Sneak Peek: Renovation begins in Downtown Warehouse

Renovation work is beginning in earnest at the site of the former police station in downtown Redding. Crews have been there to clear brush, inspect the irrigation system and to begin construction. Here is a sneak peek of the early-stage progress:

The McConnell Foundation has worked with Ryan Russell of RAD Studio to create plans for the warehouse renovation. Architectural historians are taking note of the so-called warehouse renaissance; a tendency toward industrial renovation that is popping up in cities that are on-the-move all across the United States.

The warehouse shares an alley with Sherven Square and the Gateway building, and is part of a growing momentum of projects in downtown. The Foundation will work with the community to activate the warehouse with pop-up retail, bike rentals, creative play, art installations and nightlife. Activation = to program the space with people and objects to enliven it. This, in contrast to the site sitting vacant since the new police station opened in 2015. Here is a sense of the before & after concepts so far–all temporary by design:

Imagine all of the above occurring on a temporary rotation bringing a variety of new activities to experience downtown.  The warehouse renovation will give people an opportunity to experience a sampling of what is possible in a vibrant downtown. This approach is intended to leverage the power of *temporary* places in the process of catalyzing long-term change in downtown Redding. Watch this video for highlights of this approach to creating “momentary monuments”:

If you’re interested in learning more about the framework for this project, check out: Tactical Urbanism: Short-Term Action for Long-Term Change by Mike Lydon and Anthony Garcia.