Third Avenue BID unveils new initiatives and improvements to revitalize The HUB : NYREJ

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Shown (from left) are: SBS commissioner Kenny Minaya and Pedro Suarez, executive director of the Third Avenue BID.

Photo credit: Third Avenue BID

Manhattan, NY The Third Avenue Business Improvement District/The HUB (The BID), home to one of the oldest commercial corridors in the city, hosted a press conference with local officials and community leaders on the HUB’s recent Commercial District Needs Assessment (CDNA) survey. The CDNA highlights a neighborhood’s existing business landscape and provides a roadmap of recommendations to economically enhance the neighborhood. Local officials and community leaders in attendance included Kenny Minaya, commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services; representatives from offices of councilmember Justin Sanchez and assemblymember Amanda Septimo.

The CDNA comes as the BID neighborhood, home to 613 storefronts, is experiencing an economic renaissance. From new stores and restaurants such as Telco, 7th St. Burger, Guacado and Jollibee to new financial institutions such as M&T Bank, along with a new charter school and new affordable housing with La Central Phase 2 and Haven Court Apartments, the BID is becoming a neighborhood full of more work, live and play opportunities.

The CDNA, conducted between September 2024 and June 2025 in the district and just outside, found that an overwhelming number of residents, merchants and vendors say public safety and neighborhood cleanliness is their top priority, in attracting more businesses and talent to the area, especially with Roberto Clemente Plaza being closed since last year. Residents are expected to spend an additional $250 million on retail goods and services over the next five years.

Among the series of new initiatives and recommendations to enhance the neighborhood the BID announced include:

• New security measures, including at least 20 new cameras throughout the neighborhood as part of the State’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative.

• Public art initiatives such as painting street furniture and murals, adding to the neighborhood’s artistic glow that celebrates the history of the Bronx. This also includes connecting business owners with local artists to activate and beautify vacant storefronts.

• Upgraded lighting installations to make the neighborhood brighter and safer. The Third Avenue BID was awarded a $100,000 Public Realm Lighting Grant from NYC SBS in 2025 to install over 50 lighting fixtures on commercial buildings.

• Reactivating Roberto Clemente Plaza, which more than 50,000 people pass through each day, to ensure proactive community usage in a safe environment and calling on the city to consider a permanent gate to further enhance public safety and promote better quality-of-life. One idea to promote community engagement includes attracting a farmers’ market to operate in the plaza with fresh fruits and vegetables sold by local vendors, reflective of the city’s street vendor economy while also attracting more healthy food options to the neighborhood.

• Streetscape enhancements in the heart of the corridor at Third Ave. and 149th St. to eliminate pedestrian choke points for bus riders and straphangers traveling to/from the neighborhood.

• Community activations, a sample of which include: Book Exchanges every other Saturday throughout the spring beginning April 9, the Jorge Vazquez Plena Band performing on May 16, Willie Martinez & La Familia Sextet performing on June 6, Bronx Pride Festival on June 20, Gogo Garifuna Band and African Cultural Festival on June 27 and the Third Ave. Street Festival featuring vendors and live music on July 11.

“The HUB has long been one of New York City’s oldest and most important commercial corridors. What we’re focused on now is building upon that legacy and lifting the neighborhood back to its fullest potential. There is tremendous opportunity, and through a coordinated strategy across city agencies and community partners, we can deliver meaningful improvements to quality of life in ways that have a ripple effect, benefitting not just this neighborhood, but the South Bronx and the city as a whole,” said Pedro Suarez, executive director of the Third Avenue BID.

“Third Avenue is the beating heart of commerce in the Bronx, and the Third Avenue BID provides its 613 storefronts with the supplemental services they need to thrive,” said SBS commissioner Kenny Minaya. “This most recent CDNA report underscores how building a truly affordable New York City that works for everyone also means addressing real concerns about safety and livability – and how our BIDs are at the forefront of those efforts. The findings of this report will inform how SBS and the BID can better support the businesses along Third Avenue for years to come.”

“The HUB is one of our historic commercial corridors in our borough, and the new initiatives and recommendations announced today will help to further revitalize this area and support our local businesses,” said Bronx borough president Vanessa Gibson. “I want to thank Pedro Suarez for his continued leadership and commitment to supporting our small businesses and promoting sustainable economic development and growth throughout this vital commercial district.”

“The Hub has always been the economic heartbeat of the South Bronx, and this plan, built off of community input and involvement, will help it reach its full potential. I’m grateful to have a partner in the Third Ave BID that understands the importance and potential of the Hub and the community who calls here home,” said council member Justin Sanchez, District 17.

“Safe, welcoming public spaces are the result of intentional design,” said Cecil Brooks, senior campaign manager of Open Plans. “This assessment shows that significant improvements, like better lighting, public art, and cleaner streets, will ensure spaces like Roberto Clemente Plaza can best serve community members. We applaud the Third Avenue Bid for conducting this study and working to make the neighborhood better for individuals and small businesses alike.”

The CDNA also underscores that significant spending power is untapped, highlighting an opportunity to connect consumers to the businesses already present, while ensuring the neighborhood’s growth happens in tandem with improving quality of life for its residents. As more commercial and residential establishments continue to populate the area, the BID is focused on building upon this momentum and amplifying their success stories.