The Daily News recently wrote a feature on the new Frederick Douglass Boulevard Business Alliances which focuses on mapping out the retailers in South Harlem. New Businesses such as the Harlem Shambles or 5 & Diamond are among the 45 shops listed on a map designed by FDBA but older, more casual establishments such as bodegas and gas stations are also represented. Most of the map's destination spots are in the area spanning from Central Park North's 110th Street border at the south end and 125th Street on the north side which has been called South Harlem or SoHa in the past decade. Read more about FDBA and see the map at the Daily News:
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Good stuff. Hopefully this is only the first step for the FDB Alliance. My own two cents for projects that could be tackled next:
ReplyDelete1. Snow shoveling for sidewalks. There are still couple of buildings/lots on FDB that are basically abandoned and never shovel their sidewalks when it snows. So walking up and down FDB can be treacherous when it snows, because those couple of patches get really bad. If some of the merchants could "adopt" those couple of stretches and also shovel those sidewalks when they shovel their own, it would make life a lot better for everybody trying to shop (or run a shop) along FDB. It's not a perfect solution because the "owners" of the problem buildings/lots should be held accountable, but it would make a big difference when there is snow.
2. Additional trash pick-up service. The city just doesn't seem to come frequently enough. In particular on weekends and when the weather is warm, the trash cans are often overflowing.
This corridor was once known as Harlem’s gold coast.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the Visitor, I have talked to a couple of businesses and asked them about putting together a Harlem clean up team like the other neighbourhoods around NYC have. They all want it but none want to pony up the cash.
ReplyDeleteIt is much needed in Harlem as the trash is out of control at times.