Better Block Sign Up Information

One of the most encouraging parts of our work is when we hear that our temporary demonstrations have either become permanent in the hands of locals, or that the ideas have taken off, laying the groundwork for a new movement. Spin Spot just published an article updating us on where things stand after the conclusion of September's Park(ing) Day competition. 

The international design competition featuring the six unique parklets created a stir in Denver as well as in the hometowns of our contestants, manifesting into the consideration of potential new city ordinances and developments. 

After Kansas City’s Urban Backyard took home the Judge’s Choice award, their City Council began discussing the legalization of parklets throughout Kansas City.

Denver’s City Hall is in a similar place after hosting their own Park(ing) Day, noting the many benefits of designing a future where streets are more people-oriented. 

In Spin’s article, On-Street Program manager for Denver Public Works Ryan McCann said, “Denver loves parklets because they provide opportunity to repurpose space in an exciting, engaging way. The public deserves to have more space that’s communal, aesthetically pleasing, and safer for all.” 

“In the future, Denver will continue to celebrate the international annual event, Park(ing) Day and explore a permit program that supports creative-new uses. We look forward to seeing what the community can imagine for parking spaces in the future,” he said. 

Downtown Denver Partnership’s senior manager Andrew Iltis couldn’t agree more. He told Spin that Park(ing) Day “fits right into that big vision of creating a downtown that is more human-scale and more accessible by active modes and micromobility.” 

After the September Park(ing) Day, Iltis reported the interest of several business owners in creating more permanent parklets outside of their storefronts. They saw the value of creating a space that invites pedestrians and others who use alternative modes of transportation a public space to gather and engage with their businesses.  

Burtonsville is a town about halfway between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. The site that was chosen for a recent Better Block was the mostly vacant Burtonsville Crossing Shopping Center, a place with a lot of history in the hearts of older residents. To the younger generations, however, it’s simply a roomy parking lot that is good for burnouts smack dab in the center of town. 

Utilizing community input, we wanted to create a festival that would rally the community together around a common space for people of all ages. Creating a pathway for pedestrians through acres of space was an important starting point. We painted a large, geometric ground mural on the asphalt, creating nooks framed by pine and spruce and made cozy with fire pits. In order to create points of interest along the pathway, we placed a beer garden, performance stage, clusters of vendor tents and candy-colored Hollywood letters marking out various sport courts and games.

The Burtonsville Placemaking Festival was an unequivocal success. In the first hour alone, we  counted 562 attendees. Overall, around 3,500 Burtonsville residents turned out in droves to demonstrate the desire for activated public space in the center of town. Nearly every person we spoke with asked a version of the question, “What’s next for Burtonsville?” Although the ground mural washed away with the first rain, it is clear that residents all agree on their desire for “place.” Places to belong, to relax, to play, to celebrate, and to grow closer.

This autumn, our bright yellow Better Block in a Box has touched down in several new places since its debut in Richardson, Texas.  
So far, the box has visited: 

• Southside Bark Park in Dallas, Texas
• Placemaking Week with Project for Public Spaces in Chattanooga, Tennessee 
• A Better Block kick-off event in Allen, Texas (view video here)
• An open-sourced Better Block in Lake Charles, Louisiana

Better Block in a Box is a colorful shipping container containing a plethora of placemaking elements (long tables, string lights, cafe sets, etc.) that moves around the country. Basically, it's a giant toolbox that can be utilized by communities working to reclaim their blighted public spaces. So far, the rental has been the successful centerpiece of many of its projects, and we are eager to see it continue transforming spaces. 

One of the most encouraging parts of our work is when we hear that our temporary demonstrations have either become permanent in the hands of locals, or that the ideas have taken off, laying the groundwork for a new movement. Spin Spot just published an article updating us on where things stand after the conclusion of September's Park(ing) Day competition. 

The international design competition featuring the six unique parklets created a stir in Denver as well as in the hometowns of our contestants, manifesting into the consideration of potential new city ordinances and developments. 

After Kansas City’s Urban Backyard took home the Judge’s Choice award, their City Council began discussing the legalization of parklets throughout Kansas City.

