Trends 8-10 | Project for Public Spaces (PPS)

8. Public markets provide a leg up in a down economy
Public markets reach a more diverse customer base and often have more positive economic impact on a community than conventional retail projects of comparable size. In 2008, PPS completed a three year, $3 million grant program funded by the Ford Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundations to support new as well as established markets, many of which are located in low-income communities. Through the course of this work PPS provided tools that not only helped grantees achieve their project goals, but also enhanced their markets as popular community gathering places. More than 40 markets in 20 states were funded through this program.

Many lessons and best practices have surfaced through this work, which will be showcased at our 7th International Public Markets Conference to be held in San Francisco on April 24 - 26, 2009. The timely theme of the conference this year will be the role that markets play in strengthening local economies.

Ferry Terminal Market in San Francisco, CA

9. The rise of community-based transportation planning
PPS is playing an important role in the way transportation planning is done today, helping shift the focus from simply moving traffic toward creating and sustaining vital communities. In 2008, PPS's transportation program moved from operating on a project-by-project basis to joining broader collaborative efforts to influence policy and funding priorities at the national level. Placemaking is now being embraced in many sectors as an important and legitimate component in transportation planning, including the Federal Highway Administration for whom PPS facilitates and operates the Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) web site. PPS has used its extensive on-the-ground experience to help shape the platform for the T4 America Campaign, a major voice on Capitol Hill advocating for the new federal stimulus package and this year's transportation bill to have a positive impact on American communities and the environment.

A multi-modal street in Portland, Oregon

We've discovered that one good way to introduce the idea of placemaking to a wider circle of decision makers is through transportation training programs. We've connected placemaking to land use policies at workshops in Oregon, Chicago and Los Angeles, and to the notion of Context-Sensitive Design at workshops in New Mexico, Denver, Charlotte and Hartford. In 2009, The New York State Department of Transportation, (NYSDOT) is collaborating with PPS to conduct "Thinking Beyond the Station" workshops along the Tappan Zee Bridge rail corridor. We will also lead a two-day transportation workshop at our offices in New York City called Streets as Places. (For more information, please click the previous link.)

Participants at a PPS workshop in New York City

10. New developments create innovative models for destinations
The global economic downturn is squelching most conventional developments-including mixed-use done the usual way with just office, commercial and maybe housing. But interest remains high in creating destinations that bring together local cultural organizations, entertainment venues, public markets, parks and community retail that serves local needs. Granville Island in Vancouver and the Pike Place Market in Seattle are two prominent examples. They thrive in part because of the loyalty of nearby residents, yet both are also popular tourist destinations. New examples of developments that succeed because they help define a local identity can be found in in Savannah, Georgia (Trustees Garden), and San Antonio, Texas (Pearl Brewery), along with the building boom accompanying the opening of Discovery Green Park in an overlooked corner of downtown Houston.

PPS will be hosting a forum in Savannah, Georgia, "Creating New Models for Destinations," that will gather developers, government leaders and public spaces managers to discuss strategies for managing public spaces and creating these types of vibrant destinations. For more info on the forum, please contact Dana Kitzes at dkitzes@pps.org.