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.
A civic improvement project to create a downtown where there was none before. It includes a city hall, a library, a cultural center, boulevard-style streeet enhancements and a sculpture garden.
In our city of 130,000, it's difficult to pull the community together, especially when you don't have a "downtown" area. So we decided to create one, the Sterling Heights City Center. The project has created a symbol for the city. Recently completed, the City Center includes: a 200-seat-auditorium-community center for city council meetings and service club functions; renovation of the current city hall; an addition to the Public Library including a 150-seat Cultural Center; brick paving around the civic center; construction of a boulevard-style roadway on the main road; enhanced landscaping including a sculpture garden; and an indoor landscaped atrium with water garden. Built without any tax increase to the residents, through budget savings, the $6 million project ties together City Hall, the police station, library and the historic Upton House recently purchased by the city.
This complex is tied together through landscaping and a walkway with Dodge Park, the major park in the city's extensive recreation system.
The city maintains the area and with the police station located in the center, the area is very safe. During the summer months, the area teems with nightime activities, especially in the park.
As a result of this expansion and renovation, the city has planned many more community events including an Ethnic Festival, Sterlingfest Arts & Crafts Fair, Memorial Day Parade, concerts in the park and "town hall" meetings.
Although in the early stages, the increase in attendance of events has shown that the residents are feeling more a part of the city with the new "City Center" complex becoming the city symbol.
*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.
