The Dallas CityDesign Studio facilitated two Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd design workshops hosted by Councilmember Carolyn Davis, District 7. Residents, community leaders, and property and business owners along MLK Jr. Blvd and South Blvd were invited to attend the evening events. Led by Larry Beasley, the workshops focused on generating community participation and input on future enhancements for Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd and how to use current bond funds to build a gateway from the boulevard to the Trinity River Corridor.

To encourage participation, the groups were broken into smaller groups of 4 to 5 people. Large, table size maps at each table gave participants a visual of the street to inspire ideas. And with an urban designer at each table listening and drawing ideas being expressed, community participates imagined and discussed the possibilities for MLK Jr. Blvd.

Design Workshop #1 was held on April 29, 2010 at the Martin Luther King Recreation center. There were over 20 participants. Each table discussed their ideas and then presented their vision to the larger group. Participants then voted by placing small dots by each idea on the maps to identify the top three choices. The dot-mocracy results showed that the areas of the most concern were:

• Bike and pedestrian connectivity (9 dots)
• Security (6 dots)
• SM Wright and Edgewood block (6 dots)
• Timeline/Walk of Fame concept (5 dots)
• Improvements at MLK and Malcolm X intersection and Boulevard Amenities (3 dots)
• View table maps from the first workshop

Design Workshop #2 was held on June 29, 2010 at the Muhammad mosque #48 on MLK Jr. Blvd. Over 30 people attended. The results from the April Design Workshop were presented and Lt. Zimmerman from the Dallas Police Department showed attendees the location for the proposed cameras.

Table results from workshop #2:

Table 1

Table 2

Table 3

Table 4

Table 5

On August 17, 2010 the CityDesign Studio briefed the Trinity River Corridor Project Committee on the ideas and concepts derived from the two workshops. The briefing showed how Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. connects two of Dallas' most beloved areas, Fair Park and the Trinity River. (MLK Boulevard Gateway briefing, Aug. 17, 2010)

Workshop #3, held on September 21, 2010 at the Muhammad Mosque #48, gathered the ideas from the previous two workshops and allowed participants to individually vote and comment on designs examples. Tabulated votes and suggestions are listed here.