SPUP Update #3

SPUP Update #3

by | Nov 20, 2017 | Safe Pass Underpass

Dear Community,

To those supporters (and backers) who have been patiently been awaiting movement on SPUP (the new acronym for Safe Pass Under Pass), thank you for your patience. Our goal to bring the best design possible while maximizing the funds provided is paying off, though it hasn’t come without a few trials. Shortly after being awarded $5K from civicside, we decided to try and make SPUP a type of private/public partnership, and applied for funds from the Department of Transportation and Development’s (DOTD) Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). The program’s goal is to work toward building a more balanced transportation system that includes pedestrians and bicyclists as well as the motoring public. The application process has been a bit of a roller coaster, but a year later (July/August 2017) we were awarded an additional $4K. Since a lot of our design was pending on matching funds, we couldn’t proceed until we were sure of the outcome of that process. The kicker…we can’t receive those funds until a later date…bare with me. We contracted with Michael Cullen of LAND Architecture to provide the plans for landscape development and beautification around SPUP. The “vegetative enhancement permit” is being submitted to Louisiana DOTD for approval (pending). We’re hoping that process is not as lengthy as the TAP application.

This quarter we also learned about “ownership” of lighting connections. The lighting for the SPUP was a mystery in-and-of itself. It took a bit of investigating to discover who “owned” the connections as they have not been active for years. We discovered that LUS did own them at one time, and they have agreed to replace them. They are in the process of purchasing and replacing the lights (approval is pending).

While our timeline has been adjusted since inception, we feel confident of our project completion date of March 2018.

Thanks,
Mark DeClouet (Team Leader)

Bus Stop Update #2

Bus Stop Update #2

by | Nov 20, 2017 | Bus Stop Shelters

Dear Community,

Since our last update in March 2017, we’ve expanded our team and vision. The project now has benefitted from the addition of Lafayette artist, CeCe Cole, architect Joel Breaux, structural engineer Alison Lognion and Lafayette Transit System Engineer Warren Abadie. Since then, the visual direction has moved away from the umbrella concept, and has taken a more creative, interactive and culturally significant design. The current design is modeled after something you would find in nature (i.e., a tree that is a natural shelter provider).  The inclusion of local artists in this process has become a living laboratory for the city of Lafayette to experiment with including more creatives in community investments and improvements for better, more innovative solutions.

Our project has stayed true to its mission, and has maintained the $1,500-$3,000 target budget per stop and maintained the same goal of providing shelter, seating, lighting, route information and trash cans to each stop. We’re currently sourcing with different vendors in town to build the components that make up the bus stop. These materials include a combination of aluminum (pole and shelter braces), polycarbonate (shelter with textured pattern) and concrete or rubber-dipped metal for seating.

We continue to learn as the project team has grown and design has changed. When approaching an improved rider experience, it is important to keep in mind: maintenance, replication, sustainability, replacement, cost, predictability and putting the rider needs first. We’ve kept this in mind throughout the entire process.

While, the offer from the Mayor to utilize a staff structural engineer has reduced the cost for research and development, it has added additional time to the process as well. As for our new timeline, we anticipate completed structural engineer drawings in December 2017, and will have a completed prototype by February 2018. This leaves our final timeline to having the final installation of the prototype completed by Spring 2018 and implementation beginning in early 2019. We realize that the timeline and vision for the project has changed since its inception, and we’ve had to sacrifice our timelines for the sake of ensuring rider experience and a quality design. We’re still very confident in the direction, pace, and bus shelter design.

Thanks,
Brittany Broussard and Kate Durio (Team Bus Stop Shelter)

Art Wall Update #2

Art Wall Update #2

by | Nov 20, 2017 | Art Wall

Dear Community,

A little background… My name is Susan, I’m the Executive Director of Freetown Studios (www.freetownstudios.org). I am also the Curator/Project Manager for The Art Wall Project (previously known as the Grafitti Wall). In 2016, I was approached by a 16 year old young man, Asher Corbell, and he asked me to help him create a Graffiti Wall (similar to HOPE Gallery in ATX). I told him I wanted to help in any way possible and became his team member. I encouraged him to apply to a 24 Hour Citizens Project, and he was awarded $1,000.

