ARC Living Beyond Expectations Summary Report 07 16 final

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Sweet Auburn LIVING BEYOND EXPECTATIONS

Tactical Urbanism Demonstration Project Summary Report July 2014

THE PROJECT TEAM Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), Project Leadership Kathryn Lawler, Mary Blumberg, and Rosalind Tucker The Street Plans Collaborative, Lead Consultant Mike Lydon, Tony Garcia, and Julie Flynn Team Better Block, Consultant Jason Roberts and Andrew Howard Alta Planning + Design, Consultant Brad Davis and Katie Perumbeti

Volunteers install a temporary “Green Lane� on Auburn Avenue during the Community-Build Day.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Project Overview..................................................................................... 02 The Planning Process.............................................................................. 04 Project Elements Aligning with Lifelong Community Principles................ 06 Project Build-out Day.............................................................................. 10 Demonstration Project Weekend ......................................................... ... 14 Results + Lessons Learned ..................................................................... 20 Recommendations .................................................................................. 24

During the project community build day, volunteers created a mini public park, or Parklet, in a curbside parking space on Auburn Avenue.

PROJECT OVERVIEW The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) is the regional planning and intergovernmental coordination agency for the 10-county area surrounding the city of Atlanta. ARC helps focus leadership, attention and resources on issues of regional importance. One such current issue is that of longevity and aging. The 21st century offers the promise that people may live longer than ever before, and communities throughout the United States and in many parts of the world are experiencing a dramatic increase in older adult populations. Atlanta is no exception. Data from the 2010 Census reveal that adults aged 45-65 make up the fastest growing population segment in the Atlanta region. Demographic projections estimate that by 2030, one in five residents of the Atlanta region will be over the age of 60.

Increased longevity impacts all aspects of our communities, and the Atlanta region must adjust to accommodate the growing numbers of older adults. Communities in the region must become places where people can remain healthy and engaged throughout their lifetime. That means more choices for housing and transportation, better strategies for maintaining health and expanded access to services. This is a particularly pressing issue in the Atlanta region. A recent study by Transportation for America projected that if no action is taken, 90% of seniors in the Atlanta metro region will have poor transit access as they age in communities where car use is a must.

ARC’s Lifelong Communities Initiative is an effort to support local communities as they work to foster a high quality of life for residents of all ages. As part of the initiative, ARC has developed a set of seven core principles that support the creation of a Lifelong Community. These principles are: • •

• • •

•

Connectivity – Retrofit or build new streets to form a grid pattern; this provides the most options for getting from one destination to another, reduces traffic and creates a viable street network for multiple modes of transportation.

Pedestrian Access and Transit – Increase pedestrian access within the local community by providing a vibrant streetscape, destinations worth walking to, connected and safe sidewalks. It is also critical to provide local connector transit routes so residents can move within their community, and ride transit to regional hubs.

Neighborhood Retail and Services – Provide access to basic services within walking distance of residences to reduce auto travel, increase walkability and provide sustainable community hubs.

Social Interaction – Design communities with physical spaces that provide opportunities for social interaction including adequate green space, community centers, neighborhood gardens and third spaces.

45% INCREASE IN POPULATION OVER THE AGE OF 65 FROM 2000-2010 IN THE ATLANTA REGION

IF NOTHING CHANGES,

90%

OF SENIORS IN THE ATLANTA METRO AREA WILL HAVE POOR ACCESS TO TRANSIT BY 2015

GROWTH IN U.S. BICYCLING RATES

BY AGE 320% GROUP

Dwelling Types – Provide a diversity of dwelling types within a community so that as individuals’ needs and preferences change, they can downsize, move from rental to ownership or find housing with the appropriate level of supportive services without having to leave the community.

Healthy Living – Design environments that promote physical activity by providing trails and bike paths; incorporate neighborhood scale grocery stores with ready access to fresh fruit and vegetables; zone space for health clinics and medical offices within walking distance of residences.

160%

50% 18-39 40-59 60-79

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Consideration for Existing Residents – Phase both new construction and redevelopment so that all existing residents have the option to remain in the community as it is being transformed.

The “Living Beyond Expectations” Demonstration Project used a “Build a Better Block” Tactical Urbanism approach to illustrating the above principles. Tactical Urbanism refers to the use of quick, low-cost, and often temporary tactics to improve the built environment. Tactical Urbanism projects have grown in popularity in recent years, creating a global movement around quick and effective urban interventions.

Example tactics include guerrilla gardening, open streets events, and “Better Block” street transformation projects. “Better Block” projects bring community organizers, neighbors, businesses and property owners together to revitalize under utilized stretches of the street in urban commercial corridors. The Living Beyond Expectations Demonstration Project temporarily transformed two blocks of Auburn Avenue in Old 4th Ward into a model Lifelong Community using these shortterm and low-cost methods, creating a tangible example of how any community can transform itself into a place for all ages.