Denver’s City Hall is in a similar place after hosting their own Park(ing) Day, noting the many benefits of designing a future where streets are more people-oriented. 

In Spin’s article, On-Street Program manager for Denver Public Works Ryan McCann said, “Denver loves parklets because they provide opportunity to repurpose space in an exciting, engaging way. The public deserves to have more space that’s communal, aesthetically pleasing, and safer for all.” 

“In the future, Denver will continue to celebrate the international annual event, Park(ing) Day and explore a permit program that supports creative-new uses. We look forward to seeing what the community can imagine for parking spaces in the future,” he said. 

Downtown Denver Partnership’s senior manager Andrew Iltis couldn’t agree more. He told Spin that Park(ing) Day “fits right into that big vision of creating a downtown that is more human-scale and more accessible by active modes and micromobility.” 

After the September Park(ing) Day, Iltis reported the interest of several business owners in creating more permanent parklets outside of their storefronts. They saw the value of creating a space that invites pedestrians and others who use alternative modes of transportation a public space to gather and engage with their businesses.  

Burtonsville is a town about halfway between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. The site that was chosen for a recent Better Block was the mostly vacant Burtonsville Crossing Shopping Center, a place with a lot of history in the hearts of older residents. To the younger generations, however, it’s simply a roomy parking lot that is good for burnouts smack dab in the center of town. 

Utilizing community input, we wanted to create a festival that would rally the community together around a common space for people of all ages. Creating a pathway for pedestrians through acres of space was an important starting point. We painted a large, geometric ground mural on the asphalt, creating nooks framed by pine and spruce and made cozy with fire pits. In order to create points of interest along the pathway, we placed a beer garden, performance stage, clusters of vendor tents and candy-colored Hollywood letters marking out various sport courts and games.

The Burtonsville Placemaking Festival was an unequivocal success. In the first hour alone, we  counted 562 attendees. Overall, around 3,500 Burtonsville residents turned out in droves to demonstrate the desire for activated public space in the center of town. Nearly every person we spoke with asked a version of the question, “What’s next for Burtonsville?” Although the ground mural washed away with the first rain, it is clear that residents all agree on their desire for “place.” Places to belong, to relax, to play, to celebrate, and to grow closer.

This autumn, our bright yellow Better Block in a Box has touched down in several new places since its debut in Richardson, Texas.  
So far, the box has visited: 

• Southside Bark Park in Dallas, Texas
• Placemaking Week with Project for Public Spaces in Chattanooga, Tennessee 
• A Better Block kick-off event in Allen, Texas (view video here)
• An open-sourced Better Block in Lake Charles, Louisiana

Better Block in a Box is a colorful shipping container containing a plethora of placemaking elements (long tables, string lights, cafe sets, etc.) that moves around the country. Basically, it's a giant toolbox that can be utilized by communities working to reclaim their blighted public spaces. So far, the rental has been the successful centerpiece of many of its projects, and we are eager to see it continue transforming spaces. 

"We had an incredible year at the Better Block in 2019 with many moments that stood out. I especially enjoyed watching David from 8 80 Cities hoist the long-fought-for permit into the air for Canada’s first-ever pop-up Vision Zero event. I loved seeing Robert, Molly, and Devon from Trust for Public Land admire the newly formed park they helped create from a vacant lot popular for dumping tires. I also loved seeing artists bring their visions to life through Spin’s design competition. We visited our team in Akron, and saw the tremendous growth and excitement for that incredible city. And it was an exhilarating moment watching our Better Block in a Box be shipped away for the first time. 

But I think one of the biggest moments was at the Vickery Better Block here in Dallas. For this project, we collaborated with the Department of Justice to apply CPTED (crime prevention through environmental design) principles. It had been a rough couple of weeks: a tornado had ripped through Dallas just a couple blocks from the project site; it was hard to convince property owners to remove the bars from their store windows; and as always, time and budgets were short. We were racing to get everything finished, and at 6 pm, a group of about 100 neighborhood kids descended on the site. I have seen many incredible moments when a project is officially unveiled, but this one was unlike any other. Kids were squealing with delight as they (stress) tested out the swings, explored the renovated shipping container, and found their self-portraits on the tile wall. Several of them hugged us. One of them exclaimed it was like Disney World. 

