Operations
Taking Pride in Newark
Over the past twenty-four years the iconic NDD Ambassador services have contributed greatly to the evolution of the Newark Downtown District. Throughout this time, the NDD has continued to be dedicated to our core mission of creating and sustaining a beautiful, clean, and safe place to live, work, and conduct business. The NDD is now halfway into its third decade of delivering supplemental public safety, sanitation, capital maintenance, horticultural, business support, and hospitality services in the Central Business District of Newark, New Jersey.
Together, we are making a difference by:
Maintaining clean sidewalks and crosswalks throughout the business district
Promoting recycling
Removing litter and graffiti
Installing seasonal plantings to enhance the Downtown landscape
Participating in public art projects
Providing local business support through NDD QoL (Quality of Life) Ambassadors and NDD Business Contact Walks
Promoting goodwill among business owners, property owners, and visitors to the Downtown
The NDD Clean Team supplements the services of the City of Newark by assisting property owners and merchants in maintaining an environment free of litter and graffiti. The NDD Clean Team members are the stewards of our streetscape assets, such as our signature decorative light poles, NDD garbage cans, NDD benches, bike racks, and solar stations, just to name a few. Our team constantly clears the busy neighborhood of trash, removes illegal postings and graffiti from poles, transformer boxes, bus shelters, and newsboxes, and keeps all street signs clean. The NDD Ambassador Program runs 23,998 work shifts annually, totalling 191,884 hours of service to our beloved community. By seasonal request, the NDD Clean Team also tackles Fee-for-Service details such as graffiti abatement on private property. Businesses, property owners, and residents should contact the NDD Operations Hotline at 1-973-622-2006 to report sanitation-related problems as they arise.
Enhanced appearances include:
Improving the appearance of the tree pits on Washington Street, Central Avenue, and University Avenue with plantings, then maintaining those plants to full maturity
Maintaining and replacing pole banners on the Halsey Street retail corridor
Maintaining the Monsignor Doane and Washington Monuments and the Gateways to Newark Mural, resulting in a neat and uniformed appearance to one of the City of Newark’s largest and most traveled entryways
Removing graffiti
Monitoring newspaper rack corrals
Maintaining visual NDD branding graphics on all assets
Maintaining and replacing NDD trash can lids and liners
Following accumulating snowfall, the NDD Cleaning Ambassadors begin to work clearing bus stops, fire hydrants, and all corner cuts to create clear and accessible pathways. In addition to coordinating with the City of Newark Department of Public Works, our crews prioritize areas by taking into account pedestrian traffic and the entrance/egress of public transportation nodes.
The NDD Ambassadors maintain a variety of street furniture throughout the district. Our community has a plethora of trash receptacles, decorative light poles, NDD benches, bike racks, solar charging stations, NDD bistro seating, and NDD Parklets for all to enjoy. Our crews are responsible for cleaning and repairing these elements as needed, and repainting them seasonally to keep them looking fresh and clean. This is Newark: bright, bold, and beautiful!
2022 Operations Highlights
0
Pounds of Trash
0
Trash Cans Cleaned
0
Public Fixtures Cleaned
0
Stickers Removed
0
GRAFFITI REMOVED
0
Pedestrians Assisted
0
Business Contacts
0
Hours of Snow Removal
NDD Quality of Life Ambassadors
The NDD Quality of Life (QoL) Ambassadors actively patrol the NDD’s 110 blocks by foot and Segway five days a week. They provide pedestrian and visitor information, merchant visits, light vehicular assistance, outreach for our “Neighbors Without Addresses,” and act as extra eyes and ears for the Metro Unit of the Newark Police Department. In 2022, the NDD QoL Ambassadors assisted 35,817 visitors and community members throughout the District.
All of the NDD QoL Ambassadors are trained to assist our community’s Neighbors Without Addresses by directing them to services where they can find food, shelter, or employment in the area, keeping their eyes open for cases of possible hypothermia in the cold weather, and providing bottled water and directions to nearby cooling centers in the hot summer months. In FY 2022, the NDD QoL Ambassadors offered assistance to our Neighbors Without Addresses 480 times.
“I like working for NDD because I like working with the Ambassadors and keeping my city clean. The community is nice, and I like the people I meet daily. They make me happy.”
“I love working for NDD because over the years I have been given the opportunity to learn and grow. NDD is a great way to start over and make something of yourself. From planting to cleaning to maintaining assets, I have learned how to apply and enhance my skills.”
“I enjoy working for NDD because, as a neat freak, I like working for a company that keeps downtown Newark clean and in order. I like assisting pedestrians with information and directions when needed. I also enjoy working with the NDD staff.”
“I like working with NDD because it’s like another family. Plus, I love helping keep the community clean and looking nice. I enjoy having a role in making a difference in beautifying my community every day.”
Symbols of Newark’s Pride
Meet Newark Downtown District Ambassadors, Roderick Osborne and Adrian Chaney.
Horticulture
The NDD Operations Team also executes our annual horticultural program, planting over 300 streetscape planters, 80 hanging baskets, and 986 tree pits multiple times a year, bringing welcoming and sustainable vegetation and colorful flowers to Downtown Newark’s sidewalks.
Daily Tasks and Responsibilities
The NDD Horticulture Program strives to provide consistent services in the following areas:
District Tree Pit General Maintenance
District Chemical and Manual Weed Abatement
NDD Streetscape Planter Maintenance
Maintaining the Monsignor Doane and Washington Monuments
Maintaining the mile-long Gateways To Newark: Portraits Mural
Watering 308 Streetscape Planters
Watering 80 Hanging Baskets
Maintaining NDD Parklet Horticulture Installations
Seasonal Community Plant Donation
Each year, the NDD commits to planting with purpose! Our purpose is to restore hope by solving the interconnected problems of the urban built environment and environmental damage. During 2022, the NDD Horticulture Program donated all of our Winter and Fall Plant material back to our beloved community. We understand the importance of sustainability and sharing the fruits of our labor with ALL the neighborhoods of Newark.
At this year’s donation events, the NDD donated over 2,000 plants during the Fall Community Plant Donation and over 350 Alberta Spruce Trees during the Winter Community Plant Donation!
Serving and Uplifting Local Businesses
As the Director of Operations for NDD, Susan juggles the operations and logistics for the NDD with intentional, indefatigable community outreach.
A Champion of Workplace Culture
Zuri is an Administrative Assistant by title, but in actuality she is in charge of Office Culture and Employee Engagement.