ABOUT THE DISTRICT
BoCoCa, also known as "Little France," is a section of Brooklyn that comprises three adjacent neighborhoods: Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, and Carroll Gardens. Boerum Hill, known for its independent boutiques, restaurants and rows of brownstones, is home to many artists who own art galleries in the neighborhood. Boerum Hill is also home to many young families and the thriving Smith
Street restaurant row. Cobble Hill, comprising 22 blocks, is home to numerous family-run shops, Italian meat markets, old time barbershops, and trendy new restaurants on Court and Smith Streets. Cobble Hill is also renowned for its private Italianate style brownstone and brick row houses. Carroll Gardens is named after Charles Carroll, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and for its brownstones with large front gardens in the neighborhood's historic district. Today, Carroll Gardens is home to a large French immigrant population, and Bastille Day celebrations are held on July 14 of each year. A Business Improvement District (BID) is a public/private partnership in which property owners and commercial tenants make a collective contribution to the maintenance, development, and promotion of a commercial district. Currently, there are over 68 BIDs in NYC and 23 are right here in Brooklyn. BIDs provide programs and services for neighborhoods, which ultimately drives traffic, increases commercial business, and solidifies the overall value of a district. BID programs typically include the following services: sanitation, maintenance, beautification, greening initiatives, street-scaling (trees, flower boxes, decorations), community marketing, small business promotion, public safety, city and state advocacy, holiday decorations, tourism services, parenting and elderly assistance programs, and much more. While BIDs serve a multitude of purposes, the most important is how they strengthen the commercial backbone of a community. Although BoCoCa is already a great place to live, raise a family, work and open a business, the district still has room for improvement. The city can only do so much for its many great neighborhoods, and current city services are inadequate for meeting our community’s needs and desire to beautify its streets and promote its businesses. The Court Smith BID will strengthen critical services and provide an organized voice and advocacy for local property owners and commercial tenants. Court Street and Smith Street have always been the commercial backbone of the Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens area. With MANY expenses seemingly soaring overnight, your involvement is essential to preserve BoCoCa’s greatest attributes. Let’s help to ensure that our great storefronts, restaurants, and brownstones have the community’s support to grow for many generations to come.