It is important to note that while the Demonstration Project served as an example of the Atlanta region’s participation in the global Tactical Urbanism movement, “Better Block” tactics are not actually new to Atlanta. On May 9th 1942, the Atlanta Daily World wrote a story covering a new Atlanta Urban League program that aimed to create a “better block movement.” According to the article, over fifty families attended the event, where two “moving pictures” were shown by the Tuberculosis Association, health literature handed out, and a group of neighborhood children sang. Here, it was announced that the program aimed to “create community consciousness by backing the neighbors and keeping things moving through active participation of the people in the community.” The program defined a four-block section of a neighborhood where improvement efforts would take place. History tells us that community collaboration around improving the urban built environment is not new. Indeed, the Living Beyond Expectations Demonstration Project simply brought “Better Block” tactics and the newly defined Tactical Urbanism movement back to Atlanta.

ARC initiated the demonstration project with the help of funding from Grantmakers in Aging, a group of national funders dedicated to improving the experience of aging. GIA members believe that a society that is better for older adults, is a society that is better for people of all ages. Additional support came from the Fulton County Office of Community Development and PeopleForBikes, with funding from Clif Bar. PeopleForBikes is a national advocacy group leading the movement to make bicycling better in the U.S. In Spring 2014, Atlanta was selected, along with five other U.S. cities, to be part of the PeopleForBikes Green Lane Project – a two-year intensive program to build better bike lanes to create low-stress streets and build more vibrant communities.

Tactical Urbanism uses low-cost and often temporary tactics to improve the urban built environment.

Better Block street transformations revitalize under used commercial corridors.

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THE PLANNING PROCESS As a first step, the Street Plans Collaborative worked with ARC to establish a project Steering Committee, made up of key regional stakeholders. Steering Committee members included residents, business owners, and representatives from local non-profits, faithbased organizations and government agencies, including: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Fulton County Office of Community Development The City of Atlanta Central Atlanta Progress The Atlanta Downtown Improvement District Historic District Development Corporation The National Park Service, which administers the Martin Luther King Historic Site in the neighborhood The local Neighborhood Planning Unit, NPU-M Georgia State University The Madam CJ Walker Beauty Shoppe and Museum Big Bethel A.M.E. Church Wonderroot Living Walls, The City Speaks Sweet Auburn Bread Company Sweet Auburn Works Wheat Street Charitable Foundation AARP Ebenezer Baptist Church Wheat Street Baptist Church

A view of Auburn Avenue looking West towards Downtown Atlanta.

Steering Committee members and individuals from throughout the Atlanta region were invited to join ARC for the “Living Beyond Expectations” Visioning Workshop on Wednesday, March 26, from 6:00-8:00PM. The workshop was held at Operation Hope (inside the Ebenezer Community Resource Center) in Atlanta’s Old 4th Ward neighborhood. The Workshop included an overview of Tactical Urbanism concepts and a walking tour of the project site on Auburn Avenue. Attendees were asked to share their vision for the demonstration project and to identify community partners that might assist in creating programming or sourcing materials.

As part of the ongoing public engagement strategy, the team developed a dedicated Facebook page for the project. This page was used to publicize opportunities to get involved and communicate with the public on an ongoing basis. Page content included information about Tactical Urbanism and Lifelong Communities, and solicited input on event programming. Members of the public were also invited to share their ideas via an online ideation page

by Neighborland, a platform to allow people and organizations to collaborate to shape the future of their communities.

Workshop attendees brainstorm and provide feedback to shape the demonstration project.

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Volunteers clean up a trash-strewn vacant lot at Auburn Ave. and Hilliard St. in order to turn it into a public plaza.

The demonstration project was also publicized through news media outlets. ARC issued several press releases announcing the event to the public, during the event itself, and afterwards. On June 10, 2014, the Atlanta Journal Constitution published Op-Eds by Street Plans Collaborative Principal Mike Lydon and Kathryn Lawler, ARC Director of the Atlanta Area Agency on Aging. Lydon’s Op-Ed explored the Tactical Urbanism approach to community projects - using short term and low-cost methods to pilot projects that may eventually lead to long term change. This Op-Ed encouraged readers to attend the demonstration project event to see this concept in action.

Lawler’s op-ed provided an overview of the demonstration project and why developing lifelong communities is important for the Atlanta region.

Approximately 8 weeks before the demonstration project event, the project team began preparing final materials to submit a permit application to the City of Atlanta. According to city event permit guidelines, the project team confirmed service agreements for security, sanitation, and medical emergencies. The project team also conducted additional community outreach in support of the permit application: event notification letters were sent to all nearby business owners and residents, the County Commissioner’s office, relevant Council Members (in Community Districts 2 and 5), and the Chairperson of the appropriate Neighborhood Planning Unit (NPU-M). The City deemed the permit application complete and issued the necessary event permit in early June.

