The Third Avenue Business Improvement District installed new security cameras, solar-powered lighting as the BID works to improve public safety and quality of life around the commercial corridor.
The BID announced their plan Oct. 1 near Roberto Clemente Plaza, outlining investments informed by a recent Commercial District Needs Assessment conducted through a grant from the city’s Department of Small Business Services (SBS).
The initiative includes 18 security cameras across 10 locations, funded through the state’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative and 75 solar-powered lighting fixtures installed across 30 storefronts through a $100,000 public realm grant from SBS.
“Our mission does not just revolve around the tenets of cleanliness and safety,” said Pedro Suarez, the BID’s executive director. “Also to make sure that this commercial corridor in the South Bronx, which borders the neighborhoods of Melrose and Mott Haven, continues to be recognized as the important historic and economic center that it has always been for the past 40 plus years.”
The measures come as storefront vacancies within the BID’s boundaries have declined by 50% over the past three years, according to Suarez who expects to fill many of them over the coming year.
The BID worked with the NYPD to identify locations for the cameras based on areas with high volumes of 311 complaints and 911 calls, Suarez said. The cameras face storefronts and are intended to help monitor issues including illegal parking, suspected drug sales and situations involving people experiencing mental health or substance use challenges.
The BID will also hire two public safety ambassadors to monitor the district during the week, where they will report quality-of-life concerns, conduct wellness checks and can contact first responders when someone needs medical attention. They will also carry naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, to respond to opioid overdoses.
The BID hopes to expand the program over the next two years to four ambassadors providing full-time coverage throughout the week. The organization also plans to extend their hours during the holiday shopping season in November and December.
“Our job is to make sure that this potential and this community has everything possible, so that we’re able to grow,” said Council member Justin Sanchez. “We have much more to go, but this is a huge step in the right direction.”
The Third Avenue BID, which contains the Hub, is the first and oldest commercial district in the Bronx. The CDNA released in March highlighted the district’s “economic renaissance” and outlined future growth. The district continues to attract new businesses as storefront vacancies decline, with recent openings such as BX Toys and Filipino fried chicken chain Jollibee.
The BID is also working to increase community use of Roberto Clemente Plaza, which largely remains closed to the public with the exception of organized events including wellness fairs held on Thursdays.
“We want to have a very intentional and strategic opening of the plaza over the next year. But the goal is to eventually reopen that plaza completely, but there is, I think, a behavior change that we’re looking to see as well,” Suarez said.
“We want the community to use this plaza in positive ways. We want this to be a cultural center of the Bronx, and we also want this to be a celebration of our rich history and culture.”
Reach Marina Samuel at msamuel@schnepsmedia.com. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!
