In early 2006, the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, the Planning Department, Public Works and the Mayor’s Office of City Greening conducted community workshops to determine the needs of the Lower Polk Street neighborhood. Through the collaborative community planning process, businesses and residents along the corridor identified improvements that would make Polk Street a greener, cleaner and a more inviting environment. 

Improvements include lighting upgrades, new street trees, and sidewalk planters with trees where sub-sidewalk basements occur.