Making Place Happen at Trenton and Hargrove Streets!
In Spring 2025 Baltimore-based public art and placemaking company Graham Projects moved to its new workshop in Station North at 101 E Trenton Street, a formerly vacant warehouse that was redeveloped into the Trenton Art Garage. As part of the building’s redevelopment, Graham Projects made a commitment to local neighborhood organizations to activate the adjacent alleys with a street mural and other placemaking features to beautify the public space and meet the needs of our neighbors.
In October – November 2025 Graham Projects gathered ideas and priorities through a Trenton Alley Placemaking survey. Based on what we read, saw, and heard, we created three pavement art concepts and a placemaking feature site plan for Trenton and Hargrove Streets. We distributed flyers and and online form inviting neighbors to share their preferred design. We also hosted a pop-up event during the December 2025 Station North Art Walk.
Building on on everyone’s feedback we are excited to bring to life the Fluxus Beach public space installation incorporating flowers from the Ebb & Flow design. Depicted below is the updated design featuring elements that blend organic art actions and everyday life; including a dynamic street mural, traffic calming chicanes, planters, and a bike rack. Creative lighting is also a priority that we are pursuing for a second phase of implementation.
Below is a summary of our engagement and design process so far. Graham Projects is currently working with surrounding property owners to soon submit the placemaking proposal for review and approval by the Baltimore City Department of Transportation. Our hope is to begin installation in Summer or Fall of 2026.
What we heard from the initial survey
Site Plan
This conceptual site plan lays out a possible location and arrangement for various site features including planters, a bike rack, creative lighting, and traffic calming.
Original Concepts
Concept 1: Ebb and Grow
Feel the calming flow and floral bursts of this pavement art design that is equal parts tranquility and delight. Ebb and Flow’s community-inspired design incorporates native plants and organic forms. Stroll over the organic, water paths that connect across Trenton Street and meander down Hargrove alley and hop along the firework-like monarda flowers that float within the gentle current.
Concept 2: Fluxus Beach
Wander, convene, and create along the Fluxus Beach pavement art installation. The alley mural’s topographic curves and asymmetrical rays are inspired by meandering waterfronts and colorful futures as envisioned by the past. Swashes of blue, teal, purple, and yellow synchronize with the adjacent Movin’ & Groovin’ mural. Curvilinear paths of creativity spill from the Graham Projects entrance while angled shimmers connect the Trenton Art Garage and its neighbors. Like the seminal Fluxus art movement, this street mural playfully blends organic art actions and everyday life.
Concept 3: Stellocus Flos
Bask in the warm pull of the Stellocus Flos street mural as it wraps its energetic rays around the corner of Hargrove and Trenton Streets. The pavement artwork’s name sheds light on its meaning as a Latin portmanteau for “star-place flower”. Sunset arms of violet, blue, teal, orange, and yellow orbit a molten core of creativity. Amidst this luminous spectacle spins a narrow pink ring with gear-like teeth evoking the Trenton Art Garage’s industrial heritage. Walk into the orbit of this pedestrian-centering solar system turning humble alleys into a Hubble-worthy pavement art/place.
Design Options Community Feedback
Questions? Contact melvin@grahamprojects.com