brumley gardens

The Better Block picked up one of the most interesting buildings in the 700 block of West Davis.

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The Oak Cliff-based company, founded as a way to create a “living charrette” on Tyler Street in 2010, has leased the old mercantile building, which most recently housed Brumley Gardens. The converted 1930s service station also housed the late Ruth Chenoweth’s real estate office for many years.

Plywood furniture printed on a digital laser cutter and pieced together. Photo courtesy of Jason Roberts

Plywood furniture printed on a digital laser cutter and pieced together. Photo courtesy of Jason Roberts

Since efforts six years ago to show neighbors how Tyler could be improved, Jason Roberts and company have taken the Better Block concept all over the world. Last year, they received a $775,000 grand from the Knight Foundation, and they’ve put some of that to work in Akron, Ohio, where they are working to improve a community of Bhutanese refugees.

In its new headquarters on West Davis, projects include using a digital laser cutter to make plywood furniture for public spaces. They also plan to sublease space in the building for local small businesses and makers.

In its first big event at the space, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 29, Bar Politics will explain “WTF is a Better Block.”