how do you turn a literal street into a symbol of community celebration and public safety? it starts with paint. a lot of it.
BACKGROUND:
For years, Glass Farm residents didn’t have consistent access to a grocery store. So when a new Save A Lot came to the area, our neighborhood advisory council saw an opportunity to partner and celebrate — all with the goal of making Glass Street safer for pedestrians and more beautiful for all.
NEED:
The Glass Street Gateway in Chattanooga is an intersection of multiple residential neighborhoods and a high-traffic commercial thoroughfare. Creating spaces for residents to gather has been a years-long project, and keeping schoolchildren and other residents safe has required negotiating where and how vehicle traffic functions in the area. Crutchfield Street, which borders the newly opened grocery store in an area that historically was a food desert, was identified as an ideal candidate for a slow-down.
VISION:
Supported by a grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies, we partnered with the Chattanooga Department of Transportation and Chattanooga Design Studio to create a block-long asphalt mural on Crutchfield Street. The mural is designed by local artist Kevin Bate with input from the community, and was installed with help from a squad of volunteer artists.
The Bloomberg Asphalt Art grant helps cities use art and community engagement to improve street safety and revitalize public spaces, so in addition to activating Crutchfield at the street level, we worked with students and teachers at Hardy Elementary to expand the mural and mark safe walking paths in the area using stencils and wheat paste. The mural was unveiled at the grand opening block party for Save A Lot, along with a new community boardwalk and temporary gathering space alongside the mural. From start to finish, the asphalt art project has been a community-owned public safety project, leaning on local businesses, schools and residents to help make Glass Street more beautiful, safe and inviting for all.
PARTNERS:
Bloomberg Philanthropies
Chattanooga Department of Transportation
Chattanooga Design Studio
Mark Making
Build It Green
Reach One Teach One
Scenic City Angel
Hardy Elementary School
Save-A-Lot
