Adaptive Public Space
Places for People in the Pandemic and Beyond
A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF SEVEN SITES IN AKRON, DETROIT, PHILADELPHIA, AND SAN JOSE
MARCH 2021 ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT
Gehl evaluated the impact of seven public spaces Gehl / New York 395 Hudson Street, 8th Floor — each funded in part by Knight Foundation — in New York, NY 10014 Akron, Detroit, Philadelphia, and San Jose. Between September 2020 and February 2021, Gehl engaged www.gehlpeople.com a range of stakeholders and leveraged a mix of data [email protected] sources to uncover challenges and opportunities unique and common to these projects. Enclosed are the findings from this process.
GEHL KNIGHT FOUNDATION
Matthew Lister Evette Alexander Managing Director Director of Learning & Impact Julia Day Lilly Weinberg Director Senior Director of Community Eamon O’Connor & National Initiatives Project Manager Kyle Kutuchief Olivia Flynn Program Director, Akron Designer Rebecca Cook Designer Adriana Akers Reference Sofie Thorsen Reference
Knight Foundation & Gehl 2 Contents
INTRODUCTION
Executive Summary 4 Overview of Public Spaces Studied 12
FINDINGS
2020 in Focus 16 1 / Everyday Public Space 20 2 / Residents at the Center 30 3 / Community Ripple Effect 40 4 / Sustaining in the Long Run 50
CONCLUSION
Considerations for the Field 58
APPENDICES
1 / Methodology 64 2 / Online Survey Analysis 70 3 / Social Media Analysis 76
3 Adaptive Public Space EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This study of seven flagship public spaces reveals how local leaders generated impact through their responsiveness to community needs — laying the groundwork for more equitable outcomes and greater resilience during the pandemic.
uilding on its longtime The Approach Everyday Public Space: How do commitment to design and programming shape public spaces, Knight Located in Akron, Detroit, visitors’ use of and engagement with the space? Foundation commissioned Philadelphia, and San Jose, BGehl — a global urban planning, the seven projects in this study Residents at the Center: How design, and strategy firm — to represent $5 million in direct conduct an impact assessment of does the space reflect, welcome, Knight investments. An additional and empower those who live in the seven public spaces in its portfolio. $50 million in co-funding and community? The findings illustrate the power follow-on investments from other of public space as a platform funders including the Reimagining Community Ripple Effect: What for community development: the Civic Commons network went broader impacts is the space having whether by building resident trust, toward these sites, wider area on the community, city, and beyond? spurring social activity, supporting improvements and ongoing space economic and workforce operations. The spaces range Sustaining in the Long Run: How development, or catalyzing widely: neighborhood parks that does the project sustain operationally neighborhood change. give residents a go-to gathering and financially over time? spot; nature spaces that re-engage This power makes public spaces a locals with the outdoors; and COVID-19: Are residents visiting key ingredient in the recovery from citywide destinations that offer art these projects amid the pandemic, and how are operators adapting to COVID-19 — a crisis that has raised studios, beachscapes, and more. new conditions? the stakes for overcoming deeply rooted, systemic challenges in our Given the diversity of spaces, this The Gehl team gathered pre- and cities. For policymakers, funders, study did not set out to measure mid-pandemic data from multiple and practitioners, these findings the spaces against one another sources, including: interviews and are a call to action. By elevating using a common set of metrics. The focus groups with over 50 people public spaces, leaders nationwide goal was to understand impacts (including grantees, city government can drive more equitable outcomes related to four core themes, and to leaders, volunteers and artists-in- in the pandemic and beyond. life during the COVID-19 pandemic: residence); an online survey of over
Knight Foundation & Gehl 4 800 respondents near each space; programming, historic character, 67 percent felt the spaces were existing and new observational data and the arts invited regular essential to their neighborhoods — on space use; and an analysis of over activity. Across the board, 82 figures that rose for neighborhood 450 posts of geotagged Instagram percent of survey respondents parks especially. activity. The findings that follow are feel positively about these the result of this multi-method study. projects and 59 percent visit at Participatory engagement least monthly. The two multi- methods helped build this resident The Findings functional neighborhood spaces belonging and attachment. For — Detroit’s Ella Fitzgerald Park example, at Akron’s Summit Lake Public spaces manifest in the and Philadelphia’s Centennial Park — which used prototypes physical world, but what really Commons — had the highest to engage residents during the makes them tick is people. As such, rates of regular visitors. Over half design process — 97 percent of Knight develops partnerships with of respondents visit both spaces respondents felt the project had communities on the ground and at least weekly, suggesting they changed their neighborhood for invests in projects that support offered locals ample reasons to the better, up from 57 percent at the more than design and construction visit — from basketball courts start of the project. Ella Fitzgerald — funding, for example, and playspaces, to porch swings Park and Centennial Commons, engagement processes, incubation and warm-weather movie nights. which adopted similar engagement of new ideas, and workforce The presence of art and historic approaches, also saw the greatest development. In many cases, architecture also helped drive levels of weekly visitors, enthusiasm, Knight and other philanthropic engagement. For example, and attachment. These projects funding sources help absorb risk Philadelphia’s Cherry Street also saw higher rates of attachment for an innovative new concept and Pier — an arts space housed in among Black respondents — catalyze additional investment. a revitalized waterfront site — indeed, near neighborhood parks, had the most active Instagram 79 percent of Black respondents This people-centered model is engagement of all projects, with agreed the space was “special to generating impact. A common over 21,000 followers. me,” compared to 70 percent of all ingredient? High-quality design respondents. and programming that reflected Challenges to everyday use and adapted to local needs. This centered on barriers to access. But for many projects, building approach is what spurred resident For example, the Freight Yard trust among communities of visits and attachment, and what at Detroit Riverfront sits below- color remains a challenge. This enabled these public spaces to grade — a dynamic that deterred was especially true at nature weather disruptions to public life pop-up businesses from posting spaces, for example, where 45 during the COVID-19 pandemic. up at the space, and that leaves percent of Black respondents Even still, project leaders are some visitors asking for more agreed the space was “special confronting and addressing wayfinding. Upcoming investments to me,” compared to 56 percent challenges inherent to public space will address connectivity of all respondents. “[Local management: from site-specific challenges: the Dequindre Cut will Black residents] don’t always barriers to access, to longtime eventually integrate into a 26-mile feel encouraged because they resident distrust. trail under development by the don’t feel outdoor spaces or City, which will improve access and environmental work have always Impacts are organized into five key visibility to multiple neighborhoods. been for them,” says Izzy Nelson, areas. Where possible, findings Community Engagement Manager were compared across space — for Philadelphia Outward Bound types and across all projects, RESIDENTS AT THE CENTER School (POBS) at The Discovery Center. Over time, community- keeping in mind that intended centered programming is starting project outcomes varied. Community participation allowed to draw in more locals to the project organizers to build project; events include mommy- — trust with residents, which in and-me workshops and a talk EVERYDAY PUBLIC SPACE turn increased use and sense of on environmental racism. attachment to the spaces.Across Projects that supported quality all projects, 81 percent of survey design, resident-centered respondents felt they fit in, and Continued on page 8
5 Adaptive Public Space Top Learning from a diverse set of public spaces in Akron, Detroit, Findings Philadelphia, and San Jose
Public spaces with a strong foundation of resident engagement helped communities address equitable access and weather the pandemic together.
