It’s not uncommon to see vacant buildings or unused sites around town.

But one Colorado Springs developer is trying to change the way we think about temporary spaces, in hopes of revitalizing existing properties — for the time being.

Enter: Meanwhile Block, owned by the Norwood Development Group. It’s a downtown creative hub that makes up an entire city block. Situated by Sierra Madre and West Cimarron streets, the space (as its name implies) is for use in the meanwhile, before permanent development of Park Union neighborhood begins. Meanwhile Block debuted in summer of 2023.

“This activation prevents the area from becoming stagnant, ensuring continuous use and engagement in the southwest part of downtown,” Norwood CEO Chris Jenkins said via email.

“It also illustrates the potential of temporary spaces to enhance urban areas.”

The block is made up of a large outdoor area that includes three parking lots, an 11,000-square-foot warehouse-like Barrel Building, three garage bays and an outdoor courtyard. It’s also home to The Shoppe, a local boutique that lost its previous downtown storefront as a result of the Bijou Street fire.

“Knowing that development takes time, we asked, ‘What purpose could this property serve in the meanwhile?,’” Jenkins wrote.

“We liked the grittiness and the cool factor of the older buildings — especially the Barrel Building, and so we started there.”

The center hosts about a dozen markets a month, including the Sunday Public Market and a monthly makers market, said events consultant Lauren Ripko, who has led the charge on Meanwhile. The largest event the space has hosted was the 719 Battle of the Food Trucks in June, which saw more than 2,500 attendees and 40 food trucks.

When Norwood acquired the property, many of the buildings were severely deteriorated. The development group has worked to improve the space by removing barbed-wire fences and dead trees that previously littered the space, as well as installing outdoor lighting, painting new murals and resurfacing the barrel building’s floor.

Right now, the venue is dedicated to different types of gatherings, meaning each event requires its own set of permits from multiple departments. But the city has been supportive of the group’s efforts in pursuing this newer concept, Ripko said.

“We see it as a hub where local entrepreneurs can show off their work, encouraging creativity and collaboration. It will continue to be a great venue for workshops, pop-up markets and events, giving the community a chance to engage and connect,” Jenkins wrote.

Ultimately, the space will be developed as part of the Park Union Business District as a mixed-use urban neighborhood, with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum as its centerpiece.

“Because the space is focused on temporary use, it acts as a prototype for the future character of the neighborhood, provides a space for the community to experiment and test new event concepts,” Jenkins wrote.