May 9, 2011 By Christian Murray
Woodside’s commercial district might be in for a makeover.
Plans are in the works to create a business improvement district (BID) around the Roosevelt Ave / 61 Street corridor, Joe Conley, chairman of community board 2, said.
A BID typically helps upgrade a commercial strip by adding services–from sanitation, capital improvements, to beautification projects—that are funded by special assessments levied on landlords. Often these levies are passed on to business owners as part of their rent.
Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer and Conley are in the early stages of meeting with Woodside business owners to explain the benefits. “We are bringing in BID members from LIC, Sunnyside and Steinway to explain the benefits,” Conley said.
The Woodside BID would most likely cover Roosevelt Ave (between 57th and 63rd Streets) and Woodside Ave. near the 61st subway stop.
“There is a real need for it in Woodside,” Conley said. “It would beautify the neighborhood and increase its vibrancy.”
“The concept has been highly successful elsewhere,” Conley said.
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12 Comments
Sunny12 is correct. If the BID operates in the same way the sunnyside one does, it won’t have any impact. James Bray got his position through nepotism, and wasn’t qualified. He lives in NJ and worked at a Lowes selling patio furiture prior to this cushy position. I wonder how much time he actually spends in Sunnyside?
“The concept has been highly successful elsewhere,” Conley said.
Really? how ’bout Sunnyside BID??? sucessful????
Woodside BID CAN HIRE SOMEONE FROM new jersey OR CONNECTICUT TO RUN THEIR BID
on greenpoint and 46th I watched the sunnyside shines sanitation worker pull signs off the pole and toss on the ground – so I said, why don’t you put it in your can?! It is right next to you?? He said – my can is filling up. Nice work sunnyside shines/BID! How about doing something about all the vacancies?? and replace that so called worker
Hi Roxy what do you think of the job that the sunnyside shines is doing for the sunnyside area. do you think if you made them both together it would be a better idea or leave them seperated?
The heart of Woodside is two #7 elevated stops from Sunnyside at the 61st Street staition. Too much of a distance to consider them as part of the same business/shopping district, I never go to Woodside except to catch a LIRR train to Long Island.
The area under the “El” is ugly and dangerous at night. I wish somebody could do something to improve it but people are correct about the noise from the number 7 line.
J. Durack I think that the biggest issue with the bid is that most business are not members and that they do a poor job marketing our town in my opinion. I do not think that the business get the value . Not every business has network time to meet and talk to others and get the help they need.
Any truth to the rumor that Van Bramer and Conley have worked out a deal so Mr. Conley becomes a member of council and Van Bramer runs for Queens Borough President?
They should probably avoid electing board members that own most of the commercial realty on Roosevelt Ave. – to keep the rents practical. Take a walk down Queens blvd & Roosevelt Ave… You can’t possibly think that BID is “highly successful”.
I don’t suppose they can do much about the racket the 7 Train makes makes as it rattles along the el through 61st. That’s the main reason i avoid that area.
What a fantastic idea. This should have been done to start with instead of sunnyside separately. We are two great little towns. Ee need togetherness.
Why start at 57th St. The area between 48th and 56th usually gets left out. The forgotten area of Woodside/Sunnyside …