[Durham INC] Durham's "Build a Better Block" Hosts Pop-Up Business Kick-Off Saturday

[Blalock, Amy]

CITY OF DURHAM

Office of Public Affairs

101 City Hall Plaza

Durham, NC 27701

 

 

News Release

 

News Media Contact:

Amy Blalock

Sr. Public Affairs Specialist

(919) 560-4123 x 11253

(919) 475-7735 (cell)

Amy.Blalock at DurhamNC.gov 

http://Facebook.com/CityofDurhamNC 

http://Twitter.com/CityofDurhamNC    

 

For Immediate Release: October 26, 2012

 

 

Durham's "Build a Better Block" Hosts Pop-Up Business Kick-Off Tomorrow

30-Day Pilot Demonstration for Businesses at Driver Street and Angier
Avenue Intersection 

 

DURHAM, N.C. - Durham residents and visitors will soon see some big
changes coming to the Driver Street and Angier Avenue intersection
thanks to a new initiative to bring "pop up" businesses in the hope of
bringing new economic life to the existing underused storefronts.

 

The 30-day pilot demonstration, part of the "Build a Better Block with
Tootie" initiative, will hold a kick-off event on Saturday, October 27
from noon to 8 p.m. at the Driver Street/Angier Avenue intersection. In
the event of rain tomorrow, the alternate date will be Monday, October
29 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. 

 

Saturday's event will include multiple opportunities for the community
to get involved and support these businesses as well as improve the
aesthetics of this intersection with an urban garden and community
artwork. During the event, organizers will be bringing in trees and
plants to enhance the physical space, setting out tables for eating and
engaging in conversation, and providing a space for food truck vendors,
retail entrepreneurs, and local artists to pilot their products to
nearby residents in East Durham. 

 

To increase the aesthetic vibrancy of the space, organizers will also
have a number of painting and art projects for residents and children to
participate in. These projects will start Saturday and continue to take
place over the next 30 days, both on the exteriors and the interiors of
some of the properties. Planned activities will also include painting
window scenes, benches, and planters. 

 

According to Constance Stancil, director of the City's Neighborhood
Improvement Services Department, this initiative is a grassroots and
resident-led project designed to encourage the local community to
actively engage in a storefront build-out process for potential
investors and business owners to operate a short-term business in this
area before committing to a long-term effort. "A lot of major cities are
doing this and adopting these ideas into their ordinances. Not everyone
can afford commercial space downtown, so this could be a great way for
entrepreneurs to trial-run a business," Stancil said. "We're trying to
be proactive in our attempts to improve neighborhoods and vacant
properties. East Durham residents have continuously asked for
reinvestment, especially along the Angier-Driver corridor, and our goal
is to help the community create a positive atmosphere in a corridor that
already has existing infrastructure and an active community that wants
to see great things happen again."

 

In addition to the new businesses temporarily locating in this corridor,
the community can further participate by providing paint, plants, and
volunteers. Residents wanting to participate in Saturday's activities or
donate items for the project should contact Wanona Satcher, neighborhood
development specialist with the City's Neighborhood Improvement Services
Department, at (919) 560-1647, ext. 34227 or by email at 
Wanona.Satcher at DurhamNC.gov. 

 

The "Build a Better Block with Tootie" initiative is supported by the
Durham Urban Innovation Center, which is a division of the City's
Neighborhood Improvement Services Department. For more information,
visit 
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Build-a-Better-Block-with-Tootie/222072414
587180 or http://betterblock.org.

 

About the City of Durham Neighborhood Improvement Services Department

The Neighborhood Improvement Services Department works to preserve and
improve quality of life conditions for Durham residents, and to
encourage active participation in neighborhood redevelopment and public
policy and decision making dialogue. The department is responsible for
enforcement of quality of life ordinances and state statutes including
the City's Minimum Housing Code; Nonresidential Code; Weedy Lot,
Abandoned and Junk Vehicle ordinances; and the State of North Carolina's
Unsafe Building Statute. The department's rapid responders, known as the
Impact Team, remediate non-compliant housing properties; abate public
nuisances, such as litter, graffiti, illegal dumping, and abandoned
shopping carts; and conduct neighborhood service projects. The
department's Community Engagement staff provides outreach and education
to Durham residents and community organizations. Guided by the City's
Strategic Plan, the department helps ensure that Durham has thriving,
livable neighborhoods by providing the highest quality of services to
engage and educate the community, eradicate blight, ensure safer
neighborhoods, and enhance neighborhood revitalization. For more
information, visit http://DurhamNC.gov/ich/cb/nis/Pages/Home.aspx. 

 

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