An interactive map highlighting the Business Improvement District around Grand Central Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, showcasing local businesses, landmarks, and public amenities.

In New York City, where competition for prime real estate is fierce, the Grand Central Partnership (GCP) has harnessed the power of location intelligence to enhance the appeal of Midtown Manhattan. As one of the largest Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) in the city, GCP has embraced advanced data solutions through Datastory and MapDash to deliver compelling insights and resources to stakeholders, business owners, and the public. Here’s a look at how GCP’s Director of Data & Public Affairs, Ryan Pukos, describes the impact of location intelligence on their work and its transformative potential.

The Role of Location Intelligence in a Business Improvement District

The Grand Central Partnership is dedicated to maintaining and beautifying a 70-block area surrounding the iconic Grand Central Terminal. The district team provides supplemental sanitation, public safety, streetscape beautification, and business support alongside arts and cultural programming and visitor services. With such a large and vibrant district to manage, GCP needed a powerful way to analyze, communicate, and act on data to keep the area appealing for business, tourism, and residents alike.

A map displaying Midtown Manhattan's bicycle-sharing system, showing bike station locations, availability, and nearby routes, making it easy to navigate the Business Improvement District on two wheels.

Why Location Intelligence?

The GCP team sees themselves as experts, advocates, and stewards of their neighborhood, using location intelligence to better understand Midtown Manhattan. They wanted to emphasize the area’s unparalleled access to transportation, dining, nightlife, and other cultural and economic assets. With MapDash and Datastory, GCP created a publicly accessible resource that showcases the neighborhood’s strengths, allowing both new and established businesses to see the advantages of setting up shop there.

The Challenge: Telling a Compelling Neighborhood Story

As the Director of Data & Public Affairs shared, GCP needed a tool to help businesses, stakeholders, and the public easily access data about the neighborhood. Whether it's a landlord looking to lease space or the city government trying to attract top companies, this data needed to tell a cohesive story about the neighborhood's strengths in transportation, business, culture, and more.

How MapDash and Datastory Came Through

The interactive maps offered by Datastory have proven to be invaluable for GCP. These maps allow users to dig deep into specific data points—from retail businesses and landmarks to public spaces and bike share stations—offering a rich perspective on the neighborhood's assets. The Director of Data & Public Affairs emphasized the maps’ flexibility, noting, “Our district is extremely dense, and there is a ton of data for almost any characteristic...the interactive maps allow our users to dig as deep as they want to gain additional insight about the neighborhood.”

Measuring ROI and Business Impact

Map layer showing economic activity in the Grand Central Partnership BID, where businesses generate over $49 billion annually, over 8% of NYC's total sales.

While measuring the direct return on investment (ROI) is challenging, GCP has seen tremendous value in using Datastory and MapDash to attract top companies. TheirDatastory acts as a one-stop shop, showcasing all the neighborhood has to offer. The team reports that whenever they present Datastory to newcomers, the tool leaves a lasting impression, frequently resulting in questions about how it was created and expressions of interest in the neighborhood.

Use Cases for the Industry

GCP recommends Datastory for other organizations seeking to understand and advocate for their areas. Whether it’s analyzing residential development trends or identifying growth patterns, Datastory offers the tools to make data-driven decisions. By collaborating with Datastory, GCP gained critical insights that have supported the neighborhood’s development and appeal.

The Lasting Impact

A map highlighting the convenient access from the Grand Central Partnership district to New York City's major airports, emphasizing the ease and value of short commutes for businesses and travelers alike.

The MapDash solutions from Datastory have not only strengthened GCP’s ability to attract businesses but also enhanced their collaboration with city government partners. These tools have become an integral part of GCP's strategy to keep Midtown Manhattan vibrant, prosperous, and attractive. The Director shared, “The biggest direct impact has been in helping us, along with our city government partners, attract businesses to our neighborhood.”

The Grand Central Partnership’s use of location intelligence exemplifies how BIDs can leverage data to tell a compelling story, foster community growth, and enhance their appeal to businesses. By adopting tools likeDatastory and MapDash, GCP has set a new standard in data-driven community advocacy, showing what’s possible when data and community goals align.

Ready to experience the power of Datastory and MapDash for your community?
Discover more by checking out GCP’s Datastory here.