EVERYDAY PUBLIC SPACE Ella Fitzgerald Park in Detroit (left) and Centennial Projects that supported Commons in Philadelphia — flexible neighborhood quality design, BREE GANT PHOTO: spaces — had the most regular visitors, with 54 resident-centered percent visiting each programming, historic at least weekly. Cherry Street Pier, an arts space character, and the arts on a historic Philadelphia pier, spurred the most invited regular activity. Instagram activity.
More starting on page 20
RESIDENTS AT THE CENTER The Discovery Center in Philadelphia has Community participation drawn locals with events including mommy-and-me allowed project organizers workshops, an event on YEE ALBERT PHOTO: environmental racism, to build trust with and youth programs; the residents, which in turn project had among the highest youth visitorship increased use and sense of rates. attachment to the spaces.
More starting on page 30
Knight Foundation & Gehl 6 COMMUNITY RIPPLE EFFECT MOMENT’s $139,000 seed grant funded a first-of- Investments catalyzed its kind retail concept in downtown San Jose, and funding for innovative led to over $600,000 in funding over the next four ideas, and led to local years. Building on the capacity-building and momentum of Summit Lake Park in Akron, a $15.5 community development. million vision plan is now underway in the area. PHOTO: SAN JOSE DOWNTOWN ASSOCIAITION JOSE DOWNTOWN SAN PHOTO: More starting on page 40
SUSTAINING IN THE LONG RUN Detroit Riverfront leverages over 300 Local stewardship, community volunteers and data-driven decision- responsive processes, and making to guide ongoing maintenance and trusted operators helped improvements to the park; RENEE RODRIGUEZ PHOTO: sites develop sustainable sensors help monitor the flow and activity of visitors. operating models and adapt to changing conditions.
More starting on page 50
COVID-19 Detroit Riverfront and Cherry Street Pier in
Attention to resident- GEHL PHOTO: Philadelphia have seen spikes in foot traffic. centered and flexible Visitorship was up over threefold between spaces helped projects November 2019 and adapt during the pandemic November 2020 at Cherry Street Pier — thanks in and provide safe venues part to the site’s garden restaurant, a popular for solo and social activity. outdoor hangout.
More starting on page 16
7 Adaptive Public Space — Zoo to clean other parts of the At Detroit Riverfront, data-driven COMMUNITY RIPPLE EFFECT neighborhood, and to fundraising decision making helps space for Centennial Parkside CDC to managers identify how and where Investments catalyzed funding hire a Director of Sanitation and to adapt — leveraging sensors to for innovative ideas, and led Environmental Programming. This monitor the flow of visitors and to local capacity-building and position will increase capacity, develop programs in response. community development. Direct grow cleaning services, connect Knight investment of over $5 the program to other workforce MOMENT's curator, SJ Made — a million in these projects was about development opportunities, and collective of San Jose makers and 10 percent of the overall funding create educational programs entrepreneurs — has been involved for the sites, many of which saw around litter prevention. More since the beginning of the project substantial investments from other recently, the project received over design process. With tenants in funding sources along with Knight $500,000 in follow-on funding for mind, it helped shape a design and commitments. a second phase of work, and for an operating model that eases their employee to lead programming in experience. “Any struggles that we For example, Knight and the Kresge West Fairmount Park. had putting this space together Foundation each invested up to would have been times ten in a real $150,000 in Detroit Riverfront's For some projects, though, retail space,” says MOMENT tenant Freight Yard. For the Riverfront’s public space investments led to Au Nguyen. Valade Park, Knight’s $225,700 fears of resident displacement investment in 2017 came with — especially if they were not While no projects stated immediate over $900,000 in co-funding paired with proactive policy and concern for financial sustainability, from other sources. In addition, planning. To address these fears, some are actively working to in 2018, the Valade Family made a local leaders near Summit Lake diversify funding sources and generous donation of $5 million, Park and The Discovery Center secure ongoing revenue while which supported construction and are now exploring measures sustaining their missions. This was operations at the park. like property tax freezes and especially true for larger-scale, homeownership pathways to citywide destination sites that have MOMENT’s 2015 Knight Cities ensure longtime residents benefit broad mandates and rely on a Challenge grant of $139,000 from neighborhood change. combination of philanthropic and funded a first-of-its-kind retail “It’s going to take proactive sometimes-limited public funding. concept and led to over $600,000 policy intervention,” says James “We try to operate everything at a in funding over the next four years. Hardy, Akron’s Deputy Mayor for lower than market rate, which is so “The [Knight grant] was the seed Integrated Development. great for the community and not money to get it off the ground,” so great for the operating budget,” says Chuck Hammers, former — says Cherry Street Pier General head of the local Property-Based SUSTAINING IN THE LONG RUN Manager Sarah Eberle. Lease Improvement District in San Jose. revenue from the Pier’s outdoor Local stewardship, responsive restaurant and bar has been a At Centennial Commons, Knight’s processes, and trusted operators financial boon — especially during $1 million capital investment helped sites develop sustainable the pandemic as visitors socialize through Reimagining the Civic operating models and adapt to outdoors there. Commons led to over $1.5 million changing conditions. To address in funding from the Philadelphia a lack of ongoing financial support Both Delaware River Waterfront Water Department — for for maintenance, Ella Fitzgerald Corporation (DRWC), which owns installation and maintenance Park embedded co-creation into Cherry Street Pier, and Detroit of an on-site rain garden. The the design process. This helped Riverfront Conservancy are funding allowed for the hiring to foster a long-term sense of exploring how they can generate of five local residents as part ownership: a 2018 survey of revenue outside of traditional of a workforce development park visitors found 62 percent sources — for example, by using program; the program’s success participated in stewardship value capture to benefit from has led to additional contracts or advocacy related to the nearby real estate development. with the Philadelphia Commerce neighborhood — participation that In the meantime, DRWC is turning Department and the Philadelphia was vital to maintaining the space. to its other waterfront properties
