Bill Browne and Greg Henneke: Downtown district—now in place—is showing its worth

In the first half of 2025, downtown Indianapolis has taken center stage: Lucas Oil Stadium hosted the highest-attended Royal Rumble in WWE history, college basketball packed downtown’s world-class venues, and the NBA Finals recently brought a surge of foot traffic and nightlife to more than 400 brick-and-mortar businesses.

Cranes and bulldozers signal an ongoing construction boom, from the Signia by Hilton and Indiana Convention Center expansion to the $78 million Indiana Fever Sports Performance Center. At the heart of it all are nearly 30,000 residents and a workforce of more than 117,000—people who interact with downtown every day.

Whether you’re visiting, working or living in the economic and cultural engine of Indiana, one thing is clear: Consistent street-level operations are vital. They support property owners, enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors, and keep downtown primed to host a blockbuster lineup of events.

Beginning this month, these operations began, for the very first time, operating with sustainable funding, thanks to the creation of the Downtown Indianapolis Economic Enhancement District, or EED. This tool was established by the General Assembly and enacted by the City-County Council with the clear goal of providing consistent, dedicated and property-owner-driven funding for safety, cleanliness and outreach services in the downtown area. These services include seven-day-a-week cleaning crews performing power washing, litter abatement and graffiti remediation as well as additional public safety resources, new crime-fighting technology and homelessness outreach initiatives.

The Downtown EED didn’t materialize overnight. It’s the result of a multiyear effort led by Downtown Indy Inc., the Indy Chamber and a coalition of stakeholders from the downtown community.

The City-County Council passed the proposal in late 2023, followed by state-level modifications in March 2024. The EED is funded by a fee on taxable property within the district boundaries, defined as Interstate 65 to the north and east, South Street to the south and Blackford Street to the west. In addition to cleanliness and public safety initiatives, future EED budgets will support the operations of a low-barrier shelter and housing hub.

The EED’s impact isn’t hypothetical—it’s already been tested. A multiyear pilot program, managed by Downtown Indy and made possible by a one-time federal grant provided by the city of Indianapolis through the American Rescue Plan Act, laid the groundwork. Downtown Indy has doubled down on its operational capacity, tripled its Clean Team employee roster and bolstered its safety patrols. In 2024 alone, Downtown Indy power-washed 830 blocks, picked up 17,000 bags of trash and cleaned 1,300 graffiti locations. Now, thanks to EED funding, this progress toward a clean, safe and beautiful downtown won’t just continue, it will scale.

With more than $9.5 billion in downtown development reshaping our skyline, the need for consistent, responsive street-level services has never been greater. As proud members of the EED board of directors, we can say confidently: We’re working every day to maximize this district’s benefits.

Without boots-on-the-ground support driving a vibrant and welcoming downtown, visitors leave underwhelmed, workers go home early and residents consider other living arrangements. With the EED, downtown can keep its edge—and its promise.

To learn more about the EED—including performance metrics, FAQs and upcoming public meetings—visit downtownindy.org/eed.•

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Browne is chair and Henneke is vice chair of the Downtown Economic Enhancement District board.