CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Charlottesville’s Office of Economic Development announced starting in February 2026, residents and visitors may see uniformed ambassadors in the downtown area “serving as friendly guides, caretakers and problem-solvers to help keep the downtown area safer, cleaner, and more welcoming.”

A city announcement said the ambassadors will complement the core cleaning work done by the City’s Parks and Recreation staff and add over 200 hours per week of additional presence and support to the downtown area.

The city is employing to provide these services a company called Block by Block.

The release said Block by Block has “30 years of experience providing ambassador services in over 190 business districts and downtowns across the country”.

Toward that effort, Block by Block is now hiring an Operations Manager for Charlottesville.

In June, the city approved an $8.7 million expenditure from the Capital Improvement Program Contingency Fund – and over $1 million was earmarked for upgrading the mall in advance of its 50th anniversary and Commonwealth’s 250th.

City Manager Sam Sanders told Cville Right Now, in June, that another $1.2 million had been separately set aside for the ambassador program.