ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Visitors to downtown Allentown now will be greeted by helpful faces as they start their adventures.
The Downtown Allentown Alliance, a nonprofit formed this year to build on the success downtown Allentown has achieved over the past decade, launched a hospitality ambassador program and hired a veteran operations manager to oversee it.
The DAA launched the program, meant to create a visible and accessible presence in the heart of downtown, at a news conference Friday at its Two City Center location on Hamilton Street.
Residents, employees and visitors will notice the new Downtown Allentown Ambassador Team on and around Hamilton Street.
“Downtown Allentown already has so much to offer. Our ambassadors will help more people experience it by ensuring everyone feels welcome, informed and connected."Jim Stang, operations manager, Downtown Allentown Ambassador Team
The ambassadors will greet and assist visitors, provide directions and local information, check in with downtown businesses daily, report maintenance or safety issues and maintain a consistent, friendly presence on foot and by bike.
The ambassador program will be operated by Block by Block, a nationally recognized leader in downtown place management, operating in more than 150 cities nationwide.
Block by Block will hire a team of hospitality-focused ambassadors to help create a safe, welcoming downtown that encourages foot traffic, repeat visits and stronger community-business connections.
“Block by Block programs are about presence, people and pride,” said Jim Stang, the newly appointed Downtown Allentown Ambassador Team operations manager.
Stang has more than a decade of experience, most recently serving as Block by Block’s operations manager for Camden, New Jersey.
“Downtown Allentown already has so much to offer — our ambassadors will help more people experience it by ensuring everyone feels welcome, informed and connected,” he said.
'Exciting next chapter'
According to DAA Acting Director Jill Meyers, the new DAA office on Hamilton Street reinforces the organization’s commitment to street-level engagement, collaboration and a clean, safe and vibrant downtown.
The space will place staff just steps away from the ambassadors’ patrol zones and activation areas and serve as a hub for coordination with merchants, residents, partners and visitors.
“Our new office and hospitality ambassador team represent major investments in creating a downtown that feels friendly, vibrant and cared for every day.”DAA Acting Director Jill Meyers
“This is an exciting next chapter for downtown Allentown,” Meyers said.
“Our new office and hospitality ambassador team represent major investments in creating a downtown that feels friendly, vibrant and cared for every day.”
The DAA received $804,000 in initial funding from the City of Allentown, the Allentown Neighborhood Improvement Zone Development Authority, the state (secured by state Sen. Nick Miller, D-14th District) and private partners through the DAA Founders Council.
The Founders Council members include Air Products, Alvin H. Butz, Capital Blue Cross, City Center Group, Duggan and Marcon, Dunne Manning, Gross McGinley, Leonard Parker Pool Institute for Health, Lehigh Valley Health Network, Morton Brown, North Star Construction Management, PPL and St. Luke’s University Health Network.
The initial funding supports the ambassador program as well as a future downtown brand and marketing campaign and downtown activation plan.
Those initiatives stem from a 2024 strategic planning process led by Miller and the DAA Steering Committee in partnership with Public Sphere Projects.
Based on public input and data, the plan centers on four pillars: Enhance Engagement & Vibrancy, Inspire Loyalty & Advocacy, Curate a Dynamic Retail Landscape, and Celebrate and Elevate Cultural Heritage.
