The Downtown Improvement District is a dependent special district of the City of Sarasota created pursuant to Section 189.4041, Florida Statutes, to improve the Downtown Core of the City of Sarasota and has as its goals the following:
1. Contract with the City to obtain a higher level of service for trash collection, removing litter and graffiti, washing sidewalks, trimming trees and planting flowers;
2. Contract with the City to improve the downtown ambiance with pedestrian scale lighting, street furniture, continuous streetscape reinvestment, and care of trees and flowers;
3. Make recommendations to the City Commission regarding the management of private activity in public spaces such as sidewalk vending, street furniture and performance, as well as monitoring code compliance in stated private activities;
4. Recruit and retain businesses by offering: financial incentives for new and expanding businesses; market research and data reports; retail/office leasing and sales information;
5. Welcome downtown consumers with uniform, high-visibility street guides and staff sidewalk hospitality kiosks with personnel;
6. Market downtown Sarasota by producing festivals, events, maps, newsletters, sales and promotions, image enhancement, and advertising campaigns.
The DID works diligently to make downtown Sarasota a vibrant district that everyone can enjoy. Here are the plans for how we intend to keep it that way.
