VOTED #1 Most Outstanding Community Development Project in the Nation by the National Development Council (NDC) 2015-16

National phoenix award winner BY THE sOCIETY OF aMERICAN tRAVEL WRITERS(2024)

SHREVEPORT COMMON is a historic, nine-block area located at the eastern edge of Ledbetter Heights, Shreveport’s oldest neighborhood, and the western edge of downtown Shreveport, Louisiana. After decades of blight, an award-winning Creative Placemaking revitalization effort is transforming the long-neglected urban area to an UNcommon creative cultural community. This public/private community initiative is built on the foundation of a year-long community vision planning process and the subsequent Shreveport Common Vision Plan for cultural development to drive community development and economic development with a commitment to no gentrification of the area. The Shreveport Common revitalization effort is rooted in the community’s precepts for redevelopment: Authenticity, Creativity, Sustainability and For Community with no displacement of the current neighbors.

Authenticity - True to History, Place, Character Sustainability - Environmentally, Socially, Economically

Creativity - Stimulating, Vibrant, Diverse For Community - Inclusive, Hospitable, Tolerant

A diverse array of dedicated partners include: City of Shreveport (infrastructure and public spaces): Shreveport Regional Arts Council (public art, programming and building an Arts Economy); Shreveport Common, Inc. (the nonprofit redevelopment arm), Caddo Parish Commission, the State of Louisiana DEQ and DOT, the Downtown Development Authority, property owners, developers, business owners, artists, residents, area nonprofits, and private sector funders and donors. Each partner is doing their part to create equity, empowerment and imaginative fun in the mostly low income area, save historic buildings, repurpose properties to parks and greenspaces, mixed rate - mixed-use artist live/workplaces, markets and makerspaces, and create unique community spaces with unique public art and programming where everyone is welcome to stumble upon the fun.