LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the first year of activity for
Bed-Stuy Gateway BID on October 1, 2010

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize the
achievements of those individuals and businesses which substantially
contribute to the economic vitality of their communities and the entire
Empire State; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commem-
orate the first year of activity for Bed-Stuy Gateway Business Improve-
ment District (BID) on Friday, October 1, 2010; and
WHEREAS, The Bed-Stuy Gateway BID is the newest of New York City's 64
Business Improvement Districts; and
WHEREAS, For nearly 30 years, many merchants, residents, and property
owners of the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, New York, sought
to form an organization specifically dedicated to addressing threats to
business vitality and building on local assets throughout Central
Brooklyn's primary commercial corridor; and
WHEREAS, In the past decade, the community's vision for such an organ-
ization continued to be shaped by the passion and strength of the former
Fulton/Nostrand United Merchants Association and the technical assist-
ance of Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation; and
WHEREAS, These organizations later partnered with the Brooklyn Chamber
of Commerce and the NYC Department of Small Business Services to augment
their grassroots efforts; from this partnership came Fulton FIRST -- a
local economic development initiative that focused on the retail revi-
talization of Fulton Street; the years that followed consisted of stra-
tegic planning and community organizing for the purpose of forming the
Gateway; and
WHEREAS, On March 30, 2009, Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed legislation
establishing the Bed-Stuy Gateway Business Improvement District as the
City's 64th BID and the 20th in the Bloomberg Administration; beginning
operations in October of 2009, the Gateway services one of Brooklyn's
busiest business districts centered at the intersection of Fulton Street
and Nostrand Avenue; and
WHEREAS, The Bed-Stuy Gateway is home to 400 businesses contained
within nearly 500,000 square feet of retail space; the primary commer-
cial district for Central Brooklyn, the Gateway's identity is uniquely
punctuated with African American, African, and Caribbean influences; and
WHEREAS, A 10 minute walk for over 80,000 residents and 20 minutes
from Manhattan by subway, Bed-Stuy Gateway is one of Brooklyn's most
prominent commercial and cultural focal points; and
WHEREAS, The New York City Department of Small Business services (SBS)
is the agency that accepts formal applications to create a Business
Improvement District; any commercial, retail, or industrial area in New
York City may apply by completing the planning, outreach and legislative
approval process; and
WHEREAS, A BID is a public-private partnership formed to accelerate
the business climate and overall quality of life for residents, visitors
and merchants within a defined boundary; and
WHEREAS, BIDs are sometimes called business improvement area revitali-
zation zones, community improvement districts, special services areas,
or special improvement districts; their services include street clean-
ing, security, capital improvements, and marketing of the area; the
services provided by BIDs are in addition to those already provided by
the municipality; and

WHEREAS, It is with great pleasure that this Legislative Body call
attention to organizations such as Bed-Stuy Gateway BID, which serve to
bring people together for the united purpose of actively pursuing
improvements in their communities; now, therefore, be
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the first year of activity for Bed-Stuy Gateway BID; and be
it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Bed-Stuy Gateway BID.