Build a Better Block

[OurTulsa]

See a typical American city street converted into a pleasant 'place' at little effort and cost.  http://streetsblog.net/2010/04/21/in-dallas-a-community-transforms-a-street/

Excellent example of a group of motivated people truly transforming a City block for the better.  No studies to see if it will work or determine its impact, no consulting, done in a day - just a $1,000 and alot of elbow grease and happiness.  I'm going to Dallas fairly soon and hope to see this as a permanent transformation.

This can easily be replicated in many areas in Tulsa and Tulsa would be better for it.  Very similar to the 'intersection repair' projects taking place in Portland.

If someone knows how to embed this I would appreciate it.  I'm not working the YouTube button right.

[TheTed]

Pre-transformation, that looks like our downtown one-ways: four lanes of road crammed into the least possible space despite traffic counts only needing two lanes of road for all but an hour or less a week.

Our pathetic attempts at streetscaping, those newish curbs on the corner of fourth and main cram that four-lane street into a dangerously narrow width when we could've just gotten rid of a lane or two and slowed traffic.

[PonderInc]

Awesome idea!  Anybody else wanna do this in Tulsa?  I'm in!

I think 11th street could be a perfect street to use as an example.

[PastryPro]

Love it!  I'm definitely in.

[TURobY]

I'd be interested.

[SXSW]

Awesome idea!  Anybody else wanna do this in Tulsa?  I'm in!

I think 11th street could be a perfect street to use as an example.

11th between Peoria and Utica would be perfect.  I was walking down this street the other day and thought to myself how this could be a Cherry Street-type area with some new sidewalks and trees.  There are a number of empty storefronts just begging to be made into shops, restaurants, and businesses.  11th is also unnecessarily wide so bike lanes could definitely be added.

[patric]

See a typical American city street converted into a pleasant 'place' at little effort and cost.  http://streetsblog.net/2010/04/21/in-dallas-a-community-transforms-a-street/

Excellent example of a group of motivated people truly transforming a City block for the better.  No studies to see if it will work or determine its impact, no consulting, done in a day - just a $1,000 and alot of elbow grease and happiness.  I'm going to Dallas fairly soon and hope to see this as a permanent transformation.

This can easily be replicated in many areas in Tulsa and Tulsa would be better for it.  Very similar to the 'intersection repair' projects taking place in Portland.

If someone knows how to embed this I would appreciate it.  I'm not working the YouTube button right.

[SXSW]

I really want to see this happen in Tulsa.  Anyone know of any groups I could contact that would be interested?  6th in the Pearl, 11th between Peoria and Utica, or somewhere in the Blue Dome would be perfect for something like this.

Some suggestions they give:

- Identify a location with a block of buildings that has a good pedestrian form, but lacks a complete street. Typically pre-war built areas, or former streetcar intersections.  

- Assemble team of grassroots community activists, artists, and DIY'ers. If possible, work with existing area non-profit leaders or organizers (Community Gardens groups, local volunteer corps, etc.)  

- Latch the Better Block to an existing event, such as an art crawl, ciclovia, fun run, et cetera.  

- Work with area property owners to allow access to vacant spaces for a weekend. We pitched the event as a giant "art installation", so the vacant spaces become defacto art galleries. Our property owners were excited to freely allow access because we were actively marketing their properties. Also, immediately following our original better block, these vacant spaces were leased.

- Create groups to develop and install temporary "pop-up" businesses to show the potential for what could be if the street had a more inviting presence. Also, try and keep in mind all users (young, old, et cetera). We installed a cafe with outdoor seating to highlight the ability to re-utilize the space given to cars. We also created a kids' art studio so families could be involved, and a flower/gift market filled with local crafters goods. You could also do a bookdrive collection, and create your own small bookstore as well with what is collected. You don't have to get overly elaborate with your product offerings. For the cafe, we only offered coffee out of pump urns that we brewed onsite...a local pastry shop came by and freely gave us scones, muffins, and more to help. We put as many local products as we could in each of the shops.

- Include as many people-friendly aesthetics. We worked with a local props warehouse to bring in planters to help divide the street, and temporary street lighting. You can also build your own planters from old pallets, build sandwich boards. We also strung bailing wire between the buildings at 15′ high (above a semi-trucks lowest clearance), and attached old christmas lights to help provide more ambiance.

- Paint your own cycle track! You can use a lime green paint in the typical parking area and paint a 5′ stripe. It's also good to add a 2′ buffer zone (painted white diagonal lines) to allow for adjacent parking/door zone clearance

- Invite artists to perform in the street. Music is a key component to having an exciting street. Use a guitar amplifier and pump out tracks from an iPod, or invite DJ's, drum circles, et cetera.

- Invite your Mayor, council members, city staff, so they can see the possibilities for themselves. Be sure to track sales to show the increase in area business (potential for increased tax revenue is a city's largest motivator for change), and spotlight how traffic slows but people still have easy access and come out.

Fort Worth just recently

[SXSW]

This is happening in Tulsa!  In the Pearl at 6th & Peoria.  If you want to volunteer and check it out there will be people working Sat April 2 and Sat April 9 from 10 am to 3 pm.  The actual event is Friday-Saturday April 15-16.  They are putting trees out, painting bike lanes, pop-up stores/vendors, and entertainment.

http://www.tulsapearl.com/

[nathanm]

This is happening in Tulsa!  In the Pearl at 6th & Peoria.  If you want to volunteer and check it out there will be people working Sat April 2 and Sat April 9 from 10 am to 3 pm.  The actual event is Friday-Saturday April 15-16.  They are putting trees out, painting bike lanes, pop-up stores/vendors, and entertainment.

http://www.tulsapearl.com/

That's probably the best spot in town for it, IMO. 6th street east of Peoria has no real need for four lanes (aside from use of the outer lanes for parking, and that's not strictly necessary)

[SXSW]

That's probably the best spot in town for it, IMO. 6th street east of Peoria has no real need for four lanes (aside from use of the outer lanes for parking, and that's not strictly necessary)

That is why they are showing what it could be like with 2 lanes, parallel parking on both sides, and bike lanes.  6th & Peoria is perfect for this, IMO

[sgrizzle]

That is why they are showing what it could be like with 2 lanes, parallel parking on both sides, and bike lanes.  6th & Peoria is perfect for this, IMO

You forgot the canal

[nathanm]

Maybe they can also put up a sign letting drivers making a left turn from 6th onto Peoria know that they ought to yield to oncoming traffic. (and in the other direction, to please take note of the 'no left turn' signage)

Oh, wait..that's missing the point entirely, isn't it!

[SXSW]

You forgot the canal

That would be a part of the real streetscape that will happen later.  This is just a temporary fix to show what a streetscape can be like.  This area of 11th & Peoria are both good places to start, and hopefully both will have nice streetscapes in the near future.  That whole area is ripe for redevelopment but needs things like the streetscape to get it started.