The Long Island City Partnership (LICP), whose mission is to advocate for economic development in the area, on Monday launched a business survey that will be distributed to more than 6,000 businesses.
The survey will inform the organization’s comprehensive plan to strengthen Long Island City’s economic, social and physical infrastructure. In light of a major rezoning in 2001, which created a commercial and mixed-use district, the neighborhood has seen an uptick in office development, residential buildings, hotels and commercial property.
“For generations, LIC has been a thriving industrial hub of production, key distribution point and an increasingly important business district critical to New York City’s economy,” said Elizabeth Lusskin, LICP president. “As we look to the future, our business survey will help gather essential data across all sectors needed to ensure local stakeholders will continue to benefit from LIC’s unique assets both in the near and long term.”
It will serve dual purposes, acting as a census and also collecting data on four categories: business/organization description, location within LIC’s historically vast area, workforce and access to local services, space needs, resources and amenities.
According to Lusskin, the organization plans to identify key improvements, investments or policy changes to improve Long Island City in the future.
“These could be capital investments – for example in transportation or public space – or perhaps changes to tax incentive programs to make them more accessible and effective – or workforce development to better connect local residents with good local jobs,” Lusskin said.
The LICP will then work with elected officials and stakeholders to make those ideas a reality.
“Given Long Island City’s growing business community, LIC Partnership’s first-ever business survey will gather valuable information from business owners and other stakeholders to allow for a more educated and focused advocacy effort,” state Senator Michael Gianaris said. “The future of LIC continues to be strong thanks to creative ideas such as LIC Partnership’s business survey.”
Local businesses will receive the survey through direct mail and LICP will also conduct door-to-door outreach. Every person who responds to the survey will be entered to win a set of JetBlue tickets or a three-month membership to the LIC YMCA.
To take the survey, click here.
