Fifth Avenue BID reflects on past, considers future

Leaders of the Bay Ridge Fifth Avenue Business ImprovementDistrict were in high spirits at their annual meeting on June 13 atthe Bay Ridge Manor as they recounted the success of the district’sannual festival held about a week earlier.

Approximately 12 to 15,000 Ridgeites flocked to the festivalthis year, according to Basil Capetanakis, the vice president ofthe Fifth Avenue BID. The day turned out just as Jim Clark, thepresident of the district, had hoped.

The street festival was a good day and [we had] a great crowd,Clark said. It really fell into place for us.

BID leaders pointed out that the central goal of the festival isto promote business, so they were happy to see so many avenuestoreowners get involved.

Current and future undertakings of the district were also in thespotlight that evening – namely placing 12 more planters along theavenue to add to the 28 already there. Clark also mentioned thebenches that the BID has placed on every block, which have provedsuccessful, as many shoppers have stopped to take a seat.Capetanakis told attendees about a proposal to establish a littlecommunity mall along Fifth Avenue.

These things are being done because business is not the best,Capetanakis said. Executives at the meeting also discussed theBID’s financial matters. The district’s annual budget is $338,000,which is not slated to increase. Besides the annual festival, thesefunds cover holiday street lightings, outdoor art shows, couponmailings promoting stores, supplemental sanitation services, aprivate patrol car, and litter baskets, benches and planters forthe area.

Our approaches to finances remain both conservative and sound,said Jerry O’Mara, the treasurer of the BID.

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