Knight Foundation & Gehl 8 PROJECTS AT A GLANCE
SPACE TYPE YEAR OPENED PROJECT COST (inclusive of all AKRON / SUMMIT LAKE PARK funding sources)² From environmental liability to beloved lakeside park. Summit Nature 2018 $714,000 Lake Park provides ample seating and shelter, barbecues, trail Space connections, and recreational programming on the shores of a lake that was once seen as an environmental hazard. (RCC¹ site)
DETROIT / ELLA FITZGERALD PARK From 26 vacant lots to a neighborhood living room. Ella Neighborhood Fitzgerald Park is the first project in a broader neighborhood 2018 $2,094,318 planning process. It provides public art, recreational space, and Park an educational and workforce development program for local youth and transitional workers. (RCC site)
DETROIT / RIVERFRONT 2018 $320,000 From an aging industrial area to a multi-use urban destination. (Freight Yard) (Freight Yard) The Riverfront includes the Freight Yard, a stop on the Dequindre Citywide Destination Cut greenway that houses a beer and wine garden, and Valade 2019 $5,200,000 Park, home to a beachscape, floating barge, and two local food (Valade Park) (Valade Park) businesses.
PHILADELPHIA / CENTENNIAL COMMONS From no-man’s land to parkside gateway. Centennial Commons Neighborhood 2018 $4,474,000 bridges the gap between the Parkside neighborhood and Park adjacent West Fairmount Park, providing an inviting place for everyday activity and community-based programming. (RCC site)
PHILADELPHIA / CHERRY STREET PIER From vacant pier to buzzing arts haven. Cherry Street Pier Citywide houses 14 artist studios, interactive installations, and an outdoor 2018 $6,000,000 restaurant and bar within a historic pier structure on the Destination Delaware River Waterfront — a unique space for the public to interact with artists and makers.
PHILADELPHIA / THE DISCOVERY CENTER From fenced-off reservoir to nature oasis.The Discovery Nature Center sits at the edge of a long-shuttered reservoir. Philadelphia $18,122,000 Parks and Recreation leases the 57 acres to Philadelphia Space 2018 Outward Bound School and National Audubon Society, which operate outdoor programming. (RCC site)
SAN JOSE / MOMENT From parking bays to one-of-a-kind downtown retail. Once a Citywide parking garage facade, MOMENT is now a creative hub on San 2018 $780,000 Pedro Square. The project provides affordable retail space to Destination local makers, diversifies downtown amenities, and adds to the Square’s public life.
1. Indicates the project received funding as part of Reimagining the Civic Commons. For more on Reimagining the Civic Commons, visit page 12. 2. Total cost of all projects is not necessarily equal to total funding for all projects, as some funds went toward wider area improvements and ongoing operations.
9 Adaptive Public Space Projects provided safe venues for solo and social activity during the pandemic — adapting design and programming to continue offering vital community spaces.
to help finance its public space projects built a local sense of issues around inclusion and projects. “We’re developing them ownership — inspiring locals to trust in communities of color; in such a way that we can have organize unofficial programming, ensuring projects lead to equitable a reliable source of income and from picnics with the grandparents community development; and rent,” says Lizzie Woods, DRWC to hula hoop troupes, throughout creating sustainable operating Vice President of Planning and the pandemic. models that balance revenue Capital Programs. generation with a consistent focus Projects also took advantage of on mission. — their flexible design to test new COVID-19 programming. MOMENT hosted To build on successes and outdoor community workshops overcome these challenges, Attention to resident-centered with tenants as part of an open the conclusion of this report and flexible spaces helped streets program. The Riverfront summarizes considerations for projects adapt during the leveraged the popularity and size Knight, other funders, and the pandemic and provide safe of the Freight Yard to hold open- wider field, including: venues for solo and social activity. air live music with enough room While the pandemic disrupted for distancing. Cherry Street — public life, two sites — Detroit Pier’s outdoor restaurant and bar To address challenges related Riverfront and Cherry Street Pier became a popular hangout, helping to physical connectivity, invest — observed increases in foot traffic drive many artists’ sales during the in design changes that improve compared to the previous year. pandemic — with a third of artists access to the site. Cherry Street Pier experienced financing their studio rent from on- a more-than-threefold increase site sales alone, up from 15 percent — in foot traffic between November the previous year. To address challenges around 2019 and November 2020. inclusion and trust among Conclusion communities of color, expand Neighborhood spaces were also support of local organizations resilient, as a greater proportion Expanding the scope of funding and fund ongoing community of residents surveyed near Ella beyond shovels in the ground laid participation efforts. Fitzgerald Park and Centennial the groundwork for public spaces Commons (followed closely by that reflect local communities and — the Riverfront) reported visiting respond to changing conditions. To proactively manage resident the parks more frequently than Many projects’ ability to adapt and concerns around displacement, residents near other sites during continue attracting visitors during tie public space investments to the pandemic. For example, 58 the pandemic cemented this broader community development percent of Ella Fitzgerald Park strong foundation. processes. respondents said they visit the park as often as or more frequently Despite this, projects face — than before, compared to a cross- challenges. Challenges most To create sustainable operating project average of 37 percent. The often are related to: planning models, fund innovative new robust community engagement around site-specific barriers to paradigms that diversify revenue processes that shaped these access; addressing perceptual sources.
