What’s New

NYUL Releases "State of Black New York: Inequality is Unacceptable"

The New York Urban League has released their latest report: "State of Black New York: Inequality is Unacceptable." We can't change what we can't acknowledge. This report not only acknowldeges the inequalities suffered by the Black community in New York City, it collects data by which we can measure the depths of the issues, as well as progress.

The first in over a decade, the SOBNY report covers vital, contemporary issues affecting African-Americans in New York City. The report has been developed in conjunction with Robin Hood Columbia University Poverty Tracker with support from United Way of New York City, New York Women’s Foundation and White & Case.  The entire 53-page report is available to download at nyul.org/sobny.

The State of Black New York report provides critical information and statistics regarding education, health, fair hiring and wealth gap, the digital divide, civic engagement and social (criminal justice). 

In addition to the report, NYUL’s website features a preface by Marc Morial, President of the National Urban League, and essays from prominent New Yorkers on the data presented and policy recommendations.  These guest authors, representing top minds in academia, politics and industry, have contributed their analyses and recommendations in this comprehensive compilation of articles and essays. Among these prominent regional and national leaders are contributors:

• Jennifer Jones Austin, CEO and Executive Director of the Federation of Protestant Welfare
• Commissioner Jonnel Doris, Small Business Services
• Frida Polli, CEO, Pymetrics

The NYUL State of Black New York will help us to prioritize and strategically focus our work on efforts that will close the Black-white gap across the city of New York. 

Off-Hour Deliveries Program

The Off-Hour Deliveries (OHD) Program encourages goods delivery during the off-peak hours of 7 pm to 6 am in efforts to decrease congestion and truck emission

Due to the success of the OHD pilot program, NYCDOT is now seeking additional carriers and receivers to rethink their delivery schedule and shift to off-hour deliveries. The Off-Hour Deliveries Program is intended to increase the number of deliveries between 7 pm and 6 am in areas with high pedestrian volumes and limited curb space.

Delivery trucks and commercial vehicles are critical to the economic vitality of New York City (NYC), a population of 8.5 million. Without efficient freight transportation, retail stores would not have goods to sell, restaurants would have nothing to serve, offices would have no supplies, contractors would have difficulty building, and waste would remain on the sidewalk. Between 2010 and 2015, NYC added more than 370,000 residents and 520,000 jobs. Approximately 97,000 trucks and commercial vehicles cross NYC boundaries each day, 25,000 moving to and from Manhattan. That’s a lot of traffic during the busiest parts of the day. As NYC’s population continues to grow, the demand for freight transportation will also increase, resulting in more trucks on the road.

Off Hour Delivery Pilot

In 2009 and 2010, DOT worked with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), and a group of stakeholders and research partners to implement the Off-Hour Truck Delivery Pilot program, funded by USDOT. Participants agreed to shift their delivery windows to between 7 pm and 6 am. 

Businesses listed the following benefits from the Off Hour Delivery program:

• More time to focus on customers clients
• Fewer nnormal business hours deliveries
• Staff is more productive
• No waiting for deliveries during a 4-6 hour delivery window

Get Involved

NYC DOT is looking for additional partners for increased Off-Hour Deliveries (OHD) throughout NYC. We are ready to provide support and assistance to companies and organizations transitioning to OHD. We would also like to hear from truck and delivery equipment providers and manufacturers who have equipment that could reduce noise during the delivery process.

Please visit the program website to sign up.

If you have additional questions, email or call the Office of Freight Mobility. Someone from their team will be in touch with you shortly. 

 Photo via NYC DOT

NYC Department of Small Business Services FY17 BID Trends Report

By working with government partners and community stakeholders, Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) like the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership help create vibrant, clean, and safe neighborhoods across New York City. Last week, NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) Commissioner Gregg Bishop announced that the City’s 75 BIDs invested over $147 million in New York City neighborhoods during fiscal year (FY) 2017, boosting over 93,000 small businesses. 

The announcement is part of SBS’ annual FY17 Business Improvement District Trends Report. The report highlights the daily impact of BIDs in providing quality of life improvements and innovative solutions to modern challenges. During FY17, BIDs provided the following services in their districts:

• Collected 4.0 million trash bags;
• Removed over 108,000 instances of graffiti;
• Held 4,719 public events for 12.1 million New Yorkers and visitors;
• Maintained 127 public spaces; and
• Sponsored 147 public art installations

To view the full report and learn more about the local impact of NYC BIDs, visit nyc.gov/site/sbs/neighborhoods/bids.

NYC Restaurant Week Returns with 18 Participating Flatiron District Restaurants

Reservations are now open for the summer edition of NYC Restaurant Week, taking place from July 24 to August 18. This is the 25th anniversary of NYC Restaurant Week, which is a semiannual promotion by NYC & Company, the official destination marketing organization for the five boroughs of New York City.

Participating restaurants are offering three-course lunches for $29 and dinners for $42, not including beverages or gratuity. For a full list of participating restaurants and information on reservations, click here. Reservations are highly recommended, and can be made on OpenTable - an official sponsor of NYC Restaurant Week.

