By Carla Zanoni
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
UPPER MANHATTAN — The commercial corridors of Inwood and Washington Heights could be devoid of cheer this season as the business group responsible for hanging holiday lights is short on cash.
Officials with the Northern Manhattan Coalition for Economic Development's business outreach center said they won't have enough money to hang the lights, which usually run along 207th and Dyckman streets along with St. Nicholas Avenue, this year unless they can raise funds somehow.
"The economic situation in the US and especially New York City have effected us and the service we give to community," said Luis Ducasse, project director for the center.
Ducasse said he will know by week's end if the group will be able to raise the money needed to light one commercial corridor, which typically costs from $7,000 to $10,000.
Last year when business owners on that strip declined to donate money for lighting along Dyckman, the owners of Mamajuana Restaurant and Il Sole decided to take matters into their own hands and decorate the street. So far, Mamajuana has once again decorated the two large trees outside of its store with brilliant blue lights for the holiday.
The offices of Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat and City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez did not immediately return a request for comment.
Inwood native Neal Harmon, 72, said he remembered a time when all of the streets in the neighborhood were decorated with shining lights and decorations to mark the season. He said he was disappointed to hear that the same wouldn’t be done on the main stretches of Inwood.
"It used to be that all of Dyckman would be lit up," he said. "Now some of the stores do lights, but it’s just not the same."
