WASHINGTON HEIGHTS Commercial District Needs Assessment

in partnership Community League of the Heights with ABOUT WASHINGTON HEIGHTS Background

Located in , Washington Heights extends north from to Dyckman Avenue NYC is a competitive Street, and is bordered on the west by the and the east by the River. grant program created by the NYC Department of Small Business , a major City thoroughfare, runs north and south through the heart of Services to fund and build the Washington Heights, converging with St. Nicholas Avenue at 168th Street where the 1, A, capacity of community-based and C trains stop . On 178th Street is the George Bus Station, a major development organizations to execute commercial revitalization transportation hub that provides easy access to multiple subway and bus lines that connect initiatives. Avenue NYC is funded visitors and commuters from to various destinations throughout the city. through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s The Historic District, located between 155th and 156th streets, Broadway Community Development Block and Riverside Drive, is a landmarked 20th century historical district and cultural center named Grant (CDBG) Program, which targets investments in low- and after the renowned Ornithologist John James Audubon. This is among the many cultural moderate-income neighborhoods. institutions located in Washington Heights, including the American Academy of Arts & Letters, Avenue NYC Commercial the Hispanic Society Museum & Library, and Boricua College. Located further north are such Revitalization grants provide neighborhood anchors as the , NewYork-Presbyterian hospital, and the Malcolm multi-year commitments aimed X & Dr. Memorial and Educational Center (The Shabazz Center). The center, at building the capacity of partner organizations to better understand located in the former lobby of the where was assassinated, is neighborhood needs, develop dedicated to the contributions that Malcolm X and his wife Dr. Shabazz made during the civil impactful programs, and sustain rights movement. These iconic neighborhood institutions are easily accessible by various their work in the community for at least three years. means of public transportation. The Commercial District Needs Washington Heights has a rich immigrant history and is a living tribute to the immigrant Assessment (CDNA) highlights a neighborhood’s existing business experience in . The opening of the 157th Street subway station in 1906 spurred landscape and consumer a major construction boom; apartments and tenements were built, attracting newly arrived characteristics. immigrants — mostly of Irish, Greek, and Jewish descent. After World War II, a secondary wave This CDNA features the of immigration occurred when a large population of Spanish-speaking immigrants arrived in Broadway and St. Nicholas Washington Heights; first Puerto Rican, followed by Cubans, and Avenue commercial finally Dominicans. corridors in Washington Heights which was conducted in partnership with the Community League of the Heights (CLOTH) between See more on page 12 August 2018 and January 2019. Neighborhood Demographics Key issues and opportunities identified through this assessment will help prioritize SBS-supported Washington Heights has a population of 92,476 residents. Approximately 48% of its residents local investments, and serve as are foreign born. The top three Latinx groups are Dominicans (62%), followed by the more an informational and marketing recent arrival of Mexicans (10.5%), and Puerto Ricans (approximately 7%). Known as “Little resource for the neighborhood. Dominican Republic,” many tourists and New Yorkers who live outside of Washington Heights come to eat and shop at the many long-standing Dominican-owned restaurants and businesses dotting Broadway and St. Nicholas Avenue. Along St. Nicholas Avenue it is not In This Report uncommon to observe an impromptu, outdoor game of dominoes along the corridor, a favorite game among members of the Dominican and Puerto Rican communities. Existing conditions, business data, and qualitative depictions of the neighborhood were See more on page 5 gathered from more than Future Opportunities 395 surveys and various stakeholder meetings with neighborhood merchants, Current development projects in Washington Heights include extensive plans for office, shoppers, workers, property hotel, and retail space, as well as affordable and market-rate apartments. In the past decade, owners, and residents. new bars and restaurants have popped up along Broadway, serving the local community, Jump to... students from Boricua College, and employees of NewYork-Presbyterian. Further north on Key Findings 4-5 the Broadway corridor — near the United Palace — are quaint eateries, specialty food shops, Business Inventory 6 and grab-and-go food options reflective of the diverse population of Washington Heights. What Merchants Say 7-8 Together with an emerging nightlife that includes new and old bars and restaurants, and the Business Outlook 9-10 recent opening of the boutique Edge Hotel on 168th Street between Audubon and Amsterdam What Shoppers Say 8, 10 avenues, Washington Heights has become a destination for all. Physical Environment 11 Data Appendix 12-14

