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[entremet]

Sometimes the smallest things we can do for our neighborhoods can have the biggest impact. At Curbed, we know the power of a vegetable garden planted in a vacant lot or a library installed on a sidewalk. For Micro Week, we want to share 101 urban interventions and ideas that show how even the tiniest changes can make our cities better places.

http://www.curbed.com/2016/9/22/13019420/urban-design-community-building-placemaking

Some excerpts:

8. Pick up more poop. "I have the habit of trying to pick up someone else’s dog’s poop every time I pick up my own. I am talking about old poop, as opposed to ambushing another dog’s poop-in-progress." — Michael Bierut, partner, Pentagram

18. Fix up your porch. "In a city like New York it's easy to burrow inside your house and ignore the outside. But I have a neighbor with a stoop who has plants on every step, and a neighbor with a tiny vestibule who has managed to fit in one pretty copper pot by her front door. Both of their houses look brighter and friendlier, like they bothered to accessorize." — Alexandra Lange, architecture critic, Curbed

24. Turn a freeway overpass into a coworking hub. LA writer Kailee McGee was inspired to change up her work routine while on the road. Or more accurately, over the road. With the help of a handful of friends, McGee set up school desks on the apex of a pedestrian bridge over the 5 Freeway to create a pop-up, open-air coworking hub, complete with Wi-Fi and LaCroix (but of course). Nothing beats a change of perspective.

29. Start a parking lot diary. Lexington’s plans for the Town Branch Commons, a linear park system that would thread together different areas downtown, is a game-changer. Part of that new system will run through the Transit Center, a huge, bland parking lot that could be put to better use. To come up with a new use for the space, the city will set up a parking lot diary and let resident feedback determine the shape and function of their new urban park.

35. Build swing sets for adults. With the value of play proven to be a source of stress relief and inspiration, there’s no reason grown-ups can’t get in on the fun. An increasing number of cities and designers are providing adults with places to relax, recreate, and workout. The 21 Swings project by Tous les Jours transforms a busy median in Montréal into a highly visible space for fun.

42. Don’t forget the suburbs when building bike lanes. Making your neighborhood safe for cycling is important, but shifting suburban commutes can make a massive difference in safety and larger transportation patterns. Initiatives like the Family Friendly Bikeways program in Chicago help connect riders across local cities and towns.

Great ideas here.

 

[Regiruler]

If 8. is any indication, these should apply to more than just cities.

 

[entremet]

If 8. is any indication, these should apply to more than just cities.

City is loosely used. A lot of this stuff applies to suburbs too. Some even rural areas.

 

[Septimus Prime]

Here's an easy one: join Nextdoor.

 

[vacantseas]

Here's an easy one: join Nextdoor.

Totally. App is great.

 

[entremet]

Here's an easy one: join Nextdoor.

How does it work?

 

[Septimus Prime]

How does it work?

Go to nextdoor.com and/or download the app and sign up. It's basically just a social network for your neighborhood. My city's usually has notices of local events and police announcements, and the local users also post about local issues, like coyote sightings and suspicious people, burglaries, etc.

 

[entremet]

Go to nextdoor.com and/or download the app and sign up. It's basically just a social network for your neighborhood. My city's usually has notices of local events and police announcements, and the local users also post about local issues, like coyote sightings and suspicious people, burglaries, etc.

Does it integrate with FB?

 

[Septimus Prime]

Does it integrate with FB?

Not that I'm aware of, no. I wouldn't want it to, though.