It’s no secret that Mayor Menino, the City of Boston and businesses and residents alike have been on a serious mission to revitalize the Downtown Crossing area of Boston. To whatever degree you believe they’ve been doing a good or poor job (seriously, Filene’s Basement left years ago…), businesses are taking a new, innovative approach to setting the area up for continued success.
Meet Boston’s Ambassadors. Decked out in bright orange and green jackets with a bold “BOSTON AMBASSADORS” across the back — and armed with everything from walkie-talkies and badges to eco-friendly cleaning supplies — they aim to make downtown a more clean and hospitable place. And it may be just the type of personal touch the area needs to get out of its funk.
I spoke with one Ambassador out on the street today to learn more. What struck me the most was his incredible calm confidence and composed excitement – nay, true pride – as he told me about his job and their mission. Meet Nojdar Aga, pictured above, who is one of these Ambassadors. Greeting me with a smile, he introduced first himself and second the program, letting me know I could find more information online and that he’d happily give me his card if I was interested. “We’re here to make downtown more clean and friendly,” he shared.
They’ve been on the job since Monday, but of course with the rain keeping them down, today they made their presence much more visible. The card Nojdar handed me screams service and commitment: “At Your Service,” “How May We Help You?” and “Learn what the Downtown Boston BID can do for you.” I mean, after exchanging just one conversation with Nojdar, I already have way more pride in working in the Downtown area. This is the type of stuff that could have a real impact (smiles are contagious, as the saying goes, right?).
Behind and funding these Boston Ambassadors (more formally known as The Clean and Hospitality Ambassador Program) is the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District Corp. (BID). This non profit is made up of the leading businesses in the Theater District, Ladder District, Downtown Crossing and the Financial District. It’s part of the Downtown Crossing Partnership, made up of businesses and residents alike who work together to address neighborhood issues. According to their website, “Through self-imposed fees for services, property owners within BIDs are able to realize the benefits of a wide range of supplemental services and programs in addition to those services already provided by the municipalities.”
Here are the services BID Ambassadors are slotted to provide:
- Create a friendly, welcoming environment for everyone
- Report incidents / suspicious activity to the BPD
- Remove litter and graffiti, perform power washing, maintain the flower planters, and other special cleaning projects
- Connect people in need to respective social services programs
- Offer maps and guides and helpful directions to visitors
- Visit businesses regularly
And expect to see them on the job almost 24/7, from 7am-10pm (M-F) and 8am-10pm (weekend). In their own words from the www.bostonbid.org website:
“Downtown has been an economic engine for the City for over a century; yet, a combination of factors has caused it to look worn and tired and to slip from its premier position as the most shopped retail area in the region. As regional and local shopping centers and the emergence of new neighborhoods have made the retail market more competitive, other uses ranging from office buildings to college dormitories have filled in the gaps and demonstrated the resilience of the area. Despite the economic recession and the stalled development of the Filene’s project, downtown stakeholders recognize that improving many fundamental aspects of the neighborhood cannot wait. Today, perceptions of safety and cleanliness rank among the foremost concerns of property and business owners, residents, employees and shoppers in the district.”
What do you think about the Boston Ambassadors? Is it just the type of innovative initiative the area needs?
