Meatpacking Business Improvement District appoints LeFrancois new executive director

Manhattan, NY According to the Meatpacking Business Improvement District (BID), it has appointed longtime BID leader Jeffrey LeFrancois as its new executive director.

LeFrancois, who was unanimously approved to replace Lauren Danziger on the BID’s board of directors in February, brings over 10 years of community affairs, urban planning, public space management and civic engagement experience to the role. He previously served as director of operations + community affairs for the BID, and its predecessor organization, the Meatpacking Improvement Association (MPIA), where he managed the day-to-day public functions for the organization.

In his new enhanced position, LeFrancois will work with property owners, retail and restaurant establishments, elected officials, residents, and city agencies to ensure the Meatpacking District remains a cutting-edge, ever-evolving neighborhood in Lower Manhattan. Additionally, he will continue to advocate for businesses, residents, and property owners during the reconstruction of the area’s public plazas, which will provide the neighborhood with almost 20,000 s/f of public space along Ninth Ave. and Gansevoort St. set to reopen to the public this year through the City’s Plaza Program. He will also oversee the BID’s summer and fall programming, which supports the neighborhood through marketing initiatives, events, and partnerships.

Since joining the Meatpacking District BID in 2015, LeFrancois brings with him a strong connection to the neighborhood. As Director of Operations + Community Affairs, his responsibilities included overseeing the sanitation, landscaping, and public safety teams, managing the public spaces in partnership with the city’s DOT Plaza program, and interacting on behalf of the BID with the community, the city, and elected officials. He also helped shape the BID’s policy positions and organized community boards and elected officials to support a call to bring ferry service to the west side, which is an ongoing effort.

Prior to his work for the BID, LeFrancois was chief of staff to then-New York City Council member Corey Johnson, now speaker of the City Council, and deputy chief of staff for assembly member Richard Gottfried.

“The success of the Meatpacking District BID is based on our commitment to support the local business community and to keep the area clean, safe and beautiful for locals and visitors alike, and there’s no better person who embodies its mission and values more than Jeffrey LeFrancois,” said Jonathan Iger, chair of the Meatpacking BID Board of Directors and CEO of William Kaufman Organization/Sage Realty Corp. “For the last seven years, Lauren Danziger was instrumental in forming and growing the BID, and she was instrumental in implementing many of the organization’s successful programs and policies. While her contributions to the BID will be missed, we also know that the organization remains in good hands with Jeffrey at the helm. The District is entering a new phase of economic development and growth while maintaining its position as the pre-eminent neighborhood in the city. We believe that Jeffrey has the leadership and advocacy skills to realize the Board’s vision as we enter into this next phase.”

LeFrancois said, “I am thrilled to build upon what has become a fascinating intersection of fashion, food, art, tech, and nightlife during this exciting period of growth for the Meatpacking District. From the Whitney Museum’s return downtown, the continued development of the High Line, and New York’s newest face of retail taking shape right here, the neighborhood has undergone an incredible transformation over the years, which has brought a new light to the district along with a fresh cadre of visitors. I thank the entire board for giving me this opportunity to lead a neighborhood that is a home for some, a place of work for others, and indeed a destination for New Yorkers and visitors alike.”

“I’m thrilled that Jeffrey will step into the role of executive director at the Meatpacking BID, especially as our neighborhood is poised for yet another exciting rebirth as our public plazas come back online this spring,” said Carley Graham Garcia, head of external affairs for Google NYC + Meatpacking BID 2nd executive vice chair. “Meatpacking continues to be one of the most vibrant neighborhoods in New York City and Jeffrey is uniquely positioned to help us leverage all of the transformational projects in the district.”

“Since the Whitney’s return downtown, Jeffrey has been a remarkable friend to the Museum, and the neighborhood at large,” said Adam Weinberg, Alice Pratt Brown director at the Whitney Museum of American Art. “His passion for and sensitivity to our community make him an ideal fit as executive director of the Meatpacking BID.”

In total, the Meatpacking District BID is comprised of over 7 million square feet of retail and office space, 1,054 hotel rooms, and over 2,500 residential units.