New London — Kristin Havrilla Clarke, the city's recently named New London Main Street director, is taking on as her first major initiative a program to light up the downtown starting with upper State Street.

The idea, Clarke said, is to provide well-lighted areas all up and down the street by installing LED lights in every storefront, whether occupied or not.

"It's dark downtown," Clarke said at the New London Main Street headquarters on upper State Street in the Garde Arts Center complex. "There are not a lot of lights on in storefronts at night."

Light Up New London, as the campaign is being called, has received $12,000 in funding, including $9,000 from the Dominion Foundation. The National Main Street Center also has chosen the initiative for a Crowdfunding Challenge grant, while the local Main Street is expecting to get technical assistance and energy-bill rebates for storefront owners from Eversource, the electric supply company.

"A well lit downtown creates a safer, friendlier and more occupied feel in any area," according to a project description. "A well lit street in a commercial area encourages shoppers and visitors to continue walking and exploring the shops, restaurants and other businesses in the area."

As a start, said Clarke, New London Main Street needs to conduct an assessment of electrical conditions in storefronts to see if improvements are required. Once building owners have agreed to being part of the project at no cost to them, light installation can begin, she said, using power strips, timers and either clip-on lights or electrical fixtures. 

The upper part of State Street is one of the darkest areas downtown, made darker in recent months with the decision to turn off the Garde marquee to save electricity and the closure of several businesses, most notably Hannafin's Irish pub. 

Clarke said many people attending shows at the Garde hurry to their cars and return home rather than exploring downtown New London at night without the welcoming embrace of lights on the street.

"I'm not saying that putting lights in storefront windows is going to solve the problem, but it's one piece of the puzzle," she said.

Clarke said she is planning to tackle the project one step at a time, with each phase representing about one block or 10 to 12 storefronts. Eventually, the project would include the entire waterfront district.

Clarke said she hoped the first phase would be completed in time for the June conference of the New England Foundation for the Arts to be held downtown. As part of the conference, a storefront public art project is planned, and those will be included in the initial Light Up New London project as well, Clarke said.

"I think you're going to get some contiguous areas at low to no cost," Clarke said.

Clarke said she has been in contact with the city's neighborhood coordinator and plans to hold meetings with downtown residents to talk about where the lights could be most strategically placed to improve safety. She said downtown property owners such as Mel Foti, who owns the Barrows Building on State Street, have expressed support, as have Jeanne and Steve Sigel of the Garde, Caleb Bailey of the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra and Siobhan Burns, owner of the Eyeglass Lass.

l.howard@theday.com