May 19th was
Malcolm X's Birthday
We share with you this commemorative portrait produced by the BID and presented to his family in his honor.
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It is no secret that Select Bus Service on 125th Street has been a controversial project.
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Implementation of Select Bus Service brought vehicular traffic to a crawl certain times of the day.
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125th Street is Harlem's premiere commercial district and it provides a large variety of products and services to its community, residents and visitors. It is a natural response for such a large and diverse community to have concerns and want knowledge about any changes that are taking place which may alter their current understanding of how the street works and potentially their quality of living.
Our pedestrian counts over the last 3 years show an average of 900,000 pedestrians' foot traffic a month on the southwest corner of 125th Street and Frederick Douglass Blvd. Click here. These numbers are only a small sampling of the amount of people on the street.
Just as in any community of the size of Harlem, finding a solution to a problem to satisfy all concerned is virtually impossible. But there are two hings that everyone can agree upon:
(1) 125th Street is congested.
(2) A solution is needed, so it is a good thing that the congestion is being addressed.
The 125th Street BID's Position
We are supportive of a solution that addresses congestion, does not have an adverse effect on business, and is supported by the community at large.
 Growing Pains: Change is rarely easy. Construction has begun and it has created a slow down. We have heard your voices and reached out to the Department of Transportation. Margaret Forgione, Manhattan Borough Commissioner has asked us to inform anyone who has questions to contact her at: (212)-839-6210. They have also provided information on what is happening and what to expect. Please click here.
While the photos illustrate how painful this process is -- everyone is hopeful that the implementation of Select Bus Service on 125 will result in a positive impact for all users of the 125th Street commercial district.
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BID PEDESTRIAN COUNT
Annual Performance by Week
Daily Count Comparison
The highest hourly customer count for the Week beginning 12-MAY-2014 were achieved on Saturday at 3pm. |
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Retailer's FIRST CHOICE! Whether it's the first retail location in all of New York, or the first in the borough of Manhattan, retailers are making strategic decisions to introduce their brands on 125th Street first. As the "energy and spirit of Harlem through: culture, history, shopping and entertainment " it comes as no surprise to the BID that this corridor is experiencing an influx of new and booming business. The culture of not just 1-2-5 but of the Harlem community as a whole, has served as a major factor in decision making.
In this past year alone, 125th Street has opened it's doors to the first Joe's Crabshack in all of New York City, the first Red Lobster with the unique "Harlem Theme" design of all of their locations country wide, and is soon be the home of the first Carter's baby clothing store in the borough of Manhattan.
Retailer's First Choice Timeline:
House of Hoops - 2007
With their message made clear that "Uptown Rules"...
House of Hoops opened there FIRST EVER location on 125th Street in 2007. This basketball-themed concept shop from Nike and Footlocker, serves as added value to the district, not only for its high end and many times exclusive clothing apparel and sneakers; but for the workshops, educational activities, panel discussions and more that it brings to our youth. House of Hoops, has been and continues to be a great addition to the inherent style and flavor of 125th Street.
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(Photo Credit: Harlem BeSpoke)
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Joe's Crabshack - 2013
At the end of July 2013, Joe's Crabshack, the Texas based seafood chain, made its splash in NYC with their first location in the city. Located at the corner of Frederick Douglass Boulevard and 125th Street, this new addition opened with a bang.
Red Lobster - 2013
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(Photo Credit: Google Images)
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Early November 2013, the 8,765 square foot Red Lobster opened on 125th Street. With a seating capacity of 340 patrons and 250 employees (60% of which are from Harlem) this new restaurant bought a major buzz to the district.
This location is the FIRST and ONLY Red Lobster designed with a "Harlem Theme." The unique design features a two-story restaurant; the first floor serves as the bar lounge, and the second floor, as the main dining area. With a velvet ceiling in its bar area reminiscent of Harlem night clubs in the 1940s and 1950s, and a variety of artwork by Harlem artists -- this location screams culture and dining! Darden Restaurants CEO (owner of Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse, and Capital Grille) Clarence Otis Jr. says, "We're excited to open the Harlem Red Lobster. One of the things that drew us to Harlem is its rich history and its unique cultural and economic aspects."
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(Photo Credit: Commercial Observer)
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Carter's- Coming Soon 2014
Carter's baby clothing store is set to open its first Manhattan location THIS SUMMER on 125th Street. Slated for a July 2014 opening, the 4,211 square foot location and its 40 feet of frontage set the atmosphere for this new retailer to make its impact on the corridor.
"Its presence in Harlem makes a critically important statement because it reflects the revitalization of this well-established family-focused neighborhood,"
said Henry Goldfarb of Lee & Associates.
Property Market Activity
Envisioning for the future. The graphs below display the 125th Street BID's steady growth over the last two years and projected values for 2015. We are taking a hard look at how the property values are changing as we identify the needs that are evolving due to growth.
Square Footage Growth
Slow But Steady 
Assessed Value Growth
0.9% or $26,741,253 increase in three years
View the 125th Street BID
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125th Street BID Mailing List
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Previous Newsletters
Harlem Happenings
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EVENTS THIS WEEK:
Studio Museum
Curtis Sherrod's H2C2, LLC
Aloft Harlem
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RISE: NYC is a competition to help small businesses that were impacted by Hurricane Sandy prepare for future storms, sea level rise, and other effects of climate change.
Deadline: June 13, 2014
To learn more about this competition,
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WEST HARLEM ALIVE!
Business Networking Reception
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May Streetscape Improvement Project Update
Work has begun on Old Broadway and West 126th Street. Three catch basins have been installed. Next, the curbs will be replaced, new sidewalks constructed, and the street repaved. After completion of this area, work will move to West 125th and 126th Streets between Broadway and Old Broadway.
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(Photo Credit: Instagram, #125thStreet)
Do you have any awesome 125th Street images?
Send it to [email protected]for inclusion in upcoming newsletters, weekly blasts, communications and more!
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