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Citizens for Modern Transit (2022) Print
2022 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Public space activation
└ Public space activation
The North Hanley Transit Center had long lacked seating, shade and visual appeal, creating an unwelcoming environment for riders. The project added benches with backs and armrests, canopies, colorful pavement art and murals, along with updated shelters and wayfinding. These improvements made the station more comfortable and inviting, and have prompted further investment and discussions of large-scale development. As one transit operator noted, "This station looks fresh and inviting. The seats are great and riders seem so much happier."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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See More Projects Like This One
Schenectady, NY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: A vacant lot connected two busy streets in Schenectady's Stockade District -- an area that also lacked places to sit. To take advantage of the space, the Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corporation activated it, dubbing the improved space Jay Square. They installed ADA-accessible benches and tables, flower boxes, overhead lighting and trash cans. New murals onsite act as "selfie stations," giving passersby the opportunity to snap a photo. To help visitors navigate to local landmarks, they also added wayfinding signage. Organizers say Jay Square demonstrated the importance of providing public space for the community. Today, the space hosts community events and local leaders are looking to replicate the activation in other parts of Schenectady.
Omaha, NE
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Organizers with Spark thought an unused parking lot at the head of the North Omaha Trail had potential to be something more. So they set out to turn the site into a seed archive -- a building designed to store seeds for growing vegetables, flowers and other plants. Local artists decorated the new building and project organizers installed seating for the space. The seed archive supports the nearby Healthy Roots community garden, which provides fresh produce to local families. Additionally, the archive represents a win for biodiversity, since many of the seeds stored there will grow into plants native to Nebraska, including pollinator-friendly species.
Dayton, OH
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: This project will transform four vacant lots into a recreational space for older adults. Amenities will include a walking path, tables, benches and a shelter house.
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St. Louis, MO
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Engaging people in transportation options/safety
Description: To showcase possible long-term upgrades to the North Hanley light rail station in Cansonville, Mo., Citizens for Modern Transit held a pop-up festival. The event prioritized community engagement, giving participants several ways to share their ideas. The St. Louis County Department of Planning invited attendees to use Lego bricks to build a model of amenities they hoped to see at the station. People recorded themselves sharing their vision for the site at a self-expression stop. Visitors could also write their ideas on a large banner. To help inspire people, the event showcased murals created by a local artist. The feedback gathered during the event informed permanent changes. Today, visitors to the site will find new seating and shade structures, as well as murals painted on the pavement. The theme for that transformation is Transit: We All Ride Together. And since 2017, Citizens for Modern Transit has gone on to improve several other transit stops in the St. Louis region.
East St. Louis, IL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: As part of its efforts to boost public transit use and spart economic development around transit stations, Citizens for Modern Transit activated the Emerson Park light rail and bus station in East St. Louis. To choose a theme for the station and ensure the new amenities would meet the community's needs, project organizers held design workers and other community engagement events. They then installed new seating, shade structures and a sound system to pipe music into the space. A local artist collaborated with community members to create pavement art and a mural, which pay tribute to the area's musical history. Organizers say they hope the new space promotes creative play, cultivates community and encourages people to ride public transit.
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