The Common Council approved a resolution introducing the proposed Downtown Poughkeepsie Business Improvement District and then held a public hearing regarding the initiative this past Tuesday. You can watch the hearing here.
Funded by a special assessment on property owners within the district boundaries, a Business Improvement District (BID) establishes a geographic area where local property owners, business tenants and residents directly oversee key parts of the maintenance, improvement and promotion of the commercial district.
Across the state, more than 100 BIDs deliver a range of services to improve business climate and quality of life.
If established through approval of the Common Council and state, the leadership of the Downtown Poughkeepsie BID would act as a liaison for property owners, commercial tenants and residents in advocating for the district with elected officials and city agencies.
At this juncture, the BID initiative identifies four main areas of need: Maintaining clean and beautiful streets; supporting a safe and secure downtown; developing a district identity through marketing and special events; and fostering a business climate that will attract new development and commercial tenants.
The community is invited to visit www.dtpk.org to learn more about the proposed BID boundaries, how the assessment would be calculated, the organization’s preliminary budget and what the BID revenue would accomplish.