https://www.holakristin.me/projects daily 1.0 2025-05-09 https://www.holakristin.me/projects/openstreets monthly 0.5 2023-09-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/52b7cf31-4a46-4fed-8ba8-e3c7426283f0/hero+street.jpg Placemaking & Events - Open Streets Columbus Avenue Open Streets turns nine city blocks, every Sunday for three months over to businesses on the avenue, residents, and visitors to the area. In its first season, the program saw 30k+ visitors and received a 93% program approval rating from community feedback surveys. Placer.ai data showed a 45% foot traffic increase in the second season. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/2c1f7d9f-c21e-4996-abc2-4645505bd010/dancer.jpg Placemaking & Events - Open Streets It is wonderful to see the many ways in which Open Streets inspires people to make public space their own. Community members are encouraged to #embraceyouravenue and make lasting memories. From impromptu photo shoots (above) to pop-up lemonade stands, play dates, baby showers and even a wedding ceremony, inspiration could be seen on every block. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/bb0335f8-1c07-4027-b848-b93cb19ffd96/outdoor+dining.jpg Placemaking & Events - Open Streets Businesses were encouraged to expand outside of their storefronts by bringing dining, retail, and services out onto the avenue. Restaurants, like Manny's Bistro (above) went all in by setting up extra tables and chairs and having a jazz band during brunch. Many Sunday's found actor Tony Danza at Manny's, crooning away to patrons and passerby's. It's not everyday, or every Open Streets, where you can experience that! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/ea4db942-f235-43b2-ae1e-e00d1be26428/passive+activations.jpg Placemaking & Events - Open Streets An easy and impactful way to activate Open Streets is through passive programming like setting up tables and chairs that people can move into whatever area or shape they desire. We were fortunate to get these bistro sets on loan from NYC DOT and put them to good use up and down the avenue. Passive activations can be a light lift, while providing ample opportunities for relaxation and respite. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/597729af-7fe6-4928-ba64-2af095be2fee/chalk.jpg Placemaking & Events - Open Streets Another example of big bang for a buck, chalk continues to be one the most popular elements of Open Streets. Loved by adults and children alike, survey feedback often mentioned how much people enjoyed the buckets of chalk that were placed at various blocks along the avenue. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/1c190f8a-c41f-41f2-a578-111773ed7792/Street+Lab.jpg Placemaking & Events - Open Streets Partnering with mission-based organizations helps bring a meaningful sense to place. Working with organizations like Drag Story Hour and Art on the Avenue, that champion diversity, inclusion, and local artists helps Open Streets program with purpose. Street Lab (above) hosts public space activations, like this pop up obstacle course for kids, that "improve the urban environment, strengthen neighborhoods, and bring New Yorkers together." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/f537b7c9-6672-4988-8737-9b363ea1c882/music.jpg Placemaking & Events - Open Streets Music can be a key element to activating a space because, well, who doesn't like music? From DJ's spinning to live bands playing, Open Streets always incorporates music in some form or style. New Orleans Renaissance, pictured here, performed a spirited set, engaging everyone one as they walked up and down the avenue. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/f926a4a0-a60c-45f9-a726-d4dc3820be54/branding.jpg Placemaking & Events - Open Streets Working with Columbus Avenue's Executive Director and a graphic artist, I helped oversee all program graphics that were used on marketing materials from barricade banners (above) to posters, postcards, stickers, and mailers that helped promote the program. To keep consistency season over season, the only graphic component that changes are the colors ways. This freshens the programs look each year, while imparting a familiar aesthetic recognizable across all print and online graphics. https://www.holakristin.me/projects/horticulture monthly 0.5 2023-09-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/1694133866828-BIJDWWAY4EORRP42C23E/Daffodils%2Bplaza.jpg Placemaking & Events - Horticulture Never have I ever been mistaken for a plant person. Don't get me wrong, I love nature and green spaces, but a green thumb I was not...until I planted over 500 daffodils in Myrtle Avenue Plaza. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/1090ded5-2b56-4f92-a9dd-05f7943137b1/plants.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Horticulture Working with the Hort, anywhere from 60 - 70 of the 100+ tree pits and planters are filled with different types of annuals, with planting taking place in late Spring and early Fall. Watering is a big part of the maintenance of these pits and by looking at different watering vendors each year, I was able to save 70% on watering costs and worked with vendors that helped extend the life of our plants, helping us to cut back on the cost of new plants in the Fall. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/bbe1a4c8-91e5-413c-b38c-f379ae802fbf/perennials.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Horticulture Typically Spring annuals would be replaced with Fall annuals creating two planting seasons...and two sets of costs. By working with a new watering vendor I found the plants were thriving into the later months, meaning we could almost eliminate the Fall planting cost. Going one step further, we worked to find ways to create a more sustainable and native environment by creating a pilot program where 15 of the pits were planted with perennials (above). As these plants continue to grow and acclimate, the entire avenue will hopefully be planted, section by section, with perennials that will live in place year round and bloom at different intervals throughout the season bringing continued vibrancy to the streetscape. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/695fde6d-6fa9-4cdd-9dd6-ecc2934b4182/me+planting.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Horticulture Never one to miss out on free resources for the avenue, I first signed up to get 500+ free daffodil bulbs through New Yorkers for Parks Daffodil Project and planted the bulbs, with the help of volunteers, in a planter in the plaza. They bloomed just as the pandemic was taking shape and New York was turning into the epicenter. Not being able to see these daffodils bloom in person because of the stay at home order was the first time the deep severity of the pandemic hit me. To not be able to go out to my district and check in on my spaces crushed me. As we emerged out of the pandemic I kept getting free daffodil bulbs and finding new places to plant them like here in Person's Square. Dale, a favorite of mine on the Block By Block team and an avid gardener in his personal life, helped me plant over 800 daffodil bulbs and took great joy in seeing them fill the space with yellow blooms. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/ecd4d31c-f064-4e72-952a-d42ca690fdb5/bebe+tree.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Horticulture New York City's Parks and Recreation department manages all trees in the city and I worked with them to make sure new trees were planted and unhealthy ones removed. Flush with grant funds and working with Urban Arborists, we were able to plant a few new trees (above) in strategic parts of the district. I enrolled in Trees New York Citizen Pruner Course to learn how to properly care for our new and established trees. Just call me Plant Mom! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/ee868236-5bc1-40be-ae90-3caa8e615d0b/plantys.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Horticulture Each of the tree pits is equipped with a unique and individual tree guard that protects the tree and the plants. For many years the guards had labels that described the plants or the artist that made the guard. The time had come for new tree guard labels and I seized the opportunity to create a new placemaking moment. A culturally diverse community, I designed the labels to say "Welcome" in the many different languages spoken on Myrtle, as sign of respect and hospitality to the many amazing neighbors that make Myrtle Avenue a proud and deeply rooted place to call home. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/eb87eb38-896f-47c8-a410-b4c7cc973c56/samsies.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Horticulture By designing the tree guard labels to match the district banners (seen top left in this image) I was able to create consistent branding across our horticulture and infrastructure initiatives. Although many people knew about the Myrtle Avenue BID, there were times when people weren't familiar with the organizations work. A quick and easy way to bridge that gap was to point to the banners and tree guards and say, "That's us! We look after the neighborhood!" and almost immediately the connection was made between the BID as an organization, the work that was being done, and the people that made it happen. https://www.holakristin.me/projects/community monthly 0.5 2023-09-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/2fdbad9a-2f61-4e64-bccc-2eeef323973b/DSC00702.JPG Placemaking & Events - Community Engagement Community engagement is critical to any public space initiative because the people that live in, work in, and use a space are often closest to the reality of what the space is and can become. Here a stakeholder looks at and votes on feedback taken from breakout sessions aimed at building consensus and creating programming recommendations for a project within Brooklyn Bridge Park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/1693956847995-KPQQ77KFFLNBD6PYHC06/BBP.jpg Placemaking & Events - Community Engagement The site is located under the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge in DUMBO, along Water Street. This area creates a pivotal link between the north and south sides of the park with visitors pouring in at the ferry landing, from the bus route along Water Street, and the nearby A/C subway line. