Hartford special services district

[Cotuit]

Another Look At Special District

Plan Would Raise Taxes Downtown

By JEFFREY B. COHEN Courant Staff Writer | March 7 2005

Pittsburgh has one. Trenton has one. New York City has at least 50.

New Haven, Manchester, Stamford and Bridgeport all have special services districts, too. In fact, Hartford already has one on Park Street, but on a much different scale. Now, discussions are beginning again about whether downtown Hartford should have such a district, too.

The idea of a district is simple: Property owners come together and agree to pay more money for targeted special services that they control, from cleaner sidewalks to more hospitable streets to self-promotion and marketing.

The result is what one downtown advocate calls an enhanced experience - including litter crews, easily identifiable "ambassadors" to downtown, and better, more usable information on retail and parking.

"You get a higher quality neighborhood," said Austin Jordan, executive director of Hartford Guides Inc.

The idea came and went in downtown Hartford in 2000, rejected by a few unwilling large property owners. But now it's back - with support from Business for Downtown Hartford, Hartford Proud & Beautiful, and Jordan's organization.

...

Continue reading at: The Hartford Courant.

[Southron]

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A business improvement district would do wonders for downtown Hartford. Downtown badly needs to be perceived as a more clean and safe area. I hope they can get it done.

[Cotuit]

The BID we have in Downcity Providence just started about a month ago and people are already raving about it. The "Clean Team" is everywhere and people really like seeing people out on the streets taking care of the neighbourhood.

[Southron]

Any progess on the BID?