Jamaica’s Three Downtown Business Improvement Districts are joining forces!

To streamline services, reduce unnecessary administrative overhead, maximize efficiency and better serve our business community, Jamaica’s three downtown BIDs are joining.

How? In June of 2022, City Legislation was passed to create one singular business improvement district for downtown Jamaica. One nonprofit organization will administer services within the newly-united district. This organization will have a Board of Directors comprised of local property owners, businesses, residents, and City-appointed officials as dictated by local NYC Business Improvement District (BID) Law.

When? Right now! The legislation will go into effect on 1/1/23 and the prior BID boundaries will dissolve. NYC’s Department of Small Business Services (also known as SBS - the City agency that creates and oversees the City’s BID network) will be assembling a Board of Directors. SBS will assist this new Board through the process of developing bylaws, a new budget, and program priorities to benefit the business district.

For more information on this process and SBS’s timeline, please contact the agency directly here.

Who is Providing Supplemental Sanitation? Sutphin Boulevard BID now holds the current City contract with SBS to provide supplemental Sanitation Services on Jamaica Avenue from 169th Street to Sutphin Boulevard and on Union Hall from Jamaica Avenue to Archer. Contact Sutphin Boulevard BID for more information: www.sutphinblvdbid.org.

How Can I Stay Connected/Learn More? More information will be shared as it becomes available.

A Fond Farewell to Trey Jenkins: A Special Note From Our Executive Director

Today our staff says a fond farewell and sends our very best wishes to our teammate and friend, Trey Jenkins, who has accepted the position of Executive Director of the 161st Street Business Improvement District in the Bronx. His last day will be today.  For three and a half years, Trey served our business district as the Director of Marketing and Business Services. In this role, he was the primary point of contact for our business community, oversaw our social media, managed our website, and helped launch several new community events, to name but a few responsibilities.

When our organization was awarded a Strategic Impact Grant by New York City's Department of Small Business Services to help neighboring businesses just outside of our BID Boundaries adapt to Covid, it was Trey who pounded the pavement, establishing relationships with hundreds of small businesses in a short amount of time, introducing them to available loans, grants and marketing opportunities available to get customer feet back in the door. Trey took it upon himself to not only serve the Jamaica business community, but to become part of the southeast Queens civic community as well, by playing active roles in our local community board district cabinet meetings, Friends of Rufus King Park and other neighborhood groups.

His dedication, work ethic, kindness, and charisma will be greatly missed by our team and the community both, but we know that the Bronx and NYC as a whole have much to gain in the years ahead with Trey's involvement and passion for economic and community development. Our Commercial Revitalization Project Manager Jahnavi Aluri and I remain at your service in downtown Jamaica. Please do not hesitate to reach out to our organization if we can be of help.

Sincerely,
Jenn Furioli
Executive Director

Valued Clean Team Member Froylan Tehuitzil

It is with great sadness that we are letting our Jamaica Center BID community know that one of our valued Clean Team members, Froylan Tehuitzil, recently passed away after a brief illness. Froylan worked in downtown Jamaica for many years and the mark he left on our community was profound. He was always present with a smile and a helpful attitude while providing one of the most valued services we offer, keeping the Avenue clean of litter, graffiti and illegal dumping. Many merchants knew him by name and frequently complimented his hard work, so much so that we recently recognized his contributions at our November Annual Meeting.
If you would like to honor Froylan, please consider contributing to the GoFundMe account set up in his memory by his family. We would also ask that you continue to pick up litter after yourselves and thank our other Clean Team members for their service when you see them on the street. We will miss Froylan deeply, but are grateful for the time he served as our colleague and friend. If you would like to contribute to Froylan’s GoFundme page please do so here.  

View the rest of our E-newsletter here!

'Tis the Season - Get Your Shopping Done....While Having Fun!

Join us Saturday, December 4 and Saturday, December 11 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout Jamaica Avenue for a new holiday event we are bringing to downtown Jamaica called 'Tis the Season! This event is designed to keep consumer dollars on Jamaica Avenue and to encourage shoppers to shop local this holiday season. There will be promotions that our small businesses will have for shoppers and our BID will enliven the sidewalk of our downtown with pop-up surprises ranging from fun giveaways, live music, a magician appearance and character photos with Jammy the Snowman and friends.

