The Placemaking Round-Up
A biweekly newsletter with public space news, resources, and opportunities.
The Biweekly Bazaar
A curated dispatch on all things public markets plus the latest announcements from the Market Cities Program.
A biweekly newsletter with public space news, resources, and opportunities.
A curated dispatch on all things public markets plus the latest announcements from the Market Cities Program.
Project Name: About Context Sensitive Solutions.org Client: Federal Highway Administration Project Manager: Renee Espiau Brief Description: This website was created by PPS, in partnership with Scenic America, to provide transportation practitioners and stakeholders with cutting-edge research and information on the planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance and management of transportation facilities so that they fit into, and support, the context in which they are located. The mission of the site is to serve as a gathering place to exchange views, best practices and experiences related to transportation projects that are respectful of community, environmental, cultural and historical resources.
Project Name: Corridor for Livable Communities Booklet Client: Federal Highway Administration Project Manager: Renee Espiau Brief Description: Corridor for Livable Communities: Making Great Places Through Transportation handbook will describe the benefits, and offer examples, of an innovative approach to transportation planning that considers the surrounding context of a transportation corridor and the land uses that impact transportation demand. The intention of the handbook is to raise awareness of holistic corridor planning, and offer benchmarks of where is has been done successfully. The desired outcome is that other agencies and places will relate to the challenges and limitations of conventional transportation planning and will embark on this new process of considering the communities that transportation facilities traverse and connect.
Project Name: Diversifying Farmers Markets & Public Markets Client: The Ford Foundation Project Managers: Chris Heitmann and Steve Davies Brief Description: After conducting research on social integration and upward mobility in public markets in 2002 and 2003, PPS created a two-year grantmaking program to support the public markets and community development. In 2005 we awarded $1 million to nine grantees for the planning and development of public markets. That program has now been extended through 2007 to support the development of operating networks of farmers markets, which can play a larger city- or region-wide role on health, community development, and the other positive impacts of markets; in 2006 we awarded $575,000 to seven grantees around North America to further the development of these networks. Grantees are part of the larger cohort that includes PPS/Kellogg Foundation grantees.
Project Name: GSA and Markets Program Client: General Service Administration Project Manager: Cynthia Nikitin Brief Description: PPS is working with market operators and GSA building managers from around the country to establish a series of farmers markets on federal properties as a way of activating these spaces with amenities and activities that benefit federal employees, visitors, and the public alike while providing additional market sites and business opportunities for existing market operators.
Project Name: Streets as Places Campaign Project Manager: Gary Toth Brief Description: The Streets as Places campaign represents a broad effort to engage the transportation industry to transform transportation policy and practice in order to be supportive of community outcomes. Project Name: The Thriving Markets Project Client: Kaiser Permanente Community Benefit Project Manager: Chris Heitmann Brief Description: PPS is evaluating and assisting over 30 Kaiser Permanente farmers markets across the US to ensure that they remain financially viable, continually improve staff, members, and local communities' access to fresh, local produce, and become successful public gathering places in their own right. Additionally, PPS hopes to connect these markets to appropriate resources to address issues and challenges as they arise in future years.
City: Corona Project Name: Creating a New Downtown for Corona Client: KDF Communities Project Manager: Steve Davies/Renee Espiau Brief Description: Corona's old Main Street and downtown was demolished in a 1960's re-development and replaced with a currently under-performing shopping center. PPS is working with KDF Communities on a project to restore Corona's original Main Street. The new Master Plan includes building a new mixed-use town center with residential, retail, and office space, as well as building on existing local institutions such as the hospital, library and theaters.
City: Chino Hills Project Name: Bell Eagle Public Market Client: Indus Investments Project Manager: Steve Davies Brief Description: PPS, working with the Real Estate Planning Group from Chicago, conducted a feasibility study for a new, privately developed public market which will be the focal point of a new mixed use development, Bell Eagle at Chino Hills, in the rapidly developing area outside of Los Angeles. The market will feature a 20,000 square foot market hall with an adjacent open air market and public plaza. The development proposal is currently in review by local authorities.
City: Ontario Project Name: A Vision for Ontario, California Client: The Planning Center Project Manager: Meg Walker Brief Description: PPS is assisting The Planning Center with the General Plan Update by facilitating a number of community meetings that discuss "Placemaking and The Power of Ten" - creating new destinations and linkages throughout Ontario and a vision for the future of downtown Ontario. In addition, we will consult on the land use plan and implementation strategies.
