ShareThe Morgan County Association of REALTORS® partnered with Decatur Downtown Redevelopment Authority to turn an abandoned alleyway into a lively performance area filled with public art, a slide, custom lighting, and beautiful hardscape and landscaping. The alleyway was renamed the Sonny Side in honor of late art lover and local philanthropist, Sonny Craig.
The Sonny Side is located in a public alleyway, directly beneath the Alabama Center for the Arts College student residence in the heart of downtown. Our goal for this project was not only to create a vibrant public space, but also to create a place where the arts students could perform music, theater, and poetry readings for both residents and visitors alike hence strengthening the community. The project team purposefully chose to place limestone seat walls and park benches throughout the space for maximum seating for performances. Morgan County Association of REALTORS® partnered to sponsor two park benches and a custom light bollard through the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) Placemaking Grant. Designs were done by Frameworks Architecture and Barnett Landscaping.
The North end of the alleyway is at a higher elevation than the South end, and gave the team the opportunity to do something really fun-put in a SLIDE! The custom slide and staircase were built in partnership with Turner Construction. The South end of the alley is at street level, and is adjacent to a free public parking lot.
A massive, multi-building mural surrounds the alley space. Murals can really transform spaces and bring people together. It was quite an experience for the members of the Morgan County Association of REALTORS® to contribute to such a large-scale artwork. Working alongside volunteers and the artist Britt Flood Art, out of North Carolina, was both rewarding and a great opportunity to collaborate with others in the community. These kinds of projects not only beautify the surroundings but also strengthen community bonds and give a sense of ownership and pride in the local area.
Individual donors were able to sponsor alley cats-custom metal cat art designed by Kimberly Parker of the Alabama Center for the Arts. Each cat’s theme matches their donor’s business or personality. For example, the King Insurance Agency cat is wearing a crown.
The Sonny Side truly embodied Decatur’s sense of community, as there were over 30 city, state, and local partners such as Morgan County Association of REALTORS® who came together to create this beautiful space.
