Next Public Forums Set in BID Development Process | Rochester Business Journal
ROCHESTER BUSINESS JOURNAL — FEBRUARY 16TH, 2023
The next steps in the Community Engagement Plan for possible creation of a Business Improvement District in downtown Rochester have been scheduled.
A pair of public meetings will take place on March 29, the first via Zoom at noon and the second in-person at 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. at the Bausch & Lomb Public Library building.
As exploration of a potential BID continues, the downtown partnership has placed an emphasis on community input and dialogue.
Preliminary survey data from 554 respondents — including 223 residents — in late 2022 showed eating and drinking, special events and arts and culture to be the top three reasons for visiting downtown Rochester.
The survey also found that 76 percent believe shopping and convenience in downtown is fair or poor, and 56 percent say downtown is vacant. Around 60 percent said downtown is artistic and 63 percent said it is walkable.
BIDs are hyper-local, public private partnerships that leverage private dollars to provide services and programs in the public environment. There are more than 1,200 BIDs nationwide, including in Buffalo, Canandaigua, Geneva and Syracuse.
“Activities like marketing and programming for downtown Rochester and our riverfront can help create and sustain vibrancy, support small businesses, attract investment and enhance quality of life for residents and visitors alike,” Mayor Malik Evans said in a news release. “Downtown is the heart of the city, Monroe County and the nine-county region, so keeping it healthy is in everyone’s best interest.”
