AFH Indianapolis

PARK(ing) Day… At Breakneck Speed

Brett Hoover — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 23:46:57 +0000

Zach Rutledge of the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association set up a camera in his office and filmed afh Indy’s PARK(ing) Day on Sept. 17, 2010.

Thank You, Media Folks!

Brett Hoover — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 20:18:05 +0000

We have had a lot of help getting the word out on PARK(ing) Day 2010 as we prepare for the stretch run. Here is a sampling of the outlets that have informed the city and beyond of AFH Indy’s PARK(ing) Day.

WISH TV: Indy Style on PARK(ing) Day
Indy Star: Weekend Offers A Variety of Events
DoingIndy.com: PARK(ing) Day 2010
GreenPieceIndy.com: Curb Appeal
Urbanophile.com: Urbanoscope
UrbanIndy.com: PARK(ing) Day, Indianapolis

Made Paradise On Top of a Parking Spot*

Brett Hoover — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 22:12:22 +0000

Doing Indy — the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Bureau official blog — came across the AFH Indy PARK(ing) Day by happenstance last year. Actually, a fire alarm in the offices helped.

This year, Emily Elliott of Doing Indy has given it coverage again, this time in advance of the big day, writing:

The Architecture for Humanity Indianapolis (AFH) has decided Washington Street needs to be a little greener. On Friday, September 17, AFH will give the intersection of Washington and Meridian street the green thumb it needs.

PARK[ing] Day will transform 10 metered parking spaces in front Borders Bookstore into an urban park for all who pass by to enjoy. What use to be ten parking spaces that visitors use to come and go only pausing to drop in a handful of quarters, will now be transformed into a space you won’t want to leave.

Look to see you there, Emily and the folks at the ICVB!

We will also look for Renee and Meghan over at Green Piece Indy on Friday. They blogged about PARK(ing) Day yesterday, penning:

You commute to work day after day, park your car, and think of it little until it’s time to return home. But what if you arrived one morning to find that your favorite parking spot had been converted into a lush, green park complete with benches, flowers, and room to relax? Would you honk your horn in protest? Or in sheer elation?

We pick elation!

* By the way, I stole my headline from GreenPieceIndy — who modified it from Joni Mitchell.

PARK(ing) with Style

Brett Hoover — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 20:41:29 +0000

AFH Indy founder ChunSheh Teo was a guest on the Indy Style morning show on WISH TV this morning, telling Indianapolis about PARK(ing) Day and AFH Indy’s initiative to bring ‘green style’ to downtown streets on Friday. His interview with host Tracy Forner was about two-thirds of the way into the show and we hope to bring you the video interview soon.

Sights & Sounds

Brett Hoover — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 00:29:52 +0000

Below are the sights and sounds of the preparation for PARK(ing) Day. First up, the AFH Indy Orchestra and its celebration of bricks:

Then Teo talked with Travis DiNicola of WFYI’s Art of the Matter live from the Penrod Arts:

That was before they broke out the power tools:

Tammi Golden of the Community Outreach Center was able to corral some youngsters to help clean some bricks and learn a lesson in reuse:

In the end, the symphony of the bricks played on:

Urban Focus

Brett Hoover — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 13:58:46 +0000

If you don’t know about the Urbanophile, Aaron Renn, it is about time that you learned. And, of course, today would be the perfect day to visit his blog as his weekly roundup, Urbanoscope, mentions next week’s collaborative Reagan Park build between AFH Indy and the People for Urban Progress.

Renn writes: “Remember a post I did about the great grass roots Indy organization People for Urban Progress? Their first production shade made from recycled RCA Dome roof fabric is about to be installed.”

If you love cities, bookmarking the Urbanophile blog is a must. About Renn, Tamara Zahn, the President of Indianapolis Downtown, said, “I am a HUGE fan of Aaron Renn, his Urbanophile blog and his thoughtful opinions regarding urban policies. His research, insight and mastery of a wide range of relevant topics amaze and impress me. His awareness and understanding of the world’s best and most innovative practices as well as his critique of those that miss the mark provide an invaluable service to those of us who spend a great deal of our time in the trenches.”

UPDATE: Also a shout-out to Kevin Kastner over at UrbanIndy.com for highlighting AFH Indy’s efforts! Look to see you there, Kevin.

Buy A Book, Build A Park

Brett Hoover — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 22:56:13 +0000

As if the thirst for knowledge isn’t reason enough, you now have an even better reason to buy a book!

