The document outlines 7 ideas for city building that were tested in Memphis, Tennessee. Idea 1 is to demonstrate the art of the possible through public art installations and activations that resulted in over $25 million in investment and new businesses. Idea 2 is to build neighborhood capacity by partnering with organizations to fund over $500,000 of citizen-led neighborhood projects. Idea 3 is city-led street repair. Idea 4 supports fine-grained economic development through a business incubator. Idea 5 involves incremental design challenges. Idea 6 is pre-vitalization, or temporarily activating empty spaces, such as through a pop-up shop that generated over $325,000 in sales.

1. LESSONS FROM THE FIELD:
7 IDEAS FOR CITY BUILDING
Tommy Pacello, Medical District Collaborative
1
#NWABSB

2. Lessons From the Field:
Six Ideas For City Building --Tested in Memphis
Placemakers Summit – Bentonville, AR ǀ April 22, 2016

12. “a remarkable event in human history took place: cultural creativity and
technological innovation were massively fused…The special reputation of the
place, free and wide open, helped it all to happen…the music of an underclass
could literally become the music of the world…This was a revolution in
attitudes and behavior, as profound as anything that has happened in the last
200 years.”
- Sir. Peter Hall, Cities in Civilization

13. Imagination
“Designing a dream city is easy. Rebuilding
a living one takes imagination.”
-- Jane Jacobs

14. …I want to show that another neighborhood is
possible!
“New Face for an Old Broad” – November 19-20, 2010
Idea 1. DemonstrateThe Art of the Possible

15. Idea 1. DemonstrateThe Art of the Possible

16. Idea 1. DemonstrateThe Art of the Possible

17. Idea 1. DemonstrateThe Art of the Possible

18. » $25+ Million in investment
» 7 public art installations
» 50% Increase in rents
» 100% occupancy
» 33 new businesses
» 34 property build/renovations
» 22 blighted properties reclaimed
Broad Ave. Corridor
» Pop-up Retail Incubator
» FoodTruck Rodeos
» Public Art Installation
» Night Market
» Community Build
» Pocket Park Installation
» The Overton Broad Connector --
$70,000 in Citizen-led Infrastructure
TU Continues on Broad
Idea 1. DemonstrateThe Art of the Possible

19. Idea 1. DemonstrateThe Art of the Possible

20. Idea 1. DemonstrateThe Art of the Possible
» MEMFixCleveland, MEMFix HighlandWalker, South MEMFix, MEMFix Edge,
MEMFix Pinch
» 3 new bike/ped infrastructure projects prototyped
» Activated 13 vacant storefronts (7 of 13 now have permanent tenants)
» 7 Government DivisionsCollaborating at a fine grained level
» Building SocialCapital with 12,000 participants.
» www.MEMFix.org

21. Idea 2. Build Neighborhood Capacity
ioby:
The Positive
Opposite of
NIMBY

22. Idea 2. Build Neighborhood Capacity

23. Idea 2. Build Neighborhood Capacity

24. Idea 2. Build Neighborhood Capacity

25. » Partnered with Livable Memphis and www.ioby.org to implement
» 176 citizen-led projects for neighborhood change.
» More than $520,000 dollars raised from Memphians to support these projects.
» Average project budget is less than $3,000
» Average donation size is approximately $26.
Idea 2. Build Neighborhood Capacity

26. Idea 3. City-Led: Street Repair

27. Idea 3. City-Led: Street Repair

28. Idea 3. City-Led: Street Repair

29. Idea 4. Fine-Grained Economic Dev.
» 50 entrepreneurs submitted pre-application
» 9 new businesses started, 17 new jobs created.
» 7 Businesses have signed long-term leases at market rates.
» Businesses pay reduced rents and receive business development assistance
value of approximately $10,000.

32. http://christopherreyes.com

33. Idea 5. Incremental Design Challenge

34. Idea 5. Incremental Design Challenge

35. Idea 5. Incremental Design Challenge

36. Idea 6. Pre-Vitalization

37. Idea 6. Pre-Vitalization

38. Idea 6. Pre-Vitalization

39. Idea 6. Pre-Vitalization

40. Idea 6. Pre-Vitalization

41. Idea 6. Pre-Vitalization

42. Idea 6. Pre-Vitalization

43. Re-Vitalization – To impart new life and vigor into
a neighborhood or building.
Pre-Vitalization – To tactically and temporarily
activate empty places to demonstrate what is
possible.
Idea 6. Pre-Vitalization

44. Idea 6. Pre-Vitalization

45. Idea 6. Pre-Vitalization -- Design

46. Idea 6. Pre-Vitalization – Community Clean-Ups

47. Idea 6. Pre-Vitalization -- Community Builds

48. Idea 6. Pre-Vitalization -- Community Builds

49. Idea 6. Pre-Vitalization

50. Idea 6. Pre-Vitalization

51. Idea 6. Pre-Vitalization

52. Idea 6. Pre-Vitalization

53. » More than 25,000 people came through over the 6 week period.
» Initial investment of approximately $20,000
» Sales in excess of $325,000 (24 days of operation) and a ROI of 289.73%
» Started a new conversation on how to think about historic preservation.
Idea 6. Pre-Vitalization -- Results

54. » More than 25,000 people came through over the 6 week period.
» Initial investment of approximately $35,000
» Sales in excess of $325,000 (24 days of operation) and a ROI of 289.73%
» Started a new conversation on how to think about historic preservation.
Idea 6. Pre-Vitalization -- Results