Neighbors and people invested in the growth and success of Charlotte’s Historic West End neighborhood are coming together from Monday, November 14-17 to transform the Five Points intersection (West Trade, State Street, 5th St., Rozzelles Ferry Rd. and Beatties Ford Rd) into a more walkable vibrant place through paint and plywood.
Better Block volunteers will help construct temporary bike lanes, easy-to-use crosswalks, asphalt art, a pop-up outdoor marketplace, and a pop-up entertainment pavilion will showcase what makes the West End great.
The event will culminate on Saturday, Nov. 18 from 10am-3pm with the activation of a plaza filled with local vendors, local talent, family-friendly activities and community members. There will be a soft-launch Friday night, November 17, from 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. Businesses at the plaza activation event will include:
The Males Place – Mentoring organization
Paul Andre Boutique – Local fashion boutique that resides in the Historic West End
Dupp & Swat – Eclectic fashion boutique
Cosmosis Stones – Bronze jewelry maker
Enderly Coffee + Janelle Dunlap – A pop-up coffee shop + Art Gallery at a vacant storefront
Blue Blaze – Creating a beer garden
Diggers Delight Pop-Up Record Shop– Buy, Sell, Trade Vinyl Records
Charlotte Bcycle– Bike demos
Persona Grata – Accessories and jewelry for a cause that supports refugee women in Charlotte
West Side CLT + Clinton Chapel AME Zion – Family arts & crafts to build a replica of West End
Charlotte Black Film Festival– Interactive film booth to share Five Points Stories
Dian Thompson Art & Jewelry Vendor- Local jewelry and art dealer
CNIP– Preview of permanent plaza designs
Sustain Charlotte – Non-profit community-based nonprofit organization dedicated to educating, engaging and uniting citizens to solve Charlotte’s sustainability
Black Business Owners of Charlotte (Charlotte BLACK Restaurant Week) – Helping to source food trucks for the event
“Thanks to the voter-approved Comprehensive Neighborhood Improvement Program, the city will be able to make permanent improvements to the Five Points intersection in the coming years. This Five Points Better Block project is the time when residents who live, work, play, shop, eat, and sleep on Charlotte’s West Side can take the lead in the plaza design process,” said Alysia Osborne, Director of the Historic West End Neighborhood for Charlotte Center City Partners. “Community members and urban designers will be working side-by-side to temporarily transform the plaza for the community to experience and enjoy.”
Charlotteans interested in the Five Points Better Block build event can contribute in several ways:
- Sign-up to be a build volunteer anytime between November 14-17 here.
- Local talent can take the stage to help celebrate Charlotte’s West End during Saturday’s activation event. Sign-up for the Five Points Plaza Open Mic at www.tinyurl.com/FivePointsOpenMic
- Come to the event on November 18 and shop for great holiday gifts. For more information visit www.westendclt.com/Five-Points-Better-Block
This Five Points Better Blocks event was made possible by, Historic West End Community Members, Historic West End Small Businesses, and the Artists & Entertainers who celebrate the Historic West End in partnership between Charlotte Center City Partners, the Historic West End Initiative, the City of Charlotte, the Knight Foundation, M&F Bank, LATIBAH Collard Green Museum, the Charlotte League of Creative Interventionists, and NEIGHBORING CONCEPTS.