Building Public Art into Business Improvement Districts? Menu of Services

In New York City, property owners and commercial tenants have the opportunity to form a Business Improvement District (BID), a public-private partnership responsible for promoting local economic development and improving an area's quality of life. There are more than 60 BIDs citywide, and each supplements the City services for property and business owners within the BID boundary. These services include sanitation, security, sidewalk maintenance, and neighborhood marketing. Public art is increasingly viewed as an economic development tool that drives foot traffic to commercial corridors and cultural districts by creating a visually interesting streetscape. The New York City Business Improvement District Managers Association (NYCBA) ? the umbrella organization for the BID Executive Directors ? recognizes the nexus between public art and economic activity, and believes that incorporating public art programming into the BIDs? menu of services is in line with its mission. The NYCBA enlisted a Capstone team to create a framework, implementation strategy, and toolkit for the pilot public art program. The team designed the program based on key informant interviews and surveys on public art programming, economic impact studies, and existing public art programs within New York City agencies.