Knight Foundation & Gehl 10 — Overall, to help project leaders think more boldly and address challenges to their work, create opportunities for cross-project knowledge exchange.
— For those committed to ensuring public spaces meet resident needs and drive equitable community development, the lessons in this report serve as a guide.
Many thoughtful planners, designers, and community leaders know that more inclusive and responsive approaches are vital. Putting these approaches to work can be more challenging. By revealing successful strategies and tactics, the projects in this report point the way toward more inclusive and adaptive methods in public space planning — in the pandemic and beyond.
What's more, these findings demonstrate how thoughtfully developed public spaces can spark larger community change — by helping residents re-envision and embrace their neighborhoods, building capacity of local organizations, and spurring additional investment in the area. From small neighborhood parks to landmark waterfront sites, public spaces are a strong foundation for more positive and equitable community development.
11 Adaptive Public Space OVERVIEW OF PUBLIC SPACES STUDIED
he projects studied in from Knight, the seven projects people together, by revitalizing this impact assessment raised over $50 million in co- and connecting public spaces ranged widely: funding and follow-on funding from and countering the economic and neighborhood parks other sources. social fragmentation that are all Tthat gave residents a go-to too common. gathering spot; nature spaces that Four of the seven sites — Summit re-engaged their communities Lake Park, Ella Fitzgerald Park, To guide readers, the coming pages with the outdoors; and citywide Centennial Commons, and The include brief overviews of each destinations that offered art Discovery Center — received project. studios, beachscapes, and more. funding from Reimagining the Civic Commons (RCC). RCC is a funder These projects represent diverse collaborative comprised of The JPB public space investments, and were Foundation, Knight Foundation, opened between 2018 and 2019. The Kresge Foundation, The They represent over $5 million in Rockefeller Foundation, and investment within Knight's broader William Penn Foundation. The public space portfolio, which has Miami Foundation serves as fiscal issued 180 grants in 26 cities since sponsor. A national initiative piloted 2015. In addition to their grants in Philadelphia, RCC seeks to bring
AKRON, OHIO Summit Lake Park
From environmental liability to beloved lakeside park. Summit
Lake Park provides ample seating KNIGHT FOUNDATION PHOTOS: and shelter, barbecues, trail connections, and recreational programming on the shores of a lake that was once seen as an environmental hazard.
— YEAR OPENED / 2018
TYPE / Nature Space
WHAT KNIGHT FUNDED / Inclusive engagement process, capital construction, and programming for the space
Note: This project received RCC funding.
BEFORE
Knight Foundation & Gehl 12 DETROIT, MICHIGAN ) AFTER Ella Fitzgerald Park (
From 26 vacant lots to a neighborhood living room. Ella Fitzgerald Park is the first project in a broader neighborhood planning process. It provides public art, recreational space, and an educational and workforce ; COURTESY OF SPACKMAN MOSSOP MICHAELS MOSSOP MICHAELS OF SPACKMAN ; COURTESY development program for local ) youth and transitional workers. BEFORE ( — YEAR OPENED / 2018
TYPE / Neighborhood Park
WHAT KNIGHT FUNDED / Development of first public park in Fitzgerald neighborhood, including: capital dollars; funds for ongoing programming through 2022; and a workforce VIEW GOOGLE STREET PHOTOS: development program that maintains the site and helped prepare it for construction
Note: This project received RCC funding.
BEFORE
DETROIT, MICHIGAN ) AFTER Detroit Riverfront (
From an aging industrial area to
a multi-use urban destination. ; FELICIA FULWOOD ) The Riverfront includes the Freight BEFORE
Yard, a stop on the Dequindre ( Cut greenway that houses a beer and wine garden, and Valade Park, home to a beachscape, floating barge, and two local food businesses.
— PHOTOS: GOOGLE STREET VIEW GOOGLE STREET PHOTOS: YEAR OPENED / 2018 (Dequindre Cut Freight Yard); 2019 (Valade Park)
TYPE / Citywide Destination (Riverfront Park)
WHAT KNIGHT FUNDED / Development of Freight Yard — a pop-up market on Dequindre Cut, a former industrial rail line turned pedestrian greenway that connects the Riverfront to Eastern Market; Activation of Valade Park — a strategic location on the Detroit RiverWalk
Note: Knight also invested in the 2004 capital campaign for the wider Riverfront. BEFORE
13 Adaptive Public Space PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA ) AFTER Centennial ( Commons ; ALBERT YEE ; ALBERT ) BEFORE From no-man’s land to parkside ( gateway. Centennial Commons bridges the gap between the Parkside neighborhood and adjacent West Fairmount Park, providing an inviting place for everyday activity and community- based programming. VIEW GOOGLE STREET PHOTOS:
— YEAR OPENED / 2018
TYPE / Neighborhood Park
WHAT KNIGHT FUNDED / Capital improvements to Centennial Commons and programming support for local organizations (e.g., Centennial Parkside CDC)
Note: This project received RCC funding.
