Falling into place
City completes three new placemaking projects

What do a bus stop, a community space and mural have in common? They are some of the newest placemaking projects completed this past week, with more projects to come.
It’s about the community
Placemaking helps build community. It takes unused public spaces and turns them into vibrant places that reflect the identity of the surrounding community and its people. Placemaking projects can be led by a neighborhood organization, business or the city. However, in all placemaking projects, it’s the community that has input on what they envision for the space and how it can enhance their quality of life.
There are several ways these projects can come together. The city is committed to completing one project in each City Council district, seven projects in total for CLT250. These projects show that placemaking can be done in any part of town. In addition to the city-led projects, the first placemaking grants were announced in 2018 and those projects are now in the process of being completed. A new round of applications will open in 2020. Neighborhoods can also lead their own projects using the city’s tools in the Placemaking Hub.
Below are the latest projects happening in the city’s Placemaking Program.
The Bus Stops Here
A West Boulevard bus stop was re-imaged with color and artwork reflecting the culture of the surrounding community. This was one of the 2018 placemaking grant winners. Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) and Planning, Design & Development along with the Indian Association of Charlotte worked on the project together.

The bus stop, located in front of the West Boulevard Public Library, features an intricate mural with eye-catching geometrical patterns at the pavement. The design was created by artists using traditional Indian techniques with modern tools and technology. The artwork is based on “Madhubani,” an art form practiced in the Mithila regions of India and Nepal, using fingers, twigs, brushes, nib-pens and matchsticks, and “Warli”- a painting style of tribal art created by people from North India.
“It’s encouraging to see the community use opportunities like the Placemaking Program to create beautiful art that is reflective of the diversity and character of each community. And also encouraging to see that art incorporated into visible spaces that they use each day,” said John Lewis, CATS CEO.
The Green at Prosperity Village
The city partnered with the Prosperity Village Area Association to create an outdoor community space using a piece of leftover right of way city-owned property. This is one of seven city projects through the city’s CLT250 placemaking projects. The space was originally identified as a potential placemaking project during Stitch Together CLT, a free mentorship and community-building program the city held over six months in 2017 and 2018.

“Participants from the very active Prosperity Village Area Association have used Docia Crossing for community events, but they really wanted and needed a civic open space,” said Erin Chantry, principal planner and urban designer with the city’s Department of Planning, Design & Development.
Located at the intersection of Benfield and Johston-Oehler Roads, the space transformed 1.36 acres into a place for recreation, education and community events, including its grand opening celebration on Nov. 2. The project features green space, art work and even a water enhancement.
Mural on Monroe Road
Debuting on Nov. 7, this project celebrates immigrants’ contributions to the rich, varied culture of the city. The mural can be found in the heart of the Monroe Road area at the corner of Monroe and Idlewild Roads displayed on the side of a Charlotte Water facility.
This is another of the seven city CLT250 placemaking projects. For this project, the city partnered with Monroe Road Advocates (MoRA) and the OBRA (Observe, Bridge, Respond, Art) Collective to bring to life the community’s vision for the mural, which is titled “Tapestry.” Its design is influenced by community dialog about what it means to be part of the city; it weaves together fabric patterns, plants and birds of different countries and ethnicities represented in east and southeast Charlotte.
“This mural embodies what is incredible about east Charlotte and demonstrates what is possible when we engage community members through placemaking,” said Rachel Stark, project coordinator with the city’s Urban Design Center. “Together, we’ve beautified an unused space and created a point of pride for residents.”
What’s next
More projects from the CLT250 placemaking projects and placemaking grant winners will be going under construction soon. The city will continue the Placemaking Program in 2020. Residents are encouraged to come to the table, contribute ideas, lead projects and work together to accomplish shared public space goals. Visit charlottenc.gov/placemaking to learn more about tools and opportunities available to help bring plans for a vibrant project to life.

