The Placemaking Round-Up
A biweekly newsletter with public space news, resources, and opportunities.
The Biweekly Bazaar
A curated dispatch on all things public markets plus the latest announcements from the Market Cities Program.
A biweekly newsletter with public space news, resources, and opportunities.
A curated dispatch on all things public markets plus the latest announcements from the Market Cities Program.
Please note that these Hall of Shame nominations were written in a moment in time (most over a decade ago) and likely have since changed or even been transformed. If the above entry is now great, or still not so great, go ahead and comment below on how it has evolved or nominate it as a great place.
Memphis, Tennessee’s innovative MEMFix program offers a great example of how to successfully scale a one-off LQC event into a larger project and investment. The program began in 2010 as a way to reimagine the city’s dilapidated Broad Avenue. In 2010, along with local merchants and residents, the nonprofit organization Livable Memphis developed a Placemaking campaign to reimagine Broad Avenue—a rundown commercial strip in the city’s downtown. As part of an initial three-block streetscape exhibition, MEMFix projects, led by local volunteers, included adding protected bike lanes, pedestrian improvements, pop-up retail, and festive programming. Single day events, like neighborhood block parties, led to greater investments and more continuing programs such as MEMshop—a related retail incubator program. As projects and improvements multiplied, the transformation of Broad Avenue began to influence surrounding areas, and there were spin-off events in four other Memphis neighborhoods. The MEMShop component, which stimulated long-term investment, soon expanded to rural centers around the metro area as well. Using LQC strategies to activate storefronts, to make streets safer for bikes and pedestrians, and to bring the community together with creative programming and events, this program had lasting effects on the physical and social character of a downtown Memphis neighborhood.
Photo credits, from left: MEMShop via Facebook, MEMShop via Facebook, CNN, Memphis CVB via Flickr, Memphis CVB via Flickr, Sarah Rossi via MEMShop website
Follow MEMFix
Website: memfix.org
Facebook: facebook.com/MemFix2013
Twitter: https: @LivableMemphis
Follow MEMShop
Website: memshop.org
Facebook: facebook.com/MemShop2012
Twitter: @memshop1
*Please note that these Hall of Shame nominations were written in a moment in time (most over a decade ago) and likely have since changed or even been transformed. If the above entry is now great, or still not so great, go ahead and comment below on how it has evolved or nominate it as a great place.
