williamsburg has exploded in population and popularity, but our public spaces haven’t kept up.
a bid would keep our streets clean, our parks green, and our trash cans empty!
What is an Improvement
District?
A Business Improvement District (BID) is a nonprofit organization that provides specialized services within a clearly defined geographic area, tailored specifically to the needs identified by local stakeholders. These services are funded through assessments on properties within the district's boundaries.
A Northside Williamsburg BID would supplement sanitation and parks services desperately needed in this new hub of residential and commercial activity. Learn more about our services.
A BID is formed through a rigorous planning and outreach process that requires signed support ballots from residents, property owners, and businesses from across our district.
why an Improvement
District?
1. The park
As part of the 2005 rezoning, a promise was made to convert the Northside waterfront, long plagued by Industrial pollution, into parkland for the neighborhood’s residents. Over 20 years later, and only six of the promised 27 acres have been converted.
As we push for the rest of this green space, we are confronted with a new dilemma, who will maintain our new park? It does not have a dedicated Parks Conservancy, as other parks of that size do, and City services are simply not enough to keep this park to the quality that we have so long deserved.
The Northside BID would be the difference between a new, world-class park and another promise under fulfilled.
When you sign our ballot to form a Northside BID, you’re signing for a whole new park, twice the size of Washington Square, maintained to a world class standard.
2. The people
New developments and gentrification have brought thousands of residents to the Northside over the past 20 years. From the lack of stop signs to the sparse, overflowing garbage cans, it is clear to see that this neighborhood has not been equipped to handle so many residents. The result: a consistent trash problem on our sidewalks and in our gutters.
But it’s not just residents. North Williamsburg has become a destination for visitors and tourists: From the waterfront and Kent Avenue to the hotels on Wythe, the shops and restaurants on Berry, the thoroughfares of Bedford, Grand, and North 6th and everything in between. People are everywhere, and our public space needs to adapt.
The Northside BID would make sure that the large developments which brought about this change — hotels, condo buildings, etc. — pay what they owe back into the neighborhood’s public space.
Our formula ensures that, while every property pitches in, the largest properties making the most money would be funding a significant portion of the BID’s budget. The 30 top-paying properties (of over 2500 lots in the district!) would be funding over 30% of the BIDs budget!
Our Mission
A Northside Improvement District Steering Committee formed in 2023 to lead the BID formation process, which is facilitated by the North Brooklyn Parks Alliance, in partnership with New York City Council Members, Lincoln Restler and Jennifer Gutiérrez.
The Committee’s mission is to create an organization that will promote improved quality of life in the neighborhood, focused on:
Creating a neighborhood that is cleaner, safer and more inviting to all
Supporting the small businesses that are the backbone of our local economy
Improving the quality of public spaces
You have questions: we have answers
Click the buttons below for the answers to some common questions we’ve heard from our neighbors. We try our best to make accurate information as accessible as possible, but if you find anything confusing, please email us directly at info@improvenorthsidebk.org!
Take a look at our fee finder page for detailed information about how much different stakeholders would contribute.
Our FAQ Page includes a detailed overview of the BID formation process as well as links to other sources of accurate information.
Yes, and they’re thriving! Click above for a map of nearby BID areas and links to further resources on other BIDs in the city.
We have publicized the services whose quotes were used to calculate our maximum budget. Explore our services or budget breakdown page to see what the BID would be capable of: it’s a lot!
This kind of public-private partnership can be confusing, so stay alert and make sure your information is correct!
Get involved
Interested in learning more? We are on call every day to answer your questions and concerns. Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!