As the event approached, members of the public were encouraged to get involved as volunteers. Volunteer opportunities included practical courses on temporary and low-cost Tactical Urbanism practices, event day set-up and attendee greeting duties. Additional information on volunteer involvement can be found in the build-out and project weekend sections of this summary report.

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PROJECT ELEMENTS ALIGNING WITH LIFELONG COMMUNITY PRINCIPLES Based on feedback from the Steering Committee and the public, the project team developed project elements that aligned with Lifelong Community principles of connectivity, pedestrian and transit access, healthy living, social interaction, diversity of dwelling options, neighborhood retail and services, and consideration for existing residents. With these principles in mind, the team focused on project elements that provided active transportation enhancements, new social gathering places, and performances and healthy living activities that would appeal to people of all ages.

Improving local social capital is a major goal of any Tactical Urbanism initiative, and as such, collaboration with existing residents and businesses was a central part of the program development strategy. Programming content arose, in large part, from grass roots involvement of local residents and community groups. Highlights include: • Pop-up Library and Book Sale by the Historic Auburn Research Library, formerly located on a vacant lot in the event site • Live broadcasts of W.E.R.D. Radio Live, an online recreation of the first African American-led radio station in the United States, originally launched from a building in the Old 4th Ward • Demonstrations by the Sweet Auburn Digital Media Initiative • Street Art Tours of the neighborhood by Living Walls, the City Speaks • Learn to Bike classes led by the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition • Historic walking tours led by PEDS and the Atlanta Preservation Center • Modular milk-crate vegetable gardening demonstrations by The 3x3 Project • Garden Tours of the Truly Living Well Wheat Street Community Garden, located adjacent to the project site • Civil rights history bicycle tours led by the Civil Bikes pop-up shop, located on Auburn Avenue • Chair yoga classes by The Curvi Yogini • Performances by local bands and DJs • Performance by the Maculele Brazilian Capoeira Group • Outdoor movie screening in collaboration with the Goat Farm Arts Center • Gallery exhibition of #weloveatl photos in the We Love ATL mobile photography gallery • Food options from local food trucks and restaurants In total, more than 40 organizations participated in the demonstration project through programming, sponsorship, or strategic partnerships.

The poster on the following page provides a snapshot of the key partners that came together to make the demonstration project a reality.

Pop-up library by the Historic Auburn Research Library.

Truly Living Well Wheat Street Community Garden.

Nedra Deadwyler, owner of the Civil Bikes Pop-Up Shop.

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PROJECT MAP The project team developed a set of icons to help participants and attendees connect the seven Lifelong Community principles to the project elements transforming Auburn Avenue. These icons were placed on the event schedule (see pages 15 and 16) and the project map poster. As shown in the key below, project elements directly addressed all seven Livable Community Principles.

MAP KEY $

Green Lane Demonstration

12. Street Car Stop

7. Truly Living Well Wheat Street Gardens

13. Martin Luther King Natn’l Historic Site

8. Pop-up Plaza, Stage, Media Check-in

14. Ebenezer Baptist Church

3. Pop-up Shops

9. Wheat St. Baptist Church

15. Atlanta Regional Commission Survey

4. MCJW Beauty Shoppe & Museum

10. Courtyard

16. Neighborland Community Idea Wall

1. Interstate 85

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6. Public Bathrooms $

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2. John Wesley Dobbs Plaza

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5. Historic Auburn Research Library Plaza 11. Wheat St. Towers

LIFELONG COMMUNITY PRINCIPLES Connectivity On the Map: Green Lane, 1, 12

67 6$785'$< -81( Pedestrian Access and Transit ALL DAY LONG

On the Map: Green Lane, 1, 12

Green Lane Project Demonstration (Auburn Ave. from Hilliard St. to Jackson St.)

681'$< -81( 1'

Healthy Living On the Map: Green Lane, 7 ALL DAY LONG

Green Lane Demonstration Project (Auburn Ave. from Hilliard St. to Jackson St.) Food Trucks (Throughout Event Area)

Food Trucks (Throughout Event Area) Pop-up Library and Book Sale (Historic Auburn Research Library Plaza)

Neighborhood Retail and Services On the Map: 3, 4, 5, 7

W.E.R.D. Radio Live (Corner of Auburn Ave. and Hilliard St.)

$

Sweet Auburn Digital Media Initiative Demos (Historic Auburn Research Library Plaza) Neighborland Community Idea Wall (Auburn Ave. and Hilliard St.)

Pop-up Library and Book Sale (Historic Auburn Research Library Plaza)

Consideration for Existing Residents On the Map: 11, 15, 16

W.E.R.D. Radio Live (Corner of Auburn Ave. and Hilliard St.) Sweet Auburn Digital Media Initiative Demos (Historic Auburn Research Library Plaza) Neighborland Community Idea Wall (Auburn Ave. and Hilliard St.)