2 Avenue NYC Commercial District Needs Assessment NEIGHBORHOOD CONTEXT Washington Heights

Points of Interest W 181 ST WASHINGTON BRIDGE Assessed Commercial Corridors Incubators & Co-Working Spaces Workforce1 Career Center Washington Heights BID Arts & Entertainment ALEXANDER GWB Bus HAMILTON Public Facilities 4 Station BRIDGE W 178 ST GEORGE BROADWAY WASHINGTON BRIDGE United Palace W 176 ST W 177 ST 2 Notable Places Plaza de Las Americas J. Hood ST NICHOLAS AV THE HIGH 1 Wright Park BRIDGE AUDUBON AV

W 172 ST Highbridge AMSTERDAM AV HAVEN AV Park

The Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center HENRY HUDSON PKWY W 170 ST

2 W 168 ST

NewYork-Presbyterian JUMEL PL Medical Center Alianza Dominicana The Malcolm X & 1 Cultural Center Dr. Betty Shabazz EDGECOMBE AV Memorial and ST NICHOLAS AVW 165 ST Fort Educational Center The United Palace Theater Washington Park FT WASHINGTON AV

3

W 162 ST

RIVERSIDE DR RIVERSIDE Morris-Jumel Mansion

W 160 ST New York

BROADWAY Public Library Hispanic Society Museum & Library A C W 157 ST 4 Hudson Boricua River College Hispanic Society Museum & Library 3 W 155 ST Trinity Church 1 Cemetery 0 0.15 0.3 Miles ° Bus Station 5 Merchant & Business Groups

The Chamber of Commerce of Washington Heights & Inwood Washington Heights and Inwood Development Corporation Fort Washington Park Washington Heights Business Improvement District (BID)

Washington Heights 3 KEY FINDINGS & OPPORTUNITIES Strengths High foot traffic throughout the corridor facilitated by Significant parks and greenspaces throughout the the presence of local institutions, such as the United commercial district on Broadway and St. Nicholas Palace, that provide engaging community programming Avenue, in addition to the green spaces bounding the to Washington Heights residents and visitors Washington Heights community on the east and west Accessible transportation options including the George Large employers, such as NewYork-Presbyterian Washington Bridge Bus Station, which is centrally hospital which help fuel the Washington Heights located in Washington Heights and serves as a transit economy by bringing visitors and employees into hub for commuters in and outside of New York the commercial district to purchase locally Various opportunities for entrepreneurship and small Diverse eateries and restaurants that offer residents business development via community assets like and visitors a variety of dining options La Plaza de Las Americas Strong community pride and local commitment to support small businesses in Washington Heights Challenges High number of vacant storefronts in the district as a Limited parking options for consumers along the corridor result of property speculation and poor landlord and due to existing parking regulations, including the recent tenant relationships implementation of loading zones Poor storefront conditions, including blocked windows Lack of consistent programming in parks and open and lack of signage, are uninviting for consumers and spaces, such as McKenna Square Park on St. Nicholas negatively impact local businesses Avenue, resulting in the underuse of public spaces by the community Unsightly sidewalk conditions due to scaffolding and ongoing construction on St. Nicholas Avenue and Overflowing trash cans and animal waste throughout the Broadway, which attracts trash and rodents commercial corridor negatively impacts pedestrian traffic and deters both residents and visitors from visiting the commercial district

