HI THERE!
We’re the Dumbo Improvement District – the team that brings you public art, #DUMBOVIP deals, free community programming, gift guides and, yes, this website. We water the plants, clean the streets and work with all sorts of community members – from small businesses to tech giants, residents to property owners, the Parks Department to the Department of Transportation, and many, many more – all to keep up that special Dumbo shine.
If you’re a business in the neighborhood, you are already a member! We’re here for you as a resource. Whether you’re looking for information on how to expand your business or looking for space to expand into, we can help. Need a space to host an event? Get in touch! Questions about neighborhood improvements? We’re on it!
We are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 2006 to enhance the neighborhood and we work to amplify Dumbo’s creative and innovative vibe.
THINK OF US AS A HYPER-LOCAL-CHAMBER-OF-COMMERCE MEETS NEIGHBORHOOD-CHEERLEADER MEETS LESLIE KNOPE.
WHAT IS A BID?
A Business Improvement District (BID) is a public/private partnership in which property and business owners elect to make a collective contribution to the maintenance, development and promotion of their commercial district. Funds to pay for BID programs and services are generated from a special assessment paid by the commercial property owners. New York City is home to seventy-two Business Improvement Districts managed by the NYC Department of Small Business Services. NYCs BIDS annually invest over $100 million worth of programs in services that revitalize neighborhoods and catalyze economic development. There are 76 of us –BIDs, that is–in New York City.
THE BID IS SO INTRINSIC TO SUPPORTING THE EXISTING COMMUNITY AND BRINGING EVERYONE TOGETHER.
CORE SERVICES
PLANNING + ADVOCACY
The Dumbo Improvement District advocates on behalf of the community for better services and public spaces, support for our office tenants and retail businesses, transportation enhancements and the maintenance of the neighborhood’s unique character and historic charm–as an appealing place to live, work, and play for everyone.
MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC SPACES
From cleaning to programming, the Dumbo Improvement District manages many of the public spaces of our community: the Dumbo Archway, the Pearl Street Triangle, Washington Street Open Street and Old Fulton Plaza – through contracts with the City of New York’s Department of Transportation. Maintenance includes furniture, planting flowers, supplemental sanitation and cleaning, and providing lots of great places to sit and hang out.
PROGRAMS + EVENTS
The Dumbo Improvement District develops community programs and sponsors additional events–markets, concerts, public art installations and more–that activate public space, spark social interaction, and drive foot traffic to local businesses. Our goal is to create community among our workforce and residents and to highlight and give opportunities to our arts scene.
SUPPLEMENTAL SANITATION
The Dumbo Improvement District’s “Clean Team” works seven days a week, rain or shine, to provide supplemental street cleaning. The Clean Team is contracted through the Doe Fund, a nonprofit organization working to end cycles of homelessness, incarceration and addiction through paid transitional work and supportive services.
THESE GUYS [THE DOE FUND] ARE THE BEST. I ALWAYS STOP TO SAY "THANKS FOR MAKING DUMBO DUMBO."
PUBLIC ART + BEAUTIFICATION
We commission public art – from murals to sculptures to site specific installations – to enliven our public realm and bring out Dumbo’s creative sparkle
SMALL BUSINESS SERVICES + NEIGHBORHOOD MARKETING
The Dumbo Improvement District helps small businesses thrive in this neighborhood through the #DUMBOVIP Program, the Dumbo Guide, marketing + promotions, holiday gift guides, assistance with government entities, space searches and introductions to related businesses in the neighborhood.
