EDUCATION PLAZA
Washington, DC  (1999-present)

PPS has been working with the U.S. General Services Administration to revitalize the plaza in front of the newly renovated Department of Education's headquarters in Washington, DC. The vision for the space includes design improvements, public amenities, and education-related activities. We have improved linkages with neighbors like The National Air and Space Museum. Short-term improvements were made: new plantings, food kiosks, and a quiet area with tables, chairs and game tables. The medium term sets the stage for ongoing educational programming like innovative educational playgrounds, interactive exhibits, museum events, and student exhibits.  Client: U. S. General Services Administration, Public Buildings Service, Center for Urban Development.

DOWNTOWN PUBLIC SQUARE
Fort Worth, Texas (1999-2001)

Fort Worth's downtown public square project has grown from a need to reconfigure a bus transfer center near the City's government center based upon the idea developed by PPS to locate stops for different routes around a concentrated area of streets, underused spaces and civic buildings, rather than at one centralized facility. PPS expanded the idea to bring together six different open spaces to create a civic square. The plan includes a park-like setting for lunchtime use, with food and information kiosks; a public plaza large enough for events, such as performances or a market, with trees and a stage; a quiet garden-like area with gazebo and café; an entrance plaza for city hall with fountains and a café; a major focal space with a large sculpture; and a formal garden, as well as narrower streets to slow traffic and facilitate pedestrian crossings. The bus stops are located close enough to each other to make transfers easily and invite walking. This project is part of a nationwide program PPS is conducting with the Center for Urban Development of the General Services Administration to integrate government buildings within their communities and make their public spaces more attractive, inviting and vibrant. Client: U.S. General Services Administration, Center for Urban Development.

SCIENCE MUSEUM AND CENTRAL SQUARE: KLEMAN PLAZA
Tallahassee, Florida (1992-93; 2000)

This project involved the development of an underdeveloped block in the downtown core as a community square that would serve both as an immediately usable public meeting place and as the infrastructure for further development. To develop a design and program for this area, PPS led community workshops about the future of the site and adjacent areas that included a new science center. Plans for short-term initiatives included science-related activities in the square to precede the opening of the science museum, a vending program, and traffic calming applications on several streets. Construction of the square was completed in 1995, leading to a lively, well-used community space. Five years later, PPS returned to re-evaluate its design and programming. Based on this evaluation, plans for developing one of the anticipated buildings on the square were changed, preserving more public space and allowing Kleman Plaza to become a major central square, while still a focal point of new development.  Client: City of Tallahassee, Downtown Improvement Authority and Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Department.

DOWNTOWN OSSINING PUBLIC SQUARE
Ossining, New York (1997)

PPS conducted a process to evaluate and develop concepts for re-configuring and finding new uses for a public square in the Village of Ossining, New York. As a result, a bare-bones parking lot, the site of the farmers' market, was restructured and expanded into a new permanent market square with landscaping and public art, performance areas, areas for children's activities, seating, socializing, and community events, as well as the weekly market.  Client: Village of Ossining. 

RAHWAY STATION SQUARE CONCEPT PLAN
Rahway, New Jersey (1997)

While New Jersey Transit was in the process of building a new train station building in Rahway, the downtown's special improvement district, the Downtown Rahway Partnership, hired PPS to look at the possibility of removing adjacent retail buildings to build a new station square. In addition, PPS investigated pedestrian, circulation and streetscape improvements that could be made in the surrounding neighborhood to better integrate the station and its proposed square into the community.  Client: Downtown Rahway Partnership; Proposed Implementation Funding: ISTEA.

WILMINGTON STATION SQUARE
Wilmington, Delaware (1996)

As part of a team looking at the potential of the Amtrak Station in Wilmington, Delaware, PPS developed a program of uses and design concept for the revitalization of the square in front of the station. Currently, the square is bisected by a major roadway and is little used. The proposed redesign would relocated the bisecting street, make the square more pedestrian accessible and create a multi-use urban garden with horticultural displays, a café, and other amenities. Recommendations for additional retail in surrounding buildings, including the station itself, were also developed.  Client: Wilmington Metropolitan Planning Council.