168th Street Station Hispanic Society Museum & Library

United Palace CLOTH Clean Up Day Community Event

4 Avenue NYC Commercial District Needs Assessment Broadway Corridor CLOTH Dancing Community Event

St. Nicholas Avenue

Opportunities

Develop programming to activate existing plazas and Collaborate with local merchants, residents, and community small park spaces, including McKenna Square, Haven stakeholders to launch a district marketing campaign Avenue Plaza, and Ilka Tanya Payán Park to foster a that celebrates and highlights the corridor’s diverse sense of place for residents cultural events, small businesses, and anchor institutions Encourage collaboration between local artists Connect Washington Heights youth to job training and small businesses to provide improvements to opportunities through innovative partnerships storefronts — particularly signage and roll-down gates Provide one-on-one technical assistance to the small Work in partnership with local businesses, community business community in Washington Heights to help them members, and other stakeholders to improve the adapt to the needs of the community quality and conditions of tree beds Develop a plan in collaboration with local community- Partner with local institutions and large employers to based organizations, property owners, and local artists, provide additional community programming and events to activate vacant storefronts and underused spaces, and to attract new retail opportunities

What’s Next? To address these key findings and opportunities, Avenue NYC Grants have been awarded by SBS to nonprofit organizations. For more information, visit: nyc.gov/avenuenyc

Washington Heights 5 BUSINESS LANDSCAPE Business Inventory 449 18.5% Total Number of Storefronts Storefront Vacancy*

*Note: In 2018, New York City’s 75 Business Improvement Districts reported an average ground floor Storefront & Retail Mix vacancy rate of 8.9% and median ground floor vacancy rate of 7.3% (SBS BIDs Trends Report, 2018).

Vacant 83 Beauty/Nail Salons & Barbershops 41 Full Service Restaurants 36 Limited Service Restaurants 36 Clothing, Shoes, & Jewelry Stores 28 Pharmacy, Optical, & Health Stores 26 Delis/Bodegas 25 Coffee Shops/Cafés & Specialty Food Stores 21 Professional Services 20 Supermarkets & Grocery Stores 16 Cell Phone Stores & Electronic Stores 15 Medical Services 15 Bars, Clubs, & Liquor Stores 12 General Merchandise Stores 12 Dry Cleaning & Laundry Services 10 Check Cashing & Pawn Shops 9 Furniture, Hardware, & Home Goods Stores 8 Community Organizations & Government Agencies 8 Banks & Credit Unions 7 Car Service, Gas Stations, & Parking Lots 6 Florists 3 Business inventory and retail mix data Gyms 3 were gathered by the Community League of the Heights (CLOTH) through Schools 3 a comprehensive area inventory of Office Supplies, Stationery, & Gifts 2 storefront businesses located along Broadway and St. Nicholas Avenue. Other 4 (October 2018)

Coogan’s Broadway Corridor Storefront Mural La Blanda Meat Market

6 Avenue NYC Commercial District Needs Assessment What We’ve Heard from Washington Heights Merchants

How many years have you been Do you own or rent your property? in business here?

97% 2% 1% Rent Own No Response 27% 27% 19% 18% Over the past year, has your business Businesses improved, stayed the same, or decreased? 9%

19% 50% 31% Improved Stayed the Decreased Years in Business Same 12 5 5 Mean Median Mode

*Note: The mean is the average of all responses, the median is the middle number when all responses are How many employees do you have? arranged in ascending order, and the mode is the most common response. 5 4 2 Mean Median Mode

What changes need to occur in Washington What kinds of resources would help you grow Heights to attract more visitors/shoppers? your business? % Merchant Responses % Merchant Responses

Community events 30% Marketing support 34% Parking 13% Financing 24% Safety 11% Legal/lease support 19% Better landscaping 10% Space improvements 9% Street lighting 10% New equipment 5% Storefront improvements 9% Other 4% Business-to-business communication 8% Training for staff 4% Sanitation 7% Assistance with regulatory compliance 1% Other 2%

Source: Based on 67 merchant surveys conducted by the Community League of the Heights in Fall 2018. Washington Heights 7 BUSINESS LANDSCAPE What We’ve Heard from Washington Heights Merchants

What do you like about the commercial corridor?

“The corridor is close to the hospital, meaning a lot “I like the people, diversity, and community in this corridor.” of doctors and students rent in the neighborhood.”

“Love the neighborhood.” “We are close to a lot of transit options, such as the A, 1, and C trains, as well as bus stops.” “It’s a theater community. It’s diverse and LGBT friendly.”

