ASH + LIME

05/26/2026

ENROLLMENT CLOSES IN 24 HOURS!

This is your FINAL chance to apply for the Small Scale Real Estate Development Summer Program led by Monte Anderson!

If you’ve been thinking about investing in your community, learning how to develop real estate with purpose, or creating change in overlooked Dallas neighborhoods...NOW IS THE TIME.

No prior development experience is needed. Just bring your passion, curiosity, and commitment to building stronger communities.

Whether you’re:
Exploring your first project
An entrepreneur or investor
A builder or property owner
Someone who cares deeply about the future of Dallas

…this program was created for YOU.

Applications officially close TOMORROW at the end of business day. Don’t wait until it’s too late!

Apply now: http://on.uli.org/EJoX50Z3GXA

10/10/2025

Thanks to WFAA’s Good Morning Texas for running a five-and-a-half-minute interview about Experience Main Street in Downtown Irving. We’re already hearing buzz and kind words from colleagues and partners who saw the segment!

This project is about bringing life back to Main Street and showing what a more human downtown can feel like.

Ash + Lime was brought in to lead the pop-up storefronts, starting with ZZ’s Ice Cream Puffs, a local pop-up dessert shop, and Workshop on Main, a creative vendor and gallery space.

The opening weekend starts tonight at 6 PM and continues tomorrow at 10 AM. Come check it out!

07/19/2024

Hello, everyone!

I'm seeking advice from professionals who deal with challenges related to vacant and underutilized storefronts. This may include City staff, economic development professionals, Main Street organizations, property owners, and small business owners.

We're finalizing a new collaborative service focused on revitalizing these spaces, and we need your feedback! Right now, our core team includes:

Jaime Izurieta Varea, founder of Storefront Mastery, a New Jersey-based creative and design studio
Myself (Rik Adamski), founder of ASH+LIME, a Dallas-based downtown/neighborhood planning firm
We're also seeking to expand our team with additional members!

Our approach, tailored to the unique needs of each place, will typically cover topics such as:

* Engagement with property owners, business owners, and citizens
Strategies for pop-ups and other temporary uses
* "Third Place" and local business support
* Storefront-specific designs
* Code enforcement policies
* Place-based marketing

Our team will be well-positioned to help communities of all sizes, ranging from small towns to larger cities.

Some questions:

* Of these topics, what is most pressing to your community?
* What types of organizations would be most likely to use these services?
* Are we missing anything?

Your insights will help us create a service that truly meets community needs. We look forward to helping transform empty storefronts into vibrant neighborhood assets!

07/11/2024

Welcome to episode 79 of the Small Nation Podcast! This podcast is created for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, economic development, and small town su...

04/04/2024

Woo-Hoo! 🎉

What a fantastic landmark addition to Downtown Rockdale! It’s been an pleasure to watch this downtown continue to evolve over the last year.

Keep an eye out; our work on the Comp Plan for Rockdale (as a sub to Freese and Nichols, Inc.) will be coming out soon.

03/20/2024

Ash+Lime is excited to announce our involvement in an inspiring project with the University of Houston (UH)!

UH hosts a thriving on-campus Arts District, encompassing an array of vibrant artistic programs and resources — including design, theater, dance, music, art, and architecture. The district features a museum, art galleries, theaters, programmable outdoor spaces, and captivating public art installations.

In conjunction with its upcoming 2027 centennial celebrations, UH is planning various large capital projects and renovations, including in the Arts District, which will help to both better serve student needs and to bring the Arts District to a new level.

The Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts recognizes the need for short-term strategies to complement these large-scale projects.

Creating a cohesive and dynamic on-campus arts district requires meticulous attention to detail, a focus on the students’ experience, and active engagement with those who contribute time, money, energy, and passion to UH’s arts programs.

Ash+Lime’s approach is strategically centered on student and staff coordination, temporary art installations, creative outdoor programming, dynamic event planning, and targeted marketing.

Our goal is to complement the University’s larger planning efforts with modest, low-cost strategies that can be implemented in weeks and months.

By fostering collaboration among various programs, we aim to celebrate, support, and promote the exceptional creativity within the district, extending its reach to the broader campus community and city as a whole.

We see this as a unique opportunity to leverage the Arts District to enhance student experiences, optimize creative spaces, attract new audiences, and become a valuable resource for neighboring communities.

While this marks the initial phase of our involvement, we have already had stimulating conversations with students and staff. We are confident that our efforts will generate effective, actionable recommendations — laying a strong foundation for future planning. We look forward to sharing our progress as we help shape the future of the on-campus arts scene at the University of Houston!

02/21/2024

02/02/2024

Join us this coming Wednesday for our Neighborhood Oriented Development Community Happy Hour!

We welcome developers, city planners, architects, small business owners, and anyone passionate about small-scale and human-centric development! This happy hour is part of our commitment to connect those dedicated to building environments where people thrive.

Don't miss this opportunity to share a drink with fellow community builders throughout the city and region (Hosted by Community Focused Ventures and ASH + LIME).

We're gathering on February 7th, from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at Jaquval, located at 312 W. 7th St. In Bishop Arts.

More details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/786918496593418/