BEFORE
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA ) AFTER Cherry Street Pier (
From vacant pier to buzzing arts haven. Cherry Street Pier houses 14 artist studios, interactive installations, and an outdoor restaurant and bar within a historic pier structure on the Delaware River Waterfront — a unique space for the public to interact with ; DELAWARE RIVER WATERFRONT CORPORATION CORPORATION RIVER WATERFRONT ; DELAWARE artists and makers. ) BEFORE ( — YEAR OPENED / 2018
TYPE / Citywide Destination (Arts Space)
WHAT KNIGHT FUNDED / Development of a public space that connects a growing community of artists, makers, and entrepreneurs by repurposing a historic pier PHOTOS: GOOGLE STREET VIEW GOOGLE STREET PHOTOS: on the Delaware River waterfront
BEFORE
Knight Foundation & Gehl 14 PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA ) AFTER The Discovery ( Center
From fenced-off reservoir to nature oasis. The Discovery Center sits at the edge of a long-shuttered reservoir. Philadelphia Parks and Recreation leases the 57 acres ; HALKIN MASON PHOTOGRAPHY AND DIGSAU AND DIGSAU ; HALKIN MASON PHOTOGRAPHY to Philadelphia Outward Bound ) School and National Audubon BEFORE Society, who operate outdoor ( programming.
— YEAR OPENED / 2018
TYPE / Nature Space
WHAT KNIGHT FUNDED / Design and construction; Resident-driven activation VIEW GOOGLE STREET PHOTOS:
Note: This project received RCC funding.
BEFORE
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA ) AFTER MOMENT (
From parking bays to one-of-a- kind downtown retail. Once a parking garage facade, MOMENT is now a creative hub on San Pedro Square. The project provides affordable retail space to local ; SAN JOSE DOWNTOWN ASSOCIAITION JOSE DOWNTOWN ; SAN makers, diversifies downtown ) amenities, and adds to the Square’s BEFORE public life. (
— YEAR OPENED / 2018
TYPE / Citywide Destination (Micro-Retail Space)
WHAT KNIGHT FUNDED / Transformation of VIEW GOOGLE STREET PHOTOS: a parking garage ground floor into micro- retail units, opposite San Pedro Square market; Follow-on funding also supported construction of the parklet outside the storefronts
BEFORE
15 Adaptive Public Space From the COVID-19 pandemic to the racial justice movement, how did public 2020 spaces navigate the challenges and IN FOCUS dynamics of a year like no other?
Local spaces are weathering disruptions to public life, as people seek outlets for physical and mental health.
While distancing measures and stay-at- home orders have kept many residents at home, respondents continued to seek 14 percent of people seek a out public spaces — whether to maintain place to exercise outdoors 54 percent of a routine, or to sustain their physical or respondents indicated Across the board, staying home more mental health. 6 percent visit to throughout the pandemic promote mental health; people visit Three sites in particular — Ella Fitzgerald neighborhood parks Park, Centennial Commons, and Detroit for this reason at an even higher rate Riverfront — had an above-average (14 percent) share of respondents who reported visiting these spaces more or the same amount. Ella Fitzgerald Park and Centennial Commons represent essential neighborhood spaces, while Detroit Riverfront represents a citywide destination with ample outdoor programming. How has your use of this space changed during COVID-19? Survey Respondents Visiting Public Spaces the Same Amount or More
58%
49% 50%
Visiting these spaces is routine for 30 percent of respondents who’ve maintained or increased their visitorship 25 percent of respondents are avoiding public spaces to 37% avoid crowded places
Why did people say they Why did people say they visit the same or more often? visit less often? — — Nature-centric projects offer visitors the Fear of crowds dissuades people from greatest sense of safety in their visits — visiting citywide destinations, but is a providing wide open spaces for social far less significant factor for not visiting distancing outdoors. Neighborhood parks nature-based sites. Higher rates of people were more embedded in respondents' daily aren’t visiting nature sites because they routines. These spaces also help visitors don’t pass by or are avoiding public transit, recharge their mental health at higher indicating these sites may be out of the way rates than the other project types. from locals’ routines. DETROIT RIVERFRONT DETROIT ELLA FITZGERALD PARK ELLA FITZGERALD CROSS-PROJECT AVERAGE CROSS-PROJECT CENTENNIAL COMMONS
Knight Foundation & Gehl 16 Many destinations have benefited from pandemic- friendly programming and a rise in drop-in visitors.
Many project leaders cited observational data that signals progress in making their spaces safe and Average Daily Foot Traffic, inviting. Cherry Street Pier At Cherry Street Pier, project leaders and artists cite the success of new drop-in visitors and the on-site outdoor restaurant and bar. Through a reservation system and temperature checks at the entrance, it has become a safe outdoor destination.
The project saw a more than threefold jump in 5,508 foot traffic from November 2019 to November 2020 — based on the site’s 2019 counts and Gehl visitors observational data.
“During COVID-19, people were stir-crazy,” says artist-in-residence Jim Abbott. “Bringing their 1,272 families down, their dogs, their bikes, exercise visitors classes and coaches. The area is on the map.” PHOTO: GEHL NOV 2019 NOV 2020 This rise in pandemic-era foot traffic — along with the site’s maturity and growing public awareness — have paid off for many artists; 33 percent of the latest cohort have been able to pay rent based on their on-site sales, compared to 15 percent in the Pier’s first cohort.
MOMENT tenants also saw a rise in drop-ins as they held DIY workshops as part of an open streets program. “Just by having people outside, it got people passing by curious, and brought them into the store,” says tenant Alyssarhaye Graciano.
At Detroit Riverfront, 2019 visitorship metrics were matched in half the time. During the 2020 summer
PHOTO: DETROIT RIVERFRONT CONSERVANCY RIVERFRONT DETROIT PHOTO: months at Detroit Riverfront, this was especially true — more than 200,000 people moved through the Dequindre Cut in August alone. The site’s beer and wine garden — about the size of a football field — also become one of the safer spots in the city for people to relax with a drink, seeing an 11 percent increase in daily revenue from the 2019 to 2020 season.
Local food vendors at Valade Park also remained PHOTO: INPIXIO PHOTO: active, and 78 percent of Instagram content tagged at the park documented food or promotions they generated. “Even in the middle of the pandemic when we moved in August, it was one of the busiest times we had,” said Gregory “JB” Sims, owner of Smokey G’s Smokehouse.
