Better Block OKC - May 18-19

[CuatrodeMayo]

I don't know if this has been posted here yet, but please mark your calendars for this event.

http://www.facebook.com/BetterBlockOKC

May 18-19 at NW 7th & Hudson, presented by ULI Oklahoma. An event
demonstrating how to improve an area through temporary infrastructure, culture,
pop-up business & street life.

Better Block OKC, presented by ULI Oklahoma, is a community revitalization
project that temporarily demonstrates how to improve a street with pedestrian
and public infrastructure mixed with art, culture, pop-up businesses and street
life.

Though comprehensive planning projects are often necessary for developments,
the cost, scale, and long-range timelines associated with these initiatives can
oft...en lead to a loss in project momentum. Instead, Better Block OKC aims to
create quick, inexpensive, high-impact changes that exhibit permanent solutions
for areas in OKC.

The first Better Block OKC project launches May 18th at NW 7th &
Hudson.

http://www.twitter.com/betterblockokc
http://betterblock.org/

GET INVOLVED!

We are looking for volunteers to spearhead individual projects such as:
-street art/artists
-building street furniture from re-purposed materials
-temporary gardening/re-purposed planters
-bicycle infrastructure and activities
-other creative projects you may have ideas for!

Check out our Pinterest board for inspiration:
http://pinterest.com/allisonbailey/community-projects/

We will also need volunteers on event setup day!

To get involved, email betterblockokc@gmail.com

[metro]

Right on

[Spartan]

I think I'll be in OKC for this. What a good deal.

This is going to be an interesting project, because I already foresee the ABLE hacks coming out in big force and the Federal Building security harassing anyone who tries to take a picture of a community event near their property.

[Lauri101]

Maybe someone from Better Block or ULI OK could contact DHS/FPS (Department of Homeland Security/Federal Protective Services) and let them know of event ahead of time? They are just doing their jobs as their post orders tell them to.
If they had been around when Timothy McVeigh had been scoping out the Murrah building and taking pictures, maybe things would have been different on 4/19/95.

[BoulderSooner]

there is no law against taking a pic of a federal building ..

[catch22]

I don't have or use pintrest. But I think a graffiti wall would be a good chance for OKC to embrace public art while also reaching out the creative community.


Venice Beach Graffiti by Marcy Reiford, on Flickr

That's one in Venice Beach, CA. Placed in the right neighborhood and setting, it would not be a stationary railroad car of thug and gangsta graffiti, but rather a living canvas for artists. Midtown or AA would be a good place IMO. Google the "venice beach graffiti wall", you will never find the same wall in any picture. It changes by the day and hour.

Having seen it in person multiple times, it is very fun to watch people painting on it. As well as admiring what was flowing through the artists mind at the time. Since it is living and breathing every day it could be different.

Unfortunately this is too edgy and risky in Oklahoma City....we don't like public art.

[ljbab728]

I don't have or use pintrest. But I think a graffiti wall would be a good chance for OKC to embrace public art while also reaching out the creative community.


Venice Beach Graffiti by Marcy Reiford, on Flickr

That's one in Venice Beach, CA. Placed in the right neighborhood and setting, it would not be a stationary railroad car of thug and gangsta graffiti, but rather a living canvas for artists. Midtown or AA would be a good place IMO. Google the "venice beach graffiti wall", you will never find the same wall in any picture. It changes by the day and hour.

Having seen it in person multiple times, it is very fun to watch people painting on it. As well as admiring what was flowing through the artists mind at the time. Since it is living and breathing every day it could be different.

Unfortunately this is too edgy and risky in Oklahoma City....we don't like public art.

We've had that before but it no longer exists. Remember the graffiti bridge on North Western?

As for being too edgy for OKC, have you seen Wayne Coyne's building on Broadway? We are much more accepting than you might think.

[catch22]

We've had that before but it no longer exists. Remember the graffiti bridge on North Western?

As for being too edgy for OKC, have you seen Wayne Coyne's building on Broadway? We are much more accepting than you might think.

Yes I have, it's great. But wasn't the city trying to fine him for graffiti or something like that?

[catch22]

Do what? Lol. That project was approved by the Planning Commission and the Downtown Design Review Committee.

I must be thinking of something else. Nevermind.

[CuatrodeMayo]

18 minutes, but worth it.

http://tedxou.com/jason-roberts-shar...-better-block/

[Urbanized]

The beauty of that graffiti wall is that it is out in the middle of a beach, and the graffiti won't bleed over onto neighboring structures. That was part of the problem with the graffiti bridge on Western; painting parties also tended to paint the neighboring office building and its parking lot.

I'm torn, because I like a lot of street art and derivatives of it. I own a couple of Shepard Fairey prints in fact. But a place for graffiti would have to be established in a way that would discourage non-sanctioned tagging nearby, or it would get run out of town with a quickness.

Just to show how those things can go, a couple of years ago an OKC tagger who was trying to legitimize street art and give kids an outlet hosted an event on Flaming Lips Alley in Bricktown. He constructed a temporary wall and invited kids to come down and work on it. What they came up with was really cool.

But there were also some Tulsa taggers who came down to participate, who either conflicted with the OKC group, or was jealous of the event, or something. They proceeded to paint everything within about 25 feet of the wall. Dumpsters, dumpster screens, steps, brick walls, you name it. The poor guy who organized it had to come back and personally remove or paint over a crapton of unsanctioned tags. To his credit, he did. But he was out a lot of money, time, and faith in his fellow man.

All I'm saying is that while I would totally support a place like that and think it would add to the city, it should only be done with LOTS of forethought.

