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Tribeca Alliance Partnership, New
Business Group, Kicks Off
The audience at the Millenium Hilton listens to speakers at the first meeting of the Tribeca Alliance Partnership.
Photos by Carl Glassman
Posted Feb. 28, 2016
Vowing to fight for the survival of local small businesses, city officials and their representatives
joined organizers of the Tribeca Alliance Partnership last week for the first big gathering of the
new group.
"The more people there are in the organization the stronger voice we have,” the Partnership’s
founder, Ann Benedetto, told the roomful of business owners, Tribeca residents and others who had
come to be part of this kickoff meeting at the Millenium Hilton Hotel. “The stronger voice we have
the more we can accomplish.”
The Partnership unveiled its website ("a work in progress," Benedetto said) and promised the
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2. addition of maps, calendar of events and stories that feature local businesses. "We're here for you,"
Benedetto said.
Anne­Marie Bennick, co­owner of The Live Well Company, a fitness center in Tribeca since 2003,
recalled the difficulties the business had with the city bureaucracy when they expanded a few years
ago, and offered to give hard­earned advice to others. "I want to help businesses to thrive in this
neighborhood,” she said, “and to help them get through all that red tape."
Below are excerpts from what some of the speakers had to say.
ANN BENEDETTO
Owner of the clothing store, A Uno
There are many areas of Manhattan that have
lost their identity to big brands that have
systematically crushed small businesses. I don't
feel that Tribeca will benefit from an influx of
more banks, big pharmacies, big chains and
fast foods. In fact, it will make it lose what
made it so desirable: its unique character.
Tribeca is changing so fast and already we
have seen so many casualties.
GAIL BREWER
Manhattan Borough President
The biggest elephant in the room is rent. You
can have all the customers in the world and be
the most wonderful business, and then the rent
goes up 300%. The owner won't talk to you.
There is nothing you can do. I have seen so
many businesses in that situation. I wrote a
commercial rent bill with Ruth Messinger in
1985 and it still hasn't passed. We need
something that is going to pass in the city
council to deal with this rent issue.
DAVID GRUBB
Owner, CMIT Solutions of Tribeca
I have a technology business so I’m working to help communicate with the community. Our goal
over the next few months is be better connected, to communicate with each other, and to

3. communicate the services that are in the
community to the residents. We’re going to use
our web site and social media channels to
interact and to get people’s opinions on board.
GREGG BISHOP, Commissioner
NYC Small Business Services
Fines: “If you’re getting fined or you think
your being targeted contact us. ….We can work
to help you contest those fines.” Rent: “I’m
working closely with the chair of the City
Council’s Small Business Committee.…We
want to at least start somewhere so there is
some law that will protection from harassment,
then we’ll move into what happens when the
landlord [wants to double your rent.]"
Sidewalk sheds: "[The Buildings
commissioner] wants to work with me on that.
There is a task force that is part of Small
Business First that we have put together to address that concern of small businesses." Small
Business First: “We have about 30 recommendations to make it easier for you as a small business
owner.” “Feel free to reach out to me if you have any concerns with your business that I can help
you with.” (cbishop@sbs.nyc.gov)
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