LAS VEGAS (AP) — Hoping to stave off blight, Las Vegas is taking a cue from Cincinnati and putting paint
on the problem.
The
City Council unveiled a pilot program this week to paint murals on the
plywood used to board up window and doors. The first boards, installed
Thursday at a home on Shiloah Drive, feature colorful desert scenes with
roadrunners, butterflies, tortoises and cacti in cheerful primary
colors.
"Through this program, the city is being proactive to
eliminate the eyesore of boarded-up homes by turning plywood into an
arts palette," said Councilman Bob Coffin, who spearheaded the effort.
"These initiatives will help beautiful homes and properties, ultimately
improving the neighborhoods."
The program is modeled in part after
"Future Blooms," which started in Cincinnati in 2009.The organization
paints doors, windows and awnings in neighborhoods with high vacancy
rates.
Two years after its launch, the program had finished decorating its 500th home, according to the Las
Vegas Review-Journal.
Ten
abandoned homes have been chosen for the Las Vegas pilot project.
Artist Markus Tracy was commissioned to design five different scenes
that will be painted onto the plywood used to board up the homes for
security.
The Las Vegas Arts Commission supplied $16,550 for the effort.
Neighbors
who spoke with the Review-Journal had mixed reactions about the
project. One resident praised the idea of adding artwork to buildings,
while another resident said the artwork could attract squatters to the
structures.
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