VETERANS PARK
Grand Rapids, Michigan (1995-96)

The Frey Foundation decided to commemorate 30 years of public art in Grand Rapids by commissioning a series of public artworks that would be as innovative today as Alexander Calder's "La Grande Vitesse" was when the city bought it in 1969. PPS's role included assembling, managing and administratively coordinating the work of a team of selected arts and urban design professionals to facilitate and undertake a visioning, planning and public outreach effort; assisting in the continuing development of a vision, mission statement, and goals for the Frey Foundation's public art program; and developing procedures for selecting artists for an artist-designed play space in Veteran's Park that would serve to connect a new children's museum with the Public Library and a pedestrian mall.  Funding: The Frey Foundation.

PYRMONT CENTRAL SQUARE
Sydney, Australia (1993)

PPS developed a concept for a public square that is to serve as the heart of the new Pyrmont District in Sydney. The site, across the harbor from downtown Sydney, had become an industrial site. Only 3000 people lived there. The plan for the Pyrmont District was to build a new residential, commercial and office community there. PPS developed the design concept for the Square and, working in conjunction with the local community, and state and city agencies helped move the project through the development review process.  Client: Pyrmont Performing Arts Station.

COURT STREET COMMUNITY SQUARE
San Bernardino, California (1992-93)



As part of a plan to transform a downtown parking lot into a vital community square, PPS developed a program of uses and temporary structures that began to make a difference within six months of starting the project. The formerly vacant space next to City Hall is now the site of constant activity, including farmers' markets, plays and even weddings. The new square is a popular meeting place for city workers, visitors and shoppers. It is one of several short-term improvement programs, in addition to a long-term plan, to address the deficiencies of the downtown that PPS developed with the community. In the long-term, PPS defined five key development projects, now underway, to create a unique, mixed-use arts and entertainment district downtown.  Client: City of San Bernardino.

ALEXANDERPLATZ
Berlin, Germany (1992)

PPS made two trips to Berlin to facilitate the adoption of a process that addressed property owner and community needs in the development of Alexanderplatz, the central square of East Berlin. PPS met with property owners and presented issues of concern in a slide show to the official government planning body for this area.  Client: Unternehmensgruppe Roland Ernst. 

PLAZA VILLAGE
East Orange, New Jersey (1992)

The East Orange City Hall, NJ Transit Train Station, and Post Office, constructed in the early part of this century, create a unique focal point to the city. PPS prepared a master plan for this area to make it a center of community life and activity. During the summer of 1992, the East Orange Community Market was established on an experimental basis in conjunction with a summer-long mid-week Jazz Concert series. The experience of this program guided a long-term physical improvement plan for the site which includes the creation of an inter-modal transit center at the station, improved pedestrian access from the train station to other parts of the downtown, and improvements to the storefronts and retail facades of businesses in the adjacent retail corridor.  Client: City of East Orange; Implementation Funding: ISTEA.

HARTFORD OPEN SPACES PROGRAM
Hartford, Connecticut (1991)

Faced with four 100,000 square foot development sites on indefinite delay, public and private sector leaders asked PPS to develop a program of interim site uses that would bring life and vitality to the downtown. Based on community workshops, PPS developed a program for three of the sites: one as a market and public square, one as a festival site/ice skating rink complex, and the last as an outdoor bar, cafe and miniature golf course. The plan was enthusiastically endorsed, and the Main Street Market opened in the summer of 1992, with a variety of vendors and public space amenities.  Funding: City of Hartford, The Knox Foundation, and the Downtown Council.