City: Stanford Project Name: Developing a Public Space Program for Stanford's New Business School Client: Stanford University - Graduate School of Business Project Manager: Kathy Madden Brief Description: Public places are a key part of the public life of any college campus. They are the "front porch" of the institution - where students, faculty and visitors interact with each other. When colleges have thriving public spaces, there is a strong sense of community; conversely, when they are lacking, people feel less connected to each other.
PPS is assisting Stanford University with developing a detailed public space program for the spaces adjacent to the newly proposed Business School building, so that it informs the development of both the design concepts and management practices in the new campus.
City: Stamford Project Name: Stamford CT Train Station Client: City of Stamford Project Manager: Thor Snilsberg Brief Description: PPS is assisting the City of Stamford and several area businesses by conducting a pedestrian audit and evaluating traffic issues around the train station and the downtown core using time-lapse photography, on-site observations and stakeholder surveys. Short- and long-term recommendations, including traffic calming, public amenities and architectural strategies, will be developed to help Stamford plan improvements to the local pedestrian environment.
City: Savannah Project Name: Savannah, Georgia: A Plan for Trustees' Garden Client: Randolph Street, Inc. Project Manager: Meg Walker Brief Description: Savannah's founder and planner, James Oglethorpe, created Trustees' Garden in the 18th century as an experimental horticultural garden where he tested the viability of different crops in the coastal Georgian climate. Today, it is a vacant industrial site, on the eastern edge of Savannah's downtown historic district and near the riverfront, which could become a major destination for locals and visitors alike. Through visioning workshops and stakeholder interviews, PPS is helping the site's owner create a redevelopment plan, anchored by a restored garden, that will not only be economically and environmentally sustainable, but provide a public venue for events, performances and community gatherings.
City: Boston Project Name: Boston TransNational Place Client: TransNational Associates Project Manager: Steve Davies Brief Description: PPS is preparing a program of uses and working on conceptual design for a new glass-covered plaza located at the base of Boston's future tallest building. The vision for the plaza is to create a hub of activity year-round, 7 days a week.
City: Statewide Project Name: Diversifying Farmers Markets & Public Markets
Client: W.K. Kellogg Foundation Project Managers: Chris Heitmann and Steve Davies Brief Description: Following research we conducted for Kellogg in 2003 on "The Role of Farmers Markets in Community-Based Food Systems," PPS developed a three-year, $2.1 million regranting program for farmers markets. Twelve grants were awarded in 2006 and another ten in 2007. Grant activities range from piloting a system that enables a market to accept food stamps in electronic form (EBT); to developing a micro-lending program for immigrant farmers and other farmers of limited means; to conducting cooking demonstrations and healthy eating education for women recently released from prison. Four grants were also provided in 2006 to support the development of state and regional farmers market associations. PPS provides technical assistance, training and mentoring to grantees in three areas - management and operations, placemaking; and community impacts - in order to strengthen the long-term health and viability of the markets.
City: Detroit Project Name: Creating a Five-Year Outreach Plan for the Eastern Market. Client: Eastern Market Corporation Project Manager: David O'Neil Brief Description: Eastern Market in Detroit opened in 1891 and is the oldest operating market district in the country. Just adjacent to downtown, the district combines wholesale meat and produce operations, a wholesale farmers market, a retail farmers market, assorted fresh food and other retail shops, and now increasing numbers of lofts, condos, and new businesses. The neighborhoods surrounding the market on the east side of Detroit are primarily low-income and have scarce access to fresh, local food other than the market. PPS and David O'Neil are working with Sustainable Agriculture Education (SAGE) and the Eastern Market Corporation to develop a five-year outreach plan for the market, including strategies for engaging and working with community groups, local citizens and business owners, the various stakeholders in the market, and others to develop the market as the anchor for a community-based food system.
City: Springfield Project Name: Park Central Square Client: City of Springfield Project Manager: Sandy Pan Brief Description: Park Central Square is a small public square in downtown Springfield. It has evolved from the true "heart" of downtown - where everyone went to go shopping with their families, where people took their kids to meet Santa during the holidays - to its current state - a redesign by Lawrence Halprin from the 1970's that over time has become underutilized and underperforming with negative connotations. Project for Public Spaces and Butler Rosenbury & Partners are working together to develop a community-based plan and design to revitalize Park Central Square.
City: Fallon Project Name: Fallon Client: Churchill Economic Development Authority Project Manager: Phil Myrick Brief Description: A Main Street in one of Nevada's most historic small towns. Placemaking will be used to help the town: strengthen its character to withstand some of the regional growth forces; become the crown jewel of area as a destination; change regional cynicism that downtowns are dinosaurs and give hope to other area historic communities; catalyze a rural renaissance in a state where agricultural qualities, sustainable growth, and Quality of Life are all endangered.
