Important that we know the growing zone.

In this situation my first design step would be consulting with one or more area faux artists. Those walls beg for artistic expression; perhaps related to local history. Because this is a community project it may happen that such an artist will 'visualize' ideas to further the project.

All looks stable on the site and should withstand a good power washing.

Please keep us updated as your planning develops. Interesting project.

I do believe a mural for the area is under consideration. We are a "Main Street" community and this is one of the projects under consideration by our design committee.

We are in zone 8, (Monroeville, Al.) hometown to Harper Lee..

Thanks for your input.

Fort Worth's Sundance Square has a lot of little hidden gems like this (and decked out similarly to Yardvark's design), but I don't have any of my own pictures to share. I seem to remember lots of little gardens and outdoor seating in alleyways when I went to New Orleans too.

Thanks for the information; I will google to see if I can find any inspiration.

This site has some ideas to consider. I especially like the umbrella art...providing shade in the hot summer...

Thank you. I appreciate your input.

here's the link for the Lexington MA parkettes

http://www.lexingtonma.gov/planning/Streetscape/CPC%20Presentation_2.pdf

Too much to write all links. Just google Lexington MA pocket parks and there are reports of the design process etc.

The most popular thing there was the sidewalk size checkers game. Kids played while parents with coffee dawdled.

Here it is:

http://lexington.wickedlocal.com/article/20150801/NEWS/150809561

I know kids may not play hopscotch any more that it strikes me its a perfect, low environmental impact, quiet game that can fit into a small space. Shoemakers probably stilll have heels to donate. How to play the game could posted or written on wall, and an on-line link could be provided to parents....imagine parents teaching kids how to play hopscotch. Some parents may even remember....or granparents.

And two months later stodgy old f.....ts started complaining. http://lexington.wickedlocal.com/article/20150905/NEWS/150907810/?Start=2

Sometimes I hate living in an "historic" town. It's like having a homeowners association for governance. "I think the lanterns are the most egregious part of the design" "Egregious" should apply to human rights violations not lanterns. Perhaps there's a lesson here for your group.

I tried to see what the follow up was, but didn't see anything.

Let us know what's happening as you proceed. I think its great you wrote to GW about this. Nice change from scraped-bare front yard questions////1

Great information! Thank you so much....I will be googling all night! I love the sidewalk checkers idea and excited to see what other ideas I can find.

One thing the city of Toronto has started implementing is alleyway softscaping strips. This is where they cut into the existing asphalt or concrete to create 6" wide planting strips. You then excavate down to a depth of 8" and fill with soil. In these strips they plant native groundcovers. Sometimes they just let them self seed by leaving them bare soil to allow for native seeds to sow themselves in. Will also take away from the current paving materials appearance.

If you're adding planters, I would be more inclined to make them rectangular and long (same shape as alleyway). In between the planters you could put benches for seating, or as stated above, make planters double as seating (18"-21" high). Be sure to plant specimens that are drought and city tolerant.

Great ideas! Thank you so much for your input. I am going to google Toronto to see if I can see some of your alleyways.

Using retractable fabric awnings between the building for shade when needed could work - run it across on wires between the buildings.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/210754457531702839/

Shade "sails" would also work, as would breaking up the alley with some shade structures.

And it really NEEDS a outdoorsy mural on those walls to make it look more open.

As I wrote above, involving a faux artist in this project is necessary. I am beginning to wonder just how involved our questioner is in the all-over planning. Communities who work with the "Main Street" concept have numerous sources of ideas and some awarded available funding.

What is missing in the current thoughts presented...A STARTING POINT! Is this alley located near a coffee/doughnut store or similar facility that would encourage its use as an outdoor snacking/resting area? Would the alley make a real contribution (meet, eat, greet) to the downtown? If so, then the design must meet this need. Shading that narrow alley in summer heat is a challenge. Flimsy overhead materials probably would not work. A study of sun patterns throughout the summer months would be helpful. Also, many southern communities and major outdoor restaurants use the large 'misting' devices to cool tight areas with great success. Who is going to maintain this alley and water the plantings? Many thoughts to be considered. A designer should be retained who understands the value of identifying 'starting points' and move the design into consideration as a valuable community asset.

I appreciate your thoughts

When we became a "Main Street" community, interested citizens were put on various committees and this alley way is under consideration by the "Design Committee".

Initially, we did have a professional person come with the Main Street group who presented some general ideas for our "Square" but this alley was not included in his presentation.

We are a small town (pop. 6300) with a shrinking economy due to loss of textile mills and other industry so funds are not readily available here as they might be in larger "Main Street" communities. The question was posed to get more ideas for the committee.

Our town is hometown to Harper Lee and every Spring the play "To Kill A Mockingbird" is presented so we have a number of visitors and school groups walking around our Square. The addition of tables/benches in the alley would be useful to the tourists as well as citizens who attend a number of special events each year on the Square.