Downtown Detroit Business Improvement Zone
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BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT ZONE 2016-2017 ANNUAL REPORT DOWNTOWN DETROIT BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT ZONE LETTER FROM THE BOARD CHAIR LETTER FROM THE BIZ DIRECTOR As the Downtown Detroit Business Improvement Zone The Downtown Business Improvement Zone (BIZ) has celebrates its third anniversary, Downtown’s popularity created substantial improvements in the ever changing continues to rise and public perceptions about the quality environment of the Downtown, since the inception in of the services provided by the BIZ are positive. 2014. With the critical responsibility to create a vibrant Downtown, the BIZ oversees multiple supplemental Property owners contribute Enjoy new public spaces at Gratiot and about $4 million annually to Randolph and the Woodward Esplanade, services and resources for over 140 blocks and 550 augment city services and maintained by the BIZ. Know that the BIZ is establish a high level of quality in supporting public safety efforts by increasing properties, guided by the leadership of the volunteer BIZ priority service areas: safety and security in public spaces, including a new night board of directors that cover all corners and sectors of security, cleaning and hospitality, patrol vehicle equipped with a Lighthouse infrastructure planning, street and radio to communicate directly with the Detroit Downtown. parks landscape maintenance, Police Department. The work of the BIZ Downtown marketing and helps foster an increasingly clean, safe and The BIZ team consists of dedicated During the BIZ fiscal year business outreach. The BIZ has welcoming Downtown Detroit. individuals, who day in and day out, care beginning on July 1, 2016 and become an integral element of for our community. Key to our efforts, the ending June 30, 2017, the BIZ Downtown operations. Thank you to all who contribute to funding the Ambassadors are the feet on the street recorded a year of tremendous Downtown Detroit Business Improvement Zone providing hospitality and cleaning services success. From quarterly The Business Improvement Zone is led by and ensuring its success, including: property to those who work, live and invest in the Downtown BIZ Connect meetings a board of directors comprised of a diverse and business owners, BIZ and DDP Board Downtown. Composed of more than 80 attracting 200 businesses in total group of community leaders representing members and other community leaders, the percent Detroiters, the Ambassadors have to nearly tripling pedestrian property owners. They volunteer their time and City of Detroit, numerous community partners, changed the perception of Downtown with assists by Ambassadors, the BIZ expertise to assure contributors that resources and our DDP/BIZ staff. their welcoming and hardworking attitudes, continues to expand its efforts to are deployed transparently and with fiscal which can be seen any day of the week. support property and business responsibility. The board contracts with the The BIZ serves as an example of a highly owners, creating positive interactions with Downtown Detroit Partnership to manage daily effective partnership, and together we are Over three years, we have been measuring residents and visitors. operations. The BIZ is audited annually, and playing a vital role in the sustainment of regional perceptions of Downtown through each audit to date has been entirely positive. Detroit’s exciting positive momentum. the annual Downtown Perceptions Survey and On behalf of the BIZ and DDP boards of In support of our commitment to transparency, Report. Not only have we seen a positive and directors, thank you for your continued all official records may be viewed at www. Sincerely, encouraging trend towards our city’s core, but collaboration and partnership in creating and downtowndetroit.org/BIZ. we are also able to create direct dialogue with sustaining a dynamic Downtown. the community on actionable improvements. While this report summarizes our In this time, there has been an 11 percent Sincerely, accomplishments in FY 2016-2017, please increase in positive sentiment of residents from take notice of ongoing work and constant Tricia Keith across the Detroit Metropolitan area on their refinement of the BIZ throughout the Chair, impression of Downtown Detroit. We also will Downtown. Attend a BIZ Connect event to Board of Directors be installing 220 permanent trash receptacles network with our small business proprietors. Downtown Detroit Business Improvement Zone in Downtown in Fall 2017, which was a direct Gina Cavaliere And sample some tastes of Downtown on a result of the responses received. Chief Community Impact Officer & BIZ Director Detroit Experience Factory Small BIZ Tour. Downtown Detroit Partnership 2 3 MACK MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. N