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/72fe0672-0868-4b79-8410-3e71785c4875/site+visit+before.JPG Placemaking & Events - Community Engagement An expansive site, it had different constraints, like bridge security, that needed to be accounted for and solved during the planning process. The first site meeting (above) gathered the clients and team members from Pratt to look at the site at consider its opportunities. Everyone agreed that the iconic location should be celebrated, although opinions differed on how that would look. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/d2f74b27-d2c9-450a-b6a9-42d415f62784/DSC01065.JPG Placemaking & Events - Community Engagement During the length of the project one of my responsibilities was to coordinate logistics for the community engagement workshop. The workshop, held at a school a 5 minute walk from the site, was attended by 80 stakeholders that ranged from residents, to business owners, and property developers, and even council member representatives. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/dfbca5da-a77e-4827-904d-67934e8a5909/DSC00652.JPG Placemaking & Events - Community Engagement Upon their return participants were broken into different break out groups that focused on how the area could be programmed during different seasons and at different times of day. As a session facilitator (above), I made sure everyone had a chance to speak and be heard by the group while mediating conflicts and recording feedback. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/dbfb556b-fed8-4b40-ac71-183067ad7d89/BBP+VISION+PLAN.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Community Engagement After all the stakeholder interviews were completed and the workshop feedback was collected sorted and analyzed, we then set out to write and publish a vision plan with recommendations for the space, including a section on governance to help the clients better collectively manage the space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/26c45074-bd40-490c-8e65-4efb624b241b/BBP+After.jpg Placemaking & Events - Community Engagement In the end, the Brooklyn Bridge Park Plaza was finally opened. Designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, the plaza contains active and passive spaces where a number of programming opportunities can take place. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/6667fcb3-58d3-400c-ab51-437f5a00b8c1/IMG_3867.JPG Placemaking & Events - Community Engagement After taking a leading role in the project and gaining invaluable lessons and experiences from my professors and the clients, I was once again selected to present the project at the Venice Biennale (above), to other students working in public spaces around the world. This project has enabled me to confidently engage in community engagement and I have taken that experience into every role and job since. https://www.holakristin.me/projects/programming monthly 0.5 2023-09-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/5b184d1a-74c7-4f42-9b10-da2563051bac/a+frame.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Programming & Events Supporting Myrtle Avenue businesses is always top of mind, especially during the Summer Night's series when 500 - 600 people regularly turn up to enjoy the avenue. A-frame signs, seen here, placed throughout the district create an excellent opportunity to drive foot traffic into businesses with outdoor dining or happy hour specials. Other business activations that are promoted through event marketing include free knife sharpening, free books, curbside wine tastings and discounts on purchases made during the Summer Night's hours of 5pm-8pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/1693192541437-XII5T7V2SLKVM7ITEVHY/Brooklyn+Elite+Jumpers.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Programming & Events Among the many artists to have memorialized Brooklyn in verse or rhyme, poet Anne Sexton wrote, "Poor thing. To die and never see Brooklyn." I count myself lucky to have seen Brooklyn and to have worked for, and lived in, the communities of Fort Greene and Clinton Hill. It has been one of the richest experiences of my personal and professional lives. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/a6210dba-9797-43fb-8ba2-bcfa0b381f8c/Benny+Lopez.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Programming & Events Myrtle Avenue's Summer Nights Series kicked off in the Myrtle Avenue Plaza in the summer of 2019 during one Friday night each month from May to September. With all activities set in the 24k sq.ft. plaza, there was plenty of space for music, dancing, children's activities, and free food samples from local restaurants. Benny Lopez and his Latin Jazz Ensemble (above) have long been a staple on Myrtle Avenue and combine great Latin music with good neighbors, setting the scene for fun-filled dance party in the Plaza. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/cc4d57f1-8156-4cca-aa28-a871e6cceffd/activities.