Businesses
Located at one of New York City’s largest transportation hubs, Union Square is the ideal site to start or grow your business in the midst of a bustling metropolis. Union Square is recognized as the quintessential New York City neighborhood, with a vibrant mix of residential, office, retail, educational and cultural uses! With 35.5 million people passing through the 14th Street/Union Square Subway Station every year, the Union Square district is one of the most convenient destinations in the City and attracts residents, tourists, and businesses alike. The Union Square Partnership is committed to providing programs that ensure the district's continued economic vitality, and provides a range of services to support your business in Union Square.
Storefront Improvement Grant Program
USP currently offers a storefront improvement grant program to help businesses enhance the outside appearance of their buildings or install new security gates. The grant can offset the costs of design and installation of façade improvements to beautify your establishment. USP is researching additional grant programs that may be implemented in the future.
Go Green to Save Green Grant Program
USP also offers a grant program to help businesses improve their building’s energy efficiency to gain savings in their electric bills. The program can offset the costs of getting an energy audit and implement the audit’s recommendations. Energy audits are available through partnerships with Con Edison and NYSERDA. Once audits are completed, both Con Edison and NYSERDA offer additional incentives to implement recommendations.
Marketing Services
USP also promotes local businesses in a variety of ways. We print thousands of district maps complete with business listings annually and offer a searchable online directory of businesses on our website. The directory can be updated quickly and instantly increases the online presence of your business by providing another hit on search engines. USP publishes a monthly e-newsletter and businesses can take advantage of marketing to residents, workers, and visitors through our District Deals and Biz Buzz features.
Seasonally, USP also directly markets the neighborhood and its businesses in Union Square Park via an informational kiosk in the summer and during the Holiday Market from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve. Email us if you would like to provide printed promotions or discounts for distribution at either of these venues.
Government Resources
The Union Square Partnership is here to foster not only relationships within the district, but also between the community and local government. From training services for your business to educational opportunities for your family, USP wants you to know what is available for you. As such, USP maintains connections with the New York City Department of Small Business Services, which provides direct assistance to business owners and links employers with workers. USP can also connect you with the City’s Capital Access Loan Guarantee Program that gives small business owners a method to obtain up to a 40% guarantee for qualified loans and lines of credit up to $250,000.