Social Interaction On the Map: 2, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14

Central Atlanta Progress Pop-Up Shops

Central Atlanta Progress Pop-Up Shops

Diversity of Dwelling Types On the Map: 11

Get to Know Local Organizations (Historic Auburn Research Library Plaza)

Get to Know Local Organizations (Historic Auburn Research Library Plaza)

TOURS + CLASSES

TOURS + CLASSES

Living Walls Walking Tour (Meet at the Pop-Up Plaza) Times: 10:30AM, 4:00PM

Living Walls Walking Tour (Meet at the Pop-Up Plaza) Times: 10:30AM, 4:00PM

Drop-in Learn to Ride Bike Class (Historic Auburn Research Library Plaza) Times: 10:30AM, 11:00AM, 11:30AM, 12:00PM, 12:30PM, 1:00PM, 1:30PM

Drop-in Learn to Ride Bike Class (Historic Auburn Research Library Plaza) Times: 10:00AM, 10:30AM, 11:00AM, 11:30AM, 12:00PM, 12:30PM, 1:00PM, 1:30PM

PEDS/ Atlanta Preservation Center Walking Tour (Meet at the Pop-Up Plaza) Times: 11:00AM, 5:00PM

3x3 Milk Crate Gardening Demo (Historic Auburn Research Library Plaza) Times: 10:00AM, 11:00AM, 12:00PM, 1:00PM, 2:00PM, 3:00PM, 4:00PM

Wheat Street Garden Tour (Meet at the Corner of Auburn Ave. and Hilliard St.) Times: 11:30AM, 4:00PM

Civil Bike Tours (Meet at the Civil Bikes Pop-Up Store, 344 Auburn Ave.) Times: 9:00AM, 4:00PM

Civil Bikes Tour (Meet at the Civil Bikes Pop-Up Store, 344 Auburn Ave.) Times: 7:00PM

PROGRAMMING

PROGRAMMING

1:00PM

Pictured onCrateprevious page: listed on the partnership poster, 40 organizations participated in the demonstration through 3x3 Milk Gardening Demo (Historic Auburn As Research Library Plaza) Wheat Street Garden Tour (Meet at the Corner of Auburn project Ave. and Hilliard St.) Times: 11:00AM, 12:00PM, 1:00PM, 2:00PM, 3:00PM, 4:00PM, 5:00PM Times: 2:00PM programming, sponsorship, or strategic partnerships.

12:30PM

Mini GROOVE Class led by Curvi Yogini (Pop-up Plaza stage)

Maculele Brazilian Capoeira Group (Pop-up Plaza)Report >> Page 8 Sweet Auburn “Living Beyond Expectations” Demonstration Project Summary

8:00AM

Atlanta Streetcar Run the Rails 5k

1:30PM

Address from Local Community Leaders (Pop-up Plaza Stage)

11:00AM

Project Kick-off (Pop-Up Plaza stage)

2:00PM

DeDee and the Puddin’ Milkers (Pop-up Plaza Stage)

Chair Yoga led by Curvi Yogini (Pop-up Plaza stage)

2:30PM

A Community Conversation with the Elders of the Old Fourth Ward (Wheat Street Towers Courtyard)

PROJECT BUILD-OUT DAY On Friday, June 20th, the project team hosted a community build day.

Throughout the day, members of the public were invited to grab a paintbrush or a hammer and participate in a variety of activities to help transform Auburn Avenue for the weekend-long demonstration project. Volunteers were encouraged to sign up for free class modules intended to increase local knowledge about tactical urbanism practices. Community build day courses covered the following topics: • How to repair a bicycle lane into a Green Lane • How to activate a public space • How to build pallet furniture • How to make a street more bicycle and pedestrian friendly • How to create wayfinding signage • How to gather metrics during a Tactical Urbanism project In preparation for the build-out day, the project team collaborated with a variety of partner organizations and sponsors to secure tools and materials. The Georgia Conservancy helped facilitate tool rental through the Atlanta Tool Bank, a local non-profit dedicated to stewarding an inventory of tools for use by charitable and community-based organizations. The Conservancy and project volunteer Ross Wallace of the Epsten Group also coordinated with a nearby IKEA store to secure donations of shade umbrellas and approximately 60 pallets for use in building furniture. The national cycling advocacy organization People For Bikes provided financial resources for the purchase of supplies used for the “Green Lane” bikeway enhancements. The Truly Living Well Center for Natural Urban Agriculture offered to store and care for plants intended for use at the event in their Wheat Street Community Garden, adjacent to Auburn Avenue. The team was sometimes required to purchase materials, but every effort was made to identify low-cost options. For example, when purchasing paint, the team opted for partially used and deeply discounted cans of “Ooops” paint.

