Throggs Neck BID
CITYMD has come to the Throggs Neck BID. The State of the Art facility, located at 3780 East Tremont Avenue, offers a wide variety of services. No appointment is necessary, and there is onsite parking.
Covid prevented most from taking a tropical vacation this year, but the experience of dining outside in a luscious environment is well within reach of everyone in The Bronx. Numerous restaurants within the Throggs Neck BID have developed beautiful sidewalk eating experiences with tropical foliage. The photo attached is of the Crosstown Diner.
Does your business use or plan to install an accessory sign in the near future? Then don’t miss the Department of Buildings free webinar on Accessory Business Signs taking place today at 10 AM. The online presentation will focus on City regulations surrounding accessory business signage including, siting, installation, and use. Register today!
Eater, a restaurant industry publication, reports that from March 1 to September 1 about a thousand eating and drinking establishments have closed throughout the city, according to a New York Times report.
After reluctantly allowing indoor dining to resume after September 30, city and state authorities stated that they could only do so to an unaffordable 25% capacity. To make matters worse, City Hall is already threatening to end even that limited opening if COVID infections rise to 2%–without any evidence that any such potential increase would be the result of indoor dining.
Food service businesses are a vital part of the Throggs Neck BID. We continue to actively oppose these moves that could lead to massive economic dislocation and job loss.
The fierce determination of many New Yorkers, and a heavy dose of common sense, forced city and state authorities to slightly relent on their position to keep NYC restaurants closed to indoor dining. But only allowing 25% occupancy is economically unfeasible, and the effort to save this vital portion of the economy must continue.
Pursuant to Local Law 34 of 2020, cashless establishments are prohibited in New York City, effective November 19, 2020. Establishments covered by the law include:
On November 19, 2020, it will be unlawful for a food store or a retail establishment to refuse to accept payment in cash from consumers, unless payment is in:
Additionally, no food store or retail establishment shall charge a higher price to a consumer who pays in cash. The law exempts food stores or retail establishments that provide a device on premises that converts cash, without charging a fee or requiring a minimum deposit amount greater than one dollar, into a prepaid card that allows a consumer to complete a transaction at the establishment.
THERE ARE LATE REPORTS THAT NYC HAS APPROVED INDOOR DINING, AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, AT 25% CAPACITY.
There will be a rally tomorrow, September 10, at noon in front of the Community Board 10 office at 3165 East Tremont Avenue to urge the city and state to allow indoor dining.
The economy of the Throggs Neck Bid area is heavily dependent on the many restaurants that grace our community. The people from across the region that they draw to our abundant selection of excellent dining options represents a key portion of local business.
That reality is why the reluctance to allow New York City’s restaurants to follow the same rules of surrounding areas in Westchester and Long Island that allow indoor dining is so devastating.
The warmer weather is rapidly drawing to a close, and the minor relief afforded by outdoor seating will no longer provide the slim life line to some small degree of financial survival that it has.
The financial impact of this, following the months of the COVID shutdown, is crippling. The danger that this could cause many, if not most, restaurants across the city to permanently close down is very real, indeed, even probable. The New York Post recently noted that “More than 1,000 of the city’s 25,000 sit-down eateries have closed since the start of the pandemic — and a prolonged shutdown without a blueprint to reopen threatens to sink many more by winter’s end.”
It is an illusion to assume that restaurants can be shut down for a long period of time and come back to be the job-creation engine that they have been. It’s not only the present economy that is at stake. A New York State Department of Labor report found that “The growth rate for jobs in the dining industry is higher than the growth rate for all industries in New York City.” Keeping these vital businesses closed and jeopardizing their survival could be a mortal blow to both the overall city economy, and the vast number of jobs they create.
Our local community would be among the most detrimentally affected in the entire city if the Mayor does not change course.
Luke Fortney, writing in the trade publication NY Eater, notes that there are “…no concrete plans to bring back indoor dining this year…dining and other indoor activities could be on-hold until at least 2021.”
The reaction by the dining industry is one of shock and dismay. Attorneys Lou Gelormino and Mark Fonte are instituting together a class-action lawsuit on behalf of 100 restaurants in Staten Island and southern Brooklyn against this decision.
The decision to discriminate against dining establishments when schools, museums and even gyms are being allowed to reopen is baffling, particularly when the NYC COVID infection rate has dropped below 1%.
The importance of restaurants to the city economy, and to the lives of the massive number of people they employ must be understood. This action, added to the stringent crackdown by the State Liquor authority on drinking establishments throughout the city, resulting in fines and shutdowns, has severely impacted one of our community’s vital economic building blocks
We at the Throggs Neck BID do not seek to get involved in squabbles with any elected official, or the policies they pursue. However, when an action is taken that could literally devastate our entire neighborhood, we are forced to act. We will do all that is necessary to protect our community.
| NYC’s Small Business Services (SBS) has provided the following announcement: |
| We are excited to share that gyms are allowed to officially reopen tomorrow, September 2nd once the owner has submitted a Gym and Fitness Facility Inspection Request and Attestation Form to the NYC Health Department. By completing the form, a facility is affirming it has met COVID-19-related New York State requirements and is ready for inspection. Indoor pools and indoor fitness classes will remain closed in New York City until further notice. Health and safety remain the number one priority as the City reopens. You can find all guidance related to gym reopening using the buttons below. |
| Reopening Gyms and Fitness Facilities: What Operators Need to Know | Interim Guidance for Gyms and Fitness Centers During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency |
| Have questions? Our team is here to help and support you as you reopen your business and navigate new guidelines. Join us for a webinar on September 10 to learn more about reopening your gym. Learn more and RSVP. You can also visit us at nyc.gov/reopeningbusinesses or call our hotline at (888)SBS-4NYC. |
| Upcoming Reopening Webinars Reopening your business in NYC? We can help. Join us at one of our upcoming webinars designed to help you understand the requirements and best practices to reopen. |
| Are you a minority or woman business owner? Get certified The City spends up to $17 billion per year on goods and services. Getting certified as an M/WBE will help you compete for these opportunities and access exclusive programs to help your small business grow. Want to learn more? Join us for an upcoming webinar! |
| Make sure you’re prepared this hurricane season. From gas leaks and fires, to major hurricanes, flooding, and blackouts, NYC business owners face many challenges that can impact your operations and assets. The Department of Small Business Services (SBS) is here to help guide you through the start of a business continuity plan. Join us for a webinar to learn how to: Stay in business: Identify your key business functions, employees, and documents Protect your investments: Understand how to protect your assets and navigate insurance processes Be ready for action: Create a business continuity plan for your business |
*NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS ON A ROLLING BASIS*
To help New York City’s small businesses experiencing financial distress due to the impact of COVID-19, Citizens Committee has launched Neighborhood Business Grants.
Small businesses, vital to the fabric of their neighborhoods, will receive grants of $5,000 – $10,000 to maintain payroll and operations. We will prioritize businesses owned by people of color, immigrants, and women. Proposals that focus on adapting businesses to the challenges of COVID-19 (i.e. delivering orders, fulfilling online requests for products, conducting training and classes online) will also be prioritized. Grants may be made to barber shops, restaurants, food carts, vegetable stands, and other small businesses. Unlike many financial opportunities currently available to small businesses, this program will provide grants rather than loans.
The application is intended to be accessible and short, and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. If you have any questions, please email businessgrants@citizensnyc.org.
Access the online application by going to https://www.tfaforms.com/4842203
To view a sample of the application, please go to https://www.citizensnyc.org/sites/default/files/sample_-_small_business_neighborhood_grants_application.pdf