By the way, there is already a place that has tons of cool tags and tagging events with the cooperation of the property owners. It's an alley on the north end of the Automobile Alley district, just north of 10th and east of Broadway.

[OK4theARTS]

That is really unfortunate about the Tulsa taggers and the street art event. I love street art and think it has so much potential in a place like OKC. Unfortunately, taggers are never going away and they really hamper efforts to legitimize graffiti as an art form. Hopefully, everyone has seen where Norman won an award for the Cre8 n Sk8 project that used local graff writer talent in a skate park. Things like this make me sing. For real. Just ask my kids. Ha!

[catch22]

Perhaps somewhere on the open space on the river? Could isolate it by placing it away from the structures, but connect it to everything via the biking/walking trails.

[FRISKY]

Interesting!

Thank you for posting this.

[Pete]

Just shows the power of action vs. talk and planning.

It also proves the adage "It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission."

[Pete]

Did anyone go to last night's volunteer meeting?

Looks like they are off to a good start:

http://www.facebook.com/BetterBlockOKC

[Pete]

Bump for an answer...

Anyone go to this or hear about it?

[OK4theARTS]

umm, sorry for the gigantic-ish logo. wow. how'd that get there?

[Pete]

There is another meeting for the Better Block Initiative Tuesday April 3rd at Elemental Coffee.

[Pete]

Here is more information on their next meeting from Allison Bailey, one of the co-chairs.

I would be a part of this if I lived local... Would love to see some people from the site get involved.

Our next volunteer meeting is Tuesday, April 3rd at 6:30 at Elemental Coffee. Anyone that is interested in volunteering is welcome to attend. We'll divide new volunteers into the existing volunteer groups (construction, dogs, bikes, art, beautification/landscaping) where they can help refine the final projects that we will be doing at the event. We would love to see OKC Talk users there!

The other co-chair, Kristen, and I both read OKC Talk occasionally. I think that the Better Block event is the perfect way for OKC Talk users that have good ideas and understand the issues facing developing communities in OKC to make an effort toward change. Volunteers don't need to have a specific talent to be useful. We can find an opportunity that fits their interests and abilities.

[CuatrodeMayo]

Would love to see some people from the site get involved.

Wish granted. If anybody has any great bicycle-related ideas, I'd love to hear them.

[Spartan]

I would be very interested in getting involved with this, but I will only be in OKC for about a month before the event. I could help volunteer labor, although I feel like I could obviously help out much more.

[warreng88]

Event to transform OKC block for shopping, art viewing
By Brianna Bailey
Journal Record
Oklahoma City reporter - Contact 405-278-2847
Posted: 08:27 PM Wednesday, April 11, 2012

OKLAHOMA CITY – A row of vacant storefronts at NW Seventh Street and Hudson Avenue will be transformed into a vibrant streetscape filled with pop-up stores sponsored by local merchants and public art displays May 18 and 19 as part of Better Block OKC.

Sponsored by the Urban Land Institute Oklahoma, the event is a way to make people realize the potential of underutilized city streets, said Allison Barta Bailey, an independent retail consultant and co-chairwoman of Better Block OKC.

Similar Better Block events have been held in blighted neighborhoods in cities across the country, including Tulsa, Houston and Cleveland.

“It’s kind of taking the idea of community redevelopment and putting it into the hands of average citizens,” Bailey said. “Not only will we be completing a street and putting in infrastructure where people can sit and (see) art, we will also be filling vacant retail spaces on the street.”

With the help of volunteers, local businesses will transform the empty storefronts on the block, some of which have been empty since the Oklahoma City bombing, into a row of trendy temporary shops.

“Our goal is to use the space for startup shops and/or new concepts for business owners in town, something new for people to see something creative,” Bailey said.

Better Block OKC Co-Chairwoman Kristen Vails said she hopes the Better Block OKC project can be repeated again next year in another neighborhood.

“We are hoping to show people how creative a space can be with a little bit of attention, a little investment and a lot of creativity,” she said.

The event is part of ULI Oklahoma’s efforts to provide more hands-on initiatives to promote redevelopment, said Leslie Batchelor, chairwoman of ULI Oklahoma.

“We hope it will help give people the vision and the practical information for how to make the city we live in more the way we want it to be,” she said.

Better Block OKC will be held in conjunction with the H&8th Night Food Market at NW Eighth Street and Hudson Avenue on May 18. Better block organizers are still looking for volunteers to help set up the temporary pop-up stores and streetscape elements. For information, visit www.facebook.com/BetterBlockOKC.

[CuatrodeMayo]

This is a chance for all you armchair urban experts to get out from behind your computers and get your hands dirty.

From now until the event every Tuesday evening will be a work night. We start at 6:30 pm in the vacant storefront two doors down from Ludavine on NW 7th street.

Bring your ideas, work ethic, and if you have them, tools.

https://www.facebook.com/BetterBlock...BetterBlockOKC

[CuatrodeMayo]

MidTown Oklahoma City street set to become a 'better block'

Better Block OKC, set for May 18 and 19, will transform part of MidTown Oklahoma City into a vibrant commercial corridor with shops, sidewalk amenities, outdoor dining and a dog park.

Until a couple of years, the corner of NW 7 and Hudson didn't make a bad impression on passers-by as much as it simply made no impression.
Most of the brick buildings were neatly boarded up, and most drivers likely had their attention drawn to the modernistic federal office building on the east side of Hudson Avenue.
Multimedia

Read more: http://newsok.com/midtown-oklahoma-c...#ixzz1saQomxWQ