Rooftop bars may be seen as essential summer spots, but you can enjoy great food and drinks with a view from The Empire Rooftop (44 West 63rd Street between Broadway and Columbus Avenue) even in the colder months! Stop in for a weekend brunch or post-show cocktail, and take in the beautiful views of Lincoln Square. Click here to make a reservation. Photo credit: The Empire Rooftop

Sadly, every day crime is on the front page of all of our newspapers; we are all concerned about the increase in crime, but what can we do about it? While there are no simple solutions, I am pleased to report that government officials seem to be coming together to try and come up with some strategies and approaches to this alarming increase, which impedes our recovery. Although crime is up in the 20th, our precinct, Lincoln Square still remains one of the safest neighborhoods in the City. You can view the NYPD’s Compstat numbers by clicking here. We are grateful for the efforts of the NYPD to insure our safety. 

One encouraging sign is the creation by Manhattan DA Bragg of the “Manhattan Small Business Alliance” which I, and some of my BID colleagues were invited to be part of. According to DA Bragg, the purpose of the Alliance, which also includes local business owners, law enforcement senior officials and service providers, is to review data, analyze what is happening on the streets, and develop strategies and implement solutions to address this alarming increase. We held our first meeting last week and I was encouraged by the commitment of DA Bragg and his team, as well as other law enforcement officials, to focus on this complicated issue. I came away with the realization that it makes no sense to point fingers or assign blame. We need to develop collective strategies to reverse the numbers. DA Bragg has indicated that we will be meeting regularly and I hope that ongoing meetings will be equally productive. You can read more about this new initiative by clicking here.

Mayor Adams has also announced some new crime fighting strategies, which will hopefully help reduce gun violence and stop illegal guns from coming into our City. You can read about the latest efforts to combat gun violence in the New York Post by clicking here, and other Mayoral initiatives by clicking here. In addition, there is much discussion about bail reform, but that will take some time and not provide immediate answers. In the meantime, we all must exercise extra vigilance and caution and toward that end, the NYPD has put together a situational awareness bulletin on personal safety (much of which is common sense) which you can view by clicking here. This might be something to share with your colleagues and employees. There are also general crime prevention tips on the NYPD’s site here: Crime Prevention and Safety Tips - NYPD (nyc.gov).

Our organization works very closely with the officers at the 20th Precinct and we will be attending this week’s Build the Block meeting with our two dedicated Neighborhood Coordination Officers. We encourage everyone to attend to learn about what is actually happening in our district and to discuss strategies (i.e. keeping lights on in your business all night) that may help. We are in touch with these officers almost daily and as a result we have timely information on what is happening in Lincoln Square. The Sector A Build the Block meeting will take place via Zoom on Thursday, February 17 at 6:00pm; email NCOs Ali and Ast at rawdi.ali@nypd.org and yelena.ast@nypd.org to receive the Zoom information.

Finally, many of you have already responded to our 2022 Community Survey, but if you have not, and have suggestions on how we can improve safety in Lincoln Square, we welcome your input. We will use this data to inform our own recommendations and really value your feedback. Click here to take the 2022 Community Survey.

The Juilliard School offers live cultural performances on a daily basis, bringing the best of the best in dance, drama and music to Lincoln Square. While some of these in-...

Despite another tough year for the retail sector, we’re happy to report that Lincoln Square has seen plenty of new openings in the past year, with more to come! Check...

WHAT'S HAPPENING

Join the NYPD 20th Precinct for a Sector A Build the Block virtual meeting on Thursday, February 17 at 6:00pm.

Email rawdi.ali@nypd.org or yelena.ast@nypd.org for a meeting invitation.

On Tuesday, February 22, join the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) for a live Q&A session for property owners, registered design professionals, filing representatives and other licensees/registrants to ask job specific questions about filings in DOB NOW and the Buildings Information System (BIS) or general questions about permits, construction codes, zoning regulations, sign offs, certificates of occupancy, place of assembly, equipment installations, violations and civil penalties, etc. for properties in Manhattan. RSVP here.

The New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) has initiated the rehabilitation of the West 79th Street Rotunda and Bridge over Amtrak and will begin lane closures starting on or around Friday, February 18. The low volume ramps, with access to and from the Rotunda only, will be closed for the duration of the project. Access to the Henry Hudson Parkway will remain open via the standard 79th Street ramps. Click here for a notice from Community Board 7 and here for the full project presentation.

The NYC Department of Small Business Services has reported a recent uptick in businesses facing ADA lawsuits. Click here to find a number of resources to help businesses learn about accessibility requirements. 

The Women In Tourism Awards, produced by City Guide, is the first of its kind to recognize women who have made significant contributions to their organizations and the industry. Accomplished women from 18 categories can nominate themselves or be nominated by their peers. Use the promo code "cityguide" for a reduced submission rate of $25 from $100. Click here to submit a nomination.

Join the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene for a Rat Academy Virtual Training to learn about rat prevention methods on Monday, February 28 at 4:00pm. Click here to RSVP.