Kalamazoo Downtown Partnership to host Community Alleyway Activation Open House
The Kalamazoo Downtown Partnership is inviting the public to an open house to provide feedback on the next downtown Kalamazoo Alleyway Activation project.
The open house will be held on Tuesday, September 24 from 6-8 p.m. at CityScape Event Centre, 125 S. Kalamazoo Mall.
Historically, alleyways have been limited in function, serving primarily as access areas that lack visibility and usability to the general public. In 2018, Kalamazoo Downtown Partnership re-opened Bates Alley with new restaurant seating, as well as a street mural and festive lighting along the length of the alley. Throughout 2019, Bates Alley has become a must-see location in Downtown Kalamazoo, both for casual enjoyment and as an event location.
Building on the success of Bates Alley, Kalamazoo Downtown Partnership is seeking ideas, feedback and inspiration from the community on the next alley slated for activation: Exchange Place Alley. The Exchange Place Alley project will connect Bates Alley to the Kalamazoo Mall, further promoting an urban, walkable, people-focused and artistic downtown.
“Alleys have always been the great connectors of exciting places, particularly in a downtown.” Kalamazoo Downtown Partnership President Andrew Haan said. “We want the community to be invested in the vitality of our downtown alleys by informing how we activate them.”
At the open house, Kalamazoo Downtown Partnership and local designers committed to activating Exchange Place Alley will meet with the community to discuss how alleyways have been activated worldwide. Attendees will be able to walk Exchange Place Alley for inspiration and share their ideas. We are seeking ideas around improved lighting, greenery, art, programming, and more.
There will be light appetizers and refreshments available during the open house. There is no cost to attend.
About Kalamazoo Downtown Partnership
Kalamazoo Downtown Partnership is a private, non-profit organization that works with both the public and private sectors in preserving and enhancing the economic health of Kalamazoo’s downtown area and, in turn, the Kalamazoo community. In conjunction with its affiliate organizations, it manages a full range of activities that include capital improvement projects, business development and recruitment programs, image marketing and event planning in order to establish Downtown Kalamazoo as an accessible, diverse, green, progressive and vibrant urban center. For more information, visit downtownkalamazoo.org, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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