Public Life & Urban Justicein NYC’s Plazas

Participating disciplines and stakeholdersThe project team was led by an interdisciplinary urban design firm, Gehl, which has staff members with expertise in urban design, architecture, planning, and anthropology, and the J. Max Bond Center on Design for the Just City at City College, an architecture program focused on social justice. The specific project team members were trained in urban design, sociology, architectural engineering, urban planning, urban research, architecture, and sustainable streets advocacy.

A wide range of stakeholders involved with the plazas were also engaged. This included local plaza managers, business improvement districts, community-based non-profits working to increase awareness and funding for the plazas, and city agencies that design and create the spaces. A local advocacy organization – Transportation Alternatives – was responsible for recruiting survey volunteers to conduct observational and intercept surveys in the plazas as well.

7 Plazas

Manhattan• Flatiron Plaza• Meatpacking Plaza

Brooklyn• Putnam Plaza• Zion Triangle Plaza• New Lots Plaza

Queens• Corona Plaza• Diversity Plaza

Different neighborhoods, with different characteristics.

New Lots Triangle

Corona Plaza

DiversityPlaza

ZionTriangle

PutnamPlaza

FlatironDistrict Plaza

Manhattan

Queens

Brooklyn

MeatpackingDistrict Plaza

Next Generation World Class Streets, Plazas:

New Plazas:

Areas Underserved by Open Space:

Full Reportwww.issuu.com/gehlinstitute

Julia D DayProject Manager, GehlMSc City Design and Social Science@citiesforpeople@jddnyc

Jeff RisomManaging Director, Gehl

With support from: Kate DeSantisStine Redder PedersonKasey KlimesTyler Jones

Toni L. Griffin*Professor in Practice of Urban Planning, Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Esther Yang*Design Director (East), City of Detroit, Department of Planning and Development

Ana Fisyak*Urban Planner (former researcher, J. Max Bond Center on Design for the Just City)

*Formerly with the J. Max Bond Center on Design for the Just City, Spitzer School of Architecture, City College of New York

Contributors

Abstract

This paper reflects the findings from an 18month collaboration between Gehl and the J. Max Bond Center on Design for the Just City (JMBC) to investigate, measure and evaluate how public space contributes to quality public life, urban resilience, and greater social justice. Seven recently implemented plazas in New York City’s Public Plaza Program were evaluated. The Plaza Program is a unique initiative that has leveraged community support to create 70 plazas across New York City. The economic benefits of the program were documented, but little was known about how these places perform for people and support communities. New study methods were used to evaluate if public life and public space design can promote more equitable access to social, cultural, and economic opportunities – and to identify who feels invited to these new public spaces, who doesn’t, and how they are used?

Findings reveal how plazas support social interaction, especially among low-income earners, create a platform for neighborhood health, entertainment and cultural events, and foster a sense of stewardship and ownership. The people using them are socio-economically diverse – typically more so than surrounding neighborhoods. The plaza program is an innovative city initiative, but there is room to improve, and recommendations to the City and plaza management organizations outline ways plaza implementation, funding, design, and programming might evolve to achieve even greater improvements to public life and urban justice. There is potential for other cities to integrate tactics like this into design and planning projects and support greater equity. There is also room for additional research that looks at how plazas in flood prone areas of NY can support community resiliency during events related to climate change.

Can the design of public space have a positive impact on public life and urban justice?

» Plazas are local assets that make public spaces convenient, everyday places. They are placed and integrated where people already are (near work, transit, shopping, etc.).

» Understanding public life is essential to understanding urban justice. Knowing how people behave and use space can support design and policy decisions.

» Urban design can play a significant role in creating opportunities for people to be active, outside, and social.

» We can act on this data. This research can inform how investments are prioritized. We can measure and act on what we care about!

» More research is needed to identify public space characteristics that maximize activity and social connections.

Moving forward, how might we use this data to shape policy, guide investments, and measure results?

Takeaways and Moving Forward

Findings

1,000

8 AM

1637

911

10 AM 12 PM 2 PM 4 PM 6 PM 0

2,000

3,000

4,000

1186

1475

PEAK 2486

1626

PEAK 3477

1552

1,000

8 AM 10 AM 12 PM 2 PM 4 PM 6 PM 0

2,000

3,000

4,000

NR

OF

PEO

PLE

NR

OF

PEO

PLE

Flatiron (2014)45,000 sq ft.Operations Budget$375,000

pedestrian volumes weekday weekend

Corona (2014)13,500 sq. ft.Operations Budget$65,000

1,000

8 AM

1637

911

10 AM 12 PM 2 PM 4 PM 6 PM 0

2,000

3,000

4,000

1186

1475

PEAK 2486

1626

PEAK 3477

1552

1,000

8 AM 10 AM 12 PM 2 PM 4 PM 6 PM 0

2,000

3,000

4,000

NR

OF

PEO

PLE

NR

OF

PEO

PLE

Corona does a lot for a little.

3X the space. 6X

the budget.

2. Observational Surveys

3. Intercept Surveys

1. Desktop Research

4. Interviews with Plaza Managers

Data and Survey MethodsMethods applied to 7 plazas.

Has this plaza increased the time you spend in public space?

No

Yes

» Increased time spent outside: Neighborhoods most severely lacking open space report a greater increase in time spent outside.

0%

100%

50%

25%

75%

Flat

iron

Pla

za

Div

ersi

ty P

laza

Cor

ona

Pla

za

New

Lot

s Tr

iang

le

Zion

Tri

angl

e

Put

nam

Pla

za

Mea

tpac

king

Pla

za

Cor

ona

Pla

za

Zion

Tri

angl

e

No differenceGreatly or somewhat

Jackson Heights &

Corona, Queens

» Opportunities to Meet: High rates of local and frequent visitors - at residential plazas - correlated with high rates of interaction and recognition.

0%

100%

50%

25%

75%

Flat

iron

Pla

za

Div

ersi

ty P

laza

Cor

ona

Pla

za

New

Lot

s Tr

iang

le

Zion

Tri

angl

e

Put

nam

Pla

za

Mea

tpac

king

Pla

za

Cor

ona

Pla

za

Zion

Tri

angl

e

No, I don’t recognize / know moreYes, I recognize / know more

0%

100%

50%

25%

75%

Flat

iron

Pla

za

Div

ersi

ty P

laza

Cor

ona

Pla

za

New

Lot

s Tr

iang

le

Zion

Tri

angl

e

Put

nam

Pla

za

Mea

tpac

king

Pla

za

Cor

ona

Pla

za

Zion

Tri

angl

e

No, I don’t recognize / know moreYes, I recognize / know more

YES!

» Feelings of Ownership: Respondents in outer-borough plazas reported a stronger sense of ownership.

No, not interestedNo, just visitingNot reallyYES!0%

100%

50%

25%

75%

Flat

iron

Pla

za

Div

ersi

ty P

laza

Cor

ona

Pla

za

New

Lot

s Tr

iang

le

Zion

Tri

angl

e

Put

nam

Pla

za

Mea

tpac

king

Pla

za

Cor

ona

Pla

za

Zion

Tri

angl

e

Is this plaza Your plaza?

No, not interested

No, just visiting

Not really

YES!

YES!

75%of the outer-borough

plazas recognize or know more people since the

plaza opened

Despite only 3%

of all surveyed saying they participated in the

plaza planning

67%felt a sense of

ownership acrossall 7 plazas

67% said the plaza increased time spent outside

» Plazas do a lot of a little. (Relatively). Operational budgets and pedestrian volumes are not correlated.

Have you recognized or interacted with more people since the plaza opened?