Work Program Architects has had the privilege of working with Dallas-based consultants Team Better Block to envision a new future for several Norfolk neighborhoods. Team Better Block, whose motto is “Reclaiming Cities for the Public Good One Block at a Time,” first collaborated with the community in 2013 to reimagine a neglected area at Granby and Olney Streets.
The project was an experiment in urban design, drawing 100 volunteers for a living charrette and pop-up commerce, which included art galleries, performance spaces, and shops in empty storefronts. A public plaza hosted live music, art-making demonstrations, and a beer garden, while food trucks lined Granby Street. New sharrows and crosswalks were painted on the roadway to improve pedestrian and cyclist access. The result is the NEON arts district, now home to the Hurrah Players, PUSH Comedy Club, and other art galleries, as well as the PLOT public space.
In 2014, Team Better Block returned to collaborate with Park Place residents to reimagine the 35th Street corridor—once a thriving retail hub—introducing plans for 19 new businesses, pedestrian-friendly intersections, and reclaimed right-of-way to better serve the neighborhood.
An Aug. 12, 2013 article in The Virginian-Pilot declared, “Better Block Worked,” calling it an incredible success achieved through a small financial investment and the hard work of city employees and volunteers.