See below for a list of participating Flatiron District restaurants: 

Volunteers Needed for Broadway Vacancy Survey

Join the Office of the Manhattan Borough President on Sunday, May 21 to conduct a census of vacant storefronts along the 13-mile length of Broadway in Manhattan. Each surveyor will sign up for a set of blocks and record the addresses of vacant storefronts, former occupants, and suggestions for desired businesses in the neighborhood. To register, please email your name and phone number to info@manhattanbp.nyc.gov with the subject line “Storefront Survey”.

In the Flatiron District, Broadway is an anchor of economic development, and this survey will help create a Manhattan-wide resource for prospective commercial tenants. The Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership actively conducts its own research on economic trends in the Flatiron District, and publishes a monthly map of available retail spaces, available here.

Destination Midtown App Launches

The Empire State Building has announced the launch of the official Destination Midtown app. The Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership is proud to be a member of the Destination Midtown Alliance (DMA), a coalition of the most iconic businesses and attractions in Midtown Manhattan. DMA has created the Destination Midtown app, now available for free on iTunes and Google Play.

The interactive Destination Midtown app provides visitors with a user-friendly, selectively curated itinerary to iconic attractions and hidden gems located in Midtown Manhattan, the Heart of New York City. Featuring insider tips, suggested itineraries, events, and themed walking tours such as “Fashion Intro” and “Family Fun,” the app enhances the visitor’s overall experience of Midtown, all within a 15-minute walk of the center of Manhattan, the Empire State Building.

Offering a variety of services ranging from dining, shopping, entertainment, and sightseeing, the Alliance includes the following partners:

Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership
New York Public Library
Eataly
B&H Photo
Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises
Madison Square Garden
Grand Central Partnership
Tacombi
34^th Street Partnership
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
Mood Fabrics
State Grill and Bar
Grand Hyatt New York
Habanero Blues
The Morgan Library and Museum
Langham Place New York
Macy’s Herald Square
Bryant Park Corp.
230-Fifth
Radisson Martinique Hotel
Stella 34 Trattoria
Nick & Stef’s Steakhouse
Madame Tussauds NYC
Garment District Alliance
Reichenbach Hall
Radio City Music Hall

“Midtown is the most important place for a tourist visiting New York City.  With its early opening and late closing shops, restaurants, entertainment, and attractions, it allows visitors to fully immerse themselves in Midtown and all it has to offer. The Destination Midtown app is a gift for millions of tourists and New Yorkers and will help them get the most out of Manhattan,” said Jean-Yves Ghazi, Empire State Building Observatory Director.  “We want visitors to discover all the best that Midtown offers.   The Destination Midtown app helps users easily navigate in this world-famous neighborhood, which is home to many well-known businesses and attractions, all within 15 minutes of the iconic Empire State Building.” 

NYC Restaurant Week Winter 2017

Reservations are now open for NYC Restaurant Week Winter 2017, taking place at restaurants across the city from January 23 to February 10. NYC Restaurant Week is a semiannual promotion by NYC & Company, the official destination marketing organization for the five boroughs of New York City.

Participating restaurants are offering three-course lunches for $29 and dinners for $42, not including beverages or gratuity. For a full list of participating restaurants and information on reservations, click here. Reservations are highly recommended, and can be made on OpenTable - an official sponsor of NYC Restaurant Week.

See below for a list of participating Flatiron District restaurants:

Volunteer for HOPE 2017

Concerned about homelessness across the city but unsure how to help? The HOPE Count is a great opportunity to get involved and make a difference. The annual Homeless Outreach Population Estimate (HOPE) is an effort undertaken by the NYC Department of Homeless Services (DHS) to count each homeless person living in public spaces across the five boroughs during the coldest time of the year.

The 2017 HOPE Count will begin at 10:00 p.m. on Monday, January 23. DHS needs thousands of volunteers to make the night a success. HOPE Count volunteers will help canvas parks, subways, and other public spaces to estimate the number of people who find themselves living on the streets.

The HOPE Count is an integral part of the city’s approach to addressing street homelessness as the data gathered during the event allows DHS to gain a better understanding of how to make the greatest possible impact on helping the chronically homeless improve their lives.

For more information and to register for the 2017 HOPE Count, click here.

Image via NYC Department of Homeless Services

Local Transportation Update

Flatiron's local transportation options are seeing some changes this month.

Select Bus Service

On Sunday, November 6th, Select Bus Service (SBS) began on the M23 bus route. This bus corridor serves nearly 13,000 weekday riders, connects residential and commercial neighborhoods, as well as provides connections to subway stations along 23rd Street.

The new improvement brings faster and more reliable service to the M23 through dedicated bus lanes, off-board fare payment, and real time bus arrival information. To board the M23 SBS, you need to pay your fare at a fare machine before boarding. Two machines accept MetroCards, and one machine accepts coins. After paying, you receive a ticket as proof of purchase, which you must keep for the duration of your trip, but you do not need to show your ticket to the bus driver.  After paying, you can board the bus through any door.

For more information about the M23 SBS and stops, click here.

To view bus time for the M23 SBS, click here. 

New Subway Service

On Monday, November 7th, the W subway line returned to Broadway, making local stops in Manhattan on weekdays, including 23rd Street and 28th Street. The N train runs express on weekdays, skipping 23rd Street and 28th Street, but runs local during late nights and on weekends. The R train continues to operate from 6:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. daily, stopping at local stops, including 23rd Street and 28th Street.

For more information about the subway service change, click here.

To view the map of new N, Q, R, and W service, click here.