BID Puts Focus On Marketing
Glen Cove, NY- Last year was a good one for the Glen Cove Downtown Business Improvement District (BID), which put a strong focus on marketing downtown businesses in 2018. The BID’s annual meeting was held on Thursday, Feb. 28, at the North Shore Historical Museum, where executive director Patricia Holman presented the highlights of the past year to local business owners, board members, elected officials and members of the community.
“The Glen Cove BID put a large emphasis on marketing in 2018,” said Holman. “With careful planning, we were able to offer our members affordable cooperative advertisements in media such as the AMC pre-show and News Channel 12.”
She said this not only provided businesses with a cost efficient means of advertising on a large scale, but “kept downtown Glen Cove on the minds” of all the people who saw the commercials. She also promoted businesses through social media and email campaigns.
Over the holidays, the BID brought back its Small Business Saturday playbook promotion as a way to encourage shopping locally in the downtown area. Shoppers received stamps on their playbooks from participating businesses then returned completed playbooks to the BID office for a raffle. The lucky winner, Eileen Borer, received a check for $250 during the meeting.
In addition to marketing, the BID organizes special events every year, including the Holiday Festival, the Halloween Parade and Festival and Downtown Sounds. In 2018, nine concerts were held on Friday nights in July and August, with overflow crowds in attendance each week enjoying the free outdoor music. This year, Downtown Sounds lost its $25,000 annual contribution from the City of Glen Cove due to budget cuts, so the BID has been actively seeking alternative funding in addition to the $25,000 in sponsorships it needs to raise. One avenue Holman is exploring is grant money and she recently applied for a grant through Nassau County.
During the meeting, Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton brought some positive news regarding this funding. She explained that Nassau County has a budget line for hotel/motel that is meant to support tourism and the arts.
“We did make a request of $25,000, the money is in the line and on for a vote,” said DeRiggi-Whitton. “It looks very good.”
Melanie Eitel from RXR Realty provided an update on the Village Square project.
“It’s going great and we are on track for completion in March 2020,” said Eitel.
The project will have 146 units, retail space and a public plaza. She said RXR will be tying the Garvies Point waterfront redevelopment into the Village Square project to help further revitalize downtown.
Cindy Rogers spoke on behalf of Congressman Tom Suozzi, discussing some of the committees and projects he’s currently involved in and noting his appreciation for the BID, which he formed during his term as mayor.
Mayor Tim Tenke expressed his gratitude for the work Holman and the board members do for the downtown and then swore in board members Alvin Batista (president), Lou-Ann Thompson (vice president), James O’Grady (secretary), Charles Parisi, Maureen Basdavanos, Mary Cooper, John Zozzaro, Danielle Fugazy-Scagliola, Melanie Eitel and auxiliary member Pam Panzenbeck. Treasurer Leonard Gleicher, board member Joe LaPadula and auxiliary member Lisa Dutra were not in attendance.
“I look forward to a new year filled with economic development, capital improvements, new marketing campaigns and grand special events,” said Holman.