Says Rachel Frierson, Detroit Riverfront Conservancy Director of Programming, “Detroit felt that emotional trauma that New York went through. Through our programming and public spaces, we’re The Detroit Riverfront’s large-scale and flexible Freight Yard (top) and Valade trying to focus on how we can be there for people Park businesses (bottom) were especially active during the summer months. during these times.”
17 Adaptive Public Space Locals have taken the spaces into their own hands, organizing DIY programming from a safe distance.
Providing a vital form of social infrastructure to the neighborhoods they serve, these spaces offered a canvas for residents to craft their own programming.
“People would come down and see grandparents with their grandchildren, and sit under the shelter and play games or cards,” says Summit Lake resident
Grace Hudson. “People are still having KING OF BERNADETTE COURTESY PHOTO: birthday parties and family gatherings. COVID-19 slowed things down ... but people were still using the space.”
At the Detroit Riverfront, this meant the addition of spontaneous, resident-led yoga and flamenco classes.
At Ella Fitzgerald Park, a local hula hoop troupe that meets weekly didn’t let the pandemic stop them — thanks to hula hoops’ built-in distancing function (right, pictured before the COVID-19 pandemic).
Ella Fitzgerald Park’s hula hoop troupe continued meeting during the pandemic.
The pandemic has compelled leaders to double down on their mission and continue meeting resident needs.
The extensive engagement processes that shaped these projects continue to serve their communities in the pandemic. In this time of crisis, project leaders have leveraged resident trust to ensure
PHOTO: TASHIA RAYON TASHIA PHOTO: pandemic-era responses address project missions and community needs.
In East Parkside, the location of Centennial Commons, the community has looked to Centennial Parkside CDC as a convener throughout the pandemic, a testament to their rise as a vital community organization. What’s more, the CDC has necessarily deprioritized formal programming in the space, as it meets more critical community needs like food and housing security.
Cherry Street Pier also deprioritized large events for health reasons, refocusing on artists’ public engagement (such as a Dia de Los Muertos mural- painting workshop), and supporting displaced local businesses with vendor Centennial Parkside CDC launched a food share program to tackle area food insecurity. spots at its artisan markets.
Knight Foundation & Gehl 18 Project leaders are reckoning with how to make Black visitors feel safe in public space.
In light of protests in support of racial We want to explore how the space can had an opportunity to host the training justice and heightened awareness of continue to feel safe for this group in the and it was a great way to show folks police violence, projects are working to long term,” says CDC Program Director the park,” says Philadelphia Outward ensure that Black and Brown residents Tashia Rayon. Bound School Community Engagement feel welcome, safe and supported within Manager Izzy Nelson. “That it was a these public places. Centennial Parkside The Discovery Center is also exploring place where they could get away from CDC is thoughtfully engaging on this how to safely engage Strawberry the neighborhood, to come here and by leading programming specifically Mansion’s Black community — in light reflect … to find a sense of healing, to to engage Black men amid unrest over of increased gun violence and a history clear their minds. That became one of policing: “It’s put a thumb on young of disinvestment. Its 2020 training on the ways we demonstrated the value of people’s safety — particularly Black men. gunshot wound first-aid was a start: “We the center for community members.” Public spaces provided a platform for civic expression in support of the movement for racial justice.
Across the nation, and world, people have taken to the streets in support of the movement for racial justice — and these values show up in public space, which serve as vehicles for political expression.
At the Detroit Riverfront’s Dequindre Cut (right), an analysis of geo-tagged Instagram content showcases how residents express their support of racial justice on the space — through the creation and documentation of public art as well as the shared experiences of Black activists and advocates who spend time there.
At Cherry Street Pier, resident artists PHOTO: INSTAGRAM; NOTE: FACE HAS BEEN BLURRED OUT FOR PRIVACY OUT FOR HAS BEEN BLURRED FACE NOTE: INSTAGRAM; PHOTO: used their studio windows as a canvas for making visible their support of racial justice and fellow Black artists. Acori Honzo, artist-in-residence, describes an act of solidarity from a neighboring White artist: “I walked in one day, and there’s a Black Lives Matter sign hanging in Jim’s window. It wasn’t prompted,
nobody made him do it. I’m used to INSTAGRAM PHOTO: walking around and wondering if I’m scary, how I’m being perceived,” he says. “And if I can work in an environment and see that hanging in the window and it’s not the Black shop … I couldn’t be prouder to work here.”
19 Adaptive Public Space Everyday Public Space
How do design and programming shape visitors’ use of and engagement with the space?
PHOTO: KNIGHT FOUNDATION
Knight Foundation & Gehl 20 SUMMIT LAKE PARK / AKRON, OHIO
21 Adaptive Public Space Everyone deserves a high-quality public realm.
ALEXA BUSH DESIGN DIRECTOR CITY OF DETROIT
Knight Foundation & Gehl 22 IN BRIEF / EVERYDAY PUBLIC SPACE
Projects that supported quality design, resident- centered programming, historic character, and the arts invited regular activity.
What’s Working What’s Challenging
Projects that made sure quality design Projects with barriers to physical resonated with the community saw connectivity beyond site boundaries faced especially high resident visitorship and challenges in promoting access. enthusiasm. Presence of semi-public activity compelled Projects that committed to locally oriented project leaders to explore how they could events and programming attracted make their spaces inviting to all. residents. Adapting existing infrastructure — a sustainable approach to construction — drove residents to visit these spaces in ways they would have never done before. Integrating arts and creativity into design and programming led to more diverse resident engagement and civic expression.