City: Meredith Project Name: Meredith Client: City of Meredith and NH DOT Project Manager: Phil Myrick Brief Description: This is a state and US rural highway that brings an overwhelming amount of traffic through a lakeside village on Lake Winnepesaukee, one of New England biggest summer destinations. The Placemaking is being done in coordination with NHDOTs reconstruction of the corridor to better marry the road into the aesthetic natural and village setting.
City: Brick Project Name: Creating a New Town Center: Integration of Transportation Improvements and Land Uses
Client: NJ DOT Project Manager: Meg Walker Brief Description: PPS is working on a team with planning and engineering firm Parsons Brinckerhoff to help create a New Town Center in Brick, NJ. PPS is conducting community Placemaking workshops and helping to create a concept for the New Town Center which focuses on walkability and pedestrian and bicycle connectivity.
City: Various Municipalities Project Name: Smart Choices Campaign
Client: Municipal Land Use Center
Project Manager: Cynthia Nikitin Brief Description:PPS has partnered with the Municipal Land Use Center to provide statewide education on integrating transportation and land use planning and using placemaking to build better communities. Additionally, PPS is providing technical assistance to New Jersey municipalities so that they can turn their streets and public spaces into community assets and catalysts for positive change.
City: Yonkers Project Name: Point Street LandingPoint Street Landing Client:Homes for America, Inc. Project Manager: Meg Walker Brief Description:PPS is creating a public space plan for this 14-acre mixed-use project on the Yonkers waterfront. As part of this plan, PPS is conducting public outreach and community workshops to help the Yonkers community identify what types of uses and activities it needs on the waterfront.
City: Cleveland Project Name: Cleveland East 120th Street Station Client: Greater Cleveland RTA Project Manager: Cynthia Nikitin Brief Description: A station area plan featuring streetscape, public space, sustainability and public art elements and strategies for creating new TOD projects in the Little Italy and University Circle neighborhoods.
City: Easton Project Name: Easton, PA Client: Nurture Nature Foundation Project Manager: Elena Madison Brief Description: The Nurture Nature Foundation is creating an innovative Flood Museum & Resource Center destination in Easton's historic VFW Building. PPS is helping to shape a new overall vision for the building and its role in the city, identify the uses and potential partners for the public spaces, and create a concept plan for the spaces and building level uses that will attract a diverse cross-section of people throughout the year and help to revitalize downtown Easton. PPS's aim is to create cohesive environments where the many functions of community life can take place, where people feel ownership and connectedness, and where they perceive public space as true common ground - in short, to create places where people want to be.
City: Houston Project Name: Southwest Community Center Client: Neighborhood Center, Inc. Project Manager: Steve Davies Brief Description: PPS is working with Concordia, LLC architects to co-facilitate public workshops to develop programs for an innovative Community Center in this largely Latino community. The Community Center will integrate a public market, park and community plaza, as well as a mixed-use center with a charter school, incubator business center, immigrant services center, library and adult education services.
City: San Antonio Project Name: Pearl Brewery Client: Silver Ventures, Inc. Project Manager: Meg Walker Brief Description: Adaptive reuse of an historic brewery on the San Antonio River, and additional new development, with a broad mix of uses - housing, retail, restaurants, hotel, cooking school, event space, non-profit offices, arts uses, and the public spaces include a multi-purpose plaza, outdoor performance areas and a farmers market. PPS is assisting Silver Ventures with the planning and programming of the public spaces, and with formulating an operational plan and management strategy. There are also plans to develop a public market/farmers market program, and PPS will be working on a feasibility study and conception plan.
Project Name: Southwest DC Waterfront Client: PN Hoffman Project Manager: Meg Walker Brief Description: The team selected to redevelop the Washington, DC southwest waterfront has hired PPS to help create an exciting and innovative concept for the proposed mixed-use development and its public spaces. Using international best practices, solicitation of community input and collaborative design review, PPS is working with the project's architectural team to create great destinations along this waterfront.
City: Seattle Project Name: Seattle Civic Center Client: Triad Civic Center LLC Project Manager: Renee Espiau Brief Description: PPS is working with Triad Civic Center, LLC and their architectural team to inform the design, program and management of a new mixed-use development in downtown Seattle, across from the new City Hall. This project is providing a new open space plaza, which will serve as the civic gathering space for the city. Daily activities and programmed events of all sizes will activate the space year-round and help make it safe and financially successful. Other public spaces in the site include intimate outdoor spaces for eating, reading and games, a potential public market, a green roof, and future light rail access.
The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.
The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.
Body Text Body Link
The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.
Here is some highlighted text from the article.
Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.
Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.
Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.
