Frequently Asked Questions
What is a BID?
A Business Improvement District (BID) is a public/private partnership in which property and business owners elect to make a collective contribution to the maintenance, development and promotion of a commercial district. There are many BIDs throughout the Washington Metropolitan Area and across the country.
Why Form a BID?
The purpose of a BID is to improve conditions for business in a specific area, attract and retain businesses, generate jobs and improve the quality of life for those who use the district. A BID enables stakeholders to decide which services to provide to meet the district's unique needs.
How is a BID Funded?
BID programs and services are underwritten by a special assessment collected from property owners in the defined boundaries of the district. The assessment is levied on the property-owners, who may pass it on to their tenants, if their lease contains such a provision.
How big is the Crystal City BID boundary?
The Crystal City BID boundary covers approximately 250 acres (click here for aerial map).
Crystal City Stats
- Residential population: 11,000
- Employment population: 30,000
- Residential units: 6,900
- Estimated average household income is $119,000
- Estimated corporations and organizations that call Crystal City home: 350
- Office space: 17,400,800 square feet
- Retail space: 2,800,300 square feet
- Parking spaces: 13,000, of which 4,500 spaces are free
- Hotel shuttle buses: 33/hour
- Hotel rooms: 4,607
- 2007 passengers traveling through Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport: 18.6 million
- Easy access to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Virginia Railway Express, bike paths, the District of Columbia, etc.
- The Crystal City Metro station, located in the heart of Crystal City, handles more than 27,000 passengers on the average weekday. During weekends, more than 17,000 passengers pass through the station.
