BID Press Release:
Community Capital Resources, NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority), and Con Edison join the New Rochelle Business Improvement District in an innovative program for downtown restaurants and retail businesses.
The New Rochelle Business Improvement District (BID) announced a new BID Restaurant and Business Support Program for downtown New Rochelle. The program is designed to help downtown restaurants and stores lower their operating costs by identifying energy saving measures; get access to conservation incentives, and most importantly, for eligible businesses, obtain financing, to assist not only in implementing selected energy saving measures, but for business improvements and operating expenses as well.
BID Director Ralph DiBart stated: “The New Rochelle BID is excited to announce a unique partnership with Community Capital Resources, NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority), and Con Edison. Through this coordinated effort, each participating restaurant and store will receive comprehensive energy audits and incentives for energy improvements helping them lower their operating costs by implementing identified conservation measures. In addition, commercial loans of up to $25,000 will be made available to eligible businesses to assist with energy and other physical improvements, as well as for operating expenses and marketing initiatives to enable owners to grow their business. Technical assistance will also be made available to interested downtown businesses.”
Marc Jerome, Chairman of the BID noted: “The City of New Rochelle is quickly moving to become a model sustainable city. We wanted the BID and downtown to become a private sector leader in meeting goals for a more energy efficient community. We also wanted to continue our ongoing efforts to help our restaurants and businesses. This program will build on last year’s successful BID Dine Downtown and Al Fresco Dining initiatives and our popular BID Downtown Showcase and Buy and Fly Campaign, by helping our businesses lower their operating costs and have access to reasonable financing.”
Mayor Noam Bramson: “This outstanding BID initiative will help local businesses reduce resource consumption, improve efficiency and save money. Our entire community will benefit as a result. I applaud the BID’s leadership and its important contribution to New Rochelle’s overall sustainability goals.”
The BID plans to enroll ten restaurants in the program over the next few months. The first three entering the program are: Coromandel-Cuisine of India; Sabor Latino; and Alvin and Friends, a new downtown restaurant opening this Fall that will offer contemporary cuisine with a Southern & Caribbean influence. Alvin and Friends owner-chef Alvin Clayton, a partner in the former Georgia Restaurant in Los Angeles stated; “We are excited to participate in the BID’s innovative restaurant support initiative. This is an example of the type of ongoing help that the BID provides downtown New Rochelle and a major reason why we decided to join its growing restaurant district.”
Tamara Underwood, Director of Small Business Lending and Support for Community Capital Resources stated “This is an exciting partnership which leverages the expertise and resources of several actors for the benefit of small businesses and the New Rochelle community. Community Capital Resources is pleased to play a role in covering financing gaps that may arise between incentives and total project costs and is ready to finance other business needs as well. This effort is part of our Small Business Green Lending Initiative developed earlier this year.” (For information on Community Capital Resources: http://www.ccrhv.org. )
“Energy management is absolutely critical for restaurants and small businesses to control costs while minimizing environmental impacts,” said NYSERDA President and CEO Francis J. Murray, Jr. “Combining the energy expertise and resources of NYSERDA and Con Ed will provide New Rochelle’s small businesses with targeted and individualized energy solutions that can help cut their energy costs without compromising customers’ experience in any way.” (For information on NYSERDA: www.nyserda.org.)
“Restaurants and retail businesses are a vital part of the Westchester community” said Con Edison’s Energy Efficiency Director Rebecca Craft. “The ability to cut costs and streamline business for efficiency is critical to their success. This partnership gives restaurateurs and entrepreneurs access to resources to reduce energy usage and save money.” (For information on Con Edison’s energy-efficiency programs: http://www.coned.com/energyefficiency.)
In addition to restaurants, the BID is bringing the program to traditional retail stores. Consign It on Main, Liebman’s Children Clothing, and Talner’s Jewelry and Giftware are currently working with the BID on energy audits and business financing. Mr. DiBart noted: “The BID is happy to take the lead in bringing together Community Capital Resources, NYSERDA, and Con Edison to create a model coordinated program addressing energy conservation, business financing and technical assistance for downtown restaurants and stores. We want to make this coordinated initiative available to all interested downtown New Rochelle businesses. We expect that based upon our successful BID model the participating agencies will bring this important coordinated effort to other communities in the near future.”
Candice Denslow, owner of the luxury consignment and antique store Consign It on Main stated: “I am constantly impressed with the BID and downtown New Rochelle. The constant stream of innovative efforts being undertaken by the BID to help our businesses is an important reason why I not only stay in downtown New Rochelle, but expanded my business only two years after opening on Main Street. Helping businesses to both lower their operating costs and gain accesses to flexible business financing are the best way to help entrepreneurs.”
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The BID is actively improving downtown with popular initiatives such as its Façade Improvement Program, Wi-Fi District, Clean Streets Crew, Artist Spaces Program, and events ranging from Music on the Green to BID Family Days. The BID constantly pursues new programs to help businesses and property owners and to encourage people to frequent downtown. The BID’s goals are to promote economic development, provide sanitation services, beautify public spaces, create enhanced technology services, pursue the historic restoration of building facades, and support the attraction of new and the retention of existing businesses in Downtown New Rochelle. In its nine year history, the BID’s efforts have resulted in $80 million of new, private, taxpaying downtown development and more than $1 million in grants.
Additional information is available at www.NewRochelleDowntown .com.