INDIANAPOLIS — Officials with Downtown Indy Inc. provided an update on Monday halfway through its pilot program focused on Mile Square.
According to a news release, this comes after the organization received a $3.7 million grant from the city of Indianapolis for a pilot program focused on 365-day operations in the Mile Square neighborhood, including expanded staffing focused on cleanliness, beautification and public safety initiatives.
Officials said that halfway through the program, the organization is “touting new record highs in responsiveness and overall effectiveness.” This includes tripling its Clean Team employee roster, increasing its trash cleanup more than 550% by all week services.
Officials also said that the number of vandalism cases responded to from January to September increased by 1,500% from 2022 and more than 400 city blocks have been power-washed in 2023. The funding has also allowed the organization to double its bike patrol unit hours. Eight months in funding currently remain in the initial funding given to the program.
“The allocation of one-time federal funds to the cleanliness of Downtown Indianapolis is essential to improving both quality of life and place for our residents and visitors,” Taylor Schaffer, the president and chief executive officer of Downtown Indy Inc., said in the release. “Without this consistent drumbeat, events lose vibrancy, businesses lose foot traffic, and conventions feel less hospitable. This is a reality DII must acknowledge and plan for as we round out our first year of unprecedented funding and resources.”
