In 2017 residents imagined a landscaped Glass Street by leaving their remarks on an interactive activity at GSL 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.

Project coordinator, David Barlew, with David Barlew Architects, said some of last year’s feedback has made it into this year’s interactive visioning activity at the block party.

To keep things manageable, David’s team will be using a 30 foot stretch of Glass Street between 2200-2300 Glass Street to take some of the ideas off the drawing board, and attempt to temporarily illustrate them on a human scale.

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 in general. This stretch includes existing 9 foot sidewalks already, making a great jumping off place to expand on that pedestrian-friendly idea.

Working off the 9’ sidewalks will be crafted indications of additional greenways and areas where planted strips could be installed acting as a buffer between Glass Street shoppers and traffic. A temporary median will be created for David’s “street sketch” using live trees. Trees and patches of grass sod will also be strategically placed accompanied by written marks to easily indicate new curb heights and other measurements and ideas the street sketch is proposing.

The most important thing about this project right now is that it gathers signatures of support and resident advocates to let city officials know that infrastructure improvements are needed in East Chattanooga and that residents want those budget dollars invested where we live.

Your neighbors will be walking around with clipboards asking residents for their support of streetscaping improvements to the area. Participating by signing your name is one way the community can be champions for their future. Become an advocate for where you live by letting officials know what projects are important to you. Together we can make this happen. We are always careful to take time to gain input. Together we can help to turn input into action!

Don’t miss this temporary installation at Glass Street LIVE!

We’re setting up a live music stage set up in front of the former Sunnytown grocery store, where entertainment will be emceed by C-Grimey, featuring performances by Kay B Brown, Differentdiva, Nerd Squad, 2 Deep Within, YKC Nation, Bindy B, Image and Skream, and DJ D-Whit, and featuring guest emcee, District 8 City Councilman, Anthony Byrd. Visitors will also enjoy a classic car, truck, and bike show presented by DJ LV, and can purchase delicious local food vendors, non-profit activity booths, and merchant vendors.

We’re incredibly excited to celebrate the debut of two new community resource features: a local fresh food farm stand by Grow Hope Urban Farm, presented by Hope for the Inner City, and the dedication of Boyce Station Neighborhood Association’s new sign.

We will unveil temporary crosswalk installations that are colorful, safe, and can be as effective in attracting permanent design improvements as these same tactics were implemented 4 years ago at the Chamberlain Ave. and Glass Street intersection. Design selection and painting will be coordinated through a neighboring arts organization, Mark Making, employing local youth to install the beautiful and functional work of public art.

The community can also share feedback and ideas with Glass House Collective, interacting with models they would like to see as practical improvements for the expanse of concrete currently covering the Dodson/Glass intersection. Later, they’re invited to relax and mingle on the Hip-Hop Lounge bus with Mary Helen Montgomery and Eddie Yancey inviting “Friend Up,” opportunities for the art of meaningful mingling.  And no one will want to miss the pop-up art gallery featuring Art Trap Collective and the pop-up skate park presented by Kim Krause, Westin Dawson, and the Black Rebel skaters at the former Alabama Furniture building, (2200 Glass St.).

Glass House Collective is collaborating with Boyce Station Neighborhood Association, recent winners of the Songbirds Museum Block and Roll grant, and Shannon Burke of Bike Walk Tennessee to host the final neighborhood block party of City Celebration, a city-wide festival focused on alternative transportation methods like biking, skating, and walking.

We’re winding up our registration process for official event volunteers and participants! If you’d like to sign up, fill out our online form here. Thanks!

Thank you to our amazing event sponsors: Pinnacle Bank, Memorial Hospital, EPB Fiber Optics, Coca Cola United, Tennessee Arts Commission, and the Tenesha Irvin Show!