Throughout the course of the day, approximately 60 people participated in the build-out activities. As part of the course modules listed above, attendees worked together to prepare the project site for the demonstration event. Specific activities included: • Transforming a narrow buffered bike lane into a safer planter-separated lane • Building footrests for cyclists stopped at intersections • Using traffic tape to improve pavement markings for cyclists and pedestrians • Cleaning up vacant lots to rid them of trash, weeds, and dirt • Creating a chalk mural to decorate an abandoned lot • Building a small “parklet” to make public space in a curbside parking spot • Constructing and painting pallet furniture • Installing shade elements using found umbrellas and inexpensive material, such as black landscaping cloth • Installing Walk [Your City] pedestrian wayfinding signs directing people to key neighborhood and city-wide destinations • Using battery-operated WayCount traffic counters to collect data on cyclist volumes in bike lanes • Creating murals on boarded-up windows

Volunteers clean up a vacant lot on Auburn Ave.

Volunteers create pallet furniture as part of a free experiential class.

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Volunteers work together to create a bench out of pallets during the Build-Out Day activities.

These activities occurred throughout the project site, with key staging areas in vacant lots near the corner of Hilliard Street and Auburn Avenue.

In some cases, volunteers dove into projects that were not previously scheduled as part of the class modules. For example, about halfway through the build-out day afternoon, volunteers began talking to the owner of the corner store at Auburn Avenue and Hilliard Street about creating a new sign. The current shop sign displayed the name of the corner store with simple black text scrawled on a grey background. Volunteers asked the owner what colors he would like for a new sign, and created a brightened more aesthetically pleasing design according to his directions.

Once the owner approved the final sign, volunteers installed in on the spot.

The build-out day benefitted from the impressive collaborative and creative energy of the volunteers. People worked together to do the dirty work of cleaning up trash, problem-solved through unexpected challenges, brainstormed creative mural ideas, and gladly offered to run home for additional tools and supplies. The scheduled hour for course activities to end came and went, and a good number of volunteers remained on site, putting the finishing touches on murals, signs, and pallet furniture.

Several businesses on Auburn Avenue agreed to allow project materials constructed by the volunteers to remain in their shops overnight. At the end of the build-out day, the remaining volunteers loaded pallet benches, chairs, and tables into nearby shops for safe keeping until the following morning. This generous in-kind service from local businesses was integral to the success of the build-out day and illustrates the high degree of collaboration and cooperation that resulted from this portion of the event.

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Volunteers and community partners measure materials for use in the pop-up Green Lane on Auburn Ave.

Installing an upgraded sign for the TW Package and Grocery corner store.

Volunteers cleaned up the vacant lot on Auburn Ave. and Hilliard St., removing trash and weeds.

Volunteers paint a text-based mural on pallets to create decorative “fencing” for the plaza.

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DEMONSTRATION PROJECT WEEKEND The demonstration project event officially opened to the public on Saturday June 21st at 10:00AM. However, attendees were encouraged to watch or participate in the “Atlanta Streetcar Run The Rails 5K” as early as 8:00AM. This footrace was organized by Central Atlanta Progress to allow participants to follow the Atlanta Streetcar route, which included sections of Auburn Avenue designated as part of the demonstration project event.

Once the race was completed, the demonstration project officially began with a Kick-off address by local leaders at 11:00AM. Fulton County Commissioner Joan Garner, ARC Executive Douglas R. Hooker, and ARC Director of the Atlanta Area Agency on Aging Kathryn Lawler all spoke to the community during this portion of the event. The address was followed by a chair-yoga class led by The Curvy Yogini. Community groups then provided tours and classes throughout the day, with several musical performances scheduled for the evening. The “We Love ATL” mobile photography gallery was on site all day, as was the MercyCare van, providing free routine health screenings to attendees. The Piedmont WellStar Health Plan, RSVP Retired Senior Volunteer Program, and AARP set up information tables as well. To supplement existing food options in the neighborhood, several local food trucks set up shop in the vacant Ebenezer Baptist Church parking lot at the corner of Jackson Street and Auburn Avenue. The King of Pops was also on site, to offer gourmet popsicles to those looking for a cool treat. Attendees enjoyed music along the sidewalk near Hilliard Avenue courtesy of W.E.R.D. Radio Live. Despite a strong afternoon thunderstorm that interrupted some programming, the outdoor movie screening scheduled for 8:30PM went on as planned, attracting nearly 20 people to a pop-up outdoor movie theater, showing Atlanta resident Kenny Leon’s 2012 version of Steel Magnolias in a formerly vacant lot. The evening programming also included a grand opening for the 320 Gallery pop-up shop, located on Auburn Avenue at the base of the project site.

The Sunday portion of the event had a smaller footprint as programming in the Ebenezer Baptist Church lot was eliminated to accommodate churchgoers in need of parking. Sunday’s activities once again included tours and classes, with musical performances and a well-attended demonstration by the Maculele Brazilian Capoeira Group. The Scratch Cuisine food truck was on site to provide food items around lunchtime.