“I’m Dominican and these are my people.” “The corridor is fast paced, with a lot of foot traffic and movement around subway stops.”

“I grew up in this area and and have had “The people are friendly and the corridor is safe.” my family business here since 1961.”

What would you say are the most pressing needs of businesses on this corridor?

“Competition with street vendors.” “I don’t know what’s going to happen when my lease expires. I think my rent is going to be increased too much.”

“Drugs are a persistent problem and sold openly. “In the summer months, sales drop for small businesses.” This affects all businesses on the block.”

What We’ve Heard from Washington Heights Shoppers

What changes would you suggest to improve the commercial district for residents, pedestrians, and shoppers?

“We are a family of four with two adults and two small kids. “[We need] more businesses that target children There is no place to buy clothes for us, within walking and youth, such as bookstores with the purpose distance, of decent quality. We also would love to see of developing historical/social awareness.” more art galleries and live music venues for local artists.”

“A well stocked supermarket with reasonable prices, and fresh “More jobs for local people.” produce. [Something that is] affordable and carries a huge selection.”

Based on 67 merchant surveys and 328 consumer surveys conducted by the Community League of the Heights in Fall 2018. 8 Avenue NYC Commercial District Needs Assessment BUSINESS OUTLOOK Washington Heights Retail Opportunity

Residents spend Local businesses make Every year, $841.6M $510.9M $330.8M each year in each year in is spent outside goods and services retail sales the neighborhood

Retail Leakage & Surplus Surplus $0 Leakage

Grocery Stores $65.4M Gasoline Stations $58.0M Department Stores (Ecluding Leased Departments) $54.4M Other General Merchandise Stores $34.2M Building Material & Supplies Dealers $21.7M Electronics & Appliance Stores $17.8M Auto Parts, Accessories, & Tire Stores $11.9M Home Furnishings Stores $9.5M Clothing Stores $8.9M Sporting Goods, Hobby, & Musical Instrument Stores $8.3M Drinking Places - Alcoholic Beverages $5.1M Office Supplies, Stationery, & Gift Stores $4.4M Retail leakage and surplus is the Used Merchandise Stores $3.6M difference between estimated spending by local residents Special Food Services $2.8M on retail goods and estimated Furniture Stores $2.8M sales by local retail businesses. Retail leakage occurs when Lawn/Garden Equipment & Supply Stores $2.4M consumer demand exceeds retail supply in a designated Specialty Food Stores $1.3M trade area. On the chart, a positive value indicates leakage Book, Periodical, & Music Stores $1.2M of retail sales and represents net Jewelry, Luggage, & Leather Goods Stores $1.4M consumer spending that is being captured by retailers outside of Other Miscellaneous Store Retailers $1.8M the trade area. Retail surplus occurs when retail supply Florists $3.0M exceeds consumer demand in a designated trade area. On the Beer, Wine, & Liquor Stores $3.4M chart, a negative value indicates a surplus of retail sales and may Health & Personal Care Stores $3.6M signify a market where retailers Shoe Stores $4.5M are drawing customers from outside the trade area. Restaurants & Other Eating Places $5.4M

Source: ESRI and Infogroup, January 2019. Washington Heights 9 BUSINESS OUTLOOK Business Trends

Change in Total Business Sales, 2011-2018 Change in Median Sales by Business, 2011-2018

Washington Heights Manhattan NYC Washington Heights Manhattan NYC

93% 64% 61% 151% 156% 150%

Washington Heights Total Business Sales Washington Heights Median Sales by Business

$114,838 $110,620 $98,486,072 $96,582,778 $95,672 $91,283

$84,288,130 $77,712 $76,543 $71,462,013 $68,744,581 Sales Volume Sales Volume $55,637 $55,730,901 $51,136,021

$54,349,445

$45,775

Year Year

Source: Division of Tax Policy, NYC Department of Finance What We’ve Heard from Shoppers What additional types of businesses would When do you usually shop in Washington you like to see in Washington Heights? Heights?

