For the cost of a coffee and empanada, businesses and property owners along Roosevelt Avenue will be able to see a cleaner and safer community.
In March, the 82nd Street Partnership announced it would be extending its business improvement district (BID) through 114th Street to form the Jackson Heights-Corona BID. The new BID included the corridors of Roosevelt Avenue, Junction Boulevard, 103rd Street and National Street.
But after taking in community feedback and comments, and based on the Department of City Planning’s proposed plan to rezone 14 block fronts on Roosevelt Avenue as part of the East Elmhurst Rezoning, the BID has been revised to stretch from 82nd to 104th Street and down Junction Boulevard. The corridor will include a total of 440 lots and about 850 commercial tenants.
By shortening the corridor by 10 blocks, Seth Taylor, executive director of the 82nd Street Partnership, said the BID’s new budget will be close to $860,000, which is less than the original over $1 million budget, making the BID “more affordable.”
According to Councilmember Julissa Ferreras the major issues – including lack of sanitation, graffiti, crime and poor lighting – are most commonly found along the revised boundaries.
“I remain confident that the proposed expansion will continue to address and remediate these quality of life issues in addition to enhancing the overall shopping and visiting experience in the area,” said Ferreras.
In response to recent criticisms saying the BID will push out the immigrant community with raising rents and taxes, Taylor said the investment property owners will have to make would only equal the price of a cup of coffee and empanada daily. Most property owners would contribute an average of $2.50 per day or $75 per month.
Some other things the BID hopes to bring to the community are more events in public spaces, which will be featured on its official website, and bring Wi-Fi to Roosevelt Avenue.
In order to keep the community informed and answer questions, the 82nd Street Partnership has been holding numerous public information meetings since the beginning of the year. The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 17 at 4 p.m. at the Make the Road New York office located at 92-10 Roosevelt Avenue.
Ballots to vote for the BID will be sent out later this year to all members of the proposed corridors, including residents, property and business owners. For more information, visit JHCoronaBID.org.
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