In the afternoon, seniors from the Wheat Street Towers building in the middle of the project site joined in a game of large format checkers in the pop-up plaza, pictured at the right. At the end of the program, the team scheduled a community conversation with elders of the Old 4th Ward, to take place in the Wheat Street Towers Courtyard.

On both event days, attendees were encouraged to share their ideas about the creation of Lifelong Communities in the region through an “ideation wall”. The wall consisted of two large chalkboards propped up against a vacant building at the corner of Auburn Avenue and Hilliard Street. At

The Atlanta Streetcar Run the Rails 5K kicked off on Auburn Ave. at 8:00AM.

Visiting the Civil Bikes pop-up shop.

Taking photos of friends.

Outdoor movie screening of Steel Magnolias in the Pop-up Plaza.

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The schedule for event weekend programming appears above and to the left. Even with the printed schedule as a guide, the project team remained flexible, sometimes shifting project elements due to unexpected occurrences, such as rain.

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Attendees share their ideas for Lifelong Communities using the Neighborland â&#x20AC;&#x153;ideationâ&#x20AC;? board and stickers.

the top of the board, the project team wrote the question “How can we make our neighborhoods ‘lifelong’?” Attendees were provided with Neighborland stickers that provided space for them to write in their own ideas about creating lifelong communities throughout the region and add them to the board. ARC also set up a pop-up shop in the 320 Gallery space on Auburn Avenue to collect additional feedback from the public about regional planning issues.

All event programming was entirely free to the public. The program schedules, event map, and list of community partners were prominently displayed at two key locations on Auburn Avenue on both days.

Approximately 700 people attended the event over the course of the weekend. The project team did not record or collect specific information about attendee age, gender, or race, but observations confirm that the event attracted a diverse crowd. Attendees included planners, business owners and community leaders from throughout the neighborhood and the region. Importantly, the event was attended by people of all ages, including seniors from the nearby Wheat Street Towers apartment building and families with young children.

Attendance was steady throughout the event, starting off slower in the morning, peaking around 11:00AM-1:00PM, and then slowing down once more in the afternoon. In some cases, groups of people who were previously unaware of the project stopped to linger and check it out as they passed through the neighborhood.

Discussing ideas for Lifelong Communities at the Neighborland “ideation” board.

Checking out informational signs, which were prominently displayed at the event.

At the close of the event on Sunday, volunteers assisted the project team in a full site clean-up. Many materials used for the event were donated to the Truly Living Well Center for Natural Urban Agriculture for use in their Wheat Street Community Garden.

Plants used to create the protected bike lane were donated to seniors in the Wheat Street Towers, as well as to the Civil Bikes pop-up store.

While ARC has worked on lifelong communities for more than five years and has provided technical assistance to many communities in the region around this concept, the demonstration project represented the first time that ARC actually led the creation of a Lifelong Community, even if only for the short-term.

Resting in the shade at the Auburn Ave. Parklet.

The 3x3 Project table at the event.

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10%

DECREASE IN NOISE LEVELS, FROM 77 TO 72 DECIBELS

35%

DECREASE IN AVG. VEHICLE SPEED, FROM 17MPH TO 12MPH

83%

INCREASE IN VOLUME OF CYCLISTS ON AUBURN AVE. ON SATURDAY

The project included Atlanta’s first planterprotected bike lane.

RESULTS + LESSONS LEARNED The weekend-long demonstration project was considered a success by the majority of stakeholders. The event clearly accomplished the goal of using a tactical urbanism approach to demonstrating Lifelong Community principles. Through changes to the built environment, including the creation of Atlanta’s first planter-protected Green Lane and first parklet, the project allowed attendees and organizers to physically experience key components of a Lifelong Community. Because the project made use of low-cost materials and temporary interventions, it provided inspiration for any community wishing to make improvements in an affordable and iterative manner.

The interventions used in the demonstration project improved conditions for pedestrians and cyclists in a measurable way. Average vehicle speeds on Auburn Avenue decreased by 35% while the project was installed, from 17mph to 12mph. Posted speed limits on the adjacent block are 25mph. The 17mph high measured on Friday is lower than that posted limit, likely due to the fact that drivers were already slowing down in response to the increased activity occurring on the corridor during the build-out day. Nevertheless, the speed reduction represents a decrease in the risk of fatality in the event of a vehicle-pedestrian collision.

Atlanta’s first Parklet, on Auburn Ave.

While events, like music and the movie, were not taking place, noise levels decreased on Auburn Avenue. Normal conversations occur at 60 decibels.

Auburn Avenue was initially measured at 77 decibels, and noise was reduced to 72 decibels during the event. Lower noise levels improve pedestrian conditions, because a quieter street fosters more café and street activity.

There was a significant increase in the number of cyclists using Auburn Avenue during the event. Using the WayCount traffic counter, the project team recorded 48 cyclists on Auburn Avenue on Friday June 20th. This count jumped to 88 cyclists on Saturday and 63 on Sunday.

