Downtown Arlington Awarded $75,000 Community Placemaking Grant from Project for Public Places and General Motors

(ARLINGTON, Texas - April 4, 2023) - The Downtown Arlington Management Corporation, Downtown Arlington, is excited to announce it has been selected as the recipient of the Project for Public Spaces’ Community Placemaking Grant. Awarded by Project for Public Places and General Motors (GM), the $75,000 grant is designed to bring community-driven physical and programmatic improvements to public spaces where GM employees live, work, and play.

This grant will be used to support the transformation of Arlington’s historic railroad corridor, located between the dormant areas between N. West St. and N. East St. Groundbreaking for the area is scheduled for late fall of this year after conducting community engagement workshops led by the prestigious Project for Public Spaces.

“This grant, made possible by General Motors and Project for Public Spaces, the partnership of the City of Arlington and the support of other vital stakeholders, will make such an incredible impact on the heart of Arlington - serving as a true catalyst for physical and programmatic connections downtown," said Tom Read, Communications Manager for GM Arlington Assembly.

Project for Public Spaces’ Community Placemaking Grants enable U.S. based nonprofits and government agencies to address the inequality of access by working directly with local stakeholders to transform public spaces or co-create new ones by providing direct funding, technical assistance, and capacity building that will be facilitated by Project for Public Spaces.

This nationally-recognized consulting firm is partnering with General Motors for this grant, which has made Arlington home of its Arlington Assembly plant since 1954, and is home to every new full-size SUV in GM’s product lineup, making this grant an even more exciting distinction for Downtown Arlington.

“The Community Placemaking Grants initiative was developed to give more people the opportunity to shape the public spaces in their community. We’re excited to partner with locals in Downtown Arlington to transform the empty lots around the railroad tracks into a welcoming, inclusive public space” said Nate Storring, Co-Executive Director at Project for Public Spaces.

Like many towns in the late 1800s, Arlington was built alongside a railroad, serving as its hub for transportation and commerce. While the Union Pacific Railway still maintains an active daily route through the city’s center, only remnants of where the station platform once welcomed people remain. Today, with the increased student population of the University of Arlington doubling in just the last 15 years and several new high-profile developments and businesses in downtown Arlington including the Arlington Public Library, Urban Union and several more in the works, areas for active green space and pedestrian living are vital for the future of Arlington.

“These railways once brought people to Arlington,” said Maggie Campbell, President and CEO for Downtown Arlington. Now, through this grant, the new green spaces areas along the railway will once again bind our past and future together… while helping ensure better connectivity and ease of access for all," Campbell concluded.

For more information about this grant and future plans for development in downtown Arlington, visit DowntownArlington.org. For media, view images here.

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About Downtown Arlington

The Downtown Arlington Management Corporation is a private, non-profit community development organization whose purpose is to forge alliances between property owners, business interests, residents, and the City of Arlington to improve and enhance the economic vitality and overall environment of Downtown Arlington. Professionally staffed and governed by a Board of Directors composed of a cross-section of stakeholders and community partners, the 501(c)(3) manages services and operations in Downtown Arlington while promoting economic stability, growth, and community life within this unique neighborhood including the Arlington Cultural Arts District, designated by the State of Texas in 2016. Visit DowntownArlington.org to discover the businesses, events, and activities in Downtown Arlington.