Community Building Projects

The following projects demonstrate how a public-private partnership can work creatively and cost-effectively to address the complex problem of graffiti vandalism.

Landscape Barriers Site Demonstration Project: Back Wall of Fitzgerald’s Wheaton Dodge-Suzuki, Wheaton (October 2000)

• 1,600 square feet of graffiti cleaned up
  
  
• 65 bushes planted
  
  
• Project partners:
           Boys & Girls Clubs of Montgomery County
           Department of Correction and Rehabilitation, Alternative Community Service (DOCR/ACS)
           Fitzgerald’s Wheaton Dodge-Suzuki
           Susan Laine Media
           True Colors Design
           Wheaton-Kensington Chamber of Commerce

Paving the Way with Youth: Rockville High School Cleanup of Baltimore Road and Surrounding Area, Rockville (June 2001)

• 8,000 square feet of graffiti cleaned up, including Baltimore Road, bridge, guardrails and signs; shrubbery cut back and trimmed
  
  
• 200 students, staff parents participated
  
  
• Project partners:
           City of Rockville
           DOCR/ACS
           Montgomery County Department of Public Works & Transportation
           Montgomery County Police
           Rockville High School students, staff and parents

Silver Spring Gateway Cleanup: Metro Red Line between Silver Spring and Takoma Park Stations (August 2001)

• 32,000 square feet of graffiti cleaned up
  
  
• Project partners:
            CSX
           DOCR/ACS
           Metro
           Montgomery County Police
           Silver Spring Urban District

Amherst Square Community Mural, Wheaton (August 2001)

• 45’ x 8’ long mural installed on a wall of the Amherst Square Apartments, the site of recurring gang graffiti
  
  
• Mural was designed and painted by 10 young residents of Amherst Square under the direction of the highly acclaimed muralist Jorge Luis Somarriba
  
  
• Youth were paid an honorarium of $6/hour
  
  
• Funding for project received from a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
  
  
• Project partner:
           Montgomery Housing Partnership, Inc.

Pembridge Square Community Mural, Wheaton (August 2002)

• 56’ long mural installed over the Pembridge Square Apartments Community Center, the site of recurring gang graffiti
  
  
• Mural was designed and painted by 10 young residents of Amherst Square and Pembridge Square apartments under the direction of Mr. Somarriba
  
  
• Mentoring opportunity for “returning” teen muralists
  
  
• Youth were paid an honorarium of $6/hour
  
  
• Funding for project received from a CDBG and Target Stores, Inc.
  
  
• Project partner:
           Montgomery Housing Partnership, Inc.