23 Adaptive Public Space FINDINGS / EVERYDAY PUBLIC SPACE
What’s Working local artist Hubert Massey and — fired at a local ceramics studio. Projects that committed to locally — A street-crossing songbook oriented events and programming Projects that made sure quality graphic helps calm traffic and attracted residents. design resonated with the serves as a nod to Ella Fitzgerald, community saw especially the namesake of a one-time Project leaders made it clear high resident visitorship and neighborhood school. The site through locally oriented enthusiasm. also includes draws like a popular programming and events that the basketball court and playspace. space was there for residents to Across the board, 81 percent of Says youth ambassador Chanale embrace. survey respondents feel positively Greer, “I’m most proud of the about these projects — each of diversity of activity that the park Both Centennial Commons and which has transformed their brings. I see people doing so many Summit Lake Park have hosted contexts and communities in things that usually you only see events like nutrition and cooking different ways. In the most downtown.” lessons alongside fresh food successful cases, the look, feel, and markets. This type of programming definition of quality was driven by Centennial Commons and Ella was important to drawing in locals the local context and community — Fitzgerald Park — multifunctional and meeting their needs. quality is not a monolith, but looks neighborhood spaces that reflect different from place to place. local character — had the highest “It’s been a long time since our rates of regular visitorship among neighbors have seen consistent At Centennial Commons survey respondents, with 54 activity that is inclusive,” says in Philadelphia, that meant percent visiting both spaces at Tashia Rayon, Centennial Parkside abandoning early ideas for a high- least weekly. CDC Program Director. “Events like design playspace — instead opting the Healthy Edge Fresh Food Fest for a functional park that could The two sites are followed by open up our public space and allow connect local Parkside residents Akron’s Summit Lake Park, where time for activity, conversation, to West Fairmount Park. Survey 42 percent of visitors visit at and most importantly trust- results indicate the investments in least weekly — slightly above an building within the community connectivity helped — 64 percent average of 37 percent across all we serve.” Over 2,500 residents of respondents found the space projects studied. Locals there have attended events in Centennial “very easy” to access — compared take advantage of picnic tables, Commons since 2018. to a cross-project average of 54 barbecues, and swings for events percent. The park’s porch swings from birthday parties to picnics. The Discovery Center also evolved give a nod to local architecture, But it’s also become a place of its programming beyond traditional and are now a spot for after-school calm, too: “I can sit on a swing and birding and outdoor adventures. snacks and Bible study alike. see the sunset and birds flying For example, partners held a across — that’s a vacation view we workshop on gun violence first-aid Detroit’s Ella Fitzgerald Park have now,” says Sandy Saulsberry, for community members, given the includes mosaic tiles designed by a Summit Lake resident. challenges of gun violence in the
Knight Foundation & Gehl 24 QUALITY / Projects leveraged quality, locally oriented design to draw everyday activity. PHOTO: KNIGHT FOUNDATION PHOTO: PHOTO: DETROIT RIVERFRONT CONSERVANCY RIVERFRONT DETROIT PHOTO:
Riverfront’s Valade Park offers an urban beachscape. Summit Lake’s barbecues, tables, and seating invite people to the shore. PHOTO: BREE GANT PHOTO: PHOTO: CHERRY STREET PIER STREET CHERRY PHOTO:
Ella Fitzgerald Park’s basketball court is a popular local draw. Cherry Street Pier's informal artist studios draw in passersby. PHOTO: GEHL PHOTO: PHOTO: GENSLER PHOTO:
Centennial Commons’ porch swings MOMENT’s active facade brings people to the other side of San Jose’s San Pedro Square. echo the area’s historic architecture.
Strawberry Mansion neighborhood. According to Izzy Nelson, POBS visit these spaces in new ways. Other community-responsive Community Engagement Manager events have included line dancing, and a longtime resident of the At Detroit Riverfront, a one-time mommy-and-me workshops, and neighborhood, “The more we were industrial area, “people didn’t nature walks for local Black men. consistent in taking folks’ ideas … think anyone would come down That was what built the trust and there,” says Rachel Frierson, Some events draw big crowds; the foundation to then have people Director of Programming at the a 2018 event focused on engaged and visiting.” Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. “Inclusion, Equity & Environmental “We were fighting the perception Gentrification” drew over 300 — of the Riverfront being a place for people. More everyday events, like Adapting existing infrastructure people.” Discovery Days — an outdoors day — a sustainable approach to — draw about 50 visitors. construction — drove residents to Now the Riverfront is a popular
25 Adaptive Public Space regional destination. Indeed, in area. “I’ve seen a huge evolution September, a peak month, the of people who walk toward the “Downtown San Jose is not known Riverfront’s Valade Park saw an river. Nobody lived down here and for anything other than going to average of 10,164 people per day, nobody came down,” says Jim bars, a Sharks game, or work,” says and its Dequindre Cut saw an Abbott, artist-in-residence. Angie Chua, a former MOMENT average of 3,000 people visiting tenant. “I held a workshop every per day, according to on-site MOMENT, too, invites visitors other week and brought other sensor data. to San Pedro Square to engage makers in … including in the with the space in new ways. By evening, just as a way to activate The reimagined site now draws activating what was once a parking the space and bring new people in.” people from within and beyond the garage facade that interrupted city who might otherwise head to street life, MOMENT adds to area Observational data also shows state parks outside city limits for a vibrancy — with retail amenities that MOMENT invites a more dose of nature. Indeed, along with and public parklet seating for diverse visitorship than the rest Philadelphia’s Cherry Street Pier, passersby and shoppers. of San Pedro Square — attracting it attracts more regional visitors more seniors and children, and a than any other project studied, — more even split between male and according to survey data and Integrating arts and creativity into female visitors. analysis of social media content design and programming led to at the site. “People are now seeing more diverse resident engagement Cherry Street Pier — an arts- the Riverfront as a nature space and civic expression. focused project on Philadelphia’s within the city,” says Elena Newnell, Delaware River Waterfront a volunteer. MOMENT is helping imbue — didn’t look to a high-design creativity into the downtown area museum for inspiration. Project Cherry Street Pier also saw a — such as through tenant-led DIY leaders knew the space had to feel transformation in how residents workshops, some of which have different from a typical museum engaged with the Delaware River continued in the pandemic as part or gallery in order to attract waterfront, a once-neglected of an open streets program. the wider public. Retaining the unvarnished look of the historic pier and installing artist studios in shipping containers helped ground the space and drive engagement. “Fine art spaces push people away,” says artist-in-residence Sharif Pendleton. “The space here is not super polished, so people are more PHOTO: PORTSIDE ARTS CENTER ARTS PORTSIDE PHOTO: willing to get engaged.”