Finally, the project resulted in the cleanup of two vacant lots that were previously choked with weeds and trash. While the interventions installed in those lots were impermanent, the cleanup efforts will benefit the neighborhood for months to come.

An informal survey of event attendees revealed that the demonstration project improved people’s perceptions of the neighborhood. Of the 18 people surveyed before the project was installed, most said they liked the history and walkability of the area. Most respondents felt the area was relatively safe, but said that it needed cleanup, better lighting, community policing, and more businesses activating the street with food and neighborhood services.

Of the 15 people surveyed during the project weekend, 100% said the area felt safer than normal due to increased activity and foot traffic. They felt the project area would feel even safer with later shop hours, programmed public spaces, and permanent cycle tracks. When asked what was missing in the neighborhood, most of the people surveyed said they wanted to see more retail, restaurants, and better housing options.

Does the area feel safer? 100% of attendees surveyed said Yes!

Collecting feedback about Lifelong Communities at the Neighborland Idea wall.

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Event attendees said they felt the project area would feel safer with permanent cycle tracks.

Through a partnership with Neighborland, the project team collected valuable feedback from the public about the creation of Lifelong Communities. In total, the online Neighborland “ideation” page received 607 page views. The page had over 100 active participants adding ideas or comments, and participants spent approximately 3.4 minutes on the site per visit. The Neighborland “ideation” wall set up on Auburn Avenue during the project weekend collected approximately 130 ideas from stakeholders. Through the online and physical idea walls, attendees provided a range of ideas about how local leaders and community members can create lifelong communities throughout the Atlanta region. The most popular ideas were: • More local businesses • Shade and seating • Better use of vacant lots • Walkable streets with safe sidewalks and trees • Enhanced public transportation options • Affordable housing • Affordable, healthy food stores • Access to key destinations (medical offices, pharmacies, etc.)

The demonstration project succeeded in strengthening connections across a broad range of stakeholder groups.

Private property owners, local government agencies, and neighborhood churches came together early in the project planning process to allow event activities to take place on vacant lots under their control. Dozens of non-profits, local businesses and community organizations came together to offer diverse and engaging programming for event attendees, free of charge. And finally, nearly 700 people young and old came together to visit Auburn Avenue and experience, ask questions, and provide input about Lifelong Communities. While the demonstration project only lasted for one weekend, the social infrastructure created during the event may benefit the neighborhood and the Atlanta region for years to come.

The Demonstration Project received significant coverage from both local and national media outlets. The project was covered in the weeks leading up to the event on a number of websites, including Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) Atlanta, AtlantaIntown.com, and Atlanta.Curbed.com. The aforementioned Op-Ed articles from Mike Lydon and Kathryn Lawler appeared in the Atlanta Journal Constitution on June 11, 2014. The project build-day on Friday June 20th received significant local coverage, with Atlanta CBS local, WSBTV, and Fox5 News all running stories about the project. An Associated Press article on June 20th led to over half a dozen additional articles. Also on the 20th, the demonstration project was featured in an article on the StreetsBlogUSA website, which discussed the role of older adults in the overall increase in cycling in the United States. Follow-up coverage of the event included Sweet Auburn “Living Beyond Expectations” Demonstration Project Summary Report >> Page 21

stories in the Atlanta Journal Constitution and Marietta Daily Journal, and on Governing.com, Access ATL and AtlantaCurbed.com. Fox5 News and Public Broadcasting Atlanta (PBA) station WABE 90.1 FM also provided followup coverage of the event.

One of the most important results of the demonstration project is that it left community members and organizers with many lessons learned. The Tactical Urbanism model is intended to be an iterative cycle of building, measuring outcomes, learning from those outcomes, and then building anew. Lessons learned from the demonstration project are applicable to future Tactical Urbanism and Lifelong Community projects in the region. The lessons discussed below are based on project team observations as well as feedback from attendees and community members.

The “We Love ATL” Mobile Photography Gallery was one of many community event partners.

SPREADING THE WORD The demonstration project was heavily publicized through the project Facebook page (with 380 “Likes”), the Atlanta Journal Constitution, and partner email newsletters. Street-level outreach teams went door to door notifying neighborhood businesses and residents of the event and inviting them to participate. Representatives from ARC also worked with local pastors to spread word of the event to local churches. Still, the project team received recommendations about other methods that could have been used to engage additional attendees in the event. Some suggested that future events should be announced on Nextdoor, a web platform to connect neighbors and allow them to share information about events. Other ideas included the use of radio announcements, encouraging neighborhood businseses to display posters in their windows, and more extensive use of the locally popular website Creative Loafing.