BLOCK 57 CENTRAL SQUARE 
Salt Lake City, Utah (1990)

The redevelopment of Block 57, located in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City, included the construction of a major new public square with two adjacent office buildings, a hotel, and performing arts center. PPS was part of the team of Pace and Associates, architects, that developed the design for the 11-acre square and guidelines for the adjacent developments. Specifically, PPS worked closely with community groups to prepare a program of uses and a public art plan in order to ensure that the square become a major activity center, accommodating uses attractive to downtown employees and tourists, as well as features of citywide appeal to families and children. The program of uses included an ice skating rink with an adjacent restaurant, performance areas, and activity spaces for children and adults, all located in a setting of gardens, trees, fountains, and unique pieces of public art. The square was completed in 1993.  Funding: Redevelopment Authority of Salt Lake City.

PARK AVENUE PLAZA
New York, New York (1989-90)

PPS developed a plan for upgrading the retail and public seating areas of Park Avenue Plaza, an interior atrium in Midtown Manhattan. PPS recommended opening up the hidden retail arcade in order to provide direct access to the stores from the street; improving overall visibility of the retail; and increasing opportunities for public use by adding amenities such as food, entertainment, and art. Changes in management were also recommended in order to better accommodate public use of the plaza.  Client: Fisher Brothers. 

SHEFFIELD PLAZA
New York, New York (1989-90)

PPS was asked by Dwelling Managers Inc. to design improvements for upgrading a plaza at Ninth Avenue between 56th and 57th Streets in Manhattan. This plaza was built under New York City's incentive zoning provisions as a bonus plaza for the Sheffield, a residential building. Local residents were concerned about the plaza's physical condition and appearance, and about disturbances in the plaza caused by vagrants and drug users. PPS worked with both the client and the local community to develop an improvement plan, including new landscaping and amenities, installation of a fence, and a management program. PPS also researched procedures for guiding the project through the ULURP (Uniform Land Use Review Procedure) process under the city's new City Charter.  Client: Dwelling Managers, Inc. and Rose Associates.

SUN BANK PARK
Orlando, Florida (1989)

PPS retrofitted Sun Bank Park, a green space outside the Sun Bank office building in Orlando, by adding recreational amenities including tables, umbrellas and chairs, a croquet lawn, etc.  Client: Lincoln Property Company.

AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS PLAZA STUDY
New York, New York (1988)

PPS was asked to evaluate and recommend changes to the public spaces of four buildings in the Rockefeller Center area. The buildings, which are on four prime blocks in midtown New York, from Forty-Seventh to Fifty-First streets, are 1960s modernist structures with bonus plazas at their fronts and sides. Studying the existing and past use of these spaces through film, surveys and observations collected at the time of this study as well as ten years before, PPS looked at ways to activate the spaces. As part of this process, PPS considered ways of reinforcing ties between the buildings to create a perceptually distinct district in the eyes of the public.  Client: Rockefeller Center Management Corporation.

PHOENIX SOLAR OASIS
Phoenix, Arizona (1988)

PPS was involved in a project to redesign the civic plaza in downtown Phoenix. The plaza, called the Solar Oasis, was designed to have a series of public gathering areas, tent structures, gardens demonstrating desert landscaping techniques, natural cooling mechanisms for desert environments, a center for contemporary and regional arts, and facilities for performances and cultural festivals. The Solar Oasis was planned to offer ways for people of all ages to learn about the future of desert living through an interactive learning center with workshops, symposia, hands-on demonstrations, audio-visual programs, and computer kiosks.  Client: Environmental Research Laboratory, University of Arizona.

ROCKEFELLER CENTER HOLIDAY CIRCULATION STUDY
New York, New York (1988)

PPS studied circulation and activities in the Channel Garden and the Esplanade around the skating rink at Rockefeller Center during the Christmas holiday season. The tremendous increase in popularity of this area in recent years had the Rockefeller Center Management Corporation concerned about reducing congestion and maintaining the holiday atmosphere that visitors expect. Using time-lapse photography, interviews and observation, PPS documented the operation of Rockefeller Center for several days before and after the tree lighting ceremony. Based upon this work, PPS recommended ways to reduce congestion around the entry to the skating rink, make the rink more accessible to spectators, and modify circulation controls and amenities to enhance the use of less crowded areas in Rockefeller Center. In addition, PPS recommended additional seating to encourage increased use during the rest of the year.  Client: Rockefeller Center Management Corporation.