As mentioned during previous updates, locating a space was difficult as Lafayette is just jumping on the mural/street art scene. As in just barely dipping its toe in the water for the “mural/street art scene” and we still have lots of work to do with the public misconception about graffiti. Most locations fell though because the for reasons of conservatism (I guess) and (perhaps) the organic nature of the concept was difficult to grasp as most building owners want a mural to help “brand” their business and that restricts the creativity of the artist. Most artist (myself included) can see an image of what they want to paint within seconds of looking at a surface (i.e.,page, a wall, and/or a canvas).

Our team has since prevailed, and has identified a location at 124 and 126 S. Buchanan St., Lafayette, LA 70501. The property is owned by LPTFA (Lafayette Public Trust Financing Authority). With that location came a change in vision for the wall. The prior ever changing “Graffiti Wall” concept has been changed to the “Art Wall,” which will be designated doors targeted for murals by artists through a formal application process. Each mural will be a permanent public street art installation.

Our team was able to negotiate a contract to include a stipend per door for the artist to use as need for materials as well as a fee for the overall curation of the project. There are a total of 7 roll up warehouse doors, with the benefit being multiple “canvases” for art and the ability to pay our artists working on the project. We also agreed to create a “Call for Art” to have artist applicants submit an application to a juried call to be chosen to work on the project. Our deadline for the artist submission was October 31st and we will announce all participants after November 15th. We anticipate the first artist to start working over Thanksgiving and through December as weather permits with the project to be completed by July 2018.

Follow us here: https://www.facebook.com/artwallatbuchanan/

Thanks,
Susan David (Team Leader)

Acadian Rain Gardens Update #1

Acadian Rain Gardens Update #1

by | Nov 19, 2017 | Acadian Rain Gardens

Dear Community,

Since receiving funding from the 24CP, the Acadiana Rain Garden team has initiated the following tasks:
1. Successful receipt of funding from donors to the UL Lafayette 501 c3 fund.
2. Initiated conversations with LCG Environmental Quality diviison
3. Initiated conversations with Project Front Yard regarding their goals to create 10,000 rain gardens
4. Confirmed locations for installation with Girard Park (Parks and Rec) and the fountain at City Hall (LCG)
5. Completed an 811 survey of the Girard park site for underground cables (i.e. call before you dig)
6. Obtained blue prints of drainage for fountain site at City Hall
7. Met with Engels & Volkers who expressed interest in us creating educational materials for home owners on rain gardens and water management.

Our next steps and new goals include a charette with several landscape architects for mid-November. At this work session we will design the layout of the rain gardens. After the charette, we will price and purchase plants, and any additional materials necessary for successful implementation of the two proposed rain gardens.

We are still on track to our original timeline and plan to install the rain gardens in Spring 2018.

As far as ‘lessons learned’, our project depends on the same 3 pillars of real estate: ‘LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION’.  We are lucky to have found two sites that meet our project goals: 1. they are subject to high saturation and water runoff and 2. they are in public spaces with high traffic.

Thanks,
Taylor Sloey

MIBRARY Update #1

MIBRARY Update #1

by | Nov 18, 2017 | Musical Instrument Library, Uncategorized

Dear Community,

As you may recall during the 24 Hour Citizen Project, our immediate push following the event was to obtain musical instruments through drives and donations. Since then, we’ve learned that a musical instrument drive is not the best way to obtain donated instruments. The best way is to personally reach out to friends and acquaintances and obtain the instruments my making appointments directly with them. That said, since funding during the 24 Hour Citizen Project, Team MIBrary raised an additional $700 at a benefit concert in September held at Artmosphere. The Al Berard Foundation also donated $2000 to the project. Team MIBrary now has approximately $8000 to spend on musical instruments.

In November 2017, Team MIBrary held a musical instrument donation drive at Downtown Alive! Although we received no donations, we were able to get the word out to the public about our cause. Through efforts of the team members, we have acquired 5 musical instruments (2 keyboards; 3 electric guitars) to start our musical instrument library. Each member has a goal to acquire 5 instruments, making it a total of 20 donated instruments. We will then spend our funds on additional instruments not obtained through donations. Once all instruments have been donated, we will work with the Downtown Library to set up shop! We’ve been updating the library of our progress, and to date, have not spent any funds awarded during the 24 Hour Citizen Project.

Thanks,
Ryan Cazares (Team Leader)