I turned my Manhattan stoop into an art project. It brought my neighborhood together.

Kristi Hemric's stoop is a hit with neighbors and strangers. Courtesy of Kristi Hemric Kristi Hemric began decorating her Manhattan stoop after scaffolding covered her townhouse. Her changing displays have featured Lego, the Knicks, flowers, and interactive installations. She says the project unexpectedly created connections throughout her neighborhood. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kristi Hemric. It has been edited for length and clarity. I had always dreamed of buying a townhouse in Manhattan , and when I did, I knew I had to decorate my stoop. I'm from Dallas, and everyone decorates the front of their houses for every single holiday. But soon after moving in, the building next door had work being done, and scaffolding had gone up and crossed onto my property line, covering my skinny townhouse . Kristi Hemric wanted to make her stoop prettier and started decorating it with flowers.