Q&A
Mitigating impacts on small businesses during Port Authority Bus Terminal construction
0:58:55
·
94 sec
Council Member Bottcher asks about provisions for small businesses on Ninth Avenue to mitigate business interruption during construction. Port Authority representatives outline their plans to support affected businesses.
- No businesses are expected to close due to construction
- Increased signage will be provided for businesses affected by construction infrastructure
- Port Authority is working with the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce to survey local businesses and understand their needs
Erik D. Bottcher
0:58:55
What provisions are you making for the small businesses on ninth Avenue to mitigate business interruption, manage sidewalk and street closures, sidewalk sheds, and loss of visibility due to construction?
Hersh Parekh
0:59:11
So, as part of this construction program, we do not anticipate the need for any business to to close for construction purposes, and we will work with our contractor to make sure that their plans, follow that that goal.
0:59:29
But in the case that if any business does need to close, or they have their, you know, their entrance obstructed due to construction reasons, we will work with that business, to to address that need.
0:59:43
But, you know, we've also looked at plans to, for example, increase signage, so that when a business might be underneath some construction scaffolding or other construction infrastructure, that customers still know the business is still open and operational, and that they can still access the business in a safe manner.
1:00:02
So we will work with the business community on that.
1:00:05
In fact, we've already started working with the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce to go out and do a survey of all of the businesses in the vicinity to really understand their needs, what their loading schedule their, delivery schedule is like, their hours of operation, and to make sure that they have a point of contact within our organization, to, to address any questions they may have.
1:00:26
So that work will continue, but it's already started.