In that moment, nothing else mattered. This project was for these kids. And we will continue well into 2020 ensuring that they get a place they can play, perform, and take pride in." — Krista Nightengale, Managing Director 

"I have a really clear memory from my first project in Burtonsville, Maryland. As it goes when you fall in love, fall asleep, and evidently, manage Better Block projects, things happen slowly and then all at once. The moment I realized that the project--which I had worried about and worked on for months--had grown legs and walked off without me was stunning. It was a wonderful lesson on the power behind determined communities and on letting go enough for things to beautifully unfold."  — Kristin Leiber, Events Manager

"My most memorable moment of the year was our 8 80 Streets project in Toronto, Ontario. Toronto is a beautiful city with already robust cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, so viewing it through the Better Block perspective was a really interesting challenge. Lucky for us, we had great local partners in 880 Cities and the community itself is full of active, passionate residents who worked hard right along with us throughout. The project had an immediate impact and we are excited to see how these ideas will progress. Meanwhile, we'll all be dreaming of the beautiful Toronto streets and neighborhoods. " — Dylan Adams, Architectural Designer 

"2019 was full of powerful moments for me. My favorite came unexpectedly. Through a partnership with Trust for Public Land, my team and I spent about a week working to transform a once mosquito-infested dumping ground across the street from a high school into a public park. After assembling play elements and moving, painting, and stacking dumped tires into pastel planters and benches, I found myself standing in a circle with my team and the local volunteers, holding hands. 

Head bowed, a community member led us in prayer. In it, he explained that this project was the dream-come-true of community members who had spent the last 20 years fighting to have a public park like this one in their neighborhood. He thanked us and everyone involved, reminding us that to them, we were a part of their miracle. The gratitude and hope we shared in this moment leaked onto me and has served as a constant reminder for me of the value of what we do." — Sarah Gifford, Development/Programming Coordinator 

"My favorite moment of 2019 was during my first project at Better Block in West Allis, Wisconsin. The outpouring of help from both the community and the city was overwhelming and unexpected in my eyes. Before I knew it, the block itself started to transform into the renderings I had made weeks before. During the event, kids ran along the unique natural playscape, adults gathered around listening to music, and people milled about, enjoying the atmosphere. On the second day, musician Jim Madritsch sat on our stage and played easy jazz. I sat in the adirondacks that volunteers had helped build just days before, and finally took a breath and watched the activity around me, in awe of the capability of what a single community can achieve."  — Amanda Bagwell, Urban Designer 

"I really enjoyed the gateway project for Bloomhouse. The design was complex; the challenge was making templates so that it could be installed quickly. My favorite part was how excited the volunteers were to use power tools. They all lined up for a turn with the nail gun, and commented how that made it feel permanent for them." — Rick Fontenot, Design Director

"We had an incredible year at the Better Block in 2019 with many moments that stood out. I especially enjoyed watching David from 8 80 Cities hoist the long-fought-for permit into the air for Canada’s first-ever pop-up Vision Zero event. I loved seeing Robert, Molly, and Devon from Trust for Public Land admire the newly formed park they helped create from a vacant lot popular for dumping tires. I also loved seeing artists bring their visions to life through Spin’s design competition. We visited our team in Akron, and saw the tremendous growth and excitement for that incredible city. And it was an exhilarating moment watching our Better Block in a Box be shipped away for the first time. 

But I think one of the biggest moments was at the Vickery Better Block here in Dallas. For this project, we collaborated with the Department of Justice to apply CPTED (crime prevention through environmental design) principles. It had been a rough couple of weeks: a tornado had ripped through Dallas just a couple blocks from the project site; it was hard to convince property owners to remove the bars from their store windows; and as always, time and budgets were short. We were racing to get everything finished, and at 6 pm, a group of about 100 neighborhood kids descended on the site. I have seen many incredible moments when a project is officially unveiled, but this one was unlike any other. Kids were squealing with delight as they (stress) tested out the swings, explored the renovated shipping container, and found their self-portraits on the tile wall. Several of them hugged us. One of them exclaimed it was like Disney World. 

