QUEENS — A downtown Jamaica business group is asking residents what type of shops and restaurants they want to see in the neighborhood.
The Sutphin Boulevard Business Improvement District will launch an online survey in December asking residents about their spending habits as well as their expectations for retail in the area, which is currently dominated by discount stores and fast food restaurants.
The BID will use the survey results to approach new retailers and try luring them to the neighborhood.
“We want to understand better [residents'] retail needs,” Sutphin Boulevard BID Executive Director Simone Price said.
She said another survey conducted nearly two years ago among people who work and live in downtown Jamaica revealed that the average family income in the area was $62,000.
It also showed that Jamaica was losing about $3 billion a year, as local residents shop in Manhattan, Long Island or other areas of Queens, because they can't find what they need in Jamaica.
Price said the neighborhood has been changing quickly in the past several years, and retailers seem to be more open to moving to Jamaica.
The BID is currently looking for a firm to conduct the study. Those interested in responding to RFP should apply by Nov. 28, 2014. For more information, go here.
