Twenty-seven-year-old organization’s clean and safe initiatives remain front and center, as small business involvement ramps up.
Downtown Visions, a private non-profit organization that strives to keep Downtown Wilmington clean, safe and attractive for its residents, employees and visitors— announced the creation of a new leadership team to support its evolving mission. After a nationwide search, Michael Maggitti has been selected as the organization’s Executive Director, replacing outgoing executive director Martin Hageman, who has been with Downtown Visions since its formation in 1994. Loshawn Maxwell has been promoted to Senior Director of Finance & Administration, and Norman Pernick has been appointed to the newly created position of Senior Advisor. The three of them will comprise the organization’s Senior Leadership Team.
Now celebrating its 27th anniversary, Downtown Visions was created to manage Wilmington’s Downtown Business Improvement District (WDBID), an area that has grown to encompass more than 70 square blocks containing 700 commercial buildings and some 550 street-level independent businesses. Clean and Safe initiatives have always been and will always be at the heart of Downtown Visions’ mission; DTV’s uniformed Cleaning and Safety Ambassadors are on the street year-round, seven days a week. The Cleaning Ambassadors pick up litter, empty trash receptacles, remove graffiti, power-wash sidewalks and clean up leaves and weeds. The Safety Ambassadors work in tandem with the Wilmington Police Department to keep Downtown safe by providing high-visibility patrols on foot and bike as well as safety escorts and property checks. In addition, Main Street Wilmington is a vital part of Downtown Visions’ initiative to promote the economic health and sustainability of Downtown Wilmington. Main Street Wilmington follows a nationally recognized framework for community-driven revitalization. Main Street Wilmington transforms ideas into action for a better Downtown and fosters a spirit of community teamwork to strengthen, revitalize and broaden Downtown Wilmington’s economic base.
“Since Downtown Visions was established 27 years ago, Downtown Wilmington has undergone countless changes — the most significant being its evolution from a strictly-business district to a residential and business district,” said Adam Landis, Chairman of the Board of Downtown Visions. “Marty Hageman has proven to be a consummate pro, leading Downtown Visions by staying nimble and helping to establish Downtown Wilmington as a vibrant place to work, live and play. What sets our Business District apart from others is the active role our small businesses play in maintaining and growing this thriving community. Downtown Visions plays a key role as a partner to downtown businesses. We thank Marty for his incredible 27-year tenure as Executive Director and look forward to Mike building on Marty’s work with Loshawn and Norm rounding out his management team.”