Department stores Weekdays 48% Clothing stores Weekday evenings 13% Full-service restaurants Weekend days 16% Healthy, affordable grocery stores Weekend evenings 5% No set time 18% Shoe stores

How do you usually get to Washington Heights? How often do you shop in Washington Heights?

Walk 50% Daily 52% Public transportation 38% 2 to 4 times a week 19% Car 7% Once a week 8% Taxi/Ride share 3% Twice a month 9%

Bike 2% Once a month 1% 3 to 6 times a year 3% Rarely/Never 7%

Source: Based on 328 consumer surveys conducted by the Community League of the Heights (CLOTH) of Washington Heights in Fall 2018. 10 Avenue NYC Commercial District Needs Assessment PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT Storefront Vacancies

W 181 ST WASHINGTON BRIDGE

ALEXANDER HAMILTON BRIDGE ! W 178 ST GEORGE ! ! ! Juan Pablo WASHINGTON ! ! BRIDGE BROADWAY ! ! W 176 ST W 177 ST ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! THE HIGH ! ! BRIDGE ! AUDUBON AV ! ! ST NICHOLAS AV ! ! ! ! ! W 172 ST ! Highbridge Vacant Storefronts ! ! ! AMSTERDAM AV HAVEN AV Park ! ! ! ! HENRY HUDSON PKWY W 170 ST !!

W 168 ST

JUMEL PL

! EDGECOMBE AV Storefront Mural FT WASHINGTON AV ! W 165 ST Fort ! S T Washington N Park I ! C H ! O L ! ! A S ! A W 162 ST V RIVERSIDE DR RIVERSIDE ! ! ! ! ! W 160 ST ! ! ! BROADWAY ! Litter ! ! ! ! W 157 ST Streetscape Observations ! St. Nicholas Avenue ! W 155 ST Trash overflow from garbage cans poses a health and pedestrian hazard and discourages consumers from walking along the commercial corridor. 0 0.15 0.3 Miles Poor storefront conditions impact perceptions on the quality of ° goods offered throughout commercial corridor. Poorly maintained sidewalks make it difficult for pedestrians to Vacant Lots Vacant Storefronts Parks & Open Spaces safely navigate the commercial corridor. An analysis of 449 storefronts along Broadway and St. Nicholas Avenue revealed that 35% of storefronts are in poor condition, Broadway 56% are in average condition, and 9% are in good condition. Sidewalks and storefronts along Broadway are generally clean and well maintained. Traffic congestion along the Broadway corridor creates traffic flow issues that impact Washington Heights consumers, merchants, and residents.

Washington Heights 11 DATA APPENDIX Study Area Boundaries Area Demographics

Assessed Commercial Washington Heights Trade Total Population Corridors Context Area Area Primary data on Washington Heights Demographic and employment Retail leakage, surplus, and 100,433 Washington Heights storefront businesses presented on data on pg. 12-13 correspond retail opportunity data on 1,634,989 Manhattan pg. 6-8 was gathered along Broadway to the Washington Heights pg. 9 correspond to the and St. Nicholas Avenue. context area. 0.25 mile trade area. 8,461,961 New York City

PINEHURST AV

BENNETT AV Population Density (per square mile) W 184 ST 107,697 Washington Heights

71,617 Manhattan W 181 ST 27,986 New York City W 180 ST

W 178 ST Average Household Size

GEORGE W 177 ST 3.1 Washington Heights WASHINGTON HAVEN AV BRIDGE BROADWAY 2.09 Manhattan 2.65 New York City W 173 ST

HARLEM RIVER DR RIVERSIDE DR

AUDUBON AV AUDUBON ST NICHOLAS AV Commuting Patterns

H E N R Y W 168 ST

H UD FT WASHINGTON AV

S

O EDGECOMBE AV

N

P

K 18,730 1,635 33,089

W

Y

Work Live AMSTERDAM AV

W 161 ST ST NICHOLAS AV

RIVERSIDE DR W BROADWAY W 159 ST 18,730 Work in Washington Heights, live elsewhere Hudson River 1,635 Live & Work in Washington Heights W 155 ST 33,089 Live in Washington Heights, work elsewhere

