KDI, in partnership with the Florence Firestone Community Organization, organized a year-long series of activations that engaged hundreds of local residents to reimagine a vacant lot in Florence Firestone, helping the County advance an economic development strategy along commercial corridors throughout South LA. Free haircuts, a drumline, and an elementary school rock band were just a few of the highlights.
context
The Central Avenue Lot Activation Project transformed a county owned vacant lot on the corner of 77th St. and Central Ave. into a temporary community hub as part of LA County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell’s Corridors 2 Community Initiative.
Corridors 2 Community is an initiative focused on community-led revitalization of small business corridors in unincorporated communities in LA County’s 2nd District, including Florence Firestone. From August 2025 to February 2026, KDI and Florence Firestone Community Organization (FFCO) hosted five pop-up events with resources, services, and activities desired by the surrounding community.
process
Through KDI and FFCO’s participatory engagement process, residents' preferences for programming and site design were able to shape each activation, ensuring the site was responsive to resident needs.
Together with the staff of Supervisor Mitchell’s Office, the project team created a survey focused on understanding resident’s perceptions of the existing vacant site, their needs during temporary activations, and their long term priorities for the site and corridor’s future development. FFCO led the doorknocking and canvassing campaign ahead of each major activation, as well as using their existing listserv and community partnerships to share the community survey. Complementing this engagement tool were a series of activities KDI developed for the first two activations that asked residents about specific elements of the site design, like the fence design and furnishings. The community survey was available in both English and Spanish, and was conducted before and during lot activation events.
solution
The Central Ave vacant lot transformation built on KDI’s extensive experience working with communities to transform vacant spaces through site furnishings and participatory co-design techniques. Working with FFCO and the Supervisor’s team, the initial site design focused on creating a central hub and gathering space for residents to passively enjoy the space along with key portions of the site dedicated to programming, services, play, and relaxation.
Site furnishings and key design elements like the ground mural and fence were primarily informed by lot build engagement activities, which asked community members what designs and furnishings resonated with them and the neighborhood, and what would make the space feel welcoming.
After the first activation, KDI used residents’ votes to guide these site elements. In the case of the fence, residents selected a colorful geometric pattern that could repeat across panels. To gather ideas and feedback on the ground mural, KDI led an engagement activity in collaboration with the arts organization LA Commons, where residents ultimately selected a grid pattern with key icons that would repeat across the site. These two elements became key visual anchors in addition to basic amenities like a large shade structure at the center of the site along with an accompanying central picnic table. The play area included two basketball hoops and temporary play equipment. The focal point for programming became a custom community stage which became a key component of the site design.
Each element focused on making the site as comfortable and welcoming to residents as possible, while providing the space enough flexibility to accommodate the diverse group of program partners and service providers that attended each activation.
impact
The Central Avenue Lot Activation series involved five total activation events from September 2025 to February 2026. In total, 635 community members attended the lot activation events.
Programming ranged from live musical performances from local groups to family-friendly arts activities and games to tai-chi demonstrations. Programming focused on providing valuable community resources and activities for residents, with educational and city services also available on the site. The project helped demonstrate to local residents how the lot and the broader commercial corridor could be transformed in the long-run, while providing short term services and resources to local residents and visibility to community partners (artists, service performers, community organizations, etc.) who are working everyday to improve Central Ave.
