Downtown Providence - Live It Up!

About the Downtown Improvement District

DID PROGRAMS

The Providence Downtown Improvement District, which officially launched on February 26, 2005, focuses on two main program areas: Clean and Safe. Our Clean and Safe Teams have 19 members including 1 Operations Manager, 7 Safety Team members including 1 Team Leader, and 10 Clean Team members including 1 Team Leader.

The Clean and Safe programs complement—rather than replace—existing City services in the downtown area. The Teams recently co-located with the Providence Police Department in a substation at Kennedy Plaza in order to strengthen their partnership with the City. Safety Guides cover the district on foot and on bicycle, providing “watchful eyes” and promoting a friendly, safe downtown atmosphere. When special events take place downtown, Safety Guides are strategically placed near the venues in order to maximize their visibility and effectiveness.

The Clean Team handles litter removal, gum removal, sidewalk power washing, graffiti removal, cleaning of street appurtenances, weeding, and related tasks. Using new equipment such as sidewalk sweepers, power washers, and street vacuums, Team members have significantly improved the physical environment in a short amount of time.

In addition to regular clean and safe activities, DID programs have expanded to include:

Collaboration with the city to replace missing and broken street signs
Management of the downtown planting/beautification program, which has grown to incorporate 190 hanging baskets, 5 ground level open planting areas and 50 sidewalk planters
Leadership within the Hospitality Resource Partnership
Placement of new bike racks throughout the district
Partnership with the city and state to repair downtown sidewalks
Funding for sidewalk brick repair
Assistance with Kennedy Plaza programming
Promotion of the downtown retail and office sectors
Matching city funding for the planting of new trees downtown
Placing new trash receptacles in key locations
Maintenance of the downtown website