Scott Landfried is LOA's newest staff person, blog contributor, and graduate student in planning at Hunter College.
You know those clunky gray metal boxes at intersections. They are a bit omnipresent around cities but easily looked past. These unwelcoming boxes of variable sizes and rectangular shapes sit at most intersections, along our streets, next to buildings, and in commercial corridors. Wouldn't it be nice to see what a little creativity and initiative can do to turn bland into beautiful? Many cities are doing just that.
Calgary, Canada (Image
& Artist: Sam Hester)
In a recent article I saw, Minneapolis is taking the initiative to put the paintbrush and power in the hands of its citizens. The article weighs the pros and cons of paint versus vinyl wrapping and points out the reportedly difficult approval process.
Calgary, Canada
Streetscape artwork and improvement are valuable as node or landmarks, something that attracts and draws, something that becomes connected with the character of the district itself. I can imagine two people arranging plans to meet to eat and shop saying something like, "Let's meet at the A to Z box" or "Meet me at the bright box on 16th." "Let's meet at that gray bland box on 9th," said no one, ever.
Toronto, Canada (Image: Kayla Rocca)
Check out our Pinterest account for other great utility boxes. While looking for good examples, I was reminded of my many years living in Austin. I remembered seeing utility boxes painted (possibly unauthorized) while driving or biking the streets and enjoyed the brightness and creativity they offered.
Artist: Kristine Heycants Image: City of Minneapolis
Here are some interesting points regarding utility box programs:
initiated in many cities as graffiti abatement programs,
boxes are typically painted by professional artists selected through application process,
not just any box can be painted but typically only utility boxes owned by the city,
typically painting of boxes can cost anywhere from $800-1800 and is covered by the city or community groups.
I had an opportunity to tour Pitkin Avenue yesterday with Daniel Murphy, the ED of the Pitkin Avenue BID. In addition to some great pizza, we enjoyed a beautiful day on the strip during our diagnostic site visit. Having completed a market study on Pitkin over three years ago before Dan's tenure, it was great to see the impact he has had in relatively short period of time. One thing caught my eye...the stunning new murals that Dan made happen (and that have remained graffiti free!), courtesy of funding from the NEA Our Town program and in partnership with Groundswell and the NYC Department of Probation. This community has seen its fair share of challenges, but these murals speak the potential and future of this incredibly diverse community.
Downtown murals are a popular commercial revitalization
technique. They help build community pride, reduce the incidence of
graffiti-tagging, and help communicate to shoppers that an area is improving
and as a result safer, more attractive place to shop. (See a white paper I
wrote for LISC a few years ago entitled “New and definitive evidence on what works to revitalize urban commercial corridors”).
But did you know that the federal government confers rights to artists that protect
their works of art from modification, destruction or removal? In some cases that is the right thing to do as it allows the artist to maintain the integrity
of the original artwork, but in other cases it may impede new projects or development.
I will leave that moral judgment for others, but what is important to know is
that the federal Visual Artists Rights Act, also known as VARA, gives artists
rights to their artwork and prevents the destruction of their art without the artist’s
consent.
5Pointz, a former industrial building in Long Island City, Queens, NY,
is well known for the graffiti art that adorns the facade.
Take for example the famous “Graffiti Building” in Long
Island City known as 5Pointz. The building is slated for demolition and redevelopment by the owner, but a number of artists whose artwork adorns the building now claim that the Visual Artists Rights Act means that that the art (and therefore the buildings) “cannot be
altered, modified, damaged or destroyed without the artists’ permission,” according
to 5Pointz attorney Jeannine Chanes. (Read more: “Graffiti artists of5Pointz go to court to save building”). The case is still pending.
Ken Twitchell's "Ed Ruscha" mural in the early year
The facade had deteriorated and been vandalized
Another frequently cited example is Kent Twitchell’s famous ‘Ed
Ruscha’ mural in Los Angeles. The mural took nine years to paint during the
late 1970’s and 80’s. Since then, the mural had fallen prey to some vandalism
and lack of maintenance, but the amazing image was still there lording over a parking lot. In 2006, the mural
was unceremoniously painted over, without any attempt to ask permission of the
artist, as required by law. Twitchell later settled a lawsuit for $1.1 million dollars, the largest
VARA settlement to date.
According to Wikipedia, VARA exclusively grants authors of works that fall under the protection of the Act the following rights:
right to claim authorship
right to prevent the use of one's name on any work the author did not create
right to prevent use of one's name on any work that has been distorted, mutilated, or modified in a way that would be prejudicial to the author's honor or reputation
right to prevent distortion, mutilation, or modification that would prejudice the author's honor or reputation
Painted over in 2006
The courts however have found that artist’ rights are not absolute, and must also be tempered against commercial realities.
