Project Name: The Alley
What is your first and last name?
Theresa Meendering
What are your preferred pronouns?
She/her/hers
What city or village do you live in?
[534]Does your neighborhood have a name? If so what is it?
[535]Are you connected with anyone in your local government?
[536]Are you applying as a business owner, artist, non-profit, DDA, or Commercial Improvement District?
[280]Where will your project take place?
A corridor b/n 2 businesses off of 30th in Grandville
Briefly describe your project idea:
We are hiring a local group of artists to create and paint a mural on one wall of an underutilized alleyway. By adding lights and bistro tables/chairs to the design, we will create a space that invites residents and staff of the area office buildings to enjoy a coffee or doughnut from local shops.
How will you be involved in this project? Who will you worth with?
We plan to hire two local artists with followings of their own who will help get the word out and have asked the Senior Neighbors to join us in the painting of the wall. We also have a local photographer who has offered to take some time-lapse photos of the project from start to finish for us to share on our social media pages. The community will be invited and encouraged to enjoy the space, and we will highlight it every year during our annual Art & Chocolate Walk.
Describe the artist’s or artists’ work. This is not about credentials—what do they do as an artist?
Rasii Carlson is a portrait and mural artist. She specializes in drawing and painting people but also loves creating new beauty out of old things. She uses graphite and all paints.
Please upload a letter of support for your project from your local governing body:
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Additional Attachments (if any)
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Why does your community need this project?
Our DDA has done a phenomenal job over the past few years undertaking large structural projects like the streetscape along Chicago Dr. and the addition of a farmers’ market pavilion with beautiful green space. But in looking at our downtown, we are lacking in sense of space elements – bright pops of color, inviting gathering spaces and nooks that just invite people to sit and share a chat with a friend or neighbor. There are a few places we have identified in our town that could benefit from a project of this nature. Being awarded this grant would enable us to take the first step in beatifying one of the focus areas.
What do you hope to achieve through this project?
We hope to take a dreary and underwhelming space and transform it into a beautiful surprise on the side of our downtown. Our goal is to create a gathering space where community will naturally be built and where the littles who attend preschool across the parking lot will feel wonder as they walk through The Alley to the bakery for an after school treat. We are also currently revising our city food truck ordinance with plans to add a food truck pad on the lot in front of this alleyway. Creating a gathering space where people can eat will increase food truck sales and encourage them to come more often. Finally, we have an empty food business opportunity in one of the buildings near this space. We are looking for a sandwich or soup shop to rent that space, and creating this outdoor seating area could help to fill this empty restaurant.
How do you plan to spend the $5,000 microgrant?
$3000 – mural design and painting
$3500 – professionally installed Tivoli lighting (cost supplemented by matching DDA grant)
$3000 – bright colored bistro table sets (cost covered by matching DDA grant)
What resources do you already have to make this project successful? Resources could include things like time, partners, expertise, donated goods/materials/space, matching funds, and more. Please approximate the in-kind value if possible.
The DDA has agreed to contribute matching funds to off-set the cost of the Tivoli lighting and to purchase the bistro tables and chairs.
We also have a local photographer who has agreed to document the project free of charge.
Will your project require special permits from the community you are in? For example, anything that requires a street closure or installing a permanent art piece will likely require a special permit from your local governing body or zoning board. If your project is funded, the MML Foundation is happy to help you navigate that process. Please note that all applicants must obtain any necessary permits for their projects, if selected for funding. *
No
Anticipated project launch date:
July 31, 2023
Will you serve as the primary point of contact for this application?
[291]Lead Artist First and Last Name:
Rasii Carlson
Lead Artist Website (If Applicable):
Business 1: Business Name:
Bellabay Realty
Business 1: Business Type:
Service
Business 1: Business Owner First and Last Name:
Scott Grondman
Business 1: Physical Location Address
3960 30th St SW; Grandville, MI 49418
Business 1: Twitter Handle (If Applicable)
Business 1: Facebook Page Link (If Applicable)
Business 1: Instagram Handle (If Applicable)
Business 2: Business Name:
The Millennium Building
Business 2: Business Type:
Service
Business 2: Business Owner First and Last Name:
Donovan Visser
Business 2: Business Physical Location Address:
3980 Chicago Dr SW; Grandville, MI 49418
Business 2: Twitter Handle (If Applicable)
Business 2: Facebook Page Link (If Applicable)
Business 2: Instagram Handle (If Applicable)
Business 3: Business Name:
[325]Business 3: Business Type:
[507]Business 3: Business Owner First and Last Name:
[326]Business 3: Physical Location Address
[327]Business 3: Twitter Handle (If Applicable)
[374]Business 3: Facebook Page Link (If Applicable)
[373]Business 3: Instagram Handle (If Applicable)
[383]Please list the names of any additional partners:
[336]Image Caption 1 (if any): The Alley now
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Image Caption 2 (if any): Entrance to The Alley
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Image Caption 3 (if any): The Alley potential food truck pad
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