Climate Change

The Ridgeland Ave Cultural Corridor stretches one half mile from the northern terminus at 26th street to the southernmost point at the railroad tracks and where the Depot District begins at Stanley Avenue. It will feature gateway arches, inspired by the Paseo Boricua case study, at both ends of the corridor to differentiate the corridor and identify it as a special space within the community. The Cultural Corridor would also feature artwork from local artists along its entirety, ranging from murals to sculptures. Incubator spaces are also proposed as part of the cultural corridor to provide local artists and entrepreneurs spaces for them to develop their ideas and work.

Tiny Urbanism

The Tiny Urbanism concept focuses on actions in small, underutilized spaces to create gathering spots that are intimate, adaptable, hyperlocal, culturally sensitive and environmentally sustainable. Inspired by examples of Latino Urbanism, as well as examples from Chicago’s Green Alley Program, Tiny Urbanism addresses the spaces that bridge the public and private realms through place-affirming actions, new zoning, public-private partnerships, and green infrastructure. It focuses on four elements of Ridgeland Avenue and its surrounding areas: the street, the alleyways, the parking lots, and a vacant building.

In addition to the half mile stretch running down Ridgeland Avenue from 26th street to the Depot District, the geography of Tiny Urbanism expands to the parking lots, alleyways, and buildings surrounding the avenue. There will be multiple implementation measures to address each element of the spaces. The alleyways and parking lots have been selected for their proximity to existing businesses and sites, as well as their potential to be reimagined as “people places”with increased uses and density.