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In case you missed it, last week the Bass Center on Transformative Placemaking published a case study on the Broadway Corridor, a 32-acre redevelopment in downtown Portland, Oregon, which Project for Public Spaces worked with the community to produce a placemaking vision for.
But what stands out most about this project is its ambitious and accountable Community Benefits Agreement, which ties these new buildings and public spaces to furthering racial equity through jobs, workforce development, and affordable housing and commercial space. Read more.
Rendering by ZGF Architects.
More from the Blog
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This Week • Event: National Farmers Market Week, Farmers Market Coalition
August 9, 2021 • Grant: Love Your Block, Cities of Service
September 19, 2021 • Award: 2021 Farmers Market Celebration, American Farmland Trust & Farmers Market Coalition
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Providence Plans Public Space Makeover. The CIty of Providence has unveiled designs for a reimagined Kennedy Plaza. The waterfront site near the city center will soon host expanded amenities for pedestrians, a new performance stage, and a seasonal ice-skating rink, among other improvements. (Planetizen)
Project for Public Spaces has contributed to multiple projects in Providence, including some at Kennedy Plaza. Working with community partners who would eventually form the Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy, we devised programming to activate the square, including markets, concerts, and activities for kids.
Baltimore Advocates Sue Over Inaccessible Streets. Accessibility advocates have filed a class-action suit against the city of Baltimore, alleging failure to comply with provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The complaint asserts that just 1.3% of the city’s 37,806 curb ramps that were surveyed in 2019 met accessibility requirements. An estimated 50,000 Baltimore residents live with a disability. (NextCity)
Innovative New Park Breaks Ground in NC. The Town of Cary, part of North Carolina's Research Triangle, broke ground on a new urban park. Calling it the region's first 21st century park, designers aimed to take sustainability, accessibility, and the needs and wants of the community into full account. Notably, in addition to highlighting the area's unique ecosystem, the park will feature areas that are purpose-built to support active uses such as fitness classes, concerts, and film screenings. (ArchPaper)
Sanctioned Encampments Coming to Austin. The City of Austin is in the final stages of selecting a site for encampments of unhoused residents. This follows a months-long process to winnow down a list of 45 city-owned properties that city staffers identified for possible adaptive reuse. Pending zoning approvals, the city will install pre-fabricated microshelters and fencing, as well as provide on-site security for residents. (Urbanize)
San Francisco to Keep Parklets. Pandemic-era parklets are here to stay in San Francisco, following approval by the city's Board of Supervisors. Advocates had hoped to improve public access, but the city sided with business owners in allowing them to close the parklets outside of business hours. Small businesses also receive a waiver of the fee that will be charged to larger chain stores, which ranges from $1000-$3000. (Planetizen)
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As always, here is a roundup of 10 inspiring placemaking ideas from the week:
- This art installation/skatepark/stormwater management project (NextCity)
- A new third place for Cleveland's Black community (NextCity)
- A call to think of spaces in terms of "Delight per Acre" (StrongTowns)
- A closer look at what it really takes to make a 15-minute city (Governing)
- The urban imagination of animator Hayao Miyazaki (StrongTowns)
- These advocates bringing green rooftops to the developing world (SoJo Exchange)
- The case for art in public spaces (The Conversation)
- This arboretum in Alabama featuring educational games (Auburn Villager)
- The world's first 3-D-printed steel bridge (Smithsonian)
- An idea: let's protect people as well as we protect utility boxes (StreetsBlog)
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