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Years ago when Keith Gormezano sat on the porch of a historic 18th century home on the East Coast, he imagined neighbors and passersby from decades ago traveling the busy road that lined the front yard, bringing news from town. In the small, cozy towns he visited during a six-month trip around the Unites States, Gormezano was often reminded that sharing with neighbors used to be a major form of news gathering and a way to stay in touch with the community.

It struck him that this was no longer a characteristic of most American towns. Even in a city like Seattle, it's hard to find these places where people can easily and comfortably communicate with each other, he said. Gormezano, a year Seattle resident, has been inspired by mini gathering places all over the city. In his own Phinney Ridge neighborhood it was the community reaction to a small park on Northwest 67th Street where he saw people gathering and connecting.

He soon offered funds, along with another community member, for new public benches. From where they sit in a garden area on the south side of the Phinney Neighborhood Association, the larger of the two faces the stairs coming down from the street to encourage interaction. The phrase, "Why be normal? Maybe by reading the slogan you can laugh and not feel so alienated or alone.

Gormezano lived in several communities in and outside of Seattle and learned that he preferred the closeness of the city with its walkable neighborhoods and communal parks. City Repair Seattle, inspired by a Portland organization, has similar plans for creating more inviting, friendly neighborhoods to keep people living in Seattle. The idea's range from a small shelter for trading used books, a bench, or as in one Portland neighborhood, a hour solar-powered tea station.

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These ideas are slowly building in many of Seattle's dense neighborhoods, proven by the 75 people from nine Seattle neighborhoods that showed up for a GPPA placemaking workshop earlier this year, said Shick. Though the idea of placemaking wasn't in his frame of mind for the benches, Gormezano said the ideas shoot for the same goal; comfort with community.

Placemaking projects will begin this year in the Phinney neighborhood and Gormezano hopes the new benches and creative places built by residents will encourage a healthy movement that seems lost in today's neighborhoods.