The Columbus Avenue Business Improvement District announces Nicole Paynter has been promoted to Executive Director. In her new capacity, Ms. Paynter will work with commercial and mixed-use property owners, retail and restaurant owners, residents, elected officials, and city agencies to ensure that Columbus Avenue remains a thriving district to live, work, and visit. Prior to this position, Ms. Paynter served as the BID’s Deputy Director and before that, she worked as its Program Associate for Marketing, Communications & Community Engagement. The Columbus Avenue BID, which spans the retail corridor between West 67^th and 82^nd Streets, currently enjoys a 94 percent occupancy rate.

“Following in the footsteps of my former boss, mentor and friend, Barbara Adler, who held the position for two decades, I will continue the BID’s commitment to maintaining the vitality and beauty of the corridor,” says Ms. Paynter. “I plan to serve the needs of the district and community with creativity and enthusiasm.”

Ms. Paynter holds a master’s degree in Historical & Sustainable Architecture and a bachelor’s degree in Urban Design & Architecture Studies from New York University.

About the Columbus Avenue Business Improvement District

The Columbus Avenue Business Improvement District (“BID”) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that represents merchants and property owners along tree-lined Columbus Avenue, from West 67^th to West 82^nd Streets. Formed in the landmark district in 1999, its membership includes a diverse range of retailers, restaurateurs and commercial and mixed-use property owners, comprising all the commercial establishments on the Avenue. The Columbus Avenue BID’s district also includes the American Museum of Natural History, Theodore Roosevelt Park, The New-York Historical Society and the Rose Center for Earth and Space.