Mayor Announces Holiday Open Street, Pedestrian Space Around Rockefeller Center and Small Business Support Campaigns

The pedestrian space around Rockefeller Center returns to help accommodate holiday crowds. On November 22, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams announced the City’s largest holiday season specific open street and the return of the pedestrianized area around Rockefeller Center for the holiday season, along with two new ad campaigns to support local and small businesses. Temporary pedestrian spaces ease crowding and enhance public safety as thousands of visitors and New Yorkers celebrate the holiday season.  For <Read More>



Mayor and SBS Launch “Shop Your City: BE NYC” to Support Local Black-Owned Businesses

The campaign aims to support businesses who have continued to serve their communities during the pandemic. On February 18, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Small Business Services Commissioner Jonnel Doris announced “Shop Your City: BE NYC,” a new targeted campaign aimed to encourage New Yorkers to support local Black-owned businesses. Between February and April 2020, Black businesses as a whole saw a 41 percent decrease in business activity. While the pandemic has hit all <Read More>


Mayor Signs Executive Order Supporting Minority and Women Owned Businesses

The City awarded over $3 billion in contracts to minority and women-owned businesses in FY19. The City is On July 28, 2020, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed Executive Order 59 to increase the City’s utilization of Minority and Women-Owned Businesses (M/WBEs), and also announced numerous programs with the Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity that will connect Black and Latinx entrepreneurs to business opportunities.


Small Business Services Launches Grant Program to Help Small Businesses Purchase Resiliency Protection, Disaster Risk Assessment

On April 2, 2024, the Department of Small Business Services announced a new grant program to support small businesses in dealing with natural disasters. The Business Preparedness and Resiliency Program will offer free risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities and issue grants of up to $5,000 for small business owners and commercial property owners to use for infrastructure protection or upgrades, like generators or flood barriers. 


Mayor, Governor, and Port Authority Agreement to Support Port Authority Bus Terminal Replacement

On March 12, 2024, Mayor Eric Adams, Governor Kathy Hochul, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced a deal to support the replacement and expansion of the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown. The 73-year-old facility currently serves over 200,000 people on an average weekday, but struggles to meet current needs. The replacement is expected to meet 2040-2050 commuter growth.