Car Ownership

W 150 ST EDGECOMBE AV EDGECOMBE 21.4% Washington Heights

0 0.2 0.4 Miles 23% Manhattan ° 45% New York City

12 Avenue NYC Commercial District Needs Assessment Area Demographics

Race/Background Washington Heights Manhattan NYC Educational Attainment Washington Heights Manhattan NYC

Hispanic or Latino 71% 26% 29% 12th Grade or Less, 31% 13% 19% (of any race) No Diploma White alone 12% 47% 32% High School Graduate 20% 13% 24% Black or African 12% 13% 22% Some College, No Degree 15% 10% 14% American alone Associate’s Degree 6% 4% 6% Asian alone 4% 12% 14% Bachelor’s Degree 18% 32% 36% Two or more races 1% 2% 2% Graduate or 10% 29% 15% Some other race alone 0% 0% 1% Professional Degree American Indian and 0% 0% 0% Alaska Native alone Native Hawaiian and 0% 0% 0% Other Pacific Islander

Population Age Washington Heights Manhattan NYC Median Age Foreign-Born Population

Under 5 Years 5% 5% 7% 34.5 Washington Heights 47% Washington Heights 5–14 Years 8% 7% 11% 36.7 Manhattan 29% Manhattan 15–24 Years 14% 12% 13% 35.9 New York City 37% New York City 25–44 Years 37% 37% 32% 45–64 Years 24% 24% 25% 65+ Years 12% 14% 13% Income Employment Median Household Income Pop. Below Poverty Line Population in Labor Force Unemployment* $40,125 Washington Heights 22% Washington Heights 65% Washington Heights 13% Washington Heights $75,513 Manhattan 18% Manhattan 68% Manhattan 6.9% Manhattan $55,191 New York City 20% New York City 64% New York City 8.6% New York City

*Note: Unemployment figures are based on data from 2012-2016. As of November 2018, the unemployment rate is 3.3% for Manhattan and 3.7% for New York City (NYSDOL); updated Local Jobs and Employment neighborhood-level data for Washington Heights is not available. Local Residents’ Employment Jobs Located in Washington Heights Educational Services, Health Care, 28% Educational Services, Health Care, 23% Social Assistance Social Assistance Accommodation, Food Services, Arts, 19% Accommodation, Food Services, Arts, 11% Entertainment Entertainment Retail Trade 12% Retail Trade 8% Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services 8% Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services 20% Finance, Insurance, Real Estate 7% Finance, Insurance, Real Estate 17% Other Services 7% Other Services 4% Transportation, Warehousing, Utilities 5% Transportation, Warehousing, Utilities 3% Construction 4% Construction 2% Manufacturing 4% Manufacturing 3% Public Administration 2% Public Administration 3%

Source: US Census Bureau, 2012-2016 American Community Survey; 2014 OnTheMap Application; NYS Department of Labor, December 2018. Washington Heights 13 DATA APPENDIX Washington Heights Transportation

Washington Heights Transportation

BX BX BX BX BX W 181 ST 3 11 13 35 36 WASHINGTON Bus Routes BRIDGE NYC Subway 4 Bicycle Lanes 98 98 ALEXANDER BX BX HAMILTON GWB 3 11 5 98 BX BX BX BRIDGE Bus 13 35 36 98 GEORGE Station W 178 ST Pedestrian Counts WASHINGTON BRIDGE West 181st Street/St. Nicholas Avenue

BROADWAY Weekday Morning (7 - 9 a.m.) W 176 ST 1,386 W 177 ST 7,668 Weekday Afternoon (4 - 7 p.m.) 5 98 BX 7 THE HIGH 6,307 Weekend (12 - 2 p.m.) 100 ST NICHOLAS AV 3 BRIDGE AUDUBON AV Highbridge W 172 ST Park Vehicular Traffic

4 AMSTERDAM AV HAVEN AV 23,606 between W. 155th Street and 101 W. 179th Street on Broadway W 170 ST HENRY HUDSON PKWY 5,384 between W. 173rd Street and W. 180th Street on Wadsworth Street

