For the past couple of years, the Lower East Side Business Improvement District has been planning a major expansion of its boundaries beyond the Orchard Street corridor that has been the organization’s focus in the past two decades. That process takes an important step forward this month, as the BID is now moving forward with the official approval process. Two public meetings (a requirement of the application) are scheduled today in which BID leadership will detail the plans for property owners, business owners and local residents. Both meetings take place at the DL, 95 Delancey Street (at Ludlow). The daytime session begins at noon; the second meeting takes place at 5 p.m.
Roughly speaking, the new boundaries extend from Bowery on the west, Clinton Street on the east, Division Street on the south and East Houston Street on the north. Today’s presentations will include more details about the borders; the map has changed somewhat in the past several months. Not every block within the area described above is included.
In the weeks ahead, the business improvement district will seek approval from Community Board 3, the City Planning Commission and the City Council. BID staff have been distributing ballots to approximately one-thousand property owners on the Lower East Side. If approved, it’s those property owners who will fund the larger BID through annual assessments.
We’ll have a full report following today’s meetings.
The BID, aren’t these the same people that want those highway style, huge metallic lights to replace the beatiful and historic ones on much of the L.E.S
They do more to destroy the neighborhood’s character than they do to help.