Location: Elizabeth Avenue, Elizabeth (courtesy Don Smartt)
AREA PROFILE Elizabeth Avenue includes a variety of commercial, residential, and
industrial uses. The area is quite dense with very few vacancies. Many of Elizabeth
Avenue's business and property owners grew up in the area, and some are third generation
owners.
Three years ago, the mayor of Elizabeth decided that revitalizing the downtown areas in
his town made sense both politically and economically. He commissioned the Elizabeth
Development Company to campaign for support of a Special Improvement District. The officer
in charge of this project went from door-to-door to sell the idea to businesses on
Elizabeth Avenue. Initially twenty people agreed to meet to discuss the ways in which to
promote the avenue and ensure growth. These volunteers became the Elizabeth Avenue
Steering Committee. The motto for the committee is "assuring our Great City's
rebirth." The Steering Committee is the first step in the process of setting up a
SID. The members of the committee now have the challenge of selling the SID concept and
its advantages to the rest of the merchants. The city has hired Don Smartt of the
Community Advocates to consult on and facilitate the organization and planning process.
The Steering Committee intends to finance its activities through a combination of
assessments, UEZ, and private sector funds.
PROGRAM ELEMENTS (Proposed)
Sanitation:
Organizers intend to purchase additional litter containers (possibly funded by UEZ) and to
locate new and existing receptacles closer to litter producers. They also plan to remove
existing graffiti using the city's 100% reimbursement plan.
Educational Programs:
The Steering Committee has proposed an educational campaign with the aim of bringing
together health department and property owners to address upper floor residential trash
and find ways to reprimand violators.
Physical Improvements:
Organizers plan to institute a lighting program to increase public safety. Businesses will
be encouraged to leave their lights on in an effort to improve visibility and enhance the
appeal of the area. The use of energy-efficient lights will also be encouraged in order to
defray costs and minimize environmental impact. Organizers plan to install attractive,
well-placed signage and landscaping elements. The proposed district also plans to install
banners throughout the avenue, publicizing events and announcing arrival into the
district.
Safety:
Plans include drawing up an inventory of all buildings in the district, identifying
"unsafe" and "unsavory" locations, and devising a means to rectify
this. The proposed district will also pay for supplemental policing and "hospitality
squads."
Promotion:
Strengthen the district's image as a pedestrian friendly neighborhood shopping area;
create a sense of place. Advertise Latin/ Continental ambience, personal service, family
owned specialty shopping etc. Advertise through multimedia targeting Residents and
non-residents. Examples of the modes to use are direct mail with brochure and or
newsletter, radio and cable, web site with links to EDC, City and business directory.
Business Development, Retention and Recruitment:
Plans call for identifying and seeking funding to stimulate small business improvement.
The proposed district would like to encourage the city to investigate legislation that
provides 5-year tax abatements for those who improve their properties. The rationale is to
remove the disincentives associated with tax increases that normally result from capital
improvements.
Organizers seek to identify and apply for programs that offer financing in the forms of
loans, grants or mortgage financing for rehabilitation or new construction, operations or
inventories. The also hope to develop a loan program that will improve upon existing loan
programs, e.g. 'blended' below market interest rate, three points below prime, or zero
percent loans. In addition, the proposed SID plans to promote the use of existing public
and private financing programs for new investors. Organizers also plan to develop
cooperative public relations, advertising, and media efforts to promote available
financing.
The proposed district will seek to fill existing vacancies by identifying available
properties and strategically marketing these to recruit complementary uses to the
district.
The district also intends to explore membership in business and community development
organizations, e.g. National Main Street Program, Downtown New Jersey, and the Council for
Urban Economic Development. These resources offer support and training materials and a
network of experts to the district.
Transportation:
Plans call for investigating options to provide free parking on holidays, peak times;
improving awareness of existing municipal parking lots through the use of attractive and
easy to identify directional and lot signage; and upgrading municipal parking facilities
by providing lighting, trash receptacles, public telephones and other amenities.
Sources:
Personal interview with Don Smartt, Community Advocates (consultant to proposed SID). Personal interview with Elizabeth Avenue SID Steering Committee.
