What a Difference a Bench Makes
Good magazine reports on how, with remarkable simplicity, this menacing, marginal streetscape in downtown LA was turned into a welcoming public space (click here for the after photo):
Rather than fence off the trash-strewn lot beside its building — a stomping ground for drug-users and prostitutes — one downtown Los Angeles community center added, instead, a few benches and flowers. Soon, neighbors began to hang out there, and the less desirable denizens vanished.
By beautifying the lot, the center transformed its use, and herein lies the vision of the Community Living Room project, run by the Los Angeles-based nonprofit group Verde Coalition: turn grim scraps of public land — like bus stops, traffic medians, or dangerous street corners — into welcoming public spaces.
Read More:
Support Streetsblog
Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.
More from Streetsblog USA
Motorist Careens onto North Beach Sidewalk, Killing Pedestrian
Driver kills pedestrian at another location where a safety project festered
The post Motorist Careens onto North Beach Sidewalk, Killing Pedestrian appeared first on Streetsblog San Francisco.
