Project: Midtown


1) History

From the beginning, creating an art scene sparked interest from ideas and foreseen needs of the city. Aaron Pedersen and Mike Cutler created the Midtown Arts District Project in October 2009. The project was born out of an idea to further propel the emerging local arts & cultural scene in the South of Downtown area of Reno, commonly called Midtown.  The combination of independent businesses, along with young artist residents, and the existence of older architecture has already given this area of the city an urban, creative feel.

The leaders of Little City International Student Fellowship (a Christian faith-based club that works together with local area churches to serve the needs of international students in the Reno-area and helps students studying at the University of Nevada, Reno, Truckee Meadows Community College and Desert Research Institute), chose to develop a plan.

After much research and findings, followed by the support and help of many Midtown businesses, a plan was drawn out to strengthen the Midtown businesses and the creative culture of the Midtown area by designing an attractive and unique district centered around the arts. As a 2010 community project for Little City International Student Fellowship, this project is designed to provide practical work experience and networking for students, while benefiting the community and local businesses by providing a way for young and upcoming artists to showcase their work.  


2) Project Summary

The project has been divided into four phases. 

           Phase 1 is the research phase.  In this phase we will conduct case studies of successful arts districts of other cities.  We hope to develop from these studies, key findings that can be suggested to stakeholders for successful implementation of the Midtown Arts District.  In addition to case studies, this phase will also include working together with the Midtown Merchants Association, as well as area businesses, residents and government representatives to develop a plan for the district. 

           Phase 2 is the development of an Artwalk event.  Working with artist associations and businesses in the key area, we plan to create an artwalk event, opening first on April 29th 2010.  Midtown Nights is an event will be used to help generate foot traffic and business in the area.  In the long run, we plan to design the event to be repeated with a new theme on a monthly or quarterly basis.  Update May 1st, 2010: The first Midtown Nights was held with relative success.  Over 25 artists showcased their work to an estimated attendance of approximately 300 people.  Many of the businesses were pleased with the addition of new foot traffic and exposure of their locations to many first-time customers. 

           Phase 3 is the gradual implementation of the district's physical features.  Working with public artists, an urban planning firm, local businesses, residents and government officials, the plan calls for an organic effort to beautify the area.  Components may include decorative streetlamps, district flags, public sculptures, sidewalk paintings, benches, window art, architectural enhancement, tree planting, winter lights/fireplaces, trash cans, etc.  All of this is designed to make an attractive, safe area to walk, while enhancing the raw, independent artistic expressions of this area that are unique to Reno.  Update May 3rd, 2010: Together with other property owners, we recently met with an urban planning firm hired by the City of Reno to bring design standards to this section of South Center and South Virginia streets.  The suggestions the planner made will be exciting for the area.  We will announce details and specifics once the design standards are approved into the general city code at the end of the year.

          Phase 4 is an effort that is planned to grow naturally out of the first three phases.  It is the development of the district through the addition of galleries, businesses (such as craft studios, music venues, restaurants, coffee houses, stores), conversions of area houses into commercial live/work artist flats, and development of empty parcels into mixed-used urban living buildings.  From these components, it will create a pedestrian friendly commercial and residential corridor.  This phase requires a large amount of private investment from artists and entrepreneurs.  This phase will come naturally, provided the foot traffic, and local economy improve from efforts of the previous phases.  Update April 28th, 2010: One new addition has arrived in the area: Out of Bounds Boarshop. After years of being located on Plumb Lane, they decided to relocate to the corner of S. Virginia and Taylor to be a part of the renewed energy of the Midtown Area.  They will have their full-service skateboard shop, along with an underground art gallery, and streetside skate ramp and half-pipe.  This is a fun addition to this area.

Also, the owner of a long-time successful Reno restaurant has purchased a building in the middle of our focus area with the plan to open a new establishment concept.  We have talked with the owner and are excited by the resources and ideas he has.  We will announce more details when construction begins.


3) Art Walk Event

Artwalks have become popular in many cities throughout the USA.  We plan to start and develop a semi-regular artwalk event that uses unique components not found in other artwalks.  Using an original, branded name, along with grassroots promotion, together with entertainment-related elements, we seek to create an event that will organically grow through time.  The event initially will work like this:  Have you ever been to an art show?  An artist displays his works of art and offers them for sale, along with a social atmosphere and refreshments.  Now . . . imagine an entire street lined with art shows inside different businesses, all at the same time!
 
Each business will host a local artist, while the public goes from merchant to merchant, seeing the art, and meeting the merchant.  The event will be free to the public, but artists and the merchants will have the opportunity to sell during the event.  There will also be a competition component to the event, in which the public can vote for the best artist works, with awarded results in the media.  In addition to the artshows, entertainment components could include firebreathing, break dancing, DJ mixing and more.  By having artists inside the merchant's facilities, it will allow the event to be vibrant, year round. Lastly, each event will have a theme and a rotation of new artists, always adding a newness to the event.

Check out Midtown Nights Artwalk page to see more details.


4) Participating Organizations

Location Mapping

Below are urban planning maps of the initial area of focus within Reno.  It will start with all the area between Sinclair on the east, South Virginia Street on the west, Stewart to the north, and the Center Street merge to the south.  The street of focus will be South Center St.  This area is currently termed by some residents as South of Downtown (SoDo), withing the greater Midtown area.  Later expansion of the area could included So. Virginia and Haskell to the West and Holcomb to the East, with eventual merging in with the Riverwalk/Downtown area to the north.


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