Press Release

Skip to Content

DowntownDC BID Annual Report Highlights New Initiatives, Activities and Campaigns

Share

Mon. March 26, 2012

WASHINGTON, DC – The DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID) has released its 2011 Annual Report, which depicts a productive year centered on increasing the organization’s focus on strategic and social communications, sustainability, security, and economic growth to keep Downtown DC both successful and relevant.

“All activities were initiated with a deep understanding of our past and a comprehensive plan for the future,” said DowntownDC BID Executive Director Richard Bradley, noting that the BID’s Board of Directors and membership recently approved a new five-year business plan and a public realm investment plan calling for $258 million in improvements over the next five years.

The report (October 1, 2010 – September 30, 2011) highlights the BID’s achievements and goals in key areas: operations, public space management, infrastructure and sustainability, communications and special events, economic development, and finance and administration.

The report is available at www.downtowndc.org/annual and, new this year, the report is available for the iPad by downloading a new app which provides the report in a digital format and includes an embedded video that highlights the work of the BID and its contribution to the evolution of Downtown. App available at: www.downtowndc.org/annualreport.

Among the BID’s highlights:

  • Collected 188,007 bags of litter and trash and assisted 317,644 citizens with the help of its Downtown Safety/Hospitality and Maintenance employees (SAMs)
  • Launched a Downtown ecoDistrict framework and expanded an outdoor, public recycling program
  • Introduced social media tools—Twitter, Facebook and a blog—and explored more expedient ways to conduct property manager outreach
  • Launched an aggressive business retention and recruitment campaign with the city
  • Created a director position to focus on physical improvements that help produce an exceptional environment and oversee security and emergency management
  • Initiated planning to renew the organization’s legislative charter for FY13-FY17

Going forward, the DowntownDC BID will continue to guide Downtown’s future economic growth and vitality by focusing on initiatives that include automating defect reporting to reduce flaws in public space; creating a comprehensive homeland security initiative; identifying and targeting high-density homeless population areas; and developing and implementing a property manager outreach program.

“Our goal is to continue, once again, to raise the bar,” said Bradley. “Rapid change and regional competition dictate that we move forward at a consistently progressive rate and embrace excellence, leadership and partnerships along the way. ”