CLEVELAND, March 16 /PRNewswire/ -- The Downtown Cleveland Alliance today chose Block by Block, a division of Brantley Services of Louisville, Kentucky, to manage a comprehensive Clean and Safe Program for downtown.

"The program is a major element of our new strategic direction for downtown," says David Goldberg, chairman of the Alliance. "Our objective is to create a dramatically cleaner and safer environment for people living, working, shopping, and visiting here."

The Alliance, governed by a 21-member board of property owners, business interests and community development corporations, is a new non-profit organization formed earlier this year.

Dedicated to creating a vibrant and dynamic downtown, the Alliance will work through the Downtown Cleveland Improvement Corporation (DCIC), a Special Improvement District that downtown property owners created last year with the help of the City of Cleveland. The District parameters extend, in general, from West 10th Street to East 18th Street and from just south of the Lakefront to Carnegie Avenue.

In forming the DCIC, property owners agreed to assess themselves some $3 million annually for five years, mostly to fund the Alliance's Clean and Safe program. Remaining funds will be earmarked for marketing and economic development.

Block by Block (http://www.block-by-block.com/), selected by the Alliance from 14 bidders, manages similar safety and clean-up programs in several city centers, including Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Nashville, Newark, and Providence.

"Block by Block has extraordinary experience in assisting communities to develop and implement these important services," says John C. Carney, chairman of the DCIC.

The Block by Block effort will begin this spring when safety and maintenance staffers are recruited, hired, trained, and dispatched throughout downtown. Attired in distinctive uniforms, the Safety Ambassadors -- many on bicycles -- will give directions to visitors and help the Cleveland Police Department identify potential security issues.

Maintenance crews known as Cleaning Ambassadors will work daily to keep downtown sidewalks and public spaces clean and attractive. The two teams will be cross-trained in both cleaning and safety service, as well as in making referrals for community and social services.

Block by Block will begin recruiting Ambassadors this spring. Those selected will receive a week of formal training, including meetings with representatives of civic groups about downtown issues.

"We insist that our staff is highly motivated and committed to enriching everyone's downtown experiences," says Jeremy Curran, president and chief executive officer of Block by Block, whose company motto is "Hire for Personality and Train for Skills."

Safety Ambassadors will make the rounds of downtown in 12-hour shifts -- from 10 to 15 staffers per shift. Specific hours will be tailored to the needs of local stakeholders in each downtown neighborhood.

Ambassadors will carry two-way radios to reach off-duty Cleveland Police officers -- known as Peace officers -- hired by the contractor to provide supplementary security. The Peace Officer on duty will be in direct contact with the Cleveland Police Department.

"The presence of the Safety Ambassadors will bolster our work downtown and help us maintain an increasingly safe district for residents, workers, shoppers, and visitors," says Cleveland Police Chief Michael McGrath. "We welcome them and will work closely with them."

In addition to their regular duties, the Safety Ambassadors will be specifically trained to interact with the homeless. A designated Social Service Representative will help direct them to local outreach programs.

The Cleaning Ambassadors' work will include sweeping sidewalks, picking up litter, removing graffiti and weeds, and cleaning public areas.

Goldberg says that similar downtown endeavors in other major cities, including Columbus, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Newark, Atlanta, New York City and Chicago, have been highly successful. "We are convinced that our effort will contribute to economic development by decreasing vacancies and attracting business downtown," he adds. "In short, downtown will grow and prosper."

"City Council and the Mayor have worked hard to assure the success of the Alliance," says downtown Cleveland Councilman Joseph Cimperman. "The Block by Block program represents a remarkable collaboration of the public and private sectors to make downtown an even more inviting and livable neighborhood."

Beyond the Clean and Safe Program, the Alliance will work closely with the three downtown community development corporations -- Historic Gateway District, Cleveland Theater District, and the Historic Warehouse District -- whose representatives are on the Alliance board.

The Alliance, which is in process of merging with the nonprofit Downtown Cleveland Partnership, will also work on a number of economic development, marketing, and strategic planning initiatives.