A whole lot of ribbon - 968 feet of it to be exact - will be cut during a neighborhood event Friday, Sept. 5 at 5:30 p.m. on the 2500 Block of Glass Street.
Although the event is an open house and grand opening of Mark Making's new studio, it's also a grand opening for the new park at 2509 Glass St. and a celebration of recent revitalization in the neighborhood. That's why ribbon will be wrapped around the entire block, instead of just a small slice for Mark Making.
Live entertainment, food, open studio tours and a checkers competition in the park will be part of the festivities.
"We love it here," Mark Making Executive Director Frances McDonald said. "There's a really strong backbone of local people here who've always cared about the neighborhood. Glass House Collective has developed and strengthened that. This area is on the verge of a giant rebirth."
Teal Thibaud, a spokesperson for Glass House Collective, said the organization's mission from the start has been working with the neighbors to make the area safer, cleaner and more inviting.
"A big part of that is getting people to invest here," she said. "It's great to see another nonprofit organization moving into the area."
In addition to Mark Making's new studio space, the former Custom Cycles building is available for rent in one, two or three segments. McDonald said the team would love to see tenants in the space that have the same vested interest in the community. Specifically, an artist, startup company or neighborhood business would fit in well, she said.
"We are just taking our cues from the neighborhood," she said. "This is not Main Street. This is never going to be downtown. It's hopefully going to be a cool satellite."
A second phase for the new park is also in the works. Once completed, it will include a public art sculpture that also serves as a barrier between the street and the park with an artistic flair. The material for the sculpture will be railroad rails, which pay homage to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum located nearby.
For more information about revitalization in the Glass Street neighborhood, visit glasshousecollective.org/projects.