Even though the Fulton BID is now a done deal, some bad feelings still linger, mostly on the part of a group of small storefront businesses between Washington and Grand Avenues in Clinton Hill. Council Member Letitia James, Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries and District Leader Walter Mosley all made an appearance at a meeting on Friday night meant to address these concerns as well as to more broadly inform the public about the purpose and mechanics of the new BID. According to a post on The Times' Local blog, James made the case that the existence of the BID is necessary to enable her to channel money towards the upkeep and promotion of the shopping strip. After getting an earful from the family that owns the MET supermarket between St. James and Cambridge that will get hit with a $10,000 tab, Jeffries tried to get everyone focused on moving ahead in a constructive manner. “We all have to figure out a way to move forward together,” he said. While we can see why a surprise $10,000 hit would be hard to stomach, opposing the BID over a few hundred dollars a year—what most small storefronts would incur—seems pretty short-sighted, unless you're afraid that your business won't be able to handle the competition from an overall raising of the retail bar in the area. As Councilmember James pointed out, you only have to look as far as nearby Myrtle Avenue to see what a positive impact a well-run BID can have—they've managed to improve and broaden the retail and dining options dramatically without sacrificing diversity. (Maybe the Fulton BID can hire away Blaise Backer from the Myrtle BID? Ha, ha, ha...)
Defending a BID to a Skeptical Crowd [NY Times]
Fulton BID Approved! Buses Returning Soon [Brownstoner]
Fulton BID Gaining Momentum [Brownstoner]
