#West haven park apartments movie

#West haven park apartments movie

The space continues to be used for special events, as the residents have organized picnics and dinners, a movie night, a carnival, a talent show, and more. The insights they gathered were used to plan the space, and the boxes displayed some of their favorite quotes, such as вЂњGardens help people get to know each otherвЂќ and вЂњThe garden makes the community look alive.вЂќ The youth also interviewed a number of residents to gauge their thoughts on gardens, community, and art. As the focal point of the space, these boxes serve as seating, planters, and even night-lights. In addition, the teens helped build beautiful multipurpose cedar boxes that were inspired by artist Pete StamвЂ™s idea of combining fun social events with art and sculpture. They created custom planters for flowers and grassy areas and a childrenвЂ™s sandbox. In the summer of 2010, the non-profit arts group Architreasures hired a group of teenagers at Westhaven to work 20 hours a week for six weeks designing and constructing the park portion of the garden as a part of ArchitreasuresвЂ™ goal to reduce social isolation by building public spaces. In fact, the vegetable garden only makes up one half of the public space. Its 23 raised beds now provide an abundance of tomatoes, collard greens, cucumbers, peppers, eggplant, kale, herbs, celery, and other organic vegetables.Д«ut the transformation of the lot didnвЂ™t stop there. Since then, workshops and funding from GreenCorps, Brinshore (Westhaven ParkвЂ™s developer), and various local schools (Brown, Dett, Suder) have contributed to the gardenвЂ™s growth. In the fall of 2009, neighbors simply planted the first group of perennials as a way of testing out their long-range plans for the site. This led them to the simple, yet important, action highlighted in Placemaking Principle #9, which is starting with the petunias-or rather, the perennials in this case. Throughout 2009, residents and condo owners met with the NeighborsвЂ™ Development Network and Interstate Realty Management (IRM) to discuss the plans. Although the space is still intended for more housing once the economy improves, residents decided to put it to good use in the meantime by transforming it into a community garden.

Because of shifts in the economy, however, plans for a condominium development along Washington Blvd., a stoneвЂ™s throw from the United Center, were put on hold and the lot was left vacant. Located on the near west side of the city on the site of the former Henry Horner homes, Westhaven Park is a 547-unit mixed-income housing community that is pioneering commercial development along Lake Street and, according to its developers, weaving its community вЂњback into the fabric of life in Chicago.вЂќ The development began in 2003, and its properties are now 97% occupied. Complete with night-light installations and fruits and vegetables of all kinds, the now green 100вЂ™x130вЂ™ lot in the middle of the Westhaven Park housing development represents the fundamental concept and purpose behind a successful community garden.