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Project Details
College Park is an established community east of downtown, immediately south of Saint Augustine University. The City of Raleigh, through the Housing & Neighborhoods Department, is facilitating the development of approximately 150 single-family homes and townhomes in East College Park Development. This housing development is a City Council-approved plan to increase the availability of affordable housing in this area. 60% of the homes must be sold to income-restricted households.
The East College Park development plan requires the relocation of the existing Fisher Street Park, located at 328 N. Fisher Street. The Fisher Street Park Relocation Project is a partnership initiative between the City of Raleigh Housing & Neighborhoods Department and the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department (PRCR). Funding for this project is provided through a Community Development Block Grant coordinated by the Housing & Neighborhoods Department.
Fisher Street Park will be relocated to a new site on the same block, approximately 400 feet to the south of its current location. The new park site, at the corner of Pender Street and North Fisher Street, will be approximately 1/4 acre in size. The new park location will be adjacent to other community spaces at the core of the East College Park neighborhood, including a community mailbox kiosk and the John Stokes Memorial Garden, a City of Raleigh park at the corner of Pender and Carver Streets.
The relocation of Fisher Street Park provides an opportunity to engage with both new and long-time residents of the College Park neighborhood. Through the planning process, involving face-to-face meetings (pre-Covid) and community surveys via PublicInput.com, it was determined that amenities for the new park site will feature a playground and basketball court along with other passive features, matching the programming at the existing park site. Community members stressed that Fisher Street Park and the basketball court have been important parts of the College Park neighborhood since 1969.
Based on the input received, PRCR Department is using the themes of “Play” and “Neighborhood” to define the vision of Fisher Street Park. “Play” includes the active areas of basketball and playground, and “Neighborhood” celebrates the College Park neighborhood through neighborhood historic interpretation and art.
The City of Raleigh has contracted with the design team of John A. Edwards and Company (engineers) and JDavis (landscape architects). Currently, the project is in early schematic design, based around the central features of a basketball court and playground. Opportunities for passive space will also be explored during the design process. In addition, PRCR would like to include artwork and historic interpretation in the park design.
Artist Biography
JP Jermaine Powell
Jermaine “JP” Powell is a North Carolina based mixed-media artist and muralist. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, JP holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Pratt Institute, located in Brooklyn, New York. His paintings and public art projects explore the complexities of human relationships, materialism, and consumerism.
As a world traveler, JP’s travel experiences have inspired the use of various luxury objects used in his work. Both American and international currencies are often featured symbolically in his work. In his Modern Currency and Pure Luxury Collections (2018- 2020), JP also uses bold, colorful textures, flowers, patterns, and mosaic tile.
JP is the co-creator of the Breathe: Life After Death group art exhibition featured at the Block Gallery in Raleigh, North Carolina. JP’s artwork has also been featured in Cary Living Magazine, Duke University, Art Space Galleries, Raleigh Arts, The City of Durham, and the Durham Art Guild. He is fortunate to have collectors throughout the United States, Argentina, Japan, South Africa, and London.
In June of 2020 JP was formally announced as the 1st place winner of the Fuquay-Varina Plein Air Paint Off. JP’s work has been shown in numerous group and solo exhibitions in Ohio, New York, Maryland, Washington D.C., and North Carolina.
JP Jermaine Powell with A Mother’s Love (Clock), 48x48 in., Acrylic, Mixed Media
