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Painting Storefronts: Ticket to Rejuvenation?

· Posted Thursday July 27, 2006 by jamie

Ok, so I’m a bit late on this story, as it appeared in the TNT yesterday, but it seems worth mentioning regardless.

Grassroots citizen group Tacoma Works is meeting to organize efforts amongst artists, citizens, and business owners to unite for the beautification of the MLK business district. The idea, borrowed from a similar effort in Seattle’s Columbia City neighborhood, is to increase neighborhood vibrancy by painting murals on vacant storefronts that depict “mock businesses”. Could this drive a turnaround? It’s hard to say. I think there are a lot of reasons we should expect to see the MLK area thriving soon, but a bit of beautification certainly wouldn’t hurt…

A meeting this last Tuesday is come and gone, but there are meetings coming up on August 8th and August 22nd, both 6pm at the MLK Police Substation (MLK and South 16th).

More info at Tacoma Works (website) (flyer – pdf).


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  1. I have seen this type of thing done in many other cities, most commonly in major industrial cities like the Bronx, Detroit and Newark. The “Occupied Look” was big part of Mayor Koch’s ‘revitalization program’ in New York City back in the day. Some of the neighborhoods in New York City have since rebounded and no longer need the murals, but many others remain vacant. Let’s hope the murals are of good quality, but not to the point that if and when the building they cover eventually are occupied again, people clamor to save the murals.

    — Andre    Jul 29, 05:06 PM    #