On May 30, the Better Block team kicked off our first Better Block in the Washington, D.C. area. We are working with the Montgomery County Planning Department, the Randolph Hills Community Association, and the local property owner to host a placemaking event to reimagine the Randolph Hills Shopping Center in the White Flint area. The Randolph Hills Shopping Center is a large strip mall with former industrial buildings, currently housed with many Jewish-oriented businesses and restaurants and sports facilities. While there is great community and many interesting local businesses in the shopping center, the public infrastructure does not serve as a community gathering place for the adjacent neighborhood. Many of the residents have said that the neighborhood and shopping center lack public open spaces or plazas, a neighborhood bar and coffeeshop, and spaces to host activities and events. Throughout the summer, we will work with the Randolph Hills community to design and build a space that the community is proud of and can bring people together in the public realm.
We have created a community survey to determine the types of installation the community wants. If you’re in the neighborhood, go here to share your opinion and get involved!
