the Neighborhood Design Center

Engagement and Facilitation,

Arts Planning and Cultural Programming,

Streetscape and Pedestrian Planning

Windom Road Historic Barrier Park

Today, what once was a segregation-era barrier between Brentwood and North Brentwood stands as a powerful historical park. This park not only memorializes the past but also symbolizes progress and unity.
Today, what once was a segregation-era barrier between Brentwood and North Brentwood stands as a powerful historical park. This park not only memorializes the past but also symbolizes progress and unity.

This project began with two visionary mayors who recognized that an outdated barrier no longer reflected their community’s values or aspirations. Their leadership sparked the transformation of this historical site.

In the 1950’s, a corrugated metal crash barrier was installed to prominently delineate the municipal boundary between Brentwood, a sundown town, and North Brentwood, the county’s first incorporated African American town. Though the laws and popular sentiments have changed, the structure remains.

    • NDC worked closely with community leaders and residents during an 18-month collaborative engagement process to create shared values for placemaking

    • The proposed site plans included interpretive signs, benches, bioretention planters, tree boxes, pervious curb/gutters, and residential streetscape planting, and branched out beyond the street to the adjacent park

    • This phase of work was funded by the Community Design Block Grants (CDBG) program.

    • Designs created during this phase have been used in future phases of work, including receiving Maryland Heritage Areas Authority funding and conducting a public Request for Qualifications to select an artist team to move designs of art at the site of the barrier forward.

    • Collaborations between the towns and arts community resulted in $265K outside funding

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Since 2016, NDC has been honored to stand alongside the North Brentwood and Brentwood communities. We have been deeply involved from the start of community engagement, contributing our expertise to design a parklet and reimagine the historically significant traffic barrier. Our efforts include educational signage and enhanced pedestrian and bicycle access, ensuring the space is accessible and informative.

The collaboration between the two towns has turned this site into a vibrant art and education hub. It serves as a poignant reminder of the past while providing a space for learning and reflection for future generations.

In summer of 2024, the sculpture was unveiled for all to enjoy.

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The sculpture's unveiling celebration drew a huge crowd. Photos by Nicholas London, London Legacy Creations LLC.
The sculpture's unveiling celebration drew a huge crowd. Photos by Nicholas London, London Legacy Creations LLC.

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