Projects
Introduction to Placemaking Projects
Placemaking initiatives are essential to shaping a vibrant, welcoming, and connected downtown—especially in a dynamic urban environment like Downtown Long Beach. From wayfinding and streetscape improvements to public art and seasonal programming, these projects enhance the pedestrian experience, foster community identity, and support local businesses.
Use this page to explore the range of placemaking efforts led by the Downtown Long Beach Alliance (DTLB Alliance), each designed to improve accessibility, aesthetics, and overall livability. Together, these initiatives help create a downtown that is not only functional, but engaging, memorable, and uniquely reflective of its community.
Wayfinding
The DTLB Alliance recognizes the importance of updating our existing City wayfinding system as we’ve long been advocates for improving pedestrian connectivity within Downtown, particularly between the Downtown Core and the Waterfront; and the East Village and Downtown Core. As such, we’ve funded the design phase of the pedestrian wayfinding system and partnered with the City to ensure new pedestrian signage is consistent with the overall Long Beach wayfinding system.
Downtown Banners
Signal pole wrap designs leverage the strength of Downtown – more than 33,000 people, 150 blocks, and seven unique neighborhoods. The initial phase of the marketing campaign spreads identity messaging throughout the streets of DTLB as well as online. The clean and bright visuals of the campaign communicate a new set of initiatives, goals and suite of services. More than 250 street pole banners are also installed throughout Downtown with our destination and identity campaign: Opposite of Ordinary. It reflects the idea that Downtown means different things to different people but there is a shared connection, and the mish mash just makes sense.
Streetscapes
Downtown Long Beach is the most walkable community in the City of Long Beach and keeping our sidewalks welcoming to visitors is key to ensuring it’s continued vibrancy and growth. To that end the Alliance partners with the City of Long Beach to maintain litter receptacles, trees, and landscaping located along the Downtown Transit Gallery.
Holiday Decorations
The holidays bring an amazing array of light arrangements to DTLB. Beginning in November, decorations are placed throughout the downtown, from the Promenade and Pine Avenue, to the East Village Arts District.
Pine Avenue Improvement Project
Starting in 2014, the DTLB Alliance partnered with the City of Long Beach on the Pine Avenue Improvement Project to improve the pedestrian experience of Pine Avenue and add to the vibrancy of the Downtown. The project included numerous pedestrian enhancements, from new street trees and plantings to creative lighting and hardscape improvements. Projects have continued ever since with various alleyway improvements, new planters on the sidewalks, and more. These projects help foster fresh and new vitality to Pine Avenue.
Creative Crosswalks
In 2017, the Alliance commissioned artist Hataya Tubtim to create the first crosswalk art project in Downtown Long Beach. The goal of the project was to further support a vibrant pedestrian environment by adding a sense of delight and discovery to the public realm. Five unique designs were installed on Pine Avenue between 1st Street and 7th Street in March 2017 and were repainted in March 2022. Each design recognizes the legacy of human enterprise during the first century of Long Beach’s development while acknowledging the importance of a vibrant marine environment along our coast. Learn More >
Mutt Mitts
To better serve the needs of residents and their four-legged friends, in 2013, the Alliance approved a one-year pilot program to install animal waste dispensers in Downtown. Seven dispensers were placed on street light poles located throughout Downtown to help reduce animal waste on sidewalks, enhance aesthetics, and create a more positive pedestrian experience. Since then, the program has expanded to over 40 stations located throughout DTLB as of 2026.
Mutt Mitts Map
Parking Meters
In December 2014 the Downtown Long Beach Alliance and City of Long Beach entered into a funding agreement to replace all coin-operated meters in the Downtown area with smart meters, thus making parking in DTLB more convenient while giving the City the ability to better manage its parking assets through the collection of parking data. The Alliance was able to secure a commitment from the City to dedicate all new net revenue (generated within the first two years of the operation of the new smart parking meters) to improvements to parking infrastructure and operations in the Downtown area. The DTLB Alliance is committed to continuing to work with the City to ensure that the smart parking meters are utilized to their full potential and contribute to a positive experience for visitors to Downtown.