Cleaning Up Downtown Minneapolis
The Downtown Improvement District’s neon clad Safe and Clean Ambassadors have been on the street for nearly two weeks so far, and already their presence is being felt. The ambassadors are responsible for projects that range from picking up trash and cleaning graffiti to giving friendly directions and discouraging panhandling - all part of a concerted effort to make the Minneapolis downtown area cleaner, safer and a more pleasant environment for visitors, residents and those who work in the area
The initiative is funded by fees paid by the downtown business community, proportionate to lineal frontage and building size, as well as location. Reaction to the additional expense has been mixed among business owners, but the general expectation in these early stages is that the program and its subsequent phases will succeed in making downtown Minneapolis more beautiful, friendly and a more enjoyable place to work, live and visit.
The ambassadors are simply the first phase in the Downtown Improvment District’s overall effort to spruce up the downtown area.
