By Adrian Tenecela

Since April, the efforts of the Boston’s Business Improvement District (BID), a non-profit committed to achieving downtown’s full potential as an economic center and vibrant neighborhood, have cleaned the streets and set up events to promote business near Downtown Crossing. The project consisted of removing street trash, cleaning up vandalized sites and setting up public events such as galleries and performances.

Yet the removal of street blemishes is overshadowed by the lack of progress to make use of the area’s vacant sites, such as the former Filene’s Basement location.

Vornado Realty Trust, the owners of the empty Filene’s property, have yet to state any new plans for improvement, though the site has been vacant since 2008. A previous project that planned a residential and office tower with the retailer Target occupying the basement was halted, with financial difficulties cited as the cause. Witnessing the lack of attention to the fenced venue, Northeastern’s environmental design class, which is offered to junior and senior design majors, held an event Nov. 19 to raise public awareness of Vornado’s neglect to the site at 1 Franklin St.

“This is the most public event the class has held,” Lee Moreau, the professor of the course, said. “So much that we had to get a city permit.”

After all was set, Saturday Nov. 19 was dubbed Hello Vornado Day. Running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the event was held in front of the previous Filene’s building, on the corner of Washington and Franklin Streets. The class set up exhibits to glorify previous versions of Downtown Crossing and promote continued development.

Senior Annalise Ogle offered passing pedestrians a chance to look through stereoscopes, which put two photographs of the same subject next to each other to create an impression of depth, to see an old downtown, when Filene’s was still in business. Ogle said the photos were meant to remind the residents of how active downtown once was due to attractive landmarks.

Her exhibit was set up next to a five foot arrow, designed by junior Rebecca Pravda, pointing at the fenced basement. The words “Welcome To Boston’s Greatest Masshole” covered the arrow’s front surface. Junior Elissa Sullivan and Senior Dexter Ferguson designed other visuals that hung from the fence.

People walking through downtown during the event were encouraged to participate in activities on site. Senior Michelle Gayowski collected public opinions for the class website, www.HelloVornado.com, by having people write their opinions on a large cut-out resembling an old Polaroid photo.

Senior David Restreppo walked around the site holding a sign reading “Hole Sale.” Restreppo crafted miniature versions of the fenced site with a concrete rock in the middle to represent the empty building. He said his intentions were not to give out the souvenirs but to give the Filene’s building the spot in history it deserves.

Senior Nader Boraie designed and handed out postcards depicting unpleasant sites around downtown. Already stamped and addressed to Vornado, Boraie encouraged the public to write their thoughts on the back and mail them.

“I want people to send their opinions to Vornado, so that they do something about the building,” she said.

Conveniently, a mailbox was located across the site.