Poleguy is referring to the old guy with all of the garbage chained to his dilapidated storefront right next to ChipShop.
Posted by: guest at November 6, 2007 10:12 AM
That's a relief 10:12--my wife likes Save on Fifth.
"Poleguy"--that's great:-)
Posted by: Bob Marvin at November 6, 2007 10:29 AM
I agree with 9:23. It seems odd to stop at 18th .
Posted by: greenwood slope at November 6, 2007 10:45 AM
9:24 here...the point is that the government no longer needs to mandate anything along 5th Ave. The corridor is strong enough to survive on it's own allowing the market to dictate what they want to see along 5th Ave.
Posted by: guest at November 6, 2007 10:47 AM
More trash cans on corners and more frequent trash collection would be greatly appreciated. Also, perhaps, something could be done about that abandoned building next to the VFW off 7th Street. And I agree with 9:23 AM, why stop at 18th Street?
Posted by: guest at November 6, 2007 11:06 AM
more streetscaping is needed along this stretch. fill in the empty tree pits, put out some hanging flowers, encourage non solid roll down gates and add some benches.
hear that...BENCHES!
would really add to more of a vibrant area where people would want to hang out and spend more money...
Posted by: guest at November 6, 2007 11:28 AM
Yes! Great idea .. benches and large flower pots, more trees. Lights and decorations during the December holidays.
Posted by: guest at November 6, 2007 1:09 PM
My understanding is that the reason there isnt a bid now is that the Key Food resisted. Charges are based on street frontage (and it includes their giant parking lot).
I wonder how they worked around it.
Posted by: slick at November 6, 2007 1:18 PM
Key Foods - now that's a development site!!
There's enough space for two 6-7 story residential buildings with the grocery store on the bottom. Parking could go underground and a green roof to top it off.
Posted by: guest at November 6, 2007 1:28 PM
BIDs can and often do marketing, events and spruce-ups along commercial corridors. But, essentially, BIDs collect additional taxes to provide basic services that the city should provide. Most BIDs provide "supplemental" sanitation and security services. If the City was doing its job right, it would already pick up trash as needed from the corner and have street cops out and on foot patrol. BIDs allow the city to divert resources away from the BID to other areas. A big shell game.
Also, while the tax is not voluntary, there is no ability of a BID to impose standards on storefronts, etc.
Posted by: guest at November 6, 2007 2:26 PM
looking at the map it makes no sense to stop at 18th street. There so many new residents from 18th street to 23rd street. Could someone get the rationale or was it a random decision.
Posted by: guest at November 6, 2007 3:28 PM
I own a building on 5th. I was told that sunset park has a very successful BID going. The BID would mostly concentrate on having corner sanitation cans emptied every day and some displays on lighting posts.
I don't believe that the BID will make a noticeable difference to the avenue.
Also, I thought the BID tax was voluntary. I did not get any notice that I have to pay it. If I do have to pay it, how can I pass it on to the commercial tenant? can't they just refuse to pay it?
Posted by: guest at November 6, 2007 3:29 PM
300K is a lot of money to pick up trash and add some xmas lights (which if memory serves, they already do that pre-BID).
i hope someone is keeping watch over that money.
300K could go a long way towards some new streetscaping, benches, and other beautification efforts if left to the right people.
i'll pick up some lights to string up for 100 bucks at target.
where's the other 299,900 going?
Posted by: guest at November 6, 2007 3:47 PM
2 points:
1. I guarantee that when they(whoever it is) decides to bulldoze those decrepit storefronts next to the Chipshop - some idiot will post how its the end of the world and now Brooklyn is officially dead - with nothing interesting and no culture
2. What difference does it make that the junk seller is puerto rican? - he is clearly the only junk salesman at that location so his ethnic background is totally unnecessary to identify who you are talking about - just wondering
Posted by: guest at November 6, 2007 4:31 PM
good grief - that stretch of 5th Ave does not need a BID! Bed Stuy needs a BID....
Posted by: guest at November 6, 2007 4:32 PM
City cracks down on BID's:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5254/is_199708/ai_n20218522
Posted by: guest at November 6, 2007 4:34 PM
Sunset Park's 5th Ave BID has been pretty succesful and from what I understand from a Community Board 7 meeting I attended last year that it is a model that CB 6 was looking to emulate.
As to why the BID stops at 18th, it has to do with the same neighborhood boundaries that many of Brooklyn's new residents seem to think are so elastic. Park Slope ends at Prospect Ave. That's it. They can't legally extend it further. Prospect Ave runs diagonally, and at some points its as far south as 18th.
What to call the neighborhood south of 18th has been a recent point of minor contention. In the 70's, 80's and 90's (and most likely the '50's and '60;sit was always acknowledged to be the beginning of Sunset Park. In the late '90's and early '00's, realtors invented the term "Greenwood Heights" to appeal to whites afraid or averse to live in and identify with a neighborhood inhabited by brown immigrants. It seems to have caught on. Whatever. South Slope and Greenwood Heights are invented concepts. They are not real. There is Flatbush Avenue. The neighborhood south of it is Park Slope. The neighborhood south of that is Sunset Park. The neighborhood south of that is Bay Ridge. Then there's the Atlantic Ocean. Then there's Ireland.
Posted by: Sunset Parker at November 6, 2007 5:45 PM
No silly, Ireland is East Slope.
Posted by: guest at November 6, 2007 7:23 PM
18th street and 5th ave is 2 blocks away from prospect ave. this intersection is in SP/GH/SS and not in PS. It belongs to CB7. The question still stands why stop at 18th street.
Posted by: guest at November 6, 2007 11:13 PM
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