Joel Bergner for Park Montgomery West

When Enterprise Community Development undertook a renovation and preservation program at Park Montgomery West in Silver Spring's Montgomery Knolls neighborhood, they sought a commission that would do more than improve the building's exterior. They needed a work that residents could recognize as a direct reflection of their own community, delivered by an artist whose process was built around exactly that kind of engagement. WXLLSPACE sourced internationally recognized social-impact artist Joel Bergner, managed the full compliance and logistics scope, and coordinated the installation within the property's active renovation timeline. The result is a 1,056 SQFT community narrative mural on the primary exterior facade at Park Montgomery West, associated with increased resident engagement and a strengthened sense of belonging within the community.

Park Montgomery West is an occupied affordable housing community in an active renovation phase. The challenge was not simply delivering a mural on a tight production schedule within a live residential environment. The deeper challenge was delivering a work that residents would experience as an investment in them specifically, not a generic improvement applied to their building from the outside.Key challenges included:Selecting an artist whose practice was built around genuine community engagement and the incorporation of local faces, stories, and cultural heritage into the final composition, not just large-scale execution capabilityCoordinating an exterior mural installation within an occupied residential property where children, elderly residents, and daily community activity required careful site safety management throughout the production periodSequencing the mural commission within a broader renovation and preservation timeline managed by Matthews Construction Management, requiring alignment between the art production schedule and the broader construction programDelivering a work that met Enterprise Community Development's standards for social impact and community integrity while functioning as a durable, professionally executed exterior asset for the property

Schedule:The mural commission was coordinated within Park Montgomery West's larger renovation and preservation timeline. Specific project start and end dates are noted as Unknown; see "Data needed to finalize."Brand and social impact requirements:Enterprise Community Development required the commission to meet their standards for social impact and community integrity. The work was funded as part of the community development and resident services budget, not a standard capital improvement line, reflecting the organization's positioning of the mural as a resident-facing investment rather than an asset improvement.Safety:The installation ran within an active residential community with children and elderly residents present throughout the production period. Site safety protocols, COI documentation, and safety plan submission were managed through the WXLLSPACE platform in advance of the install window.Access:On-site coordination accounted for resident parking patterns and active entrance pathways adjacent to the mural wall. Daily production logistics were sequenced to minimize disruption to residents moving through the property.Weather and seasonality:Mid-Atlantic weather patterns introduced potential for delays during the install window. Specific weather-related disruptions are not documented in the source inputs.Budget:The project was funded within the community development and resident services budget. No pricing figures are included in this case study.

Scope intake and site identificationWXLLSPACE worked with Enterprise Community Development to identify the primary exterior wall at Park Montgomery West as the community's canvas. Wall selection prioritized visibility within the residential community and impact for residents encountering the facade as part of their daily movement through the property.Artist sourcingJoel Bergner was selected through the WXLLSPACE platform based on two specific criteria: his international reputation for social-impact muralism and his established working method of incorporating local stories, resident faces, and culturally specific symbolic imagery into large-scale exterior compositions. His practice aligned directly with Enterprise Community Development's goal of producing a work that residents would recognize as their own.Concept developmentThe concept development process was structured around community engagement. Resident input on themes and imagery was gathered to inform the composition, consistent with Joel Bergner's collaborative working approach. Specific workshop formats and revision details are noted as Unknown in the source inputs; see "Data needed to finalize."Compliance and documentationWXLLSPACE managed the full compliance package through its platform: certificate of insurance, W9 processing, and safety plan submission. These were handled as part of the standard project scope, removing the administrative burden from Enterprise Community Development and the Matthews Construction Management team.Production planningWXLLSPACE coordinated the production schedule in direct alignment with the renovation timeline managed by Matthews Construction Management. Stakeholder checkpoints ran through Riane McWain, Senior Development Manager at Enterprise Community Development, and the construction management team throughout the production phase.InstallationJoel Bergner led the installation with a support crew. Daily working hours ran from approximately 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. On-site coordination was facilitated between WXLLSPACE, Enterprise Community Development, and Matthews Construction Management. Progress tracking and final review were conducted to ensure design fidelity and long-term durability of the finished surface. Specific install duration and access equipment are noted as Unknown; see "Data needed to finalize."

Location: Park Montgomery West, Montgomery Knolls, Silver Spring, MD (specific address Unknown)Install window: Unknown (project date range Unknown)Crew: Joel Bergner (lead artist); support crewOn-site developer contact: Riane McWain, Senior Development Manager, Enterprise Community Development; Shawn Matthews, VP of Construction, Enterprise Community DevelopmentConstruction management contact: Melissa Matthews, Matthews Construction ManagementTotal mural size: 1,056 SQFTWall location: Primary exterior facadeSurface type: UnknownWall height: UnknownAccess equipment: UnknownApplication: Professional-grade acrylic and aerosol paintDaily working hours: Approximately 8:00 AM to 5:00 PMStyle: Community-centric narrative; local stories, resident faces, and cultural heritage imagery in Joel Bergner's signature social-impact styleLighting: Unknown

Schedule:The mural commission was coordinated within Park Montgomery West's larger renovation and preservation timeline. Specific project start and end dates are noted as Unknown; see "Data needed to finalize."Brand and social impact requirements:Enterprise Community Development required the commission to meet their standards for social impact and community integrity. The work was funded as part of the community development and resident services budget, not a standard capital improvement line, reflecting the organization's positioning of the mural as a resident-facing investment rather than an asset improvement.Safety:The installation ran within an active residential community with children and elderly residents present throughout the production period. Site safety protocols, COI documentation, and safety plan submission were managed through the WXLLSPACE platform in advance of the install window.Access:On-site coordination accounted for resident parking patterns and active entrance pathways adjacent to the mural wall. Daily production logistics were sequenced to minimize disruption to residents moving through the property.Weather and seasonality:Mid-Atlantic weather patterns introduced potential for delays during the install window. Specific weather-related disruptions are not documented in the source inputs.Budget:The project was funded within the community development and resident services budget. No pricing figures are included in this case study.