We received community input on how, where, and what should be designed at the corner of North Chamberlain and Glass Street.  ADA-compliant, handicap accessible sidewalks, streetlights, curb bump-outs, and traffic calming trees were all installed based on a design the using neighbors’ input. This was a big win for our community. The City of Chattanooga investment $350,000 into this intersection and since then we’ve seen 1.8 million dollars of public investment go into purchasing and renovating buildings along Glass Street.

In 2016 at the Next Big Thing Urbanism workshop, GHC was advised to “book end” Glass Street with similar improvements at the intersection of Dodson Avenue and Glass Street, and our neighbors were very excited to participate in generating design concepts. So, we made that a priority and raised funding to both solicit feedback and begin the project.

In 2017, residents imagined a landscaped Glass Street at the intersection of Dodson Avenue and Glass Street. They participated in an interactive activity at Glass Street LIVE that invited color-coded post-it style feedback to indicate preferences for green space, desired or undesired land use, and a color for new ideas.

Under the leadership of Nicole Lewis, our Community Relations Manager, the 80 responses received at GSL were collated, and GHC further engaged residents in what they would like to see take shape at the intersection of Dodson Avenue and Glass Street. During February and March 2018, Nicole initiated twelve community input design sessions engaging 200 neighbors in the East Chattanooga area. Building on the input gained during 2017 Glass Street LIVE, the process focused on partnering with community leaders, neighborhood associations, local elementary schools, and neighbors.

The artistic process for gathering feedback was created and facilitated by 800 Collective’s Josiah Golson and Mary Ann Twitty. The Chattanooga Design Studio was involved in the initial meeting with 800 Collective about the information needed to be useful for planning. Shawana Kendrick, who was an assistant facilitator in the 2014 community input sessions centered around the North Chamberlain and Glass St. intersection, was hired to help with facilitation of the larger meetings.

With funding from the Lyndhurst Foundation, Glass House Collective had the opportunity to invest dollars in neighbors to host the streetscaping dinners, instigating a flow of welcome and pride through sharing hospitality with friends new and old. Residents invited their neighbors into their homes for small group discussions about improvements needed at the intersection. Over 50 neighbors participated in the dinners. Many of these neighbors had never previously engaged in traditional meetings and had no interest in doing so, but were grateful to be engaged in a non-traditional manner. A Larger meeting was hosted by Councilwoman Coonrod and another one with Darien Scott from the Chamber at the Orchard Knob Elementary Community School PTA meeting. Habitat for Humanity and local neighbors were involved in the Recreation Centers meetings.

Since this streetscape project was so inclusive and creative, our application about the project was chosen as a panel presentation at the Intersections 2018, Smart Growth America’s placemaking and complete streets conference held nearby in Nashville, TN. Session overview can be found here. Speakers included:

·       Bert Kuyrkendall, P.E., Senior Transportation Engineer ()

·       Blythe Bailey, AIA, Administrator (Chattanooga Department of Transportation)

·       Nicole Lewis, Manager of Community Relations (Glass House Collective)

·       Josiah Golson, Artist (Glass House Collective)

·       Greg Heath, DHSc, MPH, Guerry Professor of Exercise Science, Health and Human Performance (University of Tennessee at Chattanooga)

During the neighborhood dinner sessions, common themes of safety, landscaping improvements, new uses for existing buildings, and new uses for a vibrant public space were included in the recommendations and analysis given to architect, David Barlew. The report and analysis can be found here. David created technical drawings from the analysis. He also estimated all costs for the project based on unit costs provided by CDOT.

At Glass Street Live 2018 on Saturday, November 3rd, David and a team of volunteers and neighbors installed a “tour” of the proposed permanent changes by along a 40-foot stretch between 2200-2300 Glass Street to take some of the ideas off the drawing board and temporarily illustrate them on a human scale. This provided for another chance to voice opinions. This short block was chosen as the “life-sized street sketch” for a few reasons, including the desire for wider sidewalks and a more pedestrian-friendly area. This stretch includes existing 9-foot sidewalks already, making it a great starting point to expand on that pedestrian-friendly idea.

Glass Farm resident Johnny Patmon volunteered to help kick things off in the morning and said he appreciates how the block party became a place for productive conversations directly with the community who are impacted and advocating for change on Glass Street. “That’s who you should ask in the first place, is the community who wants to see change and improvement in their community. So we asked people if they lived in the neighborhood and for how long because that’s important,” he said.

Feedback on the streetscaping proposal and signatures of support were gathered in different ways throughout the day at Glass Street LIVE. Gail McKeel, who has lived near Glass Street for years, prepared several signs expressing different opinions of the mock-up and streetscaping plans. Visitors to the installation were asked to pose for pictures with signs of their choosing that expressed their opinion of the proposed scheme. In all, Gail collected more than fifty photos of individuals, friends, couples, neighbors, and families sharing their thoughts about the mock-up. All 60+ photos of residents participating in this activity can be found here.

Our common public space comes alive only to the extent that we view it as a shared resource in which as many neighbors as possible participate and understand the difference design makes for everybody. We look forward to activating the area between now and when the permanent changes are underway.

]]> http://www.glasshousecollective.org/activating-intersections/feed/ 0 http://www.glasshousecollective.org/glass-street-christmas-party-2013/ http://www.glasshousecollective.org/glass-street-christmas-party-2013/#respond Mon, 13 Jan 2014 23:51:07 +0000 http://www.glasshousecollective.org/?p=2246

How do you plan a holiday party with hopes of high attendance and ensure the event is community-owned?

You let the community organize it. On Monday, December 16th Glass House Collective asked the Good Neighbor Network  to organize their neighborhood Christmas party. The night included a visit from Santa, chili, cookies, DIY ornament making and an overall good time between residents, partners, and supporters.