Location:
Fort Lee, NJ
AREA PROFILE
Fort Lee's Main Street includes a variety of businesses: clothing stores, nail salons, a
bakery, and restaurants, including a Blimpie's. Parking is limited, despite a large lot
behind Main Street.
Area merchants were initially interested in forming a SID. Merchants were concerned about
a lack of parking and the number of vacant parcels in the area and the lack of uniformity
in Main Street's storefronts. Sidewalks are active but narrow, limiting streetfront
activity. They were interested in street beautification as well as developing better
public relations. However, turnout to planning meetings was low, despite the support of a
large number of Korean merchants.
A working committee put together a SID proposal for the area, and it was passed initially.
However, the mayor was uncomfortable with the assessment system. It was too much like a
tax. Many, including the mayor and City Council, changed their minds about establishing a
SID and decided to look at other neighborhood revitalization options.
A new Advisory Council was formed to analyze the issue. Based upon their recommendations,
the city hired a new Director of Economic and Industrial Development.
Sources:
Personal interview with Peggy Thomas, City Administrator, Fort Lee.
Location:
East Williamsburg, NY
BID Establishment:
July 1985
Boundaries:
Grand Street between Bushwick Avenue and Union Avenue Manager:
Leonard Battle
DISTRICT PROFILE
The district began as a merchants association that was organized with the help of the St.
Nicholas Preservation and Development Corporation. St. Nick's provided legal and
administrative assistance throughout the BID's formation and continues to offer aid and
support.
The district contains commercial, industrial, and residential uses with comparison and
convenience shopping. Retail stores include sporting goods, shoes, clothing, records,
grocery and dry cleaning businesses. The district also includes two moderately sized
supermarkets and several medical centers. The district serves the East Williamsburg area
containing a broad mix of ethnic groups.
The SID's staff consists of one full-time manager, Leonard Battle. Mr. Battle makes it a
priority to have frequent personal contact with business and property owners, residents,
and community leaders.
A consultant has just completed a neighborhood revitalization plan to help the district
focus its energies and develop new approaches. The plan takes into account community
demographics, merchant and shopper surveys, and community publications.
PROGRAM ELEMENTS
Promotion:
The BID sponsors a number of promotional events each year. Examples of these are the
Annual Thanksgiving Raffle and the Annual Back to School Promotion that encourages
merchants to extend products and services to the entire school district. The BID
co-sponsors many projects with St. Nick's from which it rents office space and shares
secretarial assistance. The BID also publishes a merchant newsletter named "The Grand
Merchant", that emphasizes the needs of the merchants in a timely fashion. The BID is
expanding its promotional efforts with increased focus on Mother's Day, Father's Day,
Christmas/New Year's, and other seasonal events.
Holiday Lights:
The BID provides the district with holiday lights and decorations each holiday season.
Sanitation:
The district considers graffiti removal its biggest project. The BID contracts with a
painting company which paints over storefront and wall graffiti once a month. The BID has
also contracted with a sanitation company to provide supplemental sanitation services. The
sanitation crew sweeps the sidewalk and 18 inches into the street five days a week.
Sources:
Personal interview with Leonard Battle, Manager, Grand Street BID.
New York City Department of Business Services. 1997. Starting and Managing Business
Improvement Districts. New York City, NY. July.
Location:
Central Business District downtown Trenton
Trenton is the County seat and the State Capitol
SID Establishment:
1986
Boundaries:
East State Street from South Stockton Street to Calhoun Street,
Bank Street to Lafayette Street
Manager:
David Schure
DISTRICT PROFILE
The 15-block district contains a mix of both private and public properties. The private
properties includes a range of small retail predominantly eating establishments - fast
food and sit down dining, low cost clothing stores and personal service businesses
including dry cleaners, convenience stores, shoe repair, and professional firms - law
offices, accountants, foundation offices. These private businesses serve to support the
downtown government offices within the immediate area. Major public components of the
district are the State offices of the Department of Taxation, the Department of Community
Affairs and the Economic Development Authority, not to mention the Capitol complex itself.
Although most of the restaurants and a majority of the upper-end retail establishments
including a florist and jeweler cater to the office and government workers, the District
does obtain a large customer base from the neighboring North Ward, Canal Banks area, an
Urban Coordinating Council Zone. This residential component is composed of the city's
large proportion of African American and Latino ethnic groups and is the most economically
depressed area within the city and the region. Hence the downtown area must cater to both
a middle to upper middle class daytime, weekday worker and a low income night time and
weekend city resident.