Activities Happening in downtown Jamaica on Saturday, December 4:

Below are the businesses that will be offering promotions at their locations this Saturday:

'Tis the Season Holiday Map
We're finalizing our 'Tis the Season Holiday Map and will update the final map on Friday, December 3 so that shoppers will know where to go to get some cool holiday giveaways and more on December 4 and 11.

Home Depot and Jamaica Center BID Partner to Decorate Small Business Storefront for the Holidays

Home Depot and Jamaica Center BID Partner to Decorate Small Business Storefronts for the Holidays 

Perhaps while walking down the Avenue you noticed that many of our small business storefronts have a little extra holiday flair this year. That’s all thanks to Home Depot, located at 92-30 168th St which partnered with our BID to add pizazz to the storefronts of 13 businesses. 

Earlier this month, a large team of volunteers from Home Depot, armed with strings of holiday lights, garlands of greenery, ribbons, and wreaths joined our BID team to visit Pretty Women (165-09 Jamaica Ave), MA Perfume (165-12 Jamaica Ave), Blue Angels Bridal (166-01 Jamaica Ave), Make Me Over Beauty Bar (166-11 Jamaica Ave), European Wax Center (166-16 Jamaica Ave), Don’t Panic (164-09 Jamaica Ave), DJ Electronics (161-11 Jamaica Ave), Hook & Reel Cajun Seafood & Bar (166-21 Jamaica Avenue), M&M Fashion (155-29 Jamaica Avenue) and Rincon Salvadoreno (92-14 149th Street) for an outdoor (and in some cases, indoor) holiday makeover. The team even filled an unsightly empty tree pit with a temporary holiday tree (we hope to fill the tree pit with a *real* tree later this year, thanks to the generous continued support of our tree planting efforts in collaboration with The Horticultural Society of New York by Council Member James Gennaro’s office).  

We’re grateful to Home Depot for its community-minded outlook. The store was helpful earlier this summer when we partnered with SEQ Clean-UpLinden Studios, and Cambria Heights Florist to beautify Parsons Public Space’s 39 planters by providing mulch, cleaning supplies, and leagues of volunteers to green the area. Now, in addition to their Holiday storefront efforts, Home Depot is also planning on participating in our ‘Tis the Season local shopping events taking place on Saturdays 12/4 and 12/11 with a hands-on activity table.  

View the rest of our E-newsletter here!

What a Difference a Bit of Green Makes!

This week downtown got a little greener. Last Saturday our BID planted dozens of bright yellow and red mums and ornamental cabbages and laid fresh mulch in the two tree pits in front of Beverly Hills Furniture (149-01 Jamaica Avenue). You may recall from past newsletters that these tree pits were previously empty without tree guards and compromised pits. Thanks to funding from District 24 Council Member James Gennaro’s office and partnership with the Horticultural Society of New York, we were able to plant two new downtown trees and install four decorative tree guards earlier this year. Saturday's fall flower planting (plant materials provided by a generous grant from JFKIAT) added the final flourish, beautifying a portion of this block for the better and enhancing the downtown shopper experience. This is just a taste of what we feel the entirety of Jamaica Avenue should look like. Restoring our tree canopy, beautifying ALL of our tree pits, and introducing a horticultural program that would delight shoppers, support businesses, and enhance our environment with seasonal plant displays would make a big difference in our downtown. For now, our team will continue making small, but significant changes such as these, with the hope that we will eventually, through sponsorships and government partner support, be able to grow Jamaica green!


On the same day of this exciting tree pit makeover, JBID partnered with Cultural Collaborative JamaicaFriends of Rufus King Park, and the Abuela Neighborhood Maintenance for ‘It’s My Park Day & Community Cleanup.’ We first cleared litter from tree pits, sidewalks and gutters on 163rd Street (mid-block parking garage) to Jamaica Avenue, filling dozens of trash bags and continuing our commitment to providing shoppers a positive first impression of our shopping corridor the minute they descend from the parking lot or subway. Then we planted hundreds of tulips and daffodil bulbs at both entrances of Rufus King Park and in front of King Manor Museum. Below are some photos from this past weekend. We look forward to bringing three more cleanup days to downtown Jamaica in the coming months! Thanks to JFKIAT’s grant, we were able to purchase all cleaning supplies and additional tulip bulbs and daffodil bulbs to supplement bulbs provided by NYC Parks and the amazing Friends of Rufus King Park. 

