Just over a month ago we shared our dreams and hopes to grow The Botany Block, an expanded outdoor garden space adjacent to the Shop for teaching, learning, enjoyment, and community building. A lot has happened since, and I’m excited to share some updates with you today.
First, thank you to everyone who has contributed questions and feedback via our online form, located on our Botany Block web page. We’ve since begun responding to your questions, and the first batch is posted to our Q/A page. As we have time to read your newest responses, we look forward to continuing this dialogue and hearing your dreams, hopes, and wishes. We’re also happy to continue these conversations in the Shop or over coffee or beverage of your choice, anytime, especially if you live in our neighborhood. Hearing from you is shaping how we’ll move forward, and it’s incredibly valuable and appreciated.
On a related note, if you’re one of our neighbors in the Near Northwest Neighborhood (NNN), I hope you’ll consider joining us for our first Coffee + Conversation gathering happening Saturday, September 17 at 9am at the Near Northwest Neighborhood Center (1007 Portage Ave). This is an intentional moment for the merchants of the NNN (Brain Lair and Botany to begin, and all will be welcome as our neighborhood grows) to meet with you, our neighbors, and hear what’s on your mind and think about the role we can play in the neighborhood through our small businesses. I hope you’ll consider joining us.
One of the most powerful and thought-provoking pieces of feedback we’ve received has come from neighbors asking how The Block will impact gentrification in our neighborhood. We’ve been doing a lot of fast learning and pondering, and we know gentrification as an idea and a reality certainly intersects our work. There’s a lot of factors and players in this dialogue, and we take our role seriously. For Botany’s sake, we’re leaning into some emerging ideas around access to and development of green space in cities, a form of positive development called “Just Green Enough.” If you’re curious to learn more, I hope you’ll read the article linked here.
Second, thank you to our more than 20 Botany Backers and investors who are helping us move toward our goals. As of today, we have $28,500 committed toward our “phase one” goal of $35,000, 81% of the way there! When we meet this goal, this will allow us to move forward to purchase our building at 909 Portage Ave, plus the adjacent lot next door where we’ll begin growing the Botany Garden. This is an exciting milestone, because it means we can then turn our attention to building gardens and putting plants in the ground. We anticipate doing more fundraising to help us grow and build the gardens and the great news is we’ll be able to do this with a bit less urgency because acquiring the properties is a BIG first lift. Our next steps can be measured, meaningful, and gradual.
If you’ve been on the fence when it comes to supporting this project, or “just haven’t gotten around to it yet,” I hope this update inspires you to action as it’s inspired me and our team. Not a day goes by where we don’t explore new dreams, sketch more ideas, and get excited by all the possibilities. The enthusiasm is palpable, and we can’t wait to dig in with you. You can support us either as a Botany Backer (think of it like a membership to a museum or cultural organization you enjoy), or we’re happy to talk about a more traditional investment with a set interest rate and payback terms. If you’re interested in going this route, simply send me an email and we’ll find a time to chat.
You can also help us by sharing this project with others in your circle who you think might be interested and able to help. Today our focus is funding, and once we acquire the properties, we’ll welcome help in the form of time and talents, too, as we’ll need all the hands we can get to begin putting plants in the ground and helping this special new space come to life.
We know it takes a village, and we’re so very grateful you’re ours. Thank you for everything.