The future development for the area includes a 165-room hotel by Marriott that will be
linked to a renovated War Memorial building and concert hall. In addition, there are plans
for a light rail trolley bus system connecting the downtown to the Train Station, and a
new multipurpose arena by the Mercer County Improvement Authority (now under construction)
just down the street in the neighboring Capitol South Main Street Program project area.
Although the district's book store just closed and several properties lay vacant and
boarded, in addition to the hotel, recent additions to the district include a café and
two upper scale ethnic restaurants - one with evening jazz entertainment.
It is important to note that the City of Trenton works very closely with the Trenton
Downtown Association. The manager often has direct contact with the mayor himself. Of the
21 Board members, four are city officials, including the Director of Housing and
Development and the Director of Economic Development. David Schure, the program manager,
indicated that this close involvement with the city government and their continued
personal support is vital to their organization. Having the Chairman of Corestates Bank as
President of the Board certainly does not hurt them either and provides a wealth of
financial experience from which to draw.
Another interesting factor is that the SID was established with little to no resistance
from property owners. The Trenton Merchant's Association, which is still in existence,
paved the way for the SID's birth. After a long period of drought, the business owners
felt they really had no alternative but to join to make the streets cleaner and more
secure. The quarterly average assessment for a small business in the district is
approximately $150 and is more than enough considering the ample amount of UEZ funds.
Property owners do not find the assessment a burden.
David Schure, the manager, makes himself personally known to the business owners so that
they feel free to approach him with problems or with new ideas. Many credit the area's
rapid growth to his dynamic personality and leadership.
The SID's Board of Directors is composed of 21 members: 10 SID businesses; 1 bank
personnel (President); 4 government officials; and 15 SID property owners.
PROGRAM ELEMENTS
The dedication of funds to various programs is decided at an annual Board retreat. These
programs include the following:
Promotion:
Advertising only makes up 5 percent of the budget and involves 'guerilla' marketing
strategies, much more labor intensive than media oriented. Pamphlets, a monthly newsletter
and calendar of events, a new website, and posters account for much of the advertising
budget.
Physical Improvements:
Physical improvement programs include a façade renovation grant program, landscaping and
street repair, banners and signage, and most importantly approximately 20 percent of the
budget is dedicated to a sanitation / maintenance crew to keep the streets clean. Most of
the street improvements are accomplished through UEZ funding or the city's capital budget
and do not factor into the district's annual budget.
Educational Programs:
Other programs sponsored by the Trenton Downtown Association include lessons in how to
provide better service policies for customers so that the downtown can offer the personal
service that the nearby Mercer Mall and Quakerbridge Mall can not. The association offers
a class in how to design window displays so that they entice customers.
The BID sponsors a number of events throughout the year to enhance and lure customers into
the downtown. These events include a farmer's and craft market on the commons area - a
portion of the district closed to vehicular traffic and Heritage Day sponsored in
conjunction with the City celebrating the beginning of summer and the year long efforts of
the local businesspeople. Holiday decorations including a tree lighting ceremony on the
commons and seasonal lights. Summertime sidewalk sales are frequently employed to drum up
business during peak consumer seasons. The Corestates Bike Race that brings the region's
bike enthusiasts to the downtown is another major event sponsored by the local Corestates
branch located in the center of the SID.
Security:
Approximately 10 percent of the budget is devoted to a part time security patrol which is
often employed in full force during major events. Bike patrols with off duty policemen
here are the most helpful. It is hoped that when the new hotel enters the scene, the
bellman's 24 hour presence coupled with more bodies on the street will help to alleviate
the crime problem after hours.
Future Redevelopment:
Future plans include a new plaza area funded through Urban Enterprise Zone monies (the
district is part of the UEZ zone) and the creation of an arts community within the
district to establish a night-time residential base. Here both programs are a cooperative
effort of the SID and a non profit as well as city government. The SID does not close any
doors to those willing to help.
Sources:
Personal interview with David Schure, Manager, Downtown Trenton SID.
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