View the rest of our E-newsletter here!

Farewell to Alba, our CUNY Service Corps Intern

Over the past six weeks you may have seen a friendly new face downtown working on behalf of our Business Improvement District. Alba M. came to us as a CUNY Service Corps student through an internship program designed to help New York City’s economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. Building on CUNY’s history of service to New York City, the CUNY Service Corps creates opportunities for students, faculty, and staff at the university to work on projects that improve the City’s short and long-term civic, economic and environmental sustainability. 

Over her six-week placement, Alba helped monitor and address streetscape and quality of life issues. She translated many of our business communications materials into Spanish, updated our downtown business directory and vacant storefront list, distributed information about new merchant safety programs and the proposed Jamaica Avenue busway to all of our storefronts, collected pedestrian counts, solicited public feedback on desired streetscape and beautification enhancements downtown, and undertook a comprehensive survey of all tree pits along our 30 block faces. Before she departed, our Executive Director, Jenn Furioli, took a moment to catch up with Alba about her experience: 

Jenn: We’re so glad to have you here, Alba! Tell us why you wanted to participate in CUNY Service Corps?
Alba:I wanted to do something with my time this summer and when the opportunity to work with CUNY Service Corps became available I jumped at the chance as way to get work experience and get to know New York City.
What have you learned about Business Improvement Districts and the kind of work we do? 
Alba: Before I started this position, I didn’t know what BIDs were. Now when I walk down the street in my own neighborhood, I notice if someone is cleaning the street and look for their uniform. I try and figure out if other neighborhoods I visit have a BID. I notice things like the cleanliness of the street, or items that need to be reported to 311.
Jenn: Yes, that’s an occupational hazard of working in our industry. One’s ability to walk down the street and not obsessively notice things like cleanliness, overflowing trashcans or items necessitating a 311 call is forever altered. I think you may end up being a BID Director in the future. But if that isn’t your chosen career path, what else interests you?
Alba: I’d actually like to join the police force and become a detective.

Thanks, Alba, for your service to the Jamaica Avenue community! We were lucky to have you as part of our team, and we appreciate the attentive efforts Jahnavi Aluri, our BID’s program manager, who has mentored and supervised Alba during her time with us. Stay tuned for a Day in the BID Life of article featuring Jahnavi in an upcoming e-newsletter.  

View the rest of E-newsletter here.

DOT Community Advisory Board - Jamaica and Archer Avenue Busways

On Wednesday, August 18 and Thursday, August 19, the NYC Department of Transportation will host in-person, outdoor, informational open houses in Downtown Jamaica to support outreach for the Jamaica and Archer Avenues Busway project. These meetings are open to the public and participation is encouraged. Please share this flyer amongst your networks.

Wednesday, August 18, 2021 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Location: Parsons-Archer Pedestrian Plaza (Parsons Blvd. at Archer Ave.)

Thursday, August 19, 2021 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Location: King Manor Museum, 150-03 Jamaica Ave., Queens

Please contact the Queens Borough Commissioner’s office at 212.839.2510 or email [email protected] with any questions. To request accessibility accommodations, please contact the Queens Borough Commissioner’s office by Thursday, August 12, 2021.

Don’t Miss These Great Events!

Downtown is bustling with exciting events this month, starting this weekend when Cultural Collaborative Jamaica’sJAMS Fest returns to the Ave! JAMS will be celebrating its 25th anniversary kicking off with JAMS Under the Stars at Rufus King Park tonight (Friday 8/6) from 6-10pm. Tomorrow (Saturday, 8/7) 11am - 7pm, JAMS Fest begins with a 10-block open air festival with entertainment, music, shopping and more. Follow #jamaicafestival2021. Our team will be present soliciting community input on beautification desires for Jamaica Avenue with an opportunity to win a $50 gift card to a local restaurant—so be sure to stop by!

