Public Park
2011
Event, hand-painted sign
Location: Baltimore, MD
Public Park temporarily reclaimed a large fenced-off lot in the heart of Charles Village as a public space. This guerilla art and placemaking action activated this long-vacant land for the first time in many years, while calling attention to the practice of institutional land banking.
In collaboration with Nolen Strals
In cities like Baltimore, where real estate is relatively affordable, it’s common practice for investors to “land bank,” buying vacant property and holding onto it for years or decades, allowing the buildings and lots to fall into disrepair while preventing improvements or productive use. At large scale, land banking obstructs community revitalization efforts. Institutions and municipal agencies are often just as culpable as out-of-town slumlords.
