Continuous, Creative, Strategic Revitalization that Includes Everyone

In 2017, Center for Neighborhoods began intentional engagement with residents and business owners around small design improvement ideas for Woodlawn Avenue. Momentum continued to build throughout the next 2 years, utilizing tools from Better Block Louisville: community conversations, charettes, and volunteer events, arts-based programming, and neighbor-led pop-up events.

In 2019, Center for Neighborhoods led an area collaboration with the Congress for New Urbanism (CNU)’s “Legacy Project” program for the 27th Congress.  Combining new community input and ideation with data already collected during the previous two years of engagement and demonstration projects, the team produced a report with detailed recommendations for Woodlawn Avenue. Following the report’s release, Center For Neighborhoods held a large community gathering to prioritize recommendations and establish action steps moving forward.

Neighbors and partnering institutions continue to look for opportunities to implement the planned vision. Beechmont Neighborhood Association installed “World on Woodlawn” banners along the corridor. In 2020, Center for Neighborhoods and Southwest Dream Team were selected to receive an AARP Community Challenge grant, which installed a new mural, added accessible parking space, completed a community alley naming contest where neighbors voted to adopt the name “Beechmont Alley”, installed new street light and pedestrian lighting in the alleyways, and constructed a the first permanent community-operated Parklet in Louisville.