Over two years into the pandemic it’s clear the transportation, employment, and tourism patterns of our city have changed, perhaps forever. New York City Central Business Districts (CBDs) are seeing fewer daily commuters, lower weekday population densities, decreasing transit ridership, and lower office occupancy. While troubling, this also means there has never been a greater opportunity for Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and policymakers to reconsider how CBDs are managed. Visiting CBDs will increasingly become a choice for workers, not a requirement. As a result, the values of a strong place – amenities, activities, and vibrancy — will be key to the recovery of these districts, and BIDs are well-positioned to develop these values.

Regional Plan Association and NYC’s Department of Small Business Services, in collaboration with Streetsense, Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, and the Times Square Alliance, invite you to join us for a discussion on the trends shaping our City’s hardest hit business districts. Join us for a virtual convening on Wednesday, September 14th from 9am-10:30am. We will hear from a panel of experts on the changing needs and trends for office and retail space, as well as the impact of employee demand for work from home policies. Presentations will be followed by a Q&A.