Downtown State College could now become a cleaner, safer place due to a new ruling by State College Borough Council.

The council unanimously ruled to create a new Neighborhood Improvement District in State College Monday night. By taxing downtown property owners, the district will provide cleaner sidewalks and streets, and better security.

"Economic vitality is our main focus," said Teresa Sparacino, executive director of the Neighborhood Improvement District.

She said this will be accomplished by hiring daily cleaning crews to remove litter from the streets. The amount of cleaning will be increased on weekends to accommodate the larger amount of traffic, Sparacino said.

Security will be improved by adding "highly visible" security guards in downtown parking lots and along the streets after dark, Sparacino said.

"(The security guards) will be the eyes and ears of the State College Police Department," she said.

The Neighborhood Improvement District will be headed by a board of nine members, who are business and property owners in the downtown area.

Though the Improvement District board has not yet clearly defined its objective and purpose, it will work to bring people downtown, and possibly prevent empty storefronts, said Dolores Taricani, a property owner and member of the board.

"Hopefully, (the District) will have a positive effect on my property. Hopefully, it will make the property more valuable," Taricani added.

State College Borough Council will collect money from downtown property owners to fund the project, said council member Elizabeth Goreham. The council must vote to renew the project every year. However, the Neighborhood Improvement District will be independent of the council, Goreham added.

"This will benefit all of downtown," she said.

Richard McCarl, who was selected as council president at Monday's meeting, also has several expectations of the new district. The district should enhance the cleanliness and also bring in a new mix of businesses, he said.

"One of my pet peeves for a long time has been the cleanliness of the streets in State College, particularly downtown," McCarl added.

The Neighborhood Improvement District will allow downtown property owners to discuss and solve the problems of the area. However, the district will not solely benefit downtown property owners, McCarl said.

"It will also help citizens of State College, students and all of Centre County," McCarl said.

The Neighborhood Improvement District is a result of a petition to the council by the Downtown State College Partnership Inc. and downtown property owners.

"The people said, 'We want it, and we're going to get it.' I admire that mindset," he added.

The District extends from College Avenue to Highland Avenue and from Sowers Street to Atherton Street. The Neighborhood Improvement District replaces the Downtown State College Partnership Inc.