Better Blocks don’t end after the paint has washed away and the furniture has been stored. Often, the neighbors are organized in ways they haven’t been before, and they have a solid action plan for next steps forward. We’ve seen some amazing results when the community is fully committed.
One such example? The Belmont neighborhood in Charlotte, North Carolina. We recently got a note about what has been happening since the project one year ago. Here’s what they’ve accomplished:
A traditional barbecue joint will open in the former service station. The house adjacent where the mural was created has been taken down to make room for parking but the restaurant has saved the mural and will have it installed on their building. The front part of the restaurant will have a large gathering space. Article here.
The old grocery store is undergoing renovation and has been split into two uses, one side has been leased to a as a veterinarian office.
The City was awarded a grant from AARP to install public swings at the two bus stops where the Better Block tested improvements.
The neighborhood association is pursuing another neighborhood matching grant to make improvements to the small park a block away to include improved facilities to promote intergenerational interaction, interactive history tour, and message/information kiosk based on what was tested at the Better Block.
Congratulations to the Belmont neighborhood. Your work is paying off.