If you use this coupon at ANY Borders Bookstore in the United States or online on September 15th and 16th, you will help create a beautiful space in a community that deserves one — the Reagan Park neighborhood in Indianapolis.

The Indianapolis chapter of Architecture for Humanity is teaming with Borders Bookstore to raise funds and awareness to the Reagan Park pocket park project, a lot at the corner of 23rd and Guilford Streets which will be transformed into a wonderful gathering place thanks to AFH Indy and Borders as well as other partners and sponsors. The permanent park will be primarily constructed with materials gathered, built or donated in conjunction with PARK(ing) Day 2010.

That PARK(ing) Day event will take place in Indianapolis on Friday, September 17th, in front of the downtown Borders Bookstore at the corner of Meridian and Washington Streets. AFH Indy and its partners will transform public parking spaces into an urban park for a day, before permanently re-installing it in Reagan Park the following day.

And no matter where you are, you can help this project on September 15th and 16th… simply by using this coupon to purchase a book (or two!). Remember, the more books sold, the more materials for the park — so forward it along on Facebook and in email.

Click below and print or use the promo code:::

A Matter of Art

Brett Hoover — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 02:19:32 +0000

If you are going to go to the Penrod Arts Fair at the Indianapolis Museum of Art on Saturday, at about 1:15 you should head over to the Blues Stage, close to the Garden Terrace building near Michigan Street.

That’s where WFYI Radio’s Art of the Matter, hosted by Travis DiNicola, Matt Socey and Sharon Gamble, will be broadcasting live from noon to 5 pm. At 1:20 pm, DiNicola will be joined on the air by AFH Indy founder ChunSheh Teo to talk about PARK(ing) Day and the subsequent pocket park construction in Reagan Park.

This will be the 44th year for the Penrod Arts Fair and tickets are $12 in advance and $17 on Saturday. Advanced tickets can be purchased at participating MARSH Supermarkets, Hubbard & Cravens, Borders and the IMA.

Indy Star Features AFH Indy

Brett Hoover — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 18:14:52 +0000

AFH Indy and PARK(ing) Day were featured in the Indianapolis Star Fall Arts Guide, thanks to Home & Garden writer T.J. Banes. Click here and proceed to page 11 to see the whole thing! And the photo credit? None other than ChunSheh Teo!

PARK(ing) Day = Every Day

Brett Hoover — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:46:24 +0000

In July, the Indianapolis chapter of Architecture for Humanity announced that it would be bringing PARK(ing) Day back to downtown Indianapolis on Sept. 17. A few days later it detailed meetings it had initiated with the Community Outreach Center in Indy’s Reagan Park neighborhood about the construction of a pocket park.

Now the two ventures have merged into one.

AFH Indy’s PARK(ing) Day materials — from sod, bricks and paving stones to plants, lumber and a unique shading structure — will be moved across town and reinstalled in a corner lot at the corner of 23rd and Guilford Street the following day.

“This was a no-brainer,” said AFH Indy founder ChunSheh Teo. “We were building a one-day park for PARK(ing) Day and Reagan Park was interested in a permanent park. This is a challenging and exciting design and build for our partners and us and we are investigating to see if this is a first-of-its-kind off-shoot of PARK(ing) Day.“

Among the partnering non-profit organizations are the U.S. Green Building Council, People for Urban Progress and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful. In addition, three universities — Butler, IUPUI and Vincennes — are involved along with Borders Bookstore on Meridian Street, the site of AFH Indy’s PARK(ing) Day celebration.

The recipient of the permanent park — the Community Outreach Center — was established by the late Percy Scruggs in 1972 to combat problems unique to the Reagan Park neighborhood, which was beset with high crime and low income. Scruggs developed the Center on a shoestring budget, providing job training for adults, Bible clubs, activities and tutoring for youth and a food pantry.

The aforementioned shading structure is a first-of-its-kind donation from the People for Urban Progress. “In addition to AFH’s work, we’re excited that PUP can gift the Reagan Park community a shade structure made from the former roof material of the RCA Dome,” said PUP co-founder Maryanne O’Malley. “We anticipate that this will be the first of several shade structures and pavilions that will begin to populate several of our city’s parks, ensuring that the public can continue to benefit from this incredible resource.”

“We are thrilled that through AFH and Parking Day, the RCA Dome will have new life and bring new life to the Reagan Park community,” added O’Malley. “In conjunction with our mission to invest in engaging and responsible urban projects, we’re excited to be part of a first-of-its-kind PARK(ing) Day reuse event.”