Improve safety by creating more even light levels throughout the neighborhood.

To reduce the number of dumpsters visible on the Grant and Cherry Streets by consolidating trash into new dumpster enclosures.

Create safe, defined pedestrian path along the south side of Grant Street  by means of varied pattern and color streetprint.

Patch and repair existing failing paving.

Install brick pavers on Grant St at Duke Street  and Lime Street entrances.

Install new fencing in parking lot at First Presbyterian Church.

To create a sense of neighborhood identify and foster community pride through a system of identification, historical markers and wayfinding signs.

Install a stop sign at Grant and Cherry Street intersection.

Installation of mural.

Coming soon will be before and after pictures of the work that has been completed in the E. Grants Street alleyway.

BEFORE PICTURE

 

  In July, the Grant Street Mural was unveiled!

AFTER PICTURE

Check out the Mural on East Grant Street!!

 

The Grant Street Mural has quickly become a major attraction for the City of Lancaster.  The mural design was selected by a community vote.  Hundreds of people participated in the selection of the mural and the design that was chosen was the overwhelming favorite, receiving 86% of the vote.  Lancaster artist Karen Hunt painted a lively and colorful scene depicting the history of the Grant Street neighborhood - making the alley an artist's canvas instead of a mere pass-through.  It reflects the architecture of the neighborhood in a style reminiscent of world-renowned artist Charles Demuth, whose former home and studio are a block from the alley.  The mural design blends the historical past with the bold and vibrant modernist style that Demuth was so well known for.  The Grant Street Mural is a shining example of what can happen when neighborhoods come together to celebrate their community

Click here to see the Grant Street Mural Slideshow!

(In order to view the slideshow download QuickTime. To install free QuickTime, click here.) You will need to restart computer to see slide show.  Depending on the speed of your computer it may take a few minutes to load.

Positive Image

The Healthy Neighborhood approach moves beyond seeing a community as a collection of problems and deficiencies and focuses on what is positive in a neighborhood and why others might choose to live there. As neighborhoods concentrate on their assets, they inherently build neighborhood pride.

Viable Real Estate Market

The Healthy Neighborhood approach is a market-based approached focused on building equity for both the individual household and the neighborhood as a whole. Healthy Neighborhoods builds assets, focuses on markets, targets outcomes, and values residents as investors and leaders.

Good Physical Conditions

The Healthy Neighborhood approach focuses on maintaining good physical conditions in neighborhoods. From fixing a broken window to picking up sidewalk litter, neighborhoods that make continuous strides towards maintaining good physical conditions in their neighborhood send a clear message that the neighborhood is well managed. Neighborhood window boxes provide a pleasant streetscape that attracts positive street activity. The Lancaster Campaign is currently active in neighborhoods through the work of Keep Lancaster Beautiful (KLB).  KLB is an initiative of The Lancaster Campaign and City Council that assists in neighborhood development by enhancing the environment, beautifying the landscape, and fostering pride in communities.

                                        

Window Box Project:

The Window Box project is an excellent example of how cooperation between groups can yield benefits to the community.  In the summer of 2002 a local company donated nearly 200 window boxes to The Lancaster Campaign with the hope that the boxes could be used in city neighborhoods.  The Campaign decided to target two specific neighborhoods.  In the southeast part of the of the city, the Spanish-American Civic Association (SACA) agreed to install window boxes on the houses they had rehabilitated through their community development arm.  In the neighborhood surrounding Lancaster General Hospital, the Fifth Square Neighborhood Association agreed to partner with the Campaign to offer window boxes to residents of the area.  The Campaign staff and an intern from Franklin & Marshall College worked with neighbors and a local builder (who agreed to donate his services).  Today, one can still see colorful flowers spilling out of window boxes along James Street and other streets near Lancaster General Hospital.  The Campaign hopes to continue its success in partnering with neighborhoods in order to accomplish community improvent.

Strong Social Connections

The Healthy Neighborhood approach encourages neighborhood block projects, pride in their community, and resident leadership. Neighborhoods with strong social connections develop a sense of community and unity with one another. Neighborhood Block Parties bring residents together and give residents opportunities to build relationships with those they live near. Projects such as a neighborhood mural pulls community residents and their resources together in order to achieve a common vision.

The West End Mural

Participation was the key word for the West End Mural, completed in June, 2003. It began when the neighbors in Lancaster’s West End grew tired of looking at a blistered wall at a major intersection with three different colors of paint covering old graffiti.

A volunteer committee decided to change that and selected local artist Karen Hunt to picture their West End neighborhood. She created an imaginary street with typical homes including row homes, a market, single brick homes, large Victorian homes and the spires of F&M College and the seminary for the 47 foot wide and 20 foot high wall.

The Lancaster Alliance provided staff assistance and secured a $5000 Community Improvement grant through Representative Mike Sturla. The James Street Improvement District offered a $7500 challenge grant

Starting door to door in March, 2003, the neighbors exceeded the $20,000 goal within six weeks. The response of 166 donations was overwhelming as people expressed their wish to be part of this positive neighborhood project. A number of Lancaster businesses donated paint, labor and expertise.

As the mural progressed, pre-school classes walked by daily to enjoy the sight, in addition to the many adults who “surpervised.”

The dedication of the finished mural took place in July 2004 with a gala street party.

By both words and pictures the mural says “Welcome to the West End”.

The Healthy Neighborhood information included on this page is credited to David Boehlke, Goldseker Foundation.