This Saturday, Green Space Connections will be revealing a new community mural at NYCHA’s Patterson Houses in the Bronx, the latest in a series of events empowering New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) residents to design their own community spaces.
The mural will feature three notable Patterson Houses residents, including former world champion boxer Iran Barkley, Hall of Fame professional basketball player Nate “Tiny” Archibald, and Platinum Latin American recording artist Prince Royce.
The mural’s design was chosen during resident engagement sessions and will be painted with community members. Joel Bergner of the nonprofit art-making organization Artolution is the mural’s creator and lead artist. The mural will be celebrated during Patterson Houses’ Old Timers Day.
With Green Space Connections, Patterson Houses residents submitted over a 100 ideas for new open space projects in their community, including a composting site or renovating a basketball court on campus. Design development will continue over the next year. As part of this engagement work, the Public Housing Community Fund provided activation funding for the community-led mural.
Green Space Connections is a three-year program being led by the Public Housing Community Fund in collaboration with NYCHA’s Asset & Capital Management Division, managed by The Design Trust for Public Space and implemented by Center for Justice Innovation. The organizations are working to create and activate community-designed green space at four public housing developments for 14,000 residents in Brooklyn and the Bronx.
As public housing is home to 1 out of every 17 New Yorkers and is an integral part of the city’s landscape, better public space in these communities contributes to a more connected, sustainable, healthier, and green future for all New Yorkers.
The mural unveiling ceremony will start at noon on Saturday at the Patterson Houses, located at 301 E. 143rd St., Bronx, NY 10451.
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