In that moment, nothing else mattered. This project was for these kids. And we will continue well into 2020 ensuring that they get a place they can play, perform, and take pride in." — Krista Nightengale, Managing Director 

"I have a really clear memory from my first project in Burtonsville, Maryland. As it goes when you fall in love, fall asleep, and evidently, manage Better Block projects, things happen slowly and then all at once. The moment I realized that the project--which I had worried about and worked on for months--had grown legs and walked off without me was stunning. It was a wonderful lesson on the power behind determined communities and on letting go enough for things to beautifully unfold."  — Kristin Leiber, Events Manager

"My most memorable moment of the year was our 8 80 Streets project in Toronto, Ontario. Toronto is a beautiful city with already robust cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, so viewing it through the Better Block perspective was a really interesting challenge. Lucky for us, we had great local partners in 880 Cities and the community itself is full of active, passionate residents who worked hard right along with us throughout. The project had an immediate impact and we are excited to see how these ideas will progress. Meanwhile, we'll all be dreaming of the beautiful Toronto streets and neighborhoods. " — Dylan Adams, Architectural Designer 

"2019 was full of powerful moments for me. My favorite came unexpectedly. Through a partnership with Trust for Public Land, my team and I spent about a week working to transform a once mosquito-infested dumping ground across the street from a high school into a public park. After assembling play elements and moving, painting, and stacking dumped tires into pastel planters and benches, I found myself standing in a circle with my team and the local volunteers, holding hands. 

Head bowed, a community member led us in prayer. In it, he explained that this project was the dream-come-true of community members who had spent the last 20 years fighting to have a public park like this one in their neighborhood. He thanked us and everyone involved, reminding us that to them, we were a part of their miracle. The gratitude and hope we shared in this moment leaked onto me and has served as a constant reminder for me of the value of what we do." — Sarah Gifford, Development/Programming Coordinator 

"My favorite moment of 2019 was during my first project at Better Block in West Allis, Wisconsin. The outpouring of help from both the community and the city was overwhelming and unexpected in my eyes. Before I knew it, the block itself started to transform into the renderings I had made weeks before. During the event, kids ran along the unique natural playscape, adults gathered around listening to music, and people milled about, enjoying the atmosphere. On the second day, musician Jim Madritsch sat on our stage and played easy jazz. I sat in the adirondacks that volunteers had helped build just days before, and finally took a breath and watched the activity around me, in awe of the capability of what a single community can achieve."  — Amanda Bagwell, Urban Designer 

"I really enjoyed the gateway project for Bloomhouse. The design was complex; the challenge was making templates so that it could be installed quickly. My favorite part was how excited the volunteers were to use power tools. They all lined up for a turn with the nail gun, and commented how that made it feel permanent for them." — Rick Fontenot, Design Director

In June of 2019, we partnered with The Trust for Public Land to transform a lot infested with mosquitos, old tires, and poison ivy into a clean and safe park for neighbors and students of South Oak Cliff High School to enjoy. Before we began our three days of work, neighbors had spent the previous 25 years petitioning for a local park. With enthusiasm, they joined us in raking mulch, building swings, and painting the abandoned tires to use as planters and bench support. When our work was complete, the pop-up park was a huge success with lots of smiling students, parents, and local leaders united through barbecue and live entertainment at the new park’s launch celebration.

After the event, we began working with the Trust for Public Land’s team to create a similar mobile Park-in-a-Box for them to use. If done right, they could use the box to equip local public spaces with park infrastructure, instantly transforming the space into a pop-up park. 

Over the past few weeks, we have been working on a lime-green container complete with a unique shelving system, easy-lift windows, heating/cooling, a library of park elements, and a custom mural. Work is still underway, but we are excited to announce the project’s progress, and, soon, see The Trust for Public Land use this new box to create a series of pop-up parks all around town. 