W 168 ST 2 BX 2 7 3 JUMEL PL 100 5 Average Weekday Subway Ridership (2017) 10,802 1 157th Street FT WASHINGTON AV W 165 ST Fort EDGECOMBE AV Washington S A C 1 T 25,589 168th Street

Park N I 4 C A H 13,217 175th Street O 5 L A S A A 10,981 181st Street V RIVERSIDE DR RIVERSIDE 11,693 1 181st Street

4 BROADWAY W 160 ST 2

Bx MTA Annual Bus Ridership (2017) SBS6 3 M3 100 A 4.0M 101 C M4 W 157 ST 4.5M 2.2M M5

Bx 6 M100 W 155 ST SBS 5.0M

1 4.3M Bx7 0 0.15 0.3 Miles °

Sources: MTA 2017; NYC DOT September 2017; NYS DOT 2015 Annual Average Daily Traffic Data. 14 Avenue NYC Commercial District Needs Assessment Recent SBS Investments in the Neighborhood

Commercial Revitalization, Avenue NYC multi-year grant, awarded to Community League of the Heights, 2018-2021.

Neighborhood Design Lab services, awarded to Community League of the Heights, 2019.

Placemaking, Avenue NYC grant of $30,000 awarded to the Washington Heights BID, 2018.

Placemaking, Avenue NYC grant of $30,000 awarded to the Washington Heights BID, 2017.

Business Attraction, Avenue NYC grant of $25,000 awarded to Community League of the Heights, 2016.

Placemaking, Avenue NYC grant of $20,000 awarded to the Washington Heights BID, 2016.

Capacity Building, Avenue NYC grant of $25,000 awarded to Community League of the Heights and Broadway United Businesses, 2015.

Placemaking, Avenue NYC grant of $20,000 awarded to the Washington Heights BID, 2015.

Existing Plans & Studies Inwood Library, Community League of the Heights with NYC Department of Housing Preservation Development (HPD), 2022 (proposed completion date).

Inwood NYC Planning Initiative, NYC Economic Development Corporation, 2018.

Sources ESRI and Infogroup, Inc. January 2019 ESRI Retail Market Place Profile. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2017. Average Weekday Subway Ridership. NYS Department of Labor. December 2018. Unemployment Rate Rankings by County. NYS Department of Transportation. 2015 Annual Average Daily Traffic, using Traffic Data Viewer. NYC Department of Finance, Division of Tax Policy, using data from NYS Department of Taxation and Finance. Business sales are reported by tax year, which runs from March 1st to February 28th. Sales data are compiled from sales tax returns, which are rolled up by tax filer within a year, excluding returns with negative sales amounts. For each year, each tax filer is reported according to the address listed on their latest return. Large outliers were removed. NYC Department of Small Business Services. Fiscal Year 2018. Business Improvement Districts Trends Report. NYC Department of Transportation. September 2017. Bi-Annual Pedestrian Counts. U.S. Census Bureau. 2015. OnTheMap Application. Longitudinal-Employer Household Dynamics Program. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2013 American Community Survey 4-Year Estimates, using NYC Census FactFinder. Washington Heights Census Tracts: 263, 261, 253, 251, 245, 241, 243.01, 247, 255, 249, 265, 239, 237

Photo Credits: © NYC & Company: Joe Buglewicz, Alex Lopez, Will Steacy; Flickr: Brian D. Bumby, Matt Green; Community League of the Heights; NYC SBS: Madelaine Britt.

Washington Heights 15 The NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) helps unlock ABOUT SBS economic potential and create economic security for all New Yorkers by connecting New Yorkers to good jobs, creating stronger businesses, and building thriving neighborhoods across the five boroughs.

We would like to recognize and thank the following individuals and ACKNOWLEDGMENTS organizations for their contributions to the development of the Washington Heights Commercial District Needs Assessment:

Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer NYC Council Member Mark Levine NYC Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez Manhattan Community Board 12 Washington Heights Merchants Washington Heights Shoppers and Residents

nyc.gov/avenuenyc