We just received word that the City Planning Commission has approved the creation of a business improvement district in Chinatown. Next step: a public hearing before the New York City Council.
In a news release, City Councilmember Margaret Chin said, ““This is a great day for the Chinatown community. The BID is an opportunity for business owners, property owners, and residents to work together to improve their surroundings, quality of life and overall prosperity. The Chinatown community will now have an organization that can advocate for its diverse interests. With this BID in place, the future for Chinatown is bright.”
All three downtown community boards approved the proposed BID late last year. During the earlier hearings, opponents spoke out against the proposal, saying a BID in Chinatown would be a waste of money and amounted to a power play among the neighborhood’s established political and business leaders.
We’ll let you know when we hear more about the scheduling of the City Council hearing. Given Chin’s backing of the BID, approval by the Council is all but certain.
CB 2 asked that one of the 7 SoHo blocks included in the Plan (i.e., west side of Lafayette between Broome and Grand Streets) be removed from the Chinatown BID. Margaret Chin then pledged that would be so. However, residents on that block are worried because the map presented to City Planning still includes this SoHo block. Chin’s office says that she will honor her commitments, but we sure are worried.
The City Planning Council relied on false, unsubstantiated “survey” evidence from Councilmember Margaret Chin and the Chinatown Partnership – Chinatown, in fact, DOES NOT SUPPORT THE BID. This is proven and verified by the fact that in June, in a matter of few weeks, a RECORD number of Verified, Notarized Objections to the Chinatown BID were filed with the City Clerk – This is the MOST VERIFIED OBJECTIONS filed against any business improvement district ever!!! The NYC Council CANNOT support this unwanted BID. MOST of Chinatown does not want the BID and voters will remember any councilmember who votes against the community and supports this BID.
This CHINATOWN BID has had the MOST EVER VERIFIED (NOTARIZED) OBJECTIONS filed against it, as stated by the City Clerk. Margaret Chin and the Chinatown Partnership used dubious, unsubstantiated “survey” results to falsely claim that Chinatown wants this BID to be approved. NYC Councilmembers – ARE YOU LISTENING? Chinatown does NOT want this BID and all claims to the contrary are unverified and unsubstantiated!