In rain, sleet, snow, biting cold or blistering heat, the “ambassadors” of Operation Downtown are hitting the streets – cleaning sidewalks, refurbishing park benches, watering flowers, clearing snow or conducting a safety patrol.

Now with new features in downtown Des Moines – the Science Center of Iowa and Iowa Events Center, for example – their presence in the city is expected to grow by leaps and bounds in the coming years.

“In my three years being downtown, I have seen such an increase in the volume of people and activities,” said operations manager Scot Blanchard. “And I think with all the things that Operation Downtown is doing for beautification, it’s going to bring that about even more.”

Since 2002, Operation Downtown has expanded its workforce and work area in Des Moines. The group’s territory includes the 60-square-block Self Supporting Municipal Improvement District, as well as some areas of the East Village and Gateway West. With new development projects at nearly all corners of downtown, Blanchard expects Operation Downtown to nearly triple in size, possibly even by the end of 2006.

Downtown Community Alliance President Kerty Levy said the goal of Operation Downtown is a general expansion of its current size. With new downtown features in place, and others in the planning stages, she calls Operation Downtown “the glue that holds it all together.” She said the DCA and investors brought in Operation Downtown to tackle issues that mattered to employers and residents – cleanliness, safety and beautification – creating a “wow factor.”

“It’s been fantastic,” she said. “The operation board is made up of the investors (commercial property owners within the SSMID) and they’re excited about it. But we also have so many visitors who say, ‘what a clean downtown you have.’ Those comments – that’s what we’re striving to do.”

Operation Downtown is a function of Louisville, Ky.-based Block-by-Block, which operates improvement districts in 13 cities throughout the United States and has nearly doubled in size in the past two years. In Des Moines, Blanchard and his eight ambassadors operate a “clean team” and “safe team” intended to benefit employers, employees, residents and visitors.

The cleaning element regularly includes tasks such as sweeping sidewalks, spraying for weeds and emptying trash receptacles. Ambassadors often put to use a $13,000 power washer to remove graffiti, clean sidewalks or clean storefronts and awnings. On a wintry afternoon, they can be found clearing snow from sidewalk corners, and in the spring and summer they often put in extra hours to assist with special outdoor events, such as the Downtown Farmer’s Market.

With financial assistance from the city of Des Moines, Operation Downtown ambassadors, always noticeable in their bright green shirts, have been painting light poles, hanging planters and refinishing park benches.

“Anything we can do to keep the downtown area beautiful is what we’re all about,” Blanchard said.

Less noticeable, perhaps, is Operation Downtown’s safety function. Blanchard calls his employees “the eyes and ears for the Des Moines Police Department” downtown; they’re assisted by an off-duty Des Moines police officer. Additionally, Operation Downtown workers complete a safety training program and quarterly training through Block-by-Block.

They routinely patrol downtown areas on bike or on foot, and occasionally conduct sting operations to target illegal activity, particularly panhandling, near downtown businesses. Ambassadors provide personal escorts in downtown after sunset, patrol Nollen Plaza during the lunch hour and assist students and teachers at the Downtown School.

“I’m overwhelmed by the outcome of this operation,” Blanchard said. “Words don’t explain it.”

A petition is being drafted that would allow Operation Downtown to increase employees – Blanchard anticipates adding six – and equipment. With a number of downtown housing projects, Operation Downtown and the DCA might add a second shift to address added safety and cleanliness issues.