OK, now this is just flat-out cool.

Zoetic Dance Ensemble is teaming up with the City of Decatur and the Decatur Arts Alliance to host an event in the vacant buildings and open spaces along East Howard Avenue called “danceDanceDANCE”, which is meant to be a whole lot of fun and to jumpstart a conversation about creating the city’s first “EcoArts District” in the area.

They have already raised the necessary $7,500 on RocketHub to finance to event.  Of course you can still donate, but now it seems like the only thing left to do is show up and dance, dance…you get the idea.

For more info about the event, check out the video above or put on your reading spectacles and check out the event summary below…

On Saturday, May 2 in downtown Decatur the open spaces and vacant buildings along 4 blocks of E Howard Ave (between Trinity Ave and the Ice House lofts) will be transformed into a FREE, all ages participatory dance experience: danceDanceDANCE!

Help us raise $7500 so everyone in the community can participate for free. And because Zoetic Dance Ensemble is a 501(c)3 non-profit, your entire donation is tax deductible. All funds raised will help to build out the theater, a model microhouse, purchase lights, costumes and sound equipment and pay the performers and technicians who will make danceDanceDANCE! a reality.

This event is designed to launch a larger conversation around creating the Decatur EcoArts District. The goal of the district is to build inclusive communities by shaping neighborhood redevelopment so that it is environmentally sustainable with built in opportunities for creative expression.

At DDD! participants will be immersed in models of artist micro-housing, artistic interventions on streetlight poles, pop up stages and dancing in the streets. The centerpiece of the event is the transformation of a vacant building into a theater where Zoetic Dance Ensemble will perform. Later that night the theater will turn into a dance club with the soundtrack supplied by you and your favorite songs to dance too.  The performance will feature an original composition by James Sizemore, an Atlanta native, who worked on The Hobbit films. (http://jamessizemore.com/)

We followed up with Decatur Police Sgt. Jennifer Ross after there were reports in FFAF of car break-ins along East Howard Avenue on Saturday night. According to the report from Sgt. Ross, there were three break-ins along East Howard and also windows broken out of cars in parking lots on East College Ave as well on Saturday.

Here are the details…

On 2/28/15 between 9:30 pm-11:50 pm, three vehicles were entered while parked in the 400 block of East Howard Avenue.  The passenger side window was broken out of all three vehicles.  A laptop left covered by a winter coat was stolen from one vehicle.  A shoulder bag in plain view was stolen from another vehicle but later recovered in the roadway near East Trinity Place. No items were taken from the third vehicle.

On 2/28/15 between 8:45 pm-11:00 pm, one vehicle was entered  in the parking lot of 313 East College Avenue.  A passenger window was broken out of the vehicle but no items were taken.

On 2/28/15 between 9:30 pm-11:00 pm, one vehicle was entered in the parking lot of 726 East College Avenue.  A passenger window was broken out of the vehicle but no items were taken.

In all cases, the victims were parked at a restaurant/bar.  It appears the suspect(s) were in a vehicle.  If you observe anyone loitering in vehicles in parking lots or approaching different vehicles, please call police immediately and provide as much descriptive information as possible about the person(s) and vehicle they are occupying.  These types of crimes are committed in a matter of seconds and the suspects move on to other locations in the area.

Photo courtesy of Google Streetview

From this month’s Decatur Focus…

We are considering alternatives to the pedestrian and cycling detours in place because of the closing of E. Howard Avenue between Church Street and the former Dairy Queen. First, let’s put the rumors to rest about why the street was closed.  The was done to provide a staging area for the Trinity Triangle development to limit the conflicts between construction activity and traffic on Trinity.  When construction is finished, the street will be reopened.

We originally planned to run the construction fence along the edge of the PATH trail along this block of E. Howard in order to keep it open.  However, that plan would have included a crosswalk right at the railroad tracks for pedestrians and bicyclists, creating a very unsafe situation.  Cars traveling north across the tracks have a limited view of cyclists and pedestrians as they come over the crest of the railroad crossing.  Because a portion of the sidewalk around the former Diary Queen is still intact, there is a possibility of moving the crossing slightly away from the tracks and reopening the PATH trail for a few more months.

However, with the construction of Phase V of the downtown streetscape improvements starting in early 2015 and the ongoing construction of the Trinity Triangle, this area will continue to be less safe for pedestrians and bicyclists and detours will still be needed to provide safer options.  We are looking at creative solutions to address the problem by we are going to need your patience and flexibility for the next year or so as detours and crossing locations change.

Anyone want to offer any creative solutions?  Here’s a map of the area if you need it!

From The Decatur Minute…

Reeves is completing installation of the new storm sewer on Church Street south of East Maple and will start construction of the new system on East Howard Avenue.  During this phase, East Howard Avenue will be closed to all traffic between North Candler Street (at the Dairy Queen) and Church Street.

Starting next week, on-street parking will be available on Church Street and traffic will again run in both directions, except for the area closest to the CSX railroad. Download a schematic plan illustrating temporary traffic changes here.

Following completion of the work on East Howard, Reeves will start installing the new storm sewer north from East Maple towards East Trinity Place.

Photo courtesy of the Decatur Minute

After residents expressed concerns about lighting along the multi-use trail on the very eastern end of East Howard Avenue (past The Depot and behind Fellini’s – here’s a map), the city has worked with GA Power to add three new “400 watt Cobra” lights and upgrade two existing to 250 watt lights to 400 watts.

Asst. City Manager David Junger presented the plan to the City Commission last night and it was quickly approved.