Empty Lots
Building off Streets of Stamford's post on temporary uses for empty store fronts, the New York Times recently published an piece on one solution in NYC for an empty lot delayed for development. If only there was a city nearby with that issue...
The 37,000 sq ft irregular shaped lot was loaned to the city and transformed into a temporary park and outdoor art exhibit space.
When the Trump Parc lot was waiting for development it served as a temporary pocket park landscaped with trees, paths and benches. There are a number of lots though spread out through Downtown Stamford today that could benefit from some temporary life beyond construction equipment parking or pseudo forest. While its fun to play with 3D models and renderings to imagine what might one day inhabit a spot, finding creative ways remake these dead zones in the interim is not only more pleasant for current inhabitants, but also effective for helping outsiders visualize city spaces as places they would like to be. Its kind of like one of those TV shows where a lady comes to your house and nags about rearranging your furniture and changing your paint color and then suddenly your house is easier to sell.
5 comments :
Tanya Memme (of A&E's Sell This House) can redecorate my house any day, if you know what I mean...
Hi, Is there any story behind the repaving of North Street in downtown Stamford? It appears to be a complete street rebuild with new base pavement, curbs, sidewalks and most notably, new stylish street lamps.
-Reader from neighboring town who enjoys your keen and reasonable insight on the stamford phyiscal and commercial landscape.
No idea what prompted that level of attention. My guess is routine road maintenance that was given an upgrade since it’s a downtown street. It’s kind of cool though to see it given some extra love – that stretch of North St is slightly off the beaten path and houses a collection of oddities compared to the rest of the downtown – historic graveyard, the junk shop, Murphy’s Bar, a welder. The narrow lanes combined with the lamps, and the newly planted trees will give it some charm.
Speaking of that historic cemetery, does anybody know if all the broken headstones are the result of vandalism (BOO!) or just time and nature? According to the plaque, there are Revolutionary War veterans buried there.
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