Business Improvement District...........Meeting tonight 6:30

This is super important. Though I wonder how civilians like ourselves can be of any influence here. It's a vote held by the owners of the properties fronting Fulton, right?

I went to the site and had a hard time voting no. I finally did it with Dale Charles' vote caster, and it makes it seem as if I am the only one to vote no, while 9 people have voted yes.

If even the large grocery store has it's vote no sign out, then who is it that benefits? I haven't yet seen a store say "vote yes!" Small businesses are having a tough time I imagine, and these are mostly small independent businesses. I can easily imagine that the cost of the BID would be overwhelming and the benefits are really questionable.

Interesting situation to say the least. I wish the best for Fulton, whichever way that ends up being.

What 'entity' is pushing for the BID, if the small businesses appear not to?

Perhaps if the small businesses on Fulton were better at maintaining the cleanliness of the street and the attractiveness of their storefronts I would have more sympathy for the argument that this is a burdensome tax on small businesses. But so many, including the owners of the Met Foods, seem intent on extracting dollars from the community without working towards providing a more pleasant and responsive consumer experience. What is "Dale Charles' vote caster"?

The impression that I get is that the bulk of folks that have had to suffer through the street construction and the re-routing of the buses (and subsequent reduction in foot and car traffic) are against the BID, while the folks that are on the lower portion of Fulton that has remained vibrant are pro-BID. Is this in fact the case? If so, perhaps they can table it for a year or so until the repaving is completed and those businesses have a chance to bounce back before raising it again.

homeowner--I have heard the same thing. but it seems illogical to me. I would think that the people who have been really badly hit by the street construction would especially welcome the physical improvements to the street that the BID would bring.

Businesses that were hit bad and here before the construction know the difference in foot traffic and car flow so the may not see the need to be dependant on BID to increase flow into their business. They know once the street is back two way and buses are back they'll see better business.

Also if I'm a small business owner and I hear Tish James hoping and visualizing as she did at the BID meeting, about the tourist bus one day turning right off vanderbilt on to fulton street, I'd be privy to think that my nail salon, barbershop, beauty salon, bodega, 99 cent store, west indian restuarant, halal food restaurant, mom&pop pharmacy etc. is not in the big picture with this visualization. Also if it does entice other businesses to the strip, how long is it before my rent goes up as a result? Or how long is it before I'm told I'm not diverse enough on a strip I've been on for years?

This is what Ms.James said at the meeting in regards to 4W closing further down on fulton street...they didn't diversify to the market. There's a flip side to everything, to write these small businesses off not as not caring is unfair. They are small businesses, they don't all have it buy a new awning at the drop of a hat to meet everyone's cosmetic standards. They care about the street and all of them sweep in front of their stores. They'd get fined if they didn't.

bknest--I am definitely sensitive to the plight of the businesses that have been holding on on my part of Fulton Street (around Grand) but I think that they are being maybe a little short sighted about the potential upside of the BID. And when you talk about the tourbus turning right off Vanderbilt onto Fulton that is exactly right, they won't likely be going left. Which means that my part of Fulton is not likely to be a yuppie shopping mall any time soon. I just want functional real world retail and I think that many of these businesses are already providing that (Sisters, Joloff, many of the delis etc). The BID should bring much needed security and physical improvements that should help everybody.

Plus, before we need to worry about old time retail being forced out of business by new growth there is the reality that at least half of the potential storefronts are vacant around where I live. I would hope that the BID would bring in new investment to these locations as well.

I was thinking of it as more of a choice between spending money to improve your business vs. spending money on membership in the BID. Asking people already burdened with the losses from the last year to pay for this now may mean less willingness to participate.

I hear you homeowner. I do think thought that the amounts I have heard thrown around in re monthly dues don't sound too harsh. It all comes down to what real improvements the BID will bring. If the answer to that is not many then your point has more weight. If, as I hope, it will bring tangible improvement to the strip then I think the small monthly fees would be justified (and recoupable in increased business). But I am not a business owner on this street so I don't want to pass judgement. Everyone will do what they think they need to to get by, but I hope the BID passes and is eventually seen to be a good thing by long time residents.

All those are good points. There is no doubt that added amenities which a BID might bring might change the retail mix, which I would welcome. But that said we are quite fortunate to have some of the great businesses we have (hardware, bakery!, etc).

Not trying to denigrate any existing businesses. They should be given medals of honor for surviving the last two+ years. Just would like to see fewer boarded up storefronts.

wasder, maybe I got my directions mixed up but her vision was for it to turn TOWARDS classon(before it goes straight up vanderbilt to dekalb).

Oh, I thought you were saying take a right off Vanderbilt onto Fulton. Well, certainly if they think that Fulton Street is going to become a quaint tourist destination they are probably quite mistaken. Like I said, a tidy, safe and practical commercial district is what I am hoping for on Fulton Street, especially in the corridor that seems to need the most improving, Washington to Classon (especially Grand to Classon).