DeBlasio to Crackdown on LES Nightlife; Claims NYers Lives Will Be “Improved”

By: Gregg Lapordino

Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled a multi-agency plan “to improve the quality of life of thousands of New Yorkers living in one of the city’s densest nightlife districts.”

The plan, created by the Office of Nightlife, targets a 6-block area on Ludlow and Orchard Streets between Houston and Delancey on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Improvements will reduce traffic and pedestrian congestion on the street and make garbage sweeping routes more efficient. Nightlife patrons will also see a new etiquette campaign encouraging them to be more respectful and aware of their surroundings, according to a release from the mayor’s office.

“The world loves New York nightlife, but we also have to take care of the New Yorkers who live where others play,” said de Blasio. “We are creating cleaner, quieter streets to improve quality of life while ensuring bars, restaurants and clubs can thrive.”

“Nightlife is vital to New York City’s local culture and global identity,” said Ariel Palitz, Senior Executive Director for the Office of Nightlife. “The Lower East Side is one of the city’s most vibrant and social neighborhoods. This plan coordinates City services to support our thriving nightlife and respond to the needs of the residential community, to ensure that nightlife is fair and works for everyone.”

“We are proud to partner with our colleagues in city government and the local community to develop and implement collaborative solutions to quality of life concerns surrounding nightlife on the Lower East Side,” said Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, Anne del Castillo. “Nightlife establishments are a fundamental part of the city’s DNA; they employ almost 300,000 New Yorkers. Through these collaborative efforts, MOME can ensure that the city’s creative and cultural industries like nightlife can thrive in ways that are mutually beneficial for all.”

The area of Ludlow and Orchard Streets between Houston and Delancey contains more than 80 food and beverage establishments. For years, residents and businesses have complained of late-night horn honking and loud voices as traffic stops due to double-parked cars dropping off and collecting passengers on the area’s narrow streets. Moreover, litter builds up overnight under parked cars and on sidewalks, which is unsightly, unsanitary, and attracts rats.

The Lower East Side Late-Night Quality of Life Improvement Plan was designed with the support and input of residents, business owners, workers, and local officials to make their neighborhood more livable. The plan includes:

New parking regulations to ease traffic congestion and reduce noise.

DOT is implementing a “No Standing” rule from midnight to 6 AM on the west side of the streets and 7 PM to 7 AM on the east side of streets, seven days a week.

Removing standing vehicles overnight eases congestion, honking and other noise.

New litter removal schedule coordinated with bar closing times for more efficient cleaning and additional street cleaning.

To more efficiently clean neighborhood streets, DSNY street sweepers will now operate between 3 and 6 AM.

The prior schedule from midnight to 3 AM was less efficient, as many businesses were still open and patrons were still out.

The Business Improvement District (BID), the Lower East Side Partnership, will provide 200 hours of street cleaning services a week, seven days a week.