Fri. May 17, 2013
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The DowntownDC Business Improvement District (DowntownDC BID) today officially launched a new, user-friendly website designed to more accurately reflect its “vibrant, inviting and smart” brand and maintain the site’s integrity when viewed from diverse platforms.
“The new website balances the work of the DowntownDC BID with the excitement of being a part of Downtown. The design incorporates cutting-edge technology and is visually pleasing and dynamic,” said Karyn Le Blanc, Director of Communications. “We invite the public and all stakeholders to visit www.downtowndc.org to explore the newly-minted site and regularly keep up with Downtown, BID-based and select city news.”
The site features homepage content boldly displayed in a colorful slideshow, interactive features throughout, advanced search capability, and a user account tab which allows the public to register to submit comments and events. Visitors are also able to integrate web content into their Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media accounts.
The downtown map, a popular tool of the old site, has been revamped. The newly designed “Explore Downtown” section is no longer Adobe Flash based. It is powered by Leaflet, a modern open-source JavaScript library for mobile-friendly interactive maps, with Esri map tiles. Filters allow users to search for dining, accommodations, services and more.
The new website uses a responsive web design to provide an optimal viewing experience irrespective of the device used. It is easy to read because the design automatically resizes to fit the end-user’s screen whether viewed from a desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile device.
In the future, the BID will expand the features by integrating website accounts with its Salesforce database, creating an interactive economic data dashboard, allowing businesses to login to submit changes to their business listings on the site, and providing a geolocated interactive Downtown map. The BID will continually add other features as warranted.
Nearly five months in the making, the website was built on Drupal, an open-source Content Management System (CMS) and developed by the BID’s digital and social media team and web developer Pouya Rezaei of AmaraBlack Design in London.