To kick off our 2020 TBK Bank Plaza event series, we celebrated the Lunar New Year through a partnership with Break Bread, Break Borders, a catering nonprofit that teaches refugee women the art of professional cooking with a focus on driving economic opportunity and empowerment. The women are mentored by experienced chefs, restaurant staff, caterers, and culinary consultants. From our Plaza, Break Bread, Break Borders, sold foods from Burma, Syria, Chechnya, and Turkey to welcome the new year. 

Sarah Gifford, our Development/Programming Coordinator, had a blast working to build the capacity of the Better Block during her 2019 AmeriCorps VISTA service year. 

Aside from putting together our monthly newsletters and running our blog, Sarah was honored to take up two unique projects of her own. Partnered with our founder Jason Roberts, Sarah worked to reimagine an empty lot and industrial zone in Oak Cliff on behalf of the Cienda Partners by introducing an extended disc golf course and community beer garden. She designed marketing material, hung string lights, had fences cut, and partnered with local vendors and businesses to reclaim the space. The process of putting together a Better Block project and witnessing its results opened her eyes to the unique and wonderful value of rapid urban design projects. 

Her second favorite project was more technical. Sarah was given the task to redesign betterblock.org from start to finish to increase usability and impact, as well as modernize the formatting and design. The new site was released in November of 2019, and will be used for years to come. 

Aside from these two projects, Sarah worked to fulfill her AmeriCorps mission by leading volunteer workshops, devising and carrying out event marketing strategies, and getting her hands covered in paint while working with our team to transform blighted public spaces into vibrant destinations. 

Hearing about his background in small business, technology, and the nonprofit world, we were eager to welcome our new TBK Plaza Community Manager, Stephen Ellis, to our team in early January. 

During a volunteer workshop on crime-ridden street Hemlock Avenue, Stephen explained that his initial interest in the position was highly personal. Having lived in Dallas his whole life, Stephen has always wanted to make a difference in particular neighborhoods that have grown dear to his heart despite the crime and blight that has begun to overtake them. 

For the next year, Stephen will be managing a series of community engagement events from start to finish, with the goal of increasing the safety and health of the plaza and its surroundings. He has begun partnering with musicians, libraries, law enforcement, churches, and many other entities all interested in connecting with Vickery residents to meet the TBK Bank Plaza’s improvement goals. 

Stephen has begun recruiting a volunteer team to help him with events and physical improvements for the space via traditional Better Block approaches including street murals, lighting, and other elements that promote a healthier environment. To join his volunteer list, please sign up here.   

Stephen is eager to make a difference with Vickery residents and students. He is working on becoming a regular face for neighbors to know and trust as he continues to find new ways to activate their colorful plaza. Check out TBK Bank Plaza’s page to learn about the project and its upcoming events.

Reporting to the Managing Director, the Graphic Designer will help us solidify our brand. We know where we are going. We need great design to get us there. From printed reports and creating wayfinding signage to the collateral we use for workshops and during Better Block interventions, our brand says everything. We would like a Graphic Designer to help us spread the message of placemaking, create all the elements listed above, work in both digital and print (have you ever designed a zine?), and be inspired by working with neighbors.

The Graphic Designer should be passionate about new urbanism and willing to swing a hammer, get paint on his/her clothing, answer volunteers’ questions, etc. as well as make us look good. What we’re saying is this position is very hands-on.

If you are the Graphic Designer for us and meet the qualifications listed here, please send your resume, portfolio, and cover letter to Managing Director Krista Nightengale at krista@betterblock.org.

In June of 2019, we partnered with The Trust for Public Land to transform a lot infested with mosquitos, old tires, and poison ivy into a clean and safe park for neighbors and students of South Oak Cliff High School to enjoy. Before we began our three days of work, neighbors had spent the previous 25 years petitioning for a local park. With enthusiasm, they joined us in raking mulch, building swings, and painting the abandoned tires to use as planters and bench support. When our work was complete, the pop-up park was a huge success with lots of smiling students, parents, and local leaders united through barbecue and live entertainment at the new park’s launch celebration.