Meanwhile, King Manor Museum’s (153-03 Jamaica Avenue) Hands-on History month continues, with a focus on curiosity cabinets (miniature early museums of the 18th century that helped early Americans learn about nature and culture). Join King Manor Museum in the making of your own curiosity cabinet. Learn more and register here

On Saturday, August 21, Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning’s (JCAL) VITALS (a free outdoor health and wellness festival highlighting organizations and entrepreneurs advancing health equity amongst communities of color) will take place at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center (153-10 Jamaica Avenue). Enjoy live musicians from The Dream Unfinished and the Harlem Chamber Players. RSVP here

Speaking of live performances, we were pleased to sponsor and be in attendance at JCAL’s most recent Mic Drop last Friday which featured tap dancer and instructor, Omar Edwards and Carlos Noel, David Sincere Aiken and Lyle Omolayo at Parsons Public Space. Don’t miss the next Mic Drop which will take place on August 27.

View the rest of our e-newsletter here.

Coffee Break at The Avenue Café NYC

We are happy to welcome the new coffee shop The Avenue Café NYC to Jamaica Avenue! The coffee shop is located inside Jamaica Market (90-40 160th Street). They have all that you need from Stumptown Coffee, teas and fresh pastries including the Nutella Dream Cruffin and Bacon, Egg and Cheese Breaktarts. We caught up with the owner Stephen Kanhai to speak to him about his new place: 

Tell us what made you want to open The Avenue Café NYC?
I grew up and currently live in Jamaica, Queens.  I truly believe in the concept of “Bloom where you are planted.” I really love cafes where it’s not just another business in the community, it actually becomes part of the fabric of the community. Community is important to me! 

Is Avenue Café NYC a family business?
The Cafe is a family business. My wife and I have been dreaming of opening one for years! 

What’s a little-known fact about yourself?
I love farming and growing produce. 

What’s your favorite business on Jamaica Avenue?
Two businesses come to mind. Alexis Caribbean (In Unique Food Court) and Jamaican Flavors.

What business would you want to see on Jamaica Avenue?
I would love to see a sporting good store or a bookstore! 

How can people help or learn more about your business?
People can help by becoming customers and trying our delicious offerings! You can learn more about our business on social media. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @theavenuecafenyc! 

View the rest of our e-newsletter here.

We are grateful to our supporters who make our work possible

NYC Department of Small Business Services: Avenue NYC Grant, Strategic Impact Grant, and Support for Revitalization of the Jamaica Avenue Clock

Council Member I. Daneek Miller (District 27): Support for Revitalization of the Jamaica Avenue Clock

JFKIAT and Partners (4GOOD Community Philanthropic Program): Programmatic Support for FY22

City Council District 24: Tree Pit Revitalization Support

Office of Queens Borough President Donovan Richards: General Operating and Programmatic Support

Additional In-Kind Support, Friends, and/or  All-Around Helpful Partners and Colleagues Making Jamaica Great. We Appreciate YOU!

Home Depot-Support of Parsons Clean Up

Mattone Investors-Support of Parsons Clean Up

Golden Krust, Popeye’s and Dunkin at Parsons Public Space-Support of Parsons Clean Up

SEQ Clean UP-Multiple Downtown Clean Up Initiatives

Cambria Heights Florist-Support of Parsons Clean Up

Lindon Studios-Support of Parsons Clean Up

Greater Jamaica Development Corporation

Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning

York College and the SBDC

Queens Chamber of Commerce

King Manor Museum

Cultural Collaborative Jamaica

A Better Jamaica

Our World Media

Sutphin Boulevard BID

165th Street BID

Where’s the Jamaica Center Clock?! Don’t panic. The clock is in good hands :)

Don’t panic. The famous Jamaica Center clock is in good hands! Thanks to generous support from Council Member I. Daneek Miller, NYC Small Business Services; Greater Jamaica Development Corporation, our BID and Save America's Clocks have teamed up to restore this historic landmark street clock back to its former glory! We’ll have updates as we move forward but we’re hoping the clock will be back up sometime in the summer! For Additional Information visit the full NY Times article on the clock's history and renovation here. See the below photos from last Thursday's removal of the clock and view the Instagram story here!

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