WASHINGTON HEIGHTS MANHATTAN Commercial District Needs Assessment
in partnership Community League of the Heights with ABOUT WASHINGTON HEIGHTS Background
Located in Upper Manhattan, Washington Heights extends north from 155th Street to Dyckman Avenue NYC is a competitive Street, and is bordered on the west by the Hudson River and the east by the Harlem River. grant program created by the NYC Department of Small Business Broadway, a major New York 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 Washington Bridge 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 New Jersey to various destinations throughout the city. through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s The Audubon Terrace 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 United Palace, NewYork-Presbyterian hospital, and the Malcolm multi-year commitments aimed X & Dr. Betty Shabazz 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 Audubon Ballroom where Malcolm X 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 New York City. 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 Columbia University 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 ° George Washington Bridge 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?