Someone once sang about paving paradise and ending up with a parking lot. One neighborhood has done the opposite and ended up with a beautiful, livable space that people from far and wide can enjoy.
TikTok user Streetcraft (@streetcraft) posted a video highlighting the transformation of a strip mall outside of Cleveland. They show how it used to be a few storefronts with a giant parking lot. Now, it's a small downtown area with streets and sidewalks, green spaces, shared third spaces, housing, restaurants, shops, offices, and more.Â
@streetcraft Before & after of what can be done with a generic American strip mall shopping center #urbanplanning #urbandesign ♬ original sound - streetcraft
In the footage shown, the space used to have a massive parking lot with relatively little space for stores. A team transformed it by building more structures, including a parking garage, so everyone could use the space better.
According to Yale University, parking garages are good for people and good for the planet. Without them, there's often no parking where people need it. Large paved areas, like parking lots, also raise the temperatures in cities, making them more miserable for residents and adding to global heating problems. Parking lots can also contribute to flooding, increasing damage to surrounding areas from erosion and water.Â
Plus, building up for parking means that you can use the remaining space in different ways. One thing this particular transformation did was add third spaces, which are spaces where people can spend time that are not work or home. The University of Chicago contends that these spaces are important because they help people build relationships that aren't based on having a certain job or working in a certain building. They also help people build empathy and compassion for those who might be different from them in some way.Â
Most TikTok commenters agreed that this was an amazing transformation.Â
"This type of development is what should surround every transit stop," one said.
Another added, "Amazing leadership from Cleveland!"
Someone summed it up when they said, "America needs this everywhere."
If you care about these issues, vote for politicians who promise to build spaces like these that are good for people and good for the planet. Then, your city can follow the leadership of Cleveland, New York, and Philadelphia and do something good with all those parking spots. Â
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