Do you have an empty asphalt lot left unused within your property or in a nearby space in your neighborhood? In its previous life, it might have been a construction site, a torn down residential property, or an abandoned street that’s been built around. Now, it’s just there, collecting moss and breeding an unsightly group of grass and weed.
Why not convert it into something useful? If it’s spacious, level, and open, then you can turn it into something beneficial for everyone. Here’s how you can convert that empty lot without worrying about using too much money or doing too much work:
A sports court
Refurbishing an empty lot into a basketball or tennis court is one of the easiest conversions you can do. Especially if the lot used to be those anyway, then you just need to resurface the area. If you need basketball or tennis court resurfacing services in Utah, you can contact various businesses.
Once it’s level, you just need to install the required hardware, put up aluminum fencing, repaint the court, and it will be ready for a round!
A parking lot
Even with just a couple hundred square meters of space, you can already fit a fleet of a hundred cars.
Before installing perimeter gates and building wheel-stop barriers, you have to finalize the layout first. This will help you visualize traffic flow, allocate car space, and predict accessibility issues. Choose the right parking space angles to maximize space and paint the lot with navigation signs for ease of use. Don’t forget to put up lighting fixtures and parking deck roofs.
A community garden
Have you ever wanted to start a garden but didn’t have space for it? Maybe you can convert that lot to a community garden and share it with willing neighbors.
Don’t worry about it being a concrete lot; a lot of urban organic gardens can thrive despite the asphalt surface. To compensate for this, you’ll need to build individual concrete beds and fill them with as much mulch to serve as the bottom most layer.
A weekend flea market
With the coordination of the neighborhood, you can start a small flea market or a weekend bazaar so that people can generate extra income on the side. Everyone can participate by selling their stuff – baked goods, clothing, up-cycled furniture, artworks, or even services like plumbing or landscaping. The only thing you need to set up is a stable electrical system and signage.
If it’s for the good of the community, then don’t worry about charging for lease.
A pocket park
Really, it can be any park – a bike trail, a small playground, a jogging area, or even a dog park. You’ll need a professional landscape architect to visualize walking spaces and park implements.
It might look simple, but it can be costly to build and maintain one, so make sure that the community is on board. You also have to consider universal design if it’s going to be used by people of all ages.
A creative space
Perhaps the simplest, most cost-effective thing you can do to an empty lot is to turn it into the community’s very own canvas. Paint a vast mural or many small murals with the entire neighborhood pitching in. This move is also an opportunity to give children a creative outlet.
There are lots of other ways to revive an empty lot. When doing so, don’t forget to consult local authorities on permits that your conversion might require, as well as who’s in charge of any recommended upkeep.
