The Myrtle Avenue Business Improvement District (BID) continues to support not only the businesses along Myrtle Avenue in Ridgewood, but the community at large as well with several street fairs, festive holiday events, and initiatives to help businesses grow.
The BID — which encompasses more than 240 properties on Myrtle Avenue between Fresh Pond Road and Wyckoff Avenue — plays a vital role in the success of the businesses through daily sanitation services, marketing promotions for the district, and nearly a dozen sale day periods during the year.
One of the BID’s major events is the Ridgewood Stroll, which took place this year on Sept. 23.
“The stroll was on Seneca Avenue between Myrtle [Avenue] and Cornelia [Street], and Catalpa [Avenue] between Myrtle and Seneca,” said Ted Renz, executive director of the Myrtle Avenue BID. “We had a number of activities for everyone there. We had beer tastings highlighting some of the local breweries in our area, as well as other breweries in Queens. We had antique buses for the family. We had the fire department Safety Smokehouse van; we had the New York City Police Department’s participation. We had music all day and dances. And we highlighted some of our eating establishments. It was a fun day for the family, for kids and for everyone.”
Another major success for the BID this year is the 71st Avenue Plaza project, which is finally nearing completion.
The 71st Avenue Plaza is now open for public use with enhanced seating areas with moveable tables, chairs, umbrellas, granite blocks, historic markers, historic lampposts and a slew of other amenities for the community to enjoy.
The final part of the project which is yet to be complete is the planting of the new trees, which should take place relatively soon since the new planting season begins this month, Renz said.
The BID also has their eye on the future with Small Business Saturday coming up which will signal the start of the holiday season. Small Business Saturday takes place on Nov. 25, and encourages people to shop local, especially during the holiday season when shoppers tend to visit larger stores.
“Small businesses are the engine of America,” Renz said. “They provide goods and services for local commercial districts, and provide jobs to local residents.”
Looking even further ahead, the BID is always interested in bringing in a more diverse mix of stores, restaurants and businesses to the commercial strip. Renz said the BID is even entertaining the idea of expanding the BID’s boundaries to incorporate more blocks that were not developed when the BID was created in 1988.
“We are also looking for ways to improve facades and the look of individual storefronts,” Renz said. “And of course to protect the architectural integrity of all the buildings of Myrtle Avenue.”
Herman Hochberg, president of the Myrtle Avenue BID, would like to thank the entire BID staff for their work in bringing all the programs and issues the BID deals with on a daily basis including Susan Aguilera, administrative assistant; Antonio Bausone, project assistant; Edward Cherkees, project assistant; Ann Giarratano, assistant director; Ira Nagel, project assistant; and Theodore M. Renz, executive director.