This approachability shows up online. The project had the most active Instagram usership, with posts highlighting art, architecture, and interactive events. Murals at Detroit Riverfront’s Dequindre Cut were also a place for artistic self-expression online. The art was among the most popular content in the site’s Instagram activity — with many highlighting the movement for racial justice.
Cherry Street Pier hosts events like this Dia de Los Muertos mural-making session.
Knight Foundation & Gehl 26 CONNECTIVITY / Sites faced barriers to visitor access beyond their boundaries. PHOTO: GEHL PHOTO: PHOTOS: GEHL PHOTOS:
Cherry Street Pier is separated from Old City by a major roadway; Centennial Commons’ bike share and street crossings are a first connectionsSummit includeLake’s an unwieldy pedestrian overpass. step in improving connectivity to Fairmount Park. approach changed city leaders’ approach to community PHOTO: GEHL PHOTO: development.
The area around The Discovery Center could Located below grade, Dequindre Cut’s Freight Yard faces visibility issues that have benefit from improved walkability to the site. deterred some pop-ups from posting up at the site. CONSERVANCY RIVERFRONT DETROIT PHOTO:
What’s Challenging deterred pop-ups and food trucks the community can get there," says from posting up at the spaces, Tonnetta Graham, President of — and often leaves visitors asking Strawberry Mansion CDC, a local Projects with barriers to for more wayfinding, according to community organization. physical connectivity beyond site volunteers. boundaries faced challenges in Moving forward, The Discovery promoting access. The Detroit Riverfront Center is exploring how to better Conservancy has responded connect to the surrounding through programming to introduce neighborhood — through physical Projects varied in their level more Detroiters to its spaces, interventions like improved walking of connectivity beyond site and upcoming investments to trails and signage, as well as boundaries — hampered by basic address connectivity challenges. programmatic interventions like walkability issues, unfavorable The Dequindre Cut will eventually neighborhood block parties and positioning, and unwieldy integrate into a 26-mile trail under street-corner birdhouses that infrastructure barriers. Many development by the City, which will invite locals to visit the space. of these challenges were out improve access and visibility to of project leaders' control and multiple neighborhoods. At Cherry Street Pier, decades-old site purview, but represented infrastructure inhibits walkable challenges to access nonetheless. The Discovery Center is a serene access. The site is separated retreat at the edge of a one- from Philadelphia’s Old City by a Some projects face connectivity time reservoir, but slightly uphill major roadway, making the Pier challenges inherent to their from the core of its Strawberry feel more like a destination than physical positioning. The Freight Mansion neighborhood. For an everyday amenity that can be Yard at the Detroit Riverfront sits locals, the space can feel tucked easily accessed. “Like many cities below-grade, for example, giving it away. "If you’re thinking about the we foolishly built an 8 to 12-lane a hidden gem quality. This dynamic community, you want to make sure highway cutting off our hub of
27 Adaptive Public Space commerce and connection,” says its neighboring Race Street Pier — Patrick Morgan, the city’s First an open-air park. Project leaders' Deputy Commissioner of Parks & efforts to invite in more users Recreation. To overcome these through enhanced walkability, challenges, The Delaware River wayfinding, and programming may Waterfront Conservancy is now help capture some of the activity developing a $20 million multi- on adjacent Race Street Pier — a modal trail to connect its sites, and space that could seem more public transit wayfinding to connect the to passersby. Pier to the Old City. For Detroit Riverfront, business Centennial Commons confronted owners are also working to make connectivity issues early on, clear their spaces are publicly by investing in traffic calming accessible. According to Gregory measures and pedestrian "JB" Sims, owner of Smokey G's connectivity with the adjacent Smokehouse in Valade Park, "I Parkside neighborhood; the project have a lot of people who pass by also secured an Indego bike station and say, 'I thought you guys were on-site. Survey results indicate cooking for a private event.' Some the investments are improving people just didn’t know we were perceived access — 64 percent of open to the public," Sims says. Centennial Commons respondents He's exploring signage and other found the space “very easy” to tactics to invite the public into his access — compared to a cross- Riverfront business. project average of 54 percent. Local leaders are continuing to San Jose's MOMENT is a micro- invest in connectivity, through retail concept and located in a an emerging mobility study and downtown commercial district, planning process for the area. which impacts the diversity of activities that can take place there. — Indeed, only 18 percent of seating Presence of semi-public activity on adjacent San Pedro Square is compelled project leaders to public, and two of the top three explore how they could make their activities observed in the area focused on commercial uses. spaces inviting to all. Even still, MOMENT operators like SJ Made and its tenants are Detroit Riverfront, Cherry Street working to expand the invitations Pier, and MOMENT each balanced available to San Pedro Square commercial activities with the beyond shopping and dining. As need to ensure their spaces were the project has evolved, it has inviting to all. diversified activity to include more public programming — such as For example, Cherry Street Pier tenant-led DIY workshops as — while not a space dominated by part of a COVID-19 open streets private activity — is partly covered, initiative. is open during select hours, and includes a popular garden restaurant, which may signal it is private. Observational data indicate the potential impact of these factors on the site's visitorship. For example, in the 6pm hour, Cherry Street Pier experienced just two thirds of the foot traffic of
Knight Foundation & Gehl 28 MOVING FORWARD / EVERYDAY PUBLIC SPACE
Consider ... Quality matters — in design Raising the bar for public space design and materials, it shows and ensuring the design reflects community needs and identity, rather commitment and makes than imposing a design aesthetic a space more inviting, comfortable, and interesting.
Consistent programming Taking the time to understand how that meets local needs helps community members want to use and activate a space draw people into a place.
Arts and creativity can make Integrating locally relevant artistic public space a platform for features and arts programming into the life of the space creativity and expression.
Transforming underutilized Looking to neglected spaces and spaces inspires locals to buildings as potential public space sites rediscover what's nearby.
Attention to physical Funding a wayfinding and connectivity connectