New City Chamber Launches Promotional Campaign

As heavy equipment rips up Main Street in New City for its multi-million dollar makeover, downtown business are reaching out to Rockland County shoppers and diners, inviting them to check out the bargains and special deals they have to offer.

The New City Chamber of Commerce recently began an advertising campaign to promote its member businesses. Additionally, the organization is starting a discount program and is helping members tell the public about their offerings.

"Our objective here is to clearly promote business in New City, but not just in New City," said Mike Seidenfrau, the chamber's vice president. "We want to bring people to New City from other areas."

Business owners and Clarkstown town officials have long been concerned that New City has a disadvantage when compared with other local downtowns, such as Nyack, Piermont and Suffern, because the county seat is not pedestrian-friendly and is not very attractive. However, town officials like Clarkstown Supervisor Alexander Gromack believe the ongoing downtown renovation project will make New City and attractive and popular destination.

"When this construction is done in New City it's going to look nicer than a Nyack," Seidenfrau boasted.

Clarkstown is rebuilding Main Street, putting in new sidewalks, drainage, lighting, landscaping and roadway. The project includes a 30 percent increase in on-street parking and is designed to encourage pedestrian traffic.

Seidenfrau said the downtown renovation brings with it inconveniences such as the current northbound detour on Main Street at Third Street, but he said New City business owners are excited that the long talked about changes are finally coming to fruition. In addition to the work along Main Street, Clarkstown is rebuilding Landau Park  - opposite the County Courthouse – to become a focal point for the downtown area.

"We are going to have a beautiful town," Seidenfrau said. "We will look like a Ridgewood (N.J.), a Westwood (N.J.). New City is going to be more of a walk-through community. I think it's going to be the crown jewel of Rockland County."

The ongoing advertising campaign, with ads in publications throughout Rockland, is designed to start raising public awareness about business in New City to set the stage for the day when the downtown renovation is completed.

Just as in virtually every community, New City businesses have been affected by the nation's economic recession. Seidenfrau said local small businesses are still not hiring many new workers and empty storefronts are frequently slow to fill.

However, Seidenfrau said the downtown renovation is providing an incentive for small businesses to stay – and grow – in New City. Additionally, Seidenfrau contends the value of business properties in New City will likely grow significantly once the downtown project is completed.

"Once construction is completed it's going to look so beautiful it will attract business to New City," Seidenfrau said.

Working in conjunction with the Downtown New City Corporation, the New City Chamber of Commerce is launching a discount program. Member businesses will have discount offers posted online and they'll have a window sticker that identifies them as part of the discount program. Members of the public will be able to purchase a $10 discount cards that make them eligible for special store promotions.

Next year, the New City Chamber of Commerce is also looking to launch a scholarship program open to Clarkstown residents. Applications for the scholarships would be available at businesses that are members of the chamber.

The chamber is continuing its popular downtown festival, which takes place in September. Because of the downtown renovation, the 2010 festival is being moved from the front of the County Courthouse to the parking lot of Clarkstown Town Hall, a block away on Maple Avenue.

When the renovation is done, Seidenfrau said the nature of the festival will change by moving it directly onto Main Street. He said the chamber will be taking advantage of the improvements to essentially make the festival a new street fair.

Improvements are also being made to the festival, Seidenfrau said, to include more participants and more food vendors.

Dorie McMaster, a chamber member and former New City Downtown Corporation president, said the promotional campaign is necessary to support downtown businesses, especially retail shops.

"People have worked very hard on it," McMaster said of the campaign. "It is very progressive."