GRAND RIVER Little CASS Caesars Arena The Downtown Detroit I-75 Business Improvement Zone FISHER FWY CLIFFORD 2ND (BIZ) encompasses over WOODWARD 550 properties spanning 140 Comerica Park Ford blocks, creating a vibrant 3RD Field MGM Grand GRAND Casino CIRCUS Downtown through services PARK BEACON including cleaning, hospitality, PARK MICHIGAN AVE. safety, supplemental lighting, BAGLEY GRATIOT landscaping, and community I-375 and business outreach for M-10 Greektown CAPITOL RANDOLPH Casino Downtown Detroit. PARK PLAZA Hotel Greektown Downtown business and property owners fund Casino these vital resources through a self imposed 5TH assessment delivered by the BIZ to our WASHINGTON CAMPUS MARTIUS Downtown. This commitment from the community FORT enables the Downtown Detroit Partnership on WOODWARD CADILLAC SQUARE CONGRESS behalf of the BIZ to keep Downtown clean, safe ESPLANADE GRISWOLD CONGRESS W and welcoming. LARNED JEFFERSON The BIZ Board of Directors is comprised of Cobo JEFFERSON Downtown property owners that oversee the Center Joe BIZ efforts and programs. This dedicated group Louis Arena Renaissance of volunteers sets the priorities of the BIZ and is Center actively engaged in the process of ensuring that quality services are delivered with responsibility DETROIT RIVERWALK and transparency. Quarterly BIZ Board meetings Detroit River are open to the public; all are welcome to attend. Parks with QLINE The District BIZ Services BIZ Area People Mover 4 5 AMBASSADOR PROGRAM Ambassador Downtown’s clean and hospitality teams, comprised of Work Hours more than 80 percent Detroit residents, take care of our Downtown nearly seven days a week and 24 hours a day to create a welcoming Downtown environment. Strategically staffing major Downtown events, Downtown Ambassadors worked over 40,000 hours at events in 2016 to ensure a memorable experience for visitors. Supported events included the North American 87,556 hours BIZ Area International Auto Show, Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle (BIZ Funded) Grand Prix, Greektown at Sundown and the over 900 events that take place in the Downtown Detroit parks + and public spaces managed by the DDP, as well as numerous events on the Detroit RiverWalk and at Rivard 40,078 hours Contract Areas Plaza led by the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. and Events (Separately Funded) Downtown Detroit’s Hospitality Ambassadors provide a welcoming smile, assisting pedestrians and motorists = with a host of issues ranging from recommending a place to eat to locating a lost vehicle. Ambassadors are generally available 18 hours a day on foot and Segway 127,634 to lend a helping hand. hours The Ambassadors work tirelessly to keep over 140 blocks and the 39 miles of sidewalks and public spaces within the BIZ swept, scrubbed and pressure washed Trash year round, removing thousands of pounds of trash and Collected graffiti over the course of the year. The infrastructure of the BIZ is leveraged to deliver similar services along the Riverfront and Jefferson all the way to Alter and in high traffic areas throughout Midtown in partnership with Midtown Detroit Inc., Jefferson East Inc. and the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. 291 tons BIZ New this year, the BIZ partnered with the Grow Detroit’s Young Talent program to employ young adults + to enhance their educational, work readiness and 216 tons leadership skills. The Ambassadors supported Detroit’s Contracts youth and expanded their own reach by adding nine Teen Ambassadors for a six-week internship. + 27 tons The Teen Ambassadors focused primarily on hospitality Events services by providing assistance with directions, restaurant locations and tourist attractions in Campus = Martius Park and Rivard Plaza. They also experienced the first-hand connection between Downtown and Detroit’s neighborhoods through community service. They worked 534 in the Denby neighborhood on Detroit’s upper east side tons on blight removal and beautification. (1,068,000 pounds) 6 7 DOWNTOWN LIGHTING The BIZ, with support from Detroit’s Downtown Development Authority, illuminates the Downtown each winter season. The Major lighting included about 250 snowflake-themed light pole violent ornaments and over 100,000 tree lights from November crimes through February. These lighting elements enhance the physical characteristics of the Downtown parks and streets by brightening the streetscape, complementing the overall atmosphere of Downtown Detroit. The BIZ has worked closely over the last year with the Public Lighting Authority (PLA), who led the effort to restore the lighting -4% Downtown. The PLA finalized the installation of LED street lights and new circuits throughout 2016 and early 2017, ensuring the presence and availability of street lighting and power for supplemental lighting in Downtown. Aggravated assaults Also in 2016, the BIZ partnered