ANNUAL REPORT OF THE March 16 IRONBOUND BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT 2015 DISTRICT IRONBOUND BUSINESS Seth A. Grossman, IMPROVEMENT Executive Director DISTRICT, NEWARK, NJ 1 IRONBOUND BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT Newark, NJ 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS IBID BOARD OF DIRECTORS & STAFF ............................................... 3 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................... 4 Promise of the IBID ............................................................. 6 IBID Strategy ...................................................................... 6 FIRST BLOCK TASK FORCE ............................................................... 7 PETER FRANCISCO PARK PROPOSAL ............................................... 10 IRONBOUND ARTS & CULTURAL CENTER ........................................ 18 MARKETING/ COMMUNICATIONS SYNOPSIS .................................. 25 Marketing & Communications ............................................ 26 Online Marketing ............................................................... 30 NewarkBound Magazine .................................................... 31 OUTDOOR MAINTENANCE & QUALITY OF LIFE ............................... 40 Statistics ............................................................................ 40 Snow Removal ................................................................... 40 E-Waste ............................................................................. 41 Report of First Block Task Force .......................................... 42 Illegal Dumping .................................................................. 44 Wilson Ave. Beautification .................................................. 45 Graffiti Removal .................................................................. 45 Anti-Litter Poster Contest ..................................................... 46 SUMMARY ....................................................................................... 51 2 IRONBOUND BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT Newark, NJ 2015 IBID Board of Directors Steven T. Yglesias, President Renato Baptista, 1st Vice President Victor Matos, 2nd Vice President Manuel Lopes, Secretary Brian Morgado, Treasurer Licinio Cruz, President Emeritus _________________ Jack Guerra María A. Henríquez Hal Laessig Ellen LaMotta Manuel Lopes Víctor Matos Snezana Opacic John Peneda Zelia Prata Chris Silva Betty Spiropoulos Helena Vinhas Ausgusto Amador Ras J. Baraka IBID STAFF Seth A. Grossman, Executive Director Vince Baglivo, Associate Director Communications Christopher Bernardo, Director of Operations Leysly Roldan, Administrative Assistant Francisco Pereira, Program Support Pereira & Azevedo, Accountants Richard Allen, Corporate Counsel 3 IRONBOUND BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT Newark, NJ 2015 INTRODUCTION 2014 was an election year in Newark, Ras J. Baraka won the mayoralship and a new administration began. Baye Adolfo-Wilson became the new Deputy Mayor of Community & Economic Development, and work began on the redevelopment of the Prudential Area. The mayor's office immediately established a new Office of Cultural, the Arts & Tourism, which we believe will help focus the City as a destination. The Prudential project on Broad St. in downtown Newark is moving along as is the old Haynes building, which is slated for Whole Foods. The IBID furthered discussions on obtaining 55 Prospect St. - Prospect Fire House as a Community Arts & Cultural Center as well as leasing Peter Francisco Park to better manage the area and rebuild the park. A First Block Task Force was established to address growing crime issues around Penn Station and Peter Francisco Park. This effort met with great success as the Newark Police Department quickly became an effective partner. The Newark Bound Magazine, which has already changed the Newark's perception as a positive and exciting City continued to move the City forward, and has become the most anticipated media coming out of Newark. The Ironbound is looking at having its first hotel as the downtown Marriot and Indigo hotels came on line. Our cleaning crews have been active and the IBID looks great, tunnels between the downtown and the Ironbound continue to painted and maintained against graffiti, and new IBID banners/poles are still planned for (East) Ferry Street and planters on East Ferry St. and Wilson Avenue in spring 2015. The Ironbound has many Portuguese, Spanish and Latin American populations, and the largest Brazilian population on the East Coast. Our events such as: the Portugal Day Festival, Gooches Garlic Run, & the Ecuadoran Festival, Halloween and holiday celebrations are great draws for Newark and the Ironbound. The bottom line is that the Ironbound is one of the region's top tourist destinations and is poised to grow. This year, we should have our first 95-room boutique hotel at Madison St. and Lafayette St. In 2014, it became clear that the economy is no longer in recession, but it is far from robust in New Jersey. This makes for a tenuous retail environment, and once again as softened Newark's ability to grow residentially. Efforts by the City are underway to begin improving municipal finances, but this will require that hard choices regarding employment and services will have to made, and this will need to occur over a number of years. As the city's fiscal help improves so will investment in the city. Fueled by stronger consumer spending, we expect the Ironbound economy to grow at a modest 3% this year — up from 2.4% in 2014. Much of this is due to fairly strong local trends but poor global trends such as a tightening labor market, low inflation, low energy prices, a need for new housing, a strong dollar, and a very modest rise in interest rates. The downside is that globally, the economy is not as good and challenges in Europe will effect tourism. World economies are entering their slowest growth period since 2009. The unifying theme is that the global economy is taking longer than expected to recuperate from the bursting of the debt bubble during the last decade. We expect the 4 IRONBOUND BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT Newark, NJ 2015 economy to grow for the Ironbound in 2015, but not by much. Nonetheless, the future looks bright. In addition to improved unemployment numbers and the increase in the availability of capital, small business owners should benefit from lower energy costs and an increase in consumer confidence. It could very well be the beginning of the economic boon we all have been waiting for. And for small businesses, that would be welcome news in 2015. The Ironbound Business Improvement District (IBID) is a certified Special Improvement District established in December 2000 by local ordinance. As stated above, first and foremost, the IBID is a unique public-private partnership between the Ferry Street business community, the municipal government, and the neighborhood. The IBID works with the City to improve business and community development services, rebuild our infrastructure, and market the Ironbound as a reliable and exciting destination. Administrative funding is created through an annual assessment on commercial property in the district, collected by the City, but transferred and managed by the IBID. In January 2015, the IBID celebrated its 15th Anniversary, and we have much to proud of. We continue to have the most stable property values in the area, the lowest vacancy rate, and a growing market. The IBID has built partnerships with the important Newark entertainment, arts, government, education, and cultural institutions. After last year and this year's success with the Ironbound Unbound gallery and the Newark's Arts Council, we are vigorously exploring a lease of the Prospect St. Fire building as an Ironbound Arts and Cultural Center. This is chiefly a partnership between the IBID, Councilman Amador, the Newark Fire Department, Sumei Multicultural Arts Center, and the Newark Arts Council. By working together, we have successfully addressed shared goals for the future of the Ironbound and the City of Newark. 5 IRONBOUND BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT Newark, NJ 2015 PROMISE OF THE IBID The Ironbound Business Improvement District is a diverse and vibrant community with deep ethnic roots, rich in culture and tradition. We are a bustling retail and restaurant destination easily accessible to the world. Our proud and friendly people welcome visitors to explore our international flair and ambiance and live a true Portuguese, Spanish, Brazilian, and South & Latin American experience. We are committed to providing a friendly “neighborhood”, one that will include a safe and clean environment that gives our customers a feeling of being wanted and appreciated. It will be so unique that those who come to enjoy what so many of us have taken for granted will undoubtedly come back for more. IBID STRATEGY As stated above, first and foremost, the IBID is a unique public-private partnership between the Ferry Street/Wilson Avenue business community, the municipal government, and the neighborhood. The IBID works with the City to improve business and community development services to the district and provides additional enhancements and focus. Administrative funding is created through an annual assessment on commercial property in the district, collected by the City, but transferred and managed by the IBID. The Ironbound business area has the most stable property values in the area, the lowest vacancy rate, and a growing market. Much of that growth is due to the establishment of the nearby Prudential Center