Louisville, KY

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: This project made a series of placemaking improvements to the Woodlawn Avenue business district, located in the Beechmont neighborhood. First, the Center for Neighborhoods added pedestrian-level lighting along the street to improve safety. They also converted three parking spaces into an outdoor cafe space. Originally meant to be temporary, the picnic area's popularity spurred project organizers to create Louisville's first permanent parklet in the spot, which includes a deck, seating, a green wall and planter boxes. Beautification efforts also included activating a nearby alleyway. That included painting a mural for the space, which community members named Beechmont Alley. New, accessible parking spaces helped make the corridor more welcoming to people of all ability levels.

Milwaukee, WI

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: This project contributed to efforts to revitalize a park, creating a safe, outdoor gathering for residents of Milwaukee's Historic King Drive neighborhood. Improvements included bollards with solar-powered lights, accessible picnic tables, trash receptacles and orange benches branded with the name of the neighborhood. Additionally, the BID convened an art task force and used tax increment financing to fund a new mural in the neighborhood. The success of the project also build momentum for branding efforts in nearby neighborhoods.

Lynn, MA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: While downtown Lynn offers shopping and dining, the city offers few recreational opportunities for older adults. To address this, the City of Lynn has made improvements to the downtown district to make the space more appealing to older residents. First, project organizers created a parklet near Lynn Commons, turning an on-street parking space into a mini-park with benches and shade trees. They also made roadway improvements, including adding curb cuts to make sidewalks safer and more accessible. Finally, they worked with a partner organization to hang 80 large-scale murals. Since the improvements, the City launched a series of walking tours featuring the murals, which are installed throughout the community.