What We Do
Since its creation in 2002, the East Midtown Partnership has worked to promote local commerce and improve the quality of life in a sprawling, 48-block district on a modest budget. With 2,700 businesses and over 28,000,000 square feet of commercial space, we have a large and diverse constituency that demands the highest quality of service and responsiveness.
As one of the largest of New York City’s 64 Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), the EMP works under contract with the City’s Department of Small Business Services, which provides oversight on the Board of Directors (as does the City Comptroller, City Council, and the Manhattan Borough President). The organization is funded through an assessment on commercial property owners and managed by a volunteer Board of Directors comprised of property owners, business owners, residents, and community stakeholders.
For a copy of our FY 2011 Annual Report, please click on the following link:
East Midtown Partnership FY 2011 Annual Report [PDF]
Over the past six years, the EMP has initiated a number of significant programs, including:
Marketing
Our primary goal is to improve district commercial activity by marketing local businesses and building an identity for the East Midtown community. To accomplish that, we have embarked on an ambitious program to enhance the image of the East Midtown Partnership and build affinity between the organization and our constituents.
Streetscape Improvements
The East Midtown Partnership maintains more than 45 planted tree beds in the district as part of its Sidewalk Beautification Initiative. We have also made an extensive investment in capital improvements to neaten and aesthetically improve the district streetscape.
Sanitation
The Partnership’s sanitation crew -- The Clean Patrol -- is on the streets seven days a week keeping our streets and sidewalks clean. Each year we remove almost 2,000 tons of trash, and clean up hundreds of instances of graffiti.
Security
Our security team works Monday through Saturday to enhance community safety, report unsafe street conditions, and offer assistance to the public. In an average year this dedicated squad of men and women assist more than 20,000 New Yorkers and visitors.
Homeless Outreach
Our commitment to reaching our must vulnerable citizens can be seen through our homeless outreach initiative. Since this program began, outreach professionals have made over 40,000 contacts with homeless individuals, and placed more than 400 people in rehabilitation service s.
Traffic Management
We have taken the lead in coordinating the various overlapping stakeholders with an interest in improving traffic flow in this congested section of the city, initiating a study that resulted in realistic recommendations for public- and private-sector actions to manage district traffic without compromising safety.
Accessible Pedestrian Signals
The East Midtown Partnership has also worked to address the unique concerns of our blind and partially-sighted community, by working with our friends at Lighthouse International to install audible pedestrian signals on East 59th Street where it crosses Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue.
Ombudsman Services
We are often the lead organization in tackling district concerns and serving as a conduit between our constituents and city and state government.