Banners and Lights Brighten Business Corridor
Colorful banners and decorative lights adorn Church Street. In fall 2024, we installed two vibrant designs that alternate each block along the commercial corridor between 30th Street and Cesar Chavez depicting and celebrating unique Upper Noe Valley. That was followed in early December along the southern end of the street with the first installment of string lighting.
Upper Noe Neighbors (UNN) began this project in spring 2023 after receiving a $50,000 grant from Avenue Greenlight to enhance the business area. For the banners, the committee sought art over advertising, for the designs to say something subtly about our vibrant neighborhood. Local artist Rhonel Roberts was commissioned to capture the essence of Upper Noe Valley based upon the joy and color pallet of his art for other San Francisco neighborhoods. “My work is a reflection of my love for life. It’s about the color, adventure, exploration, spiritual journeys, inquiry, whimsy, fantasy” says Roberts (www.chezrhonel.com).
The banners were followed up with phase one of a goal to add decorative lighting along the length of the corridor. Although progress has been somewhat challenging, everyone wanted to get something up for the holidays and pitched in to make it happen, including local merchants who gave their time and support. The response has been overwhelmingly in favor of doing more, and that is in progress. The sidewalks are much better illuminated, making the area feel safer and more inviting. That’s a lot of bang for the buck for only 100 watts per block!