FIGHTING CRIME ON MYRTLE AVE.

Members of the Myrtle Avenue Business Improvement District assemble at the Ridgewood Banco Popular for their annual meeting. Shown from left to right are Board Member Mark Moss, Secretary Toni Binanti, Board Member Lawrence Kalik, Leon Fonfa (the city liaison to the BID), President Herman Hochberg, Treasurer Peter Aigner, Mario Saggese and Executive Director Theodore Renz. Local crime, the renovation of the Ridgewood Theatre and complaints about a recent movie shoot were all discussed at the 21st annual meeting of the Myrtle Avenue Business Improvement District (BID), held this year at the Ridgewood Banco Popular branch.

Calling the BID "taxation with representation," President Herman Hochberg welcomed over 20 business owners and representatives of various branches of city government to the bank, located on Myrtle and Seneca avenues.

Crime update Crime is down in the 104th Precinct, according to Deputy Inspector Keith Green, the precinct's commanding officer.

Down 8.8 percent from this time last year, the precinct has seen decreases in every indexed crime with the exception of burglaries, which are up just 1.5 percent.

Green added that arrests are up 22 percent, and that the precinct is on track to be among the top five in the city in the amount of graffiti arrests made, after ranking second in the city last year.

"We do dedicate a lot to graffiti," said Green, "and quality-of-life offenses overall."

Specifically in the BID area, the 104th Precinct has issued over 110 various quality-of-life summonses for various infractions. Forty-one of those summonses were issued to people behaving badly (drinking or urinating in public), while the remainder were issued against stores and vendors for improper advertising or illegal vending.

In addition, the precinct has "stepped up" confiscations of merchandise from vendors who break the law, after what Green termed a "hitch" where the precinct was advised that doing so may cause legal issues.

Now, "they're all on notice," said the 104th Precinct commander.

Hochberg welcomed the enforcement, saying the BID wants the avenue to have a "more upscale look, not a cheap look where people lose sales."

Diana Reyna

"I have a great deal of respect for this BID," said City Council Member Diana Reyna. "We are very excited during a time where we're being much more conscious about small businesses ... [we're] trying to be partners with the BID."

Reyna informed the crowd of a bill she introduced that would give small businesses who received Environmental Control Board violations "a break on their day-to-day operations."

Under the proposal, the city would only require that the business owners paid a portion of the money owed, allowing them to raise money.

"That would be a wash for both small business and the city of New York," she explained.

According to Reyna, there are $200 million in outstanding ECB summonses that the city seeks to collect.

She added that the Council plans to convene a special panel to host small business forums citywide, focusing at least in part on laws that may be outdated and could be excised.

Movie shoot issues

Alan Wagner, who owns Carl's Army & Navy on 55-41 Myrtle Ave., had a complaint about the recent filming of a movie on the strip.

The film, A Couple of Cops, shot scenes around the western end of the BID's area this June, taking parking spaces and maintaining the sidewalk for equipment.

According to Wagner, businesses which were actively involved in the filming received compensation for lost business.

Carl's Army & Navy was not used; however, Wagner noted that the film crews repeatedly placed equipment in front of the store and told patrons not to walk by the sidewalk.

Despite losing business due to the shoot, he claimed, he was refused compensation.

BID Executive Director Theodore Renz noted that Community Board 5 (of which he is a member) received notice from the city on the Friday prior to the film shoot, which began on a Monday.

He added that the trailers that housed equipment, crews and actors parked in spaces which had parking meters, thus taking away space for potential patrons of shops along Myrtle Avenue.

"They just take over," he stated. "I realize they have to shoot a movie, and it's good for New York City, but I do believe that they should readily compensate with some sort of compensation."

Ridgewood Theatre update

Mario Saggese and architect Bryon Russell told residents about their plans for the Ridgewood Theatre.

The intention is to renovate the space's interior to match the original design of the theater and complement the soon-to-be-landmarked exterior. Russell did note that no historic documents exist to guide the restoration.

In addition, the façade may need some amount of rehabilitation.

"It's going to be a long process," warned Russell.

According to Saggese, the plan is to run at least a portion of the theater as a cinema showing first-run films.