Cities can be awe-inspiring in their scope and grandeur. Tall buildings, old architecture and broad streets host hundreds or thousands of people every day. Over time, things may deteriorate or become obsolete, but there are plenty of ways to breathe life back into an area.

1. Adaptive Reuse

Old buildings have the potential to become eyesores. One way to get rid of them is by tearing them down and putting something else in their place. However, a big part of what makes a city special is its architecture and destroying old buildings can take a piece of history away from the residents. Adaptive reuse is a way to renovate structures that no longer serve their original purpose. An old hotel could be remade into an apartment complex, or an old storage facility can be turned into a shopping center.

2. Community Gardens

One way to beautify any urban area is with the addition of greenery. Urban gardens can grow fruits and vegetables for locals to enjoy. They could also provide a small space full of flowers and shrubs for people to relax in.

3. Clean Up

Any place that attracts large numbers of people can unfortunately also be a place that has litter. Organizing groups of volunteers to meet for a day of cleaning up an area of a city is a great way to bring people together for a good cause. Even if there are other things that need to be improved, clean streets and sideways instantly boost the look and feel of a city.

Whether the changes made are large or small, they all add up to create a city that is nicer to be in every day. If the changes that need to happen are too big to do alone or with available resources, contact city council members and other local authorities to ask for assistance.