The Alley - Montgomery, AL
The Alley was originally used to transport goods from nearby railyards to a row of grocery warehouses. In 2009, $1.6 million in city and county funds to add life to the forgotten space. Since then, the number of dining and nightlife venues has proliferated and surrounding property values have increased 10 times. In addition, the area has benefitted from more than $35 million in private capital investment, 400 new downtown jobs, and annual sales tax revenues of over $1.5 million.
Printer’s Alley - Nashville, TN
Printer’s Alley is a well known bar, nightclub and restaurant district that dates back to the 1940s in downtown Nashville. The name originates from an era when the alley was home to a thriving publishing industry. From an aesthetics perspective, there’s nothing special. Instead of brick pavers, themed lighting and expensive palm trees, its sense of place is defined by architecture, scale and signage.
East 4th Street - Cleveland, OH
Once home to a mix of shops, cafes and theaters, East 4th Street fell on hard times by the end of the 20th century. Its early 2000s streetscape came as a result of the City investing $1.5 million to install brick pavers, ornamental light poles, bollards and public art. Today, only 450 feet long and 42 feet wide, its become a popular place its food, entertainment and lack of car traffic.
Trapper’s Alley - Detroit, MI
Originally, a part of the Traugott Schmidt & Sons fur tannery operation, Trappers Alley came to fruition in 1985, when Baltimore-based Cordish Embry & Associates converted the space into an indoor marketplace. In the early 2000s, the alley was renovated to serve as an entrance to the Greektown Casino.
Brevard Court -Charlotte, NC
A hidden piece of history in a modern city, Brevard Court and the neighboring Latta Arcade, were built between 1851 and 1924. At the time, Charlotte was a textile city and Brevard Court served as an open air trading post for cotton and textiles from local mills. With its oldest restaurant dating back to the late 1970s, Brevard Court has transitioned into a spaced filled with a variety of restaurants, sandwich shops and bars.