PROGRAMMING As stated previously, the project engaged a broad range of community groups, artists, musicians and businesses in programming for the event. Program partners represented national brands and advocacy groups to local shop owners and everything in between. For the most part, attendees seemed to stream through in steady numbers rather than arrive in large groups all at once. Therefore, programming that was appropriate for small group interactions, one on one conversations, or “drop-in” learning opportunities worked very well. Programming geared towards having a large audience in one place at one time, such as a performance by a large band on a stage, tended to feel a bit empty. For future demonstration projects, it may be best to schedule the street transformation at the same time as a standing event that already draws a large crowd, such as a neighborhood art walk. Another possibility is to focus more on small group programming. For example, short informal music or dance performances on the street should be favored above full set band performances on a stage.

INCLUSION AND ENGAGEMENT The demonstration project succeeded in engaging an impressive number of businesses and organizations as partners. Careful attention was paid to including existing neighborhood businesses in a meaningful way. It was important to work with partners to plan programming that fit their needs.

Drop-in programming, such as the Wonderroot Transit Poem booth, worked best.

Community members participate in a sidewalk checkers game in front of a residential building.

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The park benches in the shade at Hilliard and Auburn were a popular destination.

If it did not make sense to host activities directly on the property of a residential building, for instance, the project team found that hosting some programming at the sidewalk edge could be a solution. While there were many successes, the project could have benefitted from additional tactics for inclusion and engagement. For example, local churchgoers may have attended the Sunday portion of the event in greater numbers if church members were recruited for afternoon performances - one possibility would be hosting a local gospel group. Another idea is using multi-level street outreach teams to insure all local businesses are engaged. In addition to sending project team members door to door to speak to business owners, it may be helpful to engage business owners already partnering in the event in reaching out to harder to engage individuals.

STREET SEATS AND SHADE The demonstration project included a number of new seating areas within the event footprint. Two park benches were placed on the wide sidewalk area at the corner of Hilliard St. and Auburn Ave., in the shade of several large trees. The parklet constructed on the north side of Auburn Ave. incorporated several benches and shade protection, made from low-cost black landscaping fabric. Pallet chairs and benches were placed througout the pop-up plaza area, many shaded by umbrellas found our donated for the project. The seating was well-used throughout the event.

Attendees clearly favored the seating areas with ample shade. The few seating areas without adequate shade were generally avoided for most of the day, as temperatures were hot and the sun was quite strong. The event clearly demonstrates that providing seating alone is not enough. Seating areas must be generally pleasant, comfortable and well-shaded, too!

USE OF SPACE One challenge the demonstration project faced was a large footprint. Original plans assumed the project would include programming along two long blocks of Auburn Avenue from Fort to Jackson streets. As the event approached, the project team began to concentrate programming efforts to central areas of the two block project site, to avoid creating the feeling the project elements were “spread too thin”. Still, the project may have benefitted from additional condensing. Through their street transformation events throughout the country, project partners Team Better Block have found that the most successful events are condensed into 250 ft stretches, with continuous programming on both sides of the street. Future demonstration projects ought to consider condensing to stay within this recommended size limit.

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RECOMMENDATIONS PERMANENT CYCLE TRACK The buffered bike lane saw high volumes of use and helped beautify the street during the event. A permanent buffer should be added to separate the bicycle lane from traffic on Auburn Avenue in the future.

SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS Many people in wheelchairs or electric scooters used the buffered bike lane during the event. This, along with observations of the sidewalk conditions, suggest that the sidewalks need improving in many areas of Auburn Avenue. The ADA accessible curb ramps at the intersection of Auburn Avenue and Hilliard Street should be installed throughout the corridor. Potholes and large bumps in the sidewalk should be repaired, to make the sidewalk more user friendly for the many wheelchair-bound residents of the area.

ACTIVATE VACANT SPACE The pop-up shops already in place on Auburn Avenue create new points of interest for cyclists and pedestrians, enhancing walkability of the corridor. Continue activating vacant buildings and vacant lots to create a cohesive street frontage with destinations worth walking to. Consider creative uses of space, such as pop-up markets in vacant lots, or an incubator or fabrication lab to support local business owners in revitalizing the neighborhood. Another idea is hosting a seasonal or monthly movie screening in the newly cleaned up lot which was used as a plaza during the event. This movie would provide night time activity on the street and provide a service to local residents, many of whom can’t ably get to movie theatres located in other parts of town.

The buffered bike lane saw heavy use during the event.

BIKE PARKING AND PARKLETS The Parklet on Auburn Avenue was a popular social space for event attendees. The bike parking directly adjacent to the parklet was heavily used. The event demonstrated that there is high demand for public space and bike parking in the neighborhood. Resources should be devoted to the creation of small-scale, comfortable parks and civic space, complete with shades and seating. These spaces can be created from curbside parking spaces (following the Parklet model) or from under used vacant lots. The Old Fourth Ward Business Association could be engaged to program the space with activities, such as outdoor movies.

The bike parking adjacent to the parklet on Auburn Avenue was created out of pallets.

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