Oklahoma City’s second annual Better Block project, presented by the Urban Land Institute Oklahoma District Council, will be held the weekend of May 4th at the Farmers Market District on SW 2nd and Klein Avenue.
Described as “tactical urbanism”, Better Block OKC will transform the Farmers Market District through a combination of “pedestrian and public infrastructure mixed with art, culture, pop-up businesses and street life”. Regular volunteer meetings are being held throughout the spring leading up to the Better Block OKC event. For more information, you can visit the Better Block OKC website, “like” their page on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.
First launched in April 2010 by Andrew Howard and Jason Roberts, Better Block began as a community project to temporarily convert a blighted block of Dallas into a vibrant, temporary demonstration of street redesign tactics, placemaking practices, multi-modal transportation and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, all with the goal of engaging the public in urban design and planning practices.
Since 2010, Better Block projects have been replicated all over the U.S., including cities such as Philadelphia, Denver, Memphis, Las Vegas, Colorado Springs, Cleveland, San Antonio, Baton Rouge, Detroit, Arlington and Ft. Lauderdale. More cities are planning events and Better Block projects are even expanding overseas with groups in Australia, Canada and Iran planning their own community events.
Additionally, Better Block co-founder Jason Roberts will be speaking specifically on the Better Block project at the University of Oklahoma’s Institute of Quality Communities’ 2013 Placemaking Conference on Wednesday, April 3rd.