Abstract
The purpose of this study is to understand the structure of streetscape improvement by Business Improve Districts (BIDs) in New York City. Three BIDs in New York City, including Grand Central Partnership, Alliance for Downtown New York, and Times Square Alliance, were selected as case studies. A series of interviews to the BID officials as well as field surveys was conducted in the year 2000 and 2005. The major findings are the following. a) Steetscape improvements by three BIDs are planned and implemented to promote districts interests through community-involved project processes, b) whlie the BIDsstreetscape improvement businesses are under the supervision of the city agencies, they are cooperating by sharing information, c) the BIDs can maintain high quality of streetscape design by flexibly appointing best-suited designers, d) budgetary condition of the BIDs is stable but not plentiful enough to proceed many streetscape improvement projects at once, and e) the effects of the streetscape improvement projects by the BIDs are evaluated mostly through indirect indexes.
