Lots of Talk, Little Action on Larchmont's Business District

Larchmont Village's newly reinvigorated Business Improvement District Committee and the representatives of the Larchmont Chamber of Commerce spent a lot of time talking Thursday night, but made little progress on addressing the core problems.

Village Trustee Jaine Elkind Eney, who is the board's liaison to the BIDC, called the joint meeting in the hope that the two entities would move from talking about the problems to addressing them. And, while all agreed Larchmont needs to recapture its vitality and fill its empty stores, chamber representatives spent most of the hour-long session complaining that the planners for the Octoberfest, which was approved by the Village Board earlier this week, had not involved the chamber.

Eney said the organizers of the October 17 event created a "buzz" in the Village with the successful Bastille Day festivities, and had done a lot of work to make certain the October event can draw an even larger crowd.  But when members of the chamber suggested the village might require planners of such events to involve the chamber, Eney reminded them the village cannot force event planners to involve a private membership organization.

Nevertheless, Eney suggested that in the future, the BDIC will work with groups that are organizing events and help them with the work that needs to be done before the idea is presented to the Board of Trustees for approval.

One area in which the BDIC and the Chamber will work together is in welcoming new business owners to the village. Chamber board member Lynda LaMonte said the chamber is preparing welcome kits for new businesses that will include a directory of services available and information about the Chamber. And one item on the BDIC's agenda is the preparation of a guide to the village's requirements for opening a business.

Both groups also expressed interest in surveying local residents to find out what kinds of businesses they would like to see in the village district. T.J. Russo, a member of the chamber's board, noted they've asked the Village to consider hiring  Larisa Ortiz Associates, a consultant who helped New Rochelle to assist the village. Simon Marlow, a member of the BDIC, said there are several people in the village who would be willing to donate their services to the effort.

Einey said she will bring the suggestions to Mayor Josh Mandell, who has made revitalizing the business district a top priority of his administration. And the two groups agreed to meet on a quarterly basis.