ReSurfaced®: The Liberty Build To Launch June 2nd

ReSurfaced®: The Liberty Build To Launch June 2nd

Publication Date: 05-19-2016


For Immediate Release
CONTACT: Jeanne Hilt
Director of Marketing
Louisville Downtown Partnership
(502) 614-4122 (Office)

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RESURFACED™: THE LIBERTY BUILD TO LAUNCH JUNE 2ND

Read More HERE: http://brokensidewalk.com/2016/resurfaced-liberty-build/

Building Community & Connecting Neighborhoods

(Louisville, KY) – City Collaborative (CC) has announced “ReSurfaced™: The Liberty Build,” an 18-month or longer urban activation of the three-quarter-acre vacant site on the corner of East Liberty and South Shelby Street. The site is an out parcel of the Liberty Green redevelopment and is intended to build on the energy from that development, as well as NuLu and the surrounding area. The latest installment of CC’s hugely popular ReSurfaced™ initiative will open on June 2nd at 5:00 p.m. with a two-week programmed activation of the site that begins to lay the groundwork for the full build out of the space which will take place in three distinct phases. In addition, ReSurfaced™: The Liberty Build will incorporate an exciting new international collaborative partner, De Montfort University (DMU) from Leicester, United Kingdom. The initial launch prototype phase is meant to kick start the activation of the space, test the layout, and engage with the community. According to Patrick Piuma co-founder of CC, the Louisville Downtown Partnership’s (LDP) newly named Planning Director, and Director of U of L’s Urban Design Studio, “This ReSurfaced™ will utilize an incremental development approach that will phase in new elements to the space to create a multi-use place for civic engagement, celebration, and innovation.”

According to Dave Durand, President of Forest Giant and co-founder and President of City Collaborative, “This is going to be our first long-term project and it will involve three phases of building and activity progressing over time. We have created an opportunity to build community through this approach, as well as to create a space that will become a standalone asset to the neighborhood.” In addition, “The site presents an opportunity to experiment with ReSurfaced™ in a location that is surrounded by walkable residential neighborhoods and the vibrant adjacent commercial corridor of Nulu along East Market,” said Rebecca Matheny, Executive Director of LDP, a key partner organization with CC. Over a two month period, the CC team plans to work with civic organizations and community volunteers to further build out the site. The second phase of ReSurfaced™: The Liberty Build, slated to open in September 2016, will include a 5-A-Side urban soccer field, community workshop studio, market unit prototype, and a studio prototype.

ReSurfaced™: The Liberty Build will also include a DMU studio where DMU’s students and staff will assist in developing and documenting the project while utilizing a container studio to serve as an engagement and collaboration point between the two cities and organizations. “ReSurfaced™: The Liberty Build provides an exciting growth opportunity for DMU’s students, as the first of the program’s international student exchange, to focus on urban regeneration,” Matheny said. The CC and DMU collaboration will also include urban intervention initiatives on Health and Wellness Education. The exchange is an innovative approach to economic development through global partnership structuring, emphasizing compassion and community building.

An exciting new component for ReSurfaced™: The Liberty Build will be the development of a 5-A-Side soccer field, an urban prototype for Louisville, popular in Europe and growing in popularity in the U.S. This fast-paced, high-scoring version of soccer is played on a smaller field (90 ft. x 60 ft.) which allows for shorter engaging and accessible games. “We will be working with local soccer groups and organizations, including youth activities and our international community, to offer our citizens a chance to check out 5-A-Side with the hopes of having this great version of soccer expand into spaces throughout the city,” Piuma said. “5-A-Side will serve a twofold purpose of bringing the nationally growing urban soccer scene to Louisville while promoting health and wellness, which fits well with our DMU partnership,” Matheny added.

Jecorey “1200” Arthur, nationally recognized hip hop artist, Hite Elementary music teacher, and prominent role model for at-risk youth, will again serve as Program Director for his third ReSurfaced™ and will curate the two-week event. According to Arthur, “The first six days are programmed to give the public a glimpse of what is soon to become our biggest ReSurfaced™ yet. Thursdays and Fridays are reserved for community building, volunteering, and non-profit nights. Saturdays are the celebrations, featuring live music and art entertainment.”

The new ReSurfaced™ site is owned by the Louisville Metro Housing Authority (LMHA). According to LMHA’s Executive Director, Tim Barry, “we strongly support this dynamic form of development in the area, which is a great complement to the nationally recognized redevelopment of Liberty Green.” CC and LMHA will partner to provide opportunities for LMHA’s youth to participate.

As with past ReSurfaced™ initiatives, CC’s focus will be to transform an underutilized space and create a place where people can come together and celebrate Louisville, its people, and the organizations that make Louisville great. A wide variety of community partners committed to supporting the latest ReSurfaced™ initiative include: Louisville Downtown Partnership; Louisville Metro; Louisville Metro Housing Authority; U of L’s Urban Design Studio; Forest Giant; Core Design; 1200LLC; Magbooth; Architectural Artisans; Gresham, Smith and Partners; De Montfort University; SlowFood Bluegrass; Falls City Lighting; Louisville City Football Club; Kentucky Refugees Ministries; Mercer Transportation; University of Louisville; LG&E; Louisville Water Company; MSD; Braxton Brewing Company; West Sixth Brewing Company; Family & Children’s Place; and Festival Cuisine and Spirits. For more information about ReSurfaced™: The Liberty Build and to learn more about sponsorship or volunteer opportunities, contact Patrick Piuma at ppiuma@louisvilledowntown.org.

City Collaborative is a non-profit, community-based team that has provided high impact projects such as the Louisville Love App and the ReSurfaced™ initiative. The dynamic team provides concepts and execution that are intended to have large-scale impact that can be seen, heard and felt throughout the community. For more information, go to resurfaced.org.

 

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