MINNEAPOLIS CONVENTION CENTER PLAZA
Minneapolis, Minnesota (1987)

Working with Leonard Parker, the architect for the Minneapolis Convention Center, PPS developed a preliminary design concept and program of uses for a plaza fronting the new convention center in downtown Minneapolis. The goal was to develop the plaza as a year-round activity center that would serve both as an amenity for the convention center and a showcase for Minneapolis and the region. PPS also developed design concepts for integrating adjacent buildings with the plaza; a program for improvements to link the plaza and convention center to other nearby downtown destinations; and recommendations for an overall management concept for the convention center district.  Client: Leonard Parker Associates.

STATE STREET MARKETPLACE/OLD STATE HOUSE SQUARE
Hartford, Connecticut (1987)

State Street in downtown Hartford, located at Old State House Square, is one of the most heavily used pedestrian spaces in the downtown. The street was closed to traffic in 1987 when a new retail development, The Pavilion, opened. PPS was asked to develop a program of uses for the Square and a conceptual design for vending, cafes, performance space, and an open-air farmers' market.  Client: Hartford Downtown Council.

OLD COURTHOUSE SQUARE
Santa Rosa, California (1986)

Old Courthouse Square is located in the heart of downtown Santa Rosa. Although the square contains abundant amenities, it has never been a particularly well-used public space. In recent years, the square has attracted teenage toughs, light drug users and the mentally ill. PPS was asked by a group of property owners, the Downtown Development Association, and the City of Santa Rosa to develop a strategy for improving the Square and making it an attraction for the people in the community. PPS conducted a two-and-a-half day workshop and then proposed that the city encourage a public-private partnership to manage the space. Physical improvements were suggested that are modest in terms of scale and cost.  Client: Santa Rosa Redevelopment Agency.

PHOENIX CITY SQUARE
Phoenix, Arizona (1986)

Phoenix City Square is a mixed-use development comprised of three 24-story office towers, 80,000 square feet of retail space, and a hotel and health club near the city's Central Business District. Concerned about competition from newer buildings, the owner decided to upgrade the property. PPS developed a series of improvements with the plaza fronted by the three principal towers as the focus. Surveys and observations showed that the complex lacked a central focal point, while the main plaza was underused. Plaza improvements, such as the addition of benches and cafe-style umbrellas, were recommended and implemented. A new signage system and plans for retail facade improvements for the entire complex were developed as well. PPS also submitted designs for the entryways to all the towers.  Funding: Merrill Lynch Hubbard, Inc.

GRACE PLAZA
New York, New York (1984-86)

Grace Plaza, built under the 1969 incentive zoning "bonus" ordinance, was long considered one of New York City's most troubled public spaces, a setting for loitering and drug dealing which intimidated the general public and prevented its use by a variety of people. PPS was retained to develop a design and management program for retrofitting the plaza into an active, healthy public space. The PPS proposal called for the complete renovation of the plaza and the inclusion of a stage/entertainment center, small vending stalls, and a public cafe, as well as new landscaping and public sculpture.  Client: Swig Weiler and Arnow, Mgt & Co., Inc.

ONE PENN PLAZA
New York, New York (1984)

PPS evaluated and developed recommendations for the public spaces in and around One Penn Plaza, a major office tower near Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan. Included in the plan were specific recommendations for landscaping, signage, the location and design of amenities, retail facade designs, and for programs and events.  Funding: Helmsley-Spear, Inc.

505 MONTGOMERY STREET/PORTSMOUTH SQUARE
San Francisco, California (l984) 

PPS analyzed the potential impact of park use for an office tower that was subsequently built in the downtown's financial district. Working with the Environmental Research Lab at Berkeley, PPS developed recommendations for design improvements for an adjacent street.  Client: The Empire Group.

