The effort to revitalize Glass Street gets a boost in brain power.
We told you back in June about the $300,000 cash infusion...an art grant to help make Glass Street more safe, clean and inviting.
Now, the project takes another step forward with a donation that's hard to put a price tag on.
It's a meeting of the minds...
Architect, "Weaving in the wi fi, that's something that can be done ."
Some of the best minds in urban design from across Tennessee join community members and business owners to put their visions for a new and improved Glass Street on paper.
Blythe Bailey, "We were lucky enough to have about 200 architects from all over the state here in town today a good chunk of them volunteered half of their first convention day to come out here and look at this wonderful neighborhood."
The State Chapter of the American Institute of Architects chose the Glass Street Corridor as its legacy project for 2012...adding momentum to revitalization plans for the area.
Katherine Currin, Glass House Collective, "I don't think that at the end of the day you can put a price tag on something like this."
Empty storefronts now line the once vibrant street...and crime is no stranger to the area.
Just this week four teen boys shot at a cab driver in the neighborhood.
Glass House collective sees the on-going push for change as the first step in another direction.
Currin, "You can clean the street up bring in people who care about it to these engagement opportunities and in building that social fabric and building that hope for the community we start to see those things turn around."
Judging by the turn out at this urban design workshop, it's a vision community members are invested in.
Resident Willie Jackson says, "It makes me feel good because it shows that they care and a lot of other people out there, especially the ones in the community need to come down and support as well, cause this is also their neighborhood. That's where it starts."
This is just the beginning of a long planning and design process.
The ideas will be presented at the trade center tomorrow
Then the community will refine them and talk about how to implement them.