After the event, we began working with the Trust for Public Land’s team to create a similar mobile Park-in-a-Box for them to use. If done right, they could use the box to equip local public spaces with park infrastructure, instantly transforming the space into a pop-up park. 

Over the past few weeks, we have been working on a lime-green container complete with a unique shelving system, easy-lift windows, heating/cooling, a library of park elements, and a custom mural. Work is still underway, but we are excited to announce the project’s progress, and, soon, see The Trust for Public Land use this new box to create a series of pop-up parks all around town. 

To kick off our 2020 TBK Bank Plaza event series, we celebrated the Lunar New Year through a partnership with Break Bread, Break Borders, a catering nonprofit that teaches refugee women the art of professional cooking with a focus on driving economic opportunity and empowerment. The women are mentored by experienced chefs, restaurant staff, caterers, and culinary consultants. From our Plaza, Break Bread, Break Borders, sold foods from Burma, Syria, Chechnya, and Turkey to welcome the new year. 

Sarah Gifford, our Development/Programming Coordinator, had a blast working to build the capacity of the Better Block during her 2019 AmeriCorps VISTA service year. 

Aside from putting together our monthly newsletters and running our blog, Sarah was honored to take up two unique projects of her own. Partnered with our founder Jason Roberts, Sarah worked to reimagine an empty lot and industrial zone in Oak Cliff on behalf of the Cienda Partners by introducing an extended disc golf course and community beer garden. She designed marketing material, hung string lights, had fences cut, and partnered with local vendors and businesses to reclaim the space. The process of putting together a Better Block project and witnessing its results opened her eyes to the unique and wonderful value of rapid urban design projects. 

Her second favorite project was more technical. Sarah was given the task to redesign betterblock.org from start to finish to increase usability and impact, as well as modernize the formatting and design. The new site was released in November of 2019, and will be used for years to come. 

Aside from these two projects, Sarah worked to fulfill her AmeriCorps mission by leading volunteer workshops, devising and carrying out event marketing strategies, and getting her hands covered in paint while working with our team to transform blighted public spaces into vibrant destinations. 

Hearing about his background in small business, technology, and the nonprofit world, we were eager to welcome our new TBK Plaza Community Manager, Stephen Ellis, to our team in early January. 

During a volunteer workshop on crime-ridden street Hemlock Avenue, Stephen explained that his initial interest in the position was highly personal. Having lived in Dallas his whole life, Stephen has always wanted to make a difference in particular neighborhoods that have grown dear to his heart despite the crime and blight that has begun to overtake them. 

For the next year, Stephen will be managing a series of community engagement events from start to finish, with the goal of increasing the safety and health of the plaza and its surroundings. He has begun partnering with musicians, libraries, law enforcement, churches, and many other entities all interested in connecting with Vickery residents to meet the TBK Bank Plaza’s improvement goals. 

Stephen has begun recruiting a volunteer team to help him with events and physical improvements for the space via traditional Better Block approaches including street murals, lighting, and other elements that promote a healthier environment. To join his volunteer list, please sign up here.   

Stephen is eager to make a difference with Vickery residents and students. He is working on becoming a regular face for neighbors to know and trust as he continues to find new ways to activate their colorful plaza. Check out TBK Bank Plaza’s page to learn about the project and its upcoming events.

Reporting to the Managing Director, the Graphic Designer will help us solidify our brand. We know where we are going. We need great design to get us there. From printed reports and creating wayfinding signage to the collateral we use for workshops and during Better Block interventions, our brand says everything. We would like a Graphic Designer to help us spread the message of placemaking, create all the elements listed above, work in both digital and print (have you ever designed a zine?), and be inspired by working with neighbors.

The Graphic Designer should be passionate about new urbanism and willing to swing a hammer, get paint on his/her clothing, answer volunteers’ questions, etc. as well as make us look good. What we’re saying is this position is very hands-on.

If you are the Graphic Designer for us and meet the qualifications listed here, please send your resume, portfolio, and cover letter to Managing Director Krista Nightengale at krista@betterblock.org.