Business Improvement District

By definition, a Business Improvement District (BID) "is a public/private partnership in which property and business owners elect to make a collective contribution to the maintenance, development, and promotion of their commercial district." Typically, they're implemented in neighborhoods that need an economic boost, so Soho would seem like an unlikely candidate. Ever since the neighborhood's artist lofts were replaced with designer boutiques, residents have struggled to deal with the "mall-ification" of their home. And when the Soho Broadway BID was presented, local activists opposed it, citing that commercial activity was already bursting at the seams, and it was the residents who needed assistance. Now, after nearly four years of debate, the BID is moving forward, but with a decreased budget and an equal commitment to both residents and businesses.
More details ahead