MARKET SQUARE
Houston, Texas (1984)

The Downtown Houston Association retained PPS to develop a design and management program to transform one of the city's oldest public spaces into a day and evening activity center. The property, which is owned and controlled by the Houston Department of Parks and Recreation, was the historic site of Houston's indoor/outdoor marketplace at the turn of the century. PPS's recommendations included a complete redesign of the Square's layout and landscaping, along with a number of revenue generating programs including a marketplace, farmer's market, and a small cafe/restaurant.  Funding: Downtown Houston Association.

PERSHING SQUARE
Los Angeles, CA (1983-84)

PPS was hired by the Central City Association to develop a short-term design and management program for Pershing Square, the central square of downtown Los Angeles for the 1984 Summer Olympics. The goal was to determine how Pershing Square could be redesigned so that it would attract a more diverse population during the Olympics and reestablish its prominence as an activity center in downtown Los Angeles. PPS proposed and helped to establish the Pershing Square Management Association, which oversaw low-cost design, changes and programming for the Summer Olympics. The square's features included a cafe, food vendor, a newsstand, and a performance stage.  Funding: Central City Association.

CROWN CENTER SQUARE
Kansas City, Missouri (1983)

PPS analyzed the design and use of Crown Center Square, the major public space of a large mixed-use development. Recommendations were made to increase public usage of the square and to improve its connection to the rest of the center. Funding: Crown Center Redevelopment Corporation.

LTV CENTER
Dallas, Texas (1983)

PPS developed a concept for the design of plaza spaces around the LTV Center adjacent to the Dallas Arts District. PPS assisted project architects and an arts representative with the placement of sculpture and public amenities in outdoor spaces around the Trammell Crow Center, which is now a major sculpture garden featuring works by Bourdelle and Rodin.  Client: Trammell Crow Company.

BRYANT PARK    
New York, New York (1981)

See our press release and NY Times Op Ed citing excessive private use of the park.

PPS conducted a study of Bryant Park, formerly known as "needle park," which was notorious for drug dealing, to make the park safer. PPS used interviews, videotaping, and activity mapping to address such issues as image, access and circulation, programming, landscape elements, management, and security. PPS developed design, programming and maintenance recommendations that were incorporated into the final plan for the midtown Manhattan park that today enjoys perhaps the highest use and best maintenance of any urban park in America. Our recommendations included increasing visibility into the park by removing walls and hedges, improving circulation within the park, creating an entertainment program, enhancing the formal French landscape design, and adding thousands of movable chairs to make the park more user-friendly and to signal to the public that the space is well-managed.  Funding: Rockefeller Foundation.

CRAMES SQUARE
The Bronx, New York (1981)

As lead consultant to the New York City Department of City Planning for its South Bronx Transportation Planning Project, PPS analyzed aspects of pedestrian and vehicular circulation needs in this major intersection in the South Bronx. Recommendations for a new entrance and other subway station improvements were also developed. The centerpiece of the plan is a new marketplace and gathering space on the square.  Funding: Tri-State Regional Planning Commission.

WILLAMETTE STREET PLAZA 
Eugene, Oregon (1981)

The Willamette Street Plaza is an important downtown activity space, surrounded by the Performing Arts Center, Hilton Hotel, and Conference Center. PPS conducted an analysis of the plaza, suggested appropriate design criteria, and provided a realistic schedule for improvements.  Funding: Eugene Urban Renewal Agency.

EXXON MINI-PARK, ROCKEFELLER CENTER
New York, New York (1978)

Marijuana dealing that was widespread because of an anonymous, impersonal physical setting overwhelmed Exxon Mini-Park. PPS recommendations, implemented in the summer of 1979, included substantial re-landscaping, the addition of movable chairs and tables, food concessions and entertainment programs. These changes dramatically increased both the variety and number of users of the park, improved its public image, and eliminated the drug dealing.  Funding: Rockefeller Center, Inc. and Exxon Corporation.

RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY

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