Daniel Crelinc and Gail McKeel provided the Christmas lights and decorations. Their crafty and creative talent filled the room along with families from the neighborhood waiting in line to share their ‘wish list’ with Santa.

Halfway through the evening, Katherine Currin made a surprise announcement inviting all guests to join her outside for the lighting of the first phase of pedestrian lights along Glass Street. The eleven lights started blinking at the same time along with excitement, cheering, and smiles from everyone in attendance.

Outcome:
Over 75 guests attended

Media:
Facebook album can be viewed here

The first week was dedicated to adults 18 and over, followed by campers aged 10 to 15 the second week. In just one week they brainstormed, designed and welded their mobile sculptures, with the youth camp working in teams to produce three bikes total.

When done, they morphed bicycles into a 7-foot elephant, a mobile basketball court and a swing set on wheels. They also learned how to present their ideas to a group and safely use power tools. Besides several local news segments and bike parades, the youth camp will participate in Atlanta’s Mini Maker Faire, presenting their bikes to more than 7,000 people.

After witnessing the results, no one can argue – the possibilities are endless when you engage the creative forces of Glass Street.

Outcomes:
4 Art Bikes completed to display during community events
11 kids learned how to present their ideas to a group and safely use power tools
3 adults participated in the first week and mentored during the second week

Media:

The Chattanoogan.com
Nooga.com
News Ch 9
Blog post from ART120’s website can be viewed here.
Facebook Photo album can be viewed here.

The concept, developed the first week, is a musical playground that will beautify the space and encourage community. The temporary installation was constructed on concrete slabs of demolished buildings – property owned by Community of Christ Church, who also donated $5,000 for materials.

Besides practical knowledge like how to operate a concrete grinder or build scaled models, the campers gained soft skills like collaboration, communication and creative problem-solving – helping prepare them for the workforce. The project also fostered new relationships with area kids and the church, located across the street from GHC offices.

Ultimately, the kids created way more than an outdoor installation. They built an appreciation for their neighborhood, a sense of pride in themselves and a foundation for future success.

Outcomes:

12 kids participated
24 models assembled before build phase
30  street lights repurposed
8 power tools used by kids
$2,500 amount of donated materials
7 collaborators
10 items delivered and donated from the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum
120 hours worked

Media:

View Facebook album here.

It can when it communicates the vision, values and history of its location. On August 16, Glass House Collective hosted a special ceremony to unveil its collaborative community mural, the largest of its kind in Chattanooga.

Professional artists Shaun LaRose and Rondell Crier led interns, students and residents over a three month time frame to create the larger than life composition, which spans the side of an old bank building at the intersection of Glass Street and North Chamberlain.

Besides adding visual interest, the mural has energized and inspired locals, who regularly stopped by during its creation to give positive feedback. Ultimately, project collaborators hope it will encourage even greater interest and investment in the Glass Street area.

The artists solicited community input to develop the theme of faith, hope, love and empowerment. The mural’s movement and fluidity represents passing those values from one generation to the next. Taking just two months to complete, the mural is a lasting symbol of how collaboration can help paint a new picture for Glass Street. 

Outcome:

2 local artists completed the project, Shaun LaRose and Rondell Crier
2 artist interns, Emma Flynn and Miles Freeman
3 artist assistants to the lead artist and interns
12 students from CCS worked over the summer on prepping the wall
4 Glass Street teens worked alongside Rondell in creating the mural
55 paint brushes
250 gallons of paint

Media:

Times Free Press
Chattanoogan.com
News Channel 12
The Pulse

The idea for a new public space on Glass Street was developed through a series of visioning meetings.

With the support of Hefferlin+Kronenberg Architects, local designer Matthew Parks created and tested designs for the space with people from the neighborhood. Is it functional? Is it beautiful? What resources do we need to make this happen? This learning process continued into the construction phase of the project as well. On-site problem-solving was led by local designer Joshua Jorgensen,  Chattanooga-based artist Rondell Crier, and resident Travis Yeagley.

A plaque thanking all those involved was unveiled at a ribbon cutting ceremony with local elected officials and neighborhood association leadership. Now, our neighbors have a new and beautiful space for interaction and enjoyment on Glass Street – built by and for the community.

Outcomes:
25 people engaged
$2,600 worth of donated materials
230 hours of volunteered time

Winners received gift certificates to local businesses including Big Buff’s 92 BBQ and Glass Flea and everyone went home with a Glass Street tote bag.

Outcomes:

20 teen participants

]]> http://www.glasshousecollective.org/glass-street-scavenger-hunt/feed/ 0 http://www.glasshousecollective.org/trophy-making/ http://www.glasshousecollective.org/trophy-making/#respond Wed, 17 Jul 2013 17:51:43 +0000 http://www.glasshousecollective.org/?p=1948 Fifty children created trophies as part of Art120’s Trophy Making Workshop as part of Build a Better Block. In a flurry of giggles, glue, and glitter, kids ages 2 to 14 created their own approach to a universal sculpture known as a trophy. Children selected from various found objects such as old toys, household objects, and broken items to create something special as a way to acknowledge people for their contribution to the community. A few of these trophies were handed out as awards in the ART120 Art Car parade.

Outcomes:

60 children participated
57 trophies created
11 volunteers made it possible

‘Our murals are a practice in impermanence, meant to make people smile by being a temporary change of scenery’ – PPRWRK.

Outcomes:
8 murals installed for 2 months
1 mural installed for 6 months
6 property owners participated

Outcomes:
840 portraits taken during the Better Block event
27 volunteers engaged throughout project

Media:
Harambee Portrait Video