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Programming & Events Games are always a good place to start when programming a public space because they provide interactive entertainment that appeal to any age. Corn hole, giant Jenga, oversized Connect 4 boards, hula hoops, and chalk easily engage people while being flexible and easy to set up and take down within the space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/83f51670-adb0-4dc9-9580-4ccdd551a4da/show+time+dancers.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Programming & Events Myrtle Avenue Plaza provides a great "stage" to invite performers out for the evening. Here we collaborated with It's Showtime NYC, a mission-based organization that "provides performance and professional development opportunities to street and subway dancers", to create an interactive dance competition that included audience members. The turn out was only topped by the electric energy filling the plaza as these dancers performed for hundreds of people. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/0868316f-a450-49ce-9d58-ac3a43dfb7ca/tarot.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Programming & Events Collaborating with local artists and vendors helps to reinforce the community feel of events. As often as possible I bring in community members that help create activations along the avenue, drawing attendees across the district. Here we see people lined up to get their tarot cards read by Amanda (@the.oracle_sona). Amanda lives in the community, works at a local school and we love partnering with her on tarot readings and seasonal art installations that she paints in storefront windows. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/66143f86-d257-4a14-8525-8ad39ec5f05a/sponsor.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Programming & Events Creating strong partnerships with different city agencies helps us leverage relationships into sponsorship opportunities. An ardent supporter of our programs, the NYC Ferry has helped sponsor Summer Night's, year after year. Every sponsor gets logo placement on all marketing materials, shout outs on social media and in newsletters, and are always invited to able at events. Anika, pictured above, informs this resident on the latest Ferry happenings, while engaging her in a raffle to win a free month-long Ferry pass. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/a38491de-e636-4e90-9b35-a389dcc424d4/bus+ads.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Programming & Events Creating marketing and communication campaigns is crucial to keeping events visible and attendance high. This can be done creatively by placing ad's in bus shelters (above) or posters in storefronts. At Myrtle is was also done strategically by communicating to over 25k combined social media followers, regular placement in our newsletters, working with businesses to be promoted through their own channels, placement in local news sites and blogs. https://www.holakristin.me/projects/lighting monthly 0.5 2024-08-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/2326b700-2997-4037-b226-90a1b6262938/prior.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Lighting Installations The original lights, seen here, were a custom design that were very nice, but very costly. In my role as BID Services Director, I wrote an RFP to find a new lighting contractor in order to save money while improving service during installation and take down phases. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/37781cc0-f502-494d-b0bb-84c1a0d381a5/love.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Lighting Installations The holidays are "the most wonderful time of the year" and these colorfully wrapped trees and illuminated pole decorations help spread cheer across the avenue, all season long. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/06b62b53-85a9-4d91-8af9-8a0a07804fb7/lights.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Lighting Installations By finding and hiring a new contractor I was able to get lights that were "off the shelf" and at a more competitive price, saving Myrtle Avenue $27k in costs year over year through contract negotiations. I worked with the contractor to get the lights up in time for Thanksgiving and selected a snowflake theme more akin to winter in general, to try and combat late stage holiday fatigue, as these lights remained in place through the new year. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/26cb475c-625e-424d-92f0-0f2c29aa63d0/2.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Lighting Installations The skylines gave us an opportunity to bring branding and a sense of place to the avenue by creating lights that welcomed people to each neighborhood. Here you see the "Welcome to Clinton Hill" sign that hung in the east end of the district, on the Clinton Hill side. On the west side we placed a "Welcome Fort Greene" skyline and hung a "Welcome to Myrtle Avenue" sign in the corridors center. I worked closely with the lighting vendor and NYC DOT to ensure that our installations met all of DOT's permit, placement, and power standards and invited both groups out to do a district walk to ensure we were all on the same page. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/d0bcac79-00a9-4998-8809-65fefab6e7e1/plaza+lights.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Lighting Installations By saving thousands of dollars we were able to expand our lights for the first time to include colorfully wrapped trees in the Plaza. These trees were a hit with residents and businesses calling them out in social media comments, with follower @candydandy83 posting, "Thank you for the cheer ❤️." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/edf5b8e7-3a92-4a47-9f5c-072cd16c2596/Hero+image.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Lighting Installations Another great upside to saving money on our lights meant I was able to get an even bigger tree for the Holiday Tree Lighting event! A 17 foot tall fir tree (above) takes center stage here in Fort Greene Park. The highlight of my year was being the one to flip the switch, illuminating the tree at the culmination of a community wide countdown. https://www.holakristin.me/projects/art monthly 0.5 2023-09-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/f6715b98-f28f-441f-b6a2-51ff29189c5c/pratt+foundation.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Art Installations Once drab and underutilized, these boxes containing water main and electric utilities now come to life each year with new vinyl art installations. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/1693192437486-Y4MO0BBYEI3OBERIW3XE/first+pratt.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Art Installations The utility boxes are wrapped in new art work each year and the first installation, seen here, incorporated colors found in the plants in and around the plaza. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/e0f5947f-8d72-428b-bad6-b806615a85af/Pratt+%2722+install.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Art Installations As the plaza manager I was onsite to monitor the vinyl installation on all three utility boxes, and to make sure the vinyl was in good condition and not damaged throughput the year. Myrtle Avenue helped split the cost of the vinyl with the Foundation department. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/e93d4c20-ec90-48ab-88bc-aa17b53034c9/Pratt+22+plaque.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Art Installations The Pratt campus is known for its sculpture garden and I worked to bring that experience outside the campus and into the plaza by installing a plaque, matching those found on campus. Beyond showcasing their work, the plaque helps act as a start to real world experience for first year students. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/21dde90c-9de7-421e-847e-7ef551e5cb56/Pratt+Foundation+%2723+4.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Art Installations With a year long run, these art installations help make the plaza a continual place of interest, while standing vibrantly against a wintery backdrop. Foundation Expanded takes place every April and kicks off a weekend of free programming that has included fashions shows, student bands, and live readings by senior age residents of the community. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/64c511c1-aacf-485d-8f10-b638a7463540/Pratt+%2722+2.jpeg Placemaking & Events - Art Installations The Foundation Expanded initiatives incorporates 4 different "sites" in the plaza. Here we see site 3 utilizing a 30ft by 10ft space, creating a ground mural showcasing the work of 16 different students. https://www.holakristin.me/projects/tradeshows-z2sg2 monthly 0.5 2024-08-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/dccc0862-afff-443a-9819-6673c0262a6e/CEDIA3+front+desk.jpg Placemaking & Events - Tradeshows CEDIA Expo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/9123fb17-cf2a-4098-bbad-50869fc79c39/CEDIA2014_ceiling+cap.jpg Placemaking & Events - Tradeshows Ceiling / Cap https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/c112068b-f010-4f76-8488-be2da38cce11/CEDIA2014_iport+far+out.jpg Placemaking & Events - Tradeshows Port https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/f45d92b4-9c67-4761-aadb-f2a5932172bf/CEDIA2014_iport+up+close.jpg Placemaking & Events - Tradeshows iOS Automation https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/dce7552f-b3e7-4c0e-a58e-38c4807c7f16/ise+floor+goes+down.jpg Placemaking & Events - Tradeshows Floor going down at ISE https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/37db8c74-d475-430a-92fd-be619e3b9ff2/ise+set+up+1.jpg Placemaking & Events - Tradeshows Set Up https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/bdaf13da-44cb-4b4d-9d5b-c190bed6e7f7/ise+done.jpg Placemaking & Events - Tradeshows ISE https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/6b4551ee-f4c9-42ab-a585-4b4d5376ccae/drilling.jpg Placemaking & Events - Tradeshows Hands on https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64ebe0f82a020478f6d87516/969ab448-ad63-4bc3-9aad-dea639db7b0c/ise+other+side+done.jpg Placemaking & Events - Tradeshows ISE