The Flatiron Partnership is sponsoring a series of free holiday walking tours of the historic Flatiron neighborhood on the first four Sundays in December.

Join author and historian Miriam Berman on a journey through this vibrant neighborhood, highlighting seasonal points of interest such as the site of the nation’s first public Christmas tree lighting, the headquarters of the toy industry, the original FAO Schwarz location and the former site of the Lionel and Gilbert Hall model train showrooms.

Learn more about the area's historic buildings, including the New York Life Building, the MetLife Tower, the Appellate Courthouse and the iconic Flatiron Building.

Tours meet in front of 41 Madison Avenue (corner of 26th Street) at 11:00AM on December 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th.

Advanced registration is recommended; please email tour@flatironbid.org to reserve your spot.

The Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership Board of Directors has announced the appointment of Jennifer Brown as the BID's Executive Director.

"Jennifer is a strong leader with the managerial, operational and communication abilities needed to excel as the BID's first Executive Director," said Robert B. Frankel, Chairman of the Partnership and a Senior Managing Director at GVA Williams. "She is really the ideal candidate for the position, and we are excited to haver her on board."

Before joining the BID in August, Brown served as a principal at A2B Consulting, LLC, providing management counseling to public sector and not-for-profit clients.

She has also held positions at the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation - managing the organization's community development and government/community relations activities and working extensively with stakeholders affected by the September 11th attacks - and the Union Square Partnership, where she served as the Director of Finance and Economic Development.

"The creation of this BID is a milestone in the revitalization of the Flatiron district and holds significant promise for the future of this community," said Brown. "I look forward to working with the property owners, businesses and other stakeholders in this dynamic neighborhood."

Ms. Brown has selected Timothy S. Cohen as the Partnership's Deputy Director and Scott P. Kimmins as the Director of Operations.

Cohen previously served as the Program Director of the 23rd Street Association, the organization that led the effort to establish the BID, and before that worked in investment banking.

Kimmins spent 20 years with the New York Police Department as an Officer at the 13th Precinct, the precinct that serves the BID district. As Director of Operations, Kimmins is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the BID's sanitation and public safety programs.

The Partnership has undertaken a comprehensive initiative to evaluate troublesome street level conditions in the BID area using camera-equipped handheld computers.

Through a program called ComNet, Computerized Neighborhood Environment Tracking, the Partnership is systematically recording conditions throughout its 38-square-block district. ComNet findings will be used to document neighborhood conditions, determine priorities, and assess the results of BID programs.

A baseline survey focusing on sanitation conditions such as litter, graffiti and other conditions that will be addressed by its comprehensive sanitation program has been conducted.

The data gathered has been used to create the following maps:

• Graffiti Map
• Bills/Stickers Map
• Litter Map

"Our mission is to make this area cleaner, safer, and more beautiful for neighborhood businesses, workers, and residents, and the ComNET survey is an important tool in our efforts,” said BID Director Jennifer Brown

Each handheld computer is pre-loaded with street maps and a customizable catalog of typical conditions such as overflowing waste baskets, sidewalk and roadway litter, and others. The precise location, date and time of each entry is recorded to ensure accuracy and accountability and the handhelds are equipped with cameras which can also be used to record conditions.

In the months ahead, a broader based, long-term survey of BID area conditions will be undertaken documenting a wider range of conditions, such as cracked sidewalks, faded crosswalks, and any of other 300+ conditions.

ComNet was developed by the Fund for the City of New York, an independent foundation established by the Ford Foundation in 1968 with the mandate to improve the quality of life in New York City, be responsive to the City’s problems and seek opportunities to improve the performance of its government and nonprofit organizations.

The Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership is a sponsor of Mad. Sq. Holiday, the Madison Square Park Conservancy's annual tree lighting ceremony at the Park's Northern Reflecting Pool.

Join us on Tuesday, December 12, at 4:45 PM, to officially welcome the holidays to Madison Square Park, the site of the nation's first community Christmas tree.

The free event features joyful seasonal music by The New York Life Singers and JahPan Steel Drum Band and snacks from A Voce restaraunt.

Come celebrate the neighborhood and the season in Madison Square Park!

Recent News Coverage

• Long Live the BID
• New Improvement District Around Madison Square Park
• BID Aims to Clean up Community
• Flatiron BID uses Hi-Tech to Track Problem Areas
• Flatiron BID Plans Neighborhood Makeover
• New BID is Milestone in Flatiron District Revitalization

Press Releases

• BID Launches Sanitation Program
• Jennifer Brown Appointed Executive Director
• Flatiron Partnership BID Launched

Newsletters

• December 2006

Emails

• Walking Tours
• Launch Postcard