Placemaking on Glass Street

Glass House Collective’s artist-led, community driven movement that is transforming Glass Street is showcased in Mallory Baches’ white paper “Placemaking on Glass Street: A Case Study in Place-Based Revitalization.” The paper is adapted from Baches’ presentation about Glass House Collective’s work in East Chattanooga given at the National League of Cities’ 2015 Congress of Cities.  What is most striking about the paper is its summation of the change that has occurred on Glass Street in the three short years Glass House Collective has been in operation.  Six historic buildings have been purchased, renovated and stabilized, five facades of which have been renovated.  A Glass Street brand has been created with resulting street banners hung along Glass Street’s historic commercial corridor; two neglected green spaces have been transformed into usable pocket parks; three high aesthetic, large-scale, community-based murals grace Glass Street’s major gateways, three brand new public art bus shelters have been installed, and four blocks of new ADA accessible sidewalks featuring sixteen traffic-calming tree wells, 18 street lights, and five functional art benches have been installed.  What is more, Glass Street has seen more than 1.1 million dollars in private investment since 2012.  What has happened and is happening on Glass Street is truly amazing.  It is a real treat to have it presented in such a concise and accessible way.  For a great introduction to Glass House Collective and all that has been accomplished on Glass Street please read “Placemaking on Glass Street: A Case Study in Place-Based Revitalization.”