Plans of the 501c4 nonprofit Downtown Improvement District (DID) include a new downtown public restroom
Portland, Maine – July 1, 2025 – Portland Downtown, a 501c4 nonprofit Downtown Improvement District
(DID) making the city cleaner, safer, and more welcoming for everyone, today announced its new location and plans including a new downtown public restroom.
The initiatives are part of Portland Downtown’s mission to stimulate a thriving, vibrant, and sustainable
downtown district in which to live, do business, shop and visit. In recent years, Portland has swelled from 68,000 full-time residents to two million visitors and part-time residents in the summer.
“Today, Portland, Maine is well-established as a business, culinary and cultural center, and top travel destination. Our city has experienced swift growth and strong tourist draw. At the same time, we’re in a period of economic change and challenges. We must keep pace and take action to maintain our city. Portland Downtown’s new initiatives aim to make Portland cleaner, safer, and welcoming for everyone.”
Portland Downtown is funded through a special assessment paid by property owners in the downtown
district—not a tax to the general population. Those dollars are required to be invested directly into improvements such as graffiti and trash removal and needle pick-up, among many others.
Portland Downtown has leased the nearly 2,400-square foot office space at 87 Center Street, prominently situated within the downtown district it serves. Portland’s downtown district stretches from Longfellow Square to Franklin Street, with Cumberland Avenue as its northern boundary and the waterfront as its southern boundary. Plans are underway to construct of a public restroom, a much-needed facility for residents and visitors, at the nonprofit’s new headquarters. Additional details on this and other Portland Downtown initiatives will be announced soon.
Portland Downtown is a 501c4 nonprofit downtown improvement district that stimulates a thriving, vibrant, and sustainable downtown community.
