Mayor Bloomberg on Tuesday signed into law the 22-block Hudson Square Business Improvement District, extending from West Houston St. to Canal St. between Greenwich St. and Sixth Ave.
The city’s 63rd BID — which includes the entrances to the Holland Tunnel and is characterized by large loft buildings formerly occupied by printers — has become a major media center, with advertising, publishing, graphic arts and entertainment firms moving into the neighborhood, along with architects, retailers and nonprofit institutions.
At the signing ceremony, Bloomberg noted that within the next three years, more than 1,000 mid-to-high-end hotel rooms in five projects would be added to the district. One of those projects is the Trump Soho condo hotel on Varick between Spring and Dominick Sts.
Trinity Real Estate, the district’s largest property owner, was a leading sponsor of the BID organizing effort that began last May. Laura Walker, president of WNYC Radio, which moved last summer from the Municipal Building into 160 Varick St. within the BID, was chairperson of the steering committee that guided the organization of the BID.
A survey of Hudson Square businesses and residents last year identified the district’s prime needs as control of auto traffic aggravated by the tunnel entrances, attracting more and diverse retail, improving air quality and creating more park space.
The budget for the Hudson Square BID’s first year of operation is $2.5 million, funded by an additional assessment on property owners, which may be passed along to commercial tenants. BID’s, which are overseen by the city Department of Small Business Services, provide additional maintenance and sanitation services over and above regular municipal services. Marketing and promoting local business, holiday lighting, street furniture and landscaping are the usual BID improvements.
“The Hudson Square BID, the 19th established under our administration,” the mayor said, “will provide services that are essential to ensuring that small businesses and the neighborhoods where they operate have every opportunity to succeed.”
