FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM OCTOBER 12, 2017 • QUEENS BUSINESS • THE QUEENS COURIER 59
Myrtle Avenue BID continues to help businesses grow
BY ANTHONY GIUDICE
agiudice@qns.com
@A_GiudiceReport
The Myrtle Avenue Business
Improvement District (BID) continues
to support not only the businesses along
Myrtle Avenue in Ridgewood, but the
community at large as well with several
street fairs, festive holiday events, and initiatives
to help businesses grow.
Th e BID — which encompasses more
than 240 properties on Myrtle Avenue
between Fresh Pond Road and Wyckoff
Avenue — plays a vital role in the success
of the businesses through daily sanitation
services, marketing promotions for the
district, and nearly a dozen sale day periods
during the year.
One of the BID’s major events is the
Ridgewood Stroll, which took place this
year on Sept. 23.
“Th e stroll was on Seneca Avenue
between Myrtle Avenue and Cornelia
Street, and Catalpa Avenue between
Myrtle and Seneca,” said Ted Renz, executive
director of the Myrtle Avenue BID.
“We had a number of activities for everyone
there. We had beer tastings highlighting
some of the local breweries in
our area, as well as other breweries in
Queens. We had antique buses for the
family. We had the fi re department Safety
Smokehouse van; we had the New York
City Police Department’s participation.
We had music all day and dances. And we
highlighted some of our eating establishments.
It was a fun day for the family, for
kids and for everyone.”
Another major success for the BID this
year is the 71st Avenue Plaza project,
which is fi nally nearing completion.
Th e 71st Avenue Plaza is now open for
public use with enhanced seating areas
with moveable tables, chairs, umbrellas,
granite blocks, historic markers, historic
lampposts and a slew of other amenities
for the community to enjoy.
Th e fi nal part of the project which is yet
to be complete is the planting of the new
trees, which should take place relatively
soon since the new planting season begins
this month, Renz said.
Th e BID also has their eye on the future
with Small Business Saturday coming up
which will signal the start of the holiday
season. Small Business Saturday takes
place on Nov. 25, and encourages people
to shop local, especially during the holiday
season when shoppers tend to visit
larger stores.
“Small businesses are the engine of
America,” Renz said. “Th ey provide goods
and services for local commercial districts,
and provide jobs to local residents.”
Looking even further ahead, the BID is
always interested in bringing in a more
diverse mix of stores, restaurants and
businesses to the commercial strip. Renz
said the BID is even entertaining the
idea of expanding the BID’s boundaries
to incorporate more blocks that were
not developed when the BID was created
in 1988.
“We are also looking for ways to
improve facades and the look of individual
by Anthony Giudice/QNS
storefronts,” Renz said. “And of course
to protect the architectural integrity of all
the buildings of Myrtle Avenue.”
Herman Hochberg, president of the
Myrtle Avenue BID, would like to thank
the entire BID staff for their work in
bringing all the programs and issues the
BID deals with on a daily basis including
Susan Aguilera, administrative assistant;
Antonio Bausone, project assistant;
Edward Cherkees, project assistant; Ann
Giarratano, assistant director; Ira Nagel,
project assistant; and Th eodore M. Renz,
executive director.
The Myrtle Avenue BID continues to help businesses in Ridgewood prosper.
by Josef Pinlac
Dancers at this year’s Ridgewood Stroll.
by Josef Pinlac
Myrtle Avenue Fair 18”: The Myrtle Avenue BID staff .
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