what would you do with this space?

10/1/2014

This is the alleyway behind Attman's Deli in Baltimore. For those of you who love the delicious eateries in neighborhoods around the Baltimore Harbor, you might also think about what happens to all the food waste from cooking and eating. In urban neighborhoods, restaurant dumpsters are right next to someone else's back yard. Try having a leisurely cup of coffee on your deck when rats are crawling around an open dumpster 20 feet away. Not pretty --

But problems are opportunities wrapped in a challenge. This alleyway is an opportunity to think creatively about what the space in the middle of a block could be like -- functional and beautiful! Who says an alley has to be ugly, smelly, or boring?

One property owner on the block has done a great job renovating a building with beautiful space that is now ready for business -- but to make this space more attractive to new business owners, we need creative ideas about how this alleyway could be transformed into a shared space for people, cars, and dumpsters. The middle of a mixed use urban block should be designed as much for an outdoor patio dining area in the back of a restaurant as for efficient management of traffic, parking, and garbage. It should also be a welcome sight for residents looking out their back windows.

What are your ideas?

4 Comments

Patrick Dunn link

10/2/2014 15:42:55

I've read a bit about this and alot of cities are looking towards green alleys. Alleys were created as public areas to leave trash cans and get things off of the main roads and streets. However, cities stopped managing these areas of land over the years and alleys eroded into poor dwellings.
Attached is a short read pertaining to ideas being fostered in other cities regarding green alleys.

Patrick Dunn

10/2/2014 15:43:57

Link below, sorry.

http://integratedalleys.tumblr.com/

Nate Byer link

10/5/2014 03:03:32

Similar to Patrick, I think this is a ripe opportunity for sustainable use. One solid option with plenty of precedent is to turn this into a small urban agriculture space. Like many cities such as Detroit, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh, Baltimore experienced a wave of out migration leading to a wealth of space without any clear destiny. Urban agriculture adds to the cultural identity of urban areas and can provide both an anchor and products that directly support a community.

The following link connects to a comprehensive proposal developed by Pennsylvania State University students for the redevelopment of a Pittsburgh property very similar to what is discussed above. They not only go over the history of the neighborhood, but also offer a clear community engagement strategy as well as a comprehensive overview of what would be necessary to make the agriculture space a success and varies pieces of precedent. They also offer a vision for the unique space. For anyone who aims to tackle this lot in Baltimore, the below is a must-read:

http://pittsburgh.center.psu.edu/sites/pittsburgh.center.psu.edu/files/attachments/Beltzhoover%20-%20K.Snyder.pdf.pdf

Phil Jones

12/5/2014 16:17:26

In Washington, DC, a benchmark for the revitalization of alley spaces is Blagden Alley and Naylor Court, one of a handful of historic alleyways remaining in the city. There are numerous buildings encompassed within the surrounding block and accessible only through the alley.

Once host to dozens of Civil War era homes, a visitor today would find it hard to imagine: A coffee house patio looks upon an enclosed, but airy court. An art gallery hosts events in a sweeping space where guests can seamlessly meander into when the large glass overhead door is raised. Residences may be found tucked away in nooks that feel distant from the bustle of the city (http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/good_wood_owners_collaborate_with_developer_on_blagden_alley_condos/9128).

Blagden Alley is located in the southwestern outskirts of Shaw, an area that has seen rapid redevelopment in the last four years. It's brick-lined passages and court reveal functional buildings, many with a distinctly raw charm that has often been carefully maintained by owners and further conveyed through thoughtful rennovation. The renewal of Blagden may be said to have been sparked by other development in Shaw, but a few destination businesses helped attract visitors and peak interest in the area. For example, Long View Gallery (http://www.longviewgallerydc.com) is an arts and events space featuring a flowing, wide open industrial style that is unique among such venues in the city. Wagtime (http://www.wagtimedc.com) is popular dog daycare and "salon."

The aforementioned destination businesses, as well as the continued growth and development of Shaw, proved intriguing enough to attract more attention and investment. A new bar, Lost and Found, has opened. A micro-condo project is slated to begin development soon (http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/breaking_ground/2014/08/sb-urban-goes-micro-again-this-time-in-blagden.html?page=all). It appears two or three other developments on the block are nearing completion or well underway. Over 130 years since families first lived there, Blagden Alley has come back to life.

CITYNOTES