Here’s How the Downtown Alliance Changed Lower Manhattan’s Streetscape

It’s our 30th anniversary, and we’re self-celebrating. Over the next few months, we’ll be rolling out 30 stories about 30 of our biggest accomplishments, including everything from our daily public safety and sanitation work, to our small business outreach, to how we helped the neighborhood navigate challenges and even tragedies. You’ll be able to find these stories on our website, as well as in our weekly newsletter, which you can subscribe to here. 

Making the streets of Lower Manhattan more attractive and convenient for pedestrians is a top priority for the Downtown Alliance. The Alliance’s $20 million streetscape program, which began in 1999 and was completed in phases through the early aughts, gave lower Broadway a sophisticated look that is at once contemporary and classic. Recognized by the Art Commission of the City of New York for its unique style and elegance, the program transformed 26 blocks to be more inviting and contemporary. The Broadway Streetscape Program was made possible in part by a grant from the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, which was funded through Community Development Block Grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Including the elements of the Broadway streetscape program, the Alliance maintains over 900 pieces of permanent street furniture and signage throughout the district, such as illuminated and traditional street name signs.

Distinctive to our district, starting in 1999 we replaced our old green-and-white street signs with elegant black-and-white signs. These signs contain the street name and range of address numbers on each block and feature icon images representing various Lower Manhattan landmarks. As you walk the streets of Lower Manhattan, the images change to represent the landmark or attraction that is closest. In addition, we’ve upgraded main thoroughfares in the district to illuminated street signs for improved visibility and wayfinding.