It’s not a plan to get rid of eyesores, but it will at least cover them up. That’s certainly a start. “Future Blooms” is a new initiative by Keep Cincinnati Beautiful (KCB) that uses community art to decorate boarded up and vacant buildings in the city.
Now, I attended the kick-off of this program last week, but I don’t have any photos to show you…so you’re going to have to use your imagination here. First picture a boarded up building with plywood covering the doors and windows. Okay…now picture artists transforming the look of that plywood with a little paint and a lot of creativity. A bright red door is paired with beautiful windows reflecting the blue sky. The windows are shaded by purple striped awnings and there are flower boxes in full bloom. Additional pieces of wood are layered on the plywood to create a multi-dimensional look. Think bright colors, cheerful and eye-catching. That was the type of transformation made at the first Future Blooms home on Elm Street in Over-the-Rhine.
KCB Executive Director, Linda Holterhoff, told me how children attending the daycare next door exclaimed that the transformation had created a home. That’s exactly the reaction she’s looking for. Of course, Holterhoff knows this is a false front. The building is still vacant, but she says a little sprucing up can have a real effect. The new look can deter criminals, reduce blight, and even keep property values from plummeting in the area. Those buildings also have a better chance of staying boarded up.
A series of grants are being used for the project. The goal is to use that money to decorate at least 130 vacant buildings through May of 2010. The Future Blooms artist team will be painting and installing a variety of window and door designs.
I have to say, I was impressed. Where a vacant, boarded up building can be a black mark on a street – this created a splash of color. You were drawn to the public art rather than a public nuisance. And maybe a buyer can envision that this was once a home, and it should be a home once again.
Now, I attended the kick-off of this program last week, but I don’t have any photos to show you…so you’re going to have to use your imagination here. First picture a boarded up building with plywood covering the doors and windows. Okay…now picture artists transforming the look of that plywood with a little paint and a lot of creativity. A bright red door is paired with beautiful windows reflecting the blue sky. The windows are shaded by purple striped awnings and there are flower boxes in full bloom. Additional pieces of wood are layered on the plywood to create a multi-dimensional look. Think bright colors, cheerful and eye-catching. That was the type of transformation made at the first Future Blooms home on Elm Street in Over-the-Rhine.
KCB Executive Director, Linda Holterhoff, told me how children attending the daycare next door exclaimed that the transformation had created a home. That’s exactly the reaction she’s looking for. Of course, Holterhoff knows this is a false front. The building is still vacant, but she says a little sprucing up can have a real effect. The new look can deter criminals, reduce blight, and even keep property values from plummeting in the area. Those buildings also have a better chance of staying boarded up.
A series of grants are being used for the project. The goal is to use that money to decorate at least 130 vacant buildings through May of 2010. The Future Blooms artist team will be painting and installing a variety of window and door designs.
I have to say, I was impressed. Where a vacant, boarded up building can be a black mark on a street – this created a splash of color. You were drawn to the public art rather than a public nuisance. And maybe a buyer can envision that this was once a home, and it should be a home once again.
