Bloomberg Philanthropies has awarded the Chattanooga Department of Transportation a $25,000 grant as a part of its Asphalt Art initiative, which is designed to help cities use art and design to improve street safety and revitalize public spaces.
The City of Chattanooga will paint a mural at Crutchfield Street, between Glass Street and Dodson Avenue, due to its proximity to Hardy Elementary, the East Chattanooga Youth and Family Development Center and the new Save A Lot grocery store.
The funds will be used to create a welcoming atmosphere and bring attention to the new neighborhood grocery store, CDOT says in a news release.
In addition to the mural, Glass House Collective is working with local artists, designers, community members and stakeholders to design and implement tactical interventions in what has been termed the “Glass Street Gateway” area, which is defined as a five-minute walking radius of the Crutchfield Street site.
Last fall, Glass House Collective, along with Chattanooga Design Studio and AIA, hosted workshops to explore ways to improve connectivity, comfort and access in the Glass Street Gateway area.
The ideas generated will result in two outcomes: First, these workshops will provide the basis for the mural designs; second, these workshops will generate ideas for low-cost tactical interventions that can be implemented throughout the Glass Street Gateway area.
“GHC has been exploring how art can alter behavior and perceptions, and improve connections in the Glass Street Gateway area,” says Teal Thibaud, director of Glass House Collective. “This grant will advance long-term goals related to street safety, enhanced public spaces and resident participation.”
Through a creative community engagement process and feedback from more than 300 residents, Glass House Collective identified sidewalks, street trees and a mural as community priorities in the Glass Street Gateway area.
This winter, CDOT completed construction on the new streetscape design, installing sidewalks and streets trees along Glass Street and Dodson Avenue.
The mural will be painted this spring.
Source: CDOT