FAAR will use a $4,500 Placemaking grant from the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) to help transform an unused space in the Town of Orange into a vibrant, public destination for community use and enjoyment.
The grant was designed by NAR to ensure local Realtor® Associations are partnering with neighboring organizations to plan, organize, implement and maintain Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper placemaking in their communities.
FAAR will contribute these funds to help support the creation a pocket park along the Church Street corridor in the Town of Orange. This corridor was home to a thriving Black commercial district through the 1970s which was significantly impacted by a bypass transportation project. The park will feature a series of interpretive markets recounting the history and people of the business district, with seating, landscaping, and statuary. The park will not only serve as a gathering spot for reflection and inspiration, but also as a catalyst for preservation-based economic development. FAAR is partnering with the Orange Downtown Alliance, a certified-Main Street program.
Artist rendering of the proposed project