Anyone considering a mural should educate themselves on VARA, and know that VARA waivers are frequently employed to avoid confusion about rights at a later date. VARA waivers "must be very specific: the creator must consent in a written and signed instrument specifically identifying the artwork, the uses of that work, and with a clause limiting the waiver to both aspects. Where the artwork is created by more than one author, any one creator's waiver binds the group.” (From “A Guide to the Visual ArtistsRights Act”).
So by all means, plan for that amazing mural, but be sure to educate yourself, the property owner and the artist on their rights and obligations. An ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure...
Roll down gates. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, they are a reality in many urban communities. To the average consumer, the presence of roll down gates suggests crime, lack of security and overall urban blight. Yet to many business owners in communities with historically high levels of crime, the idea of openly displaying the merchandise in their store after hours is like an invitation to smash and grab. The roll down gate gives them security and peace of mind not only from theft, but also from vandalism in the form of graffiti or glass etching.
Yet more and more communities are finding that the removal of roll down gates does not result in an increase in either theft or vandalism. In 2009, the New York City Council passed a law requiring see through gates that offer 75% visibility (the law only applies to new gate installation), determining that the benefits outweigh the risks. The idea is that transparent gates (or no gates at all) offer ambient light in the evening that helps keep a street safer, allows police to see inside a store in case of an emergency, and helps to make a neighborhood look and feel safer. Store owners also find that visibility can be helpful - customers are able to browse when the store is closed and perhaps find a reason to come back. In some communities the Commercial District Management Association has tied the distribution of storefront improvement dollars with the replacement of solid roll down gates, a nice carrot that encourages business owners to do what they otherwise might not.
As Commercial District Managers grapple with convincing their business owners to give gateless windows a try, we sought to offer some alternatives that we have seen work...
Behind-the-Window Roll Down Gate. If roll down gates are required, these by far are my favorite option. They provide a nice balance between business and community concerns. One good example is The Elbow Room, a mac-and-cheese shop in downtown Newark, NJ. The see through roll down gate is located behind the window, allowing the renovation of a historic storefront to shine, even when the store is closed.
Look Ma, No Gates at All! In some communities, the lack of roll down gates by newer businesses is a sign of confidence in overall community safety.
Transparency at Eye Level. Not the best option...but an option.
And then there is the option of "If you Can’t Beat em, Join ‘em."
Lauren Collins, Executive Director of the Church Avenue BID at the press event for "Uncover Church Avenue"
That is exactly what the
Church Avenue Business Improvement District in Brooklyn, NY did. Executive Director (and Coro Neighborhood Leadership alum) Lauren Collins drew her inspiration to create a storefront mural program after she and I discussed the success of the Excelsior Storefront Mural Program in San Francisco
(http://www.eagsf.org/excelsior-mural-program.html) - a program I was familiar with from my years running LISC's national commercial technical assistance program. Lauren took the idea and ran with it, engaging local artists in a competition
that garnered over 50 submissions. Volunteers even helped paint the murals. The program, entitled “Uncover Church Avenue”, garnered local press and participating businesses were thrilled to receive makeovers. Here is a local news piece on the program.
Murals are a wonderful way to bring life to downtown. In Philadelphia, the Mural Arts Program is also credited with increasing sales within the business districts where they are located. How's that for impact! In Great Falls, Montana, the Business Improvement District is paying for supplies for 10 artists to create murals on the dilapidated building and enhance the appearance of downtown. This is a relatively easy idea that harnesses the skills and talent of local artists.
Graffiti covered walls and trash strewn streets are not exactly the most attractive additions to your commercial district. But then sometimes the remedy is not much more attractive than the original problem. We recently toured a commercial district in downtown Newark, NJ and talked to businesses who have given up on the painting and repainting necessary to keep graffiti in check. To make matters worse, the paint jobs are sometimes a mish-mash of different paint colors that look messy, and while an improvement, still communicate a not so positive message about the district to shoppers.
A Better Method - Murals! The verdict is in - and we now know without a doubt that there is a better way. Neighborhood murals not only prevent graffiti, but are good for local business. A 2008 study by E-Consult, among the most comprehensive of it's kind, looked at 265 commercial corridors in the City of Philadelphia and found a positive correlation between corridor success (as measured by retail sales) and the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program. Murals have an amazing way of creating neighborhood pride, building a neighborhood identity - and more so than a temporary paint fix - are well respected by neighbors who become their unofficial stewards and protectors. The need to paint over the same wall again and again and again is often a thing of the past. Engaging youth in this effort is another powerful way to work towards long-term graffiti prevention. One Washington D.C. non-profit is doing just that. The Latin American Youth Center Art + Media House partners with local artists to create murals that brighten up the community. Tim Gibbons is a local artist who helped facilitate a group of 14 youth this past summer brighten up a cement wall...see more of the wonderful results here on his blog. Certainly an improvement, and a lesson learned that engaging youth in this effort can accomplish multiple goals - the least of which might just be an improvement in retail sales for local businesses.
Scott Landfried is LOA's newest staff person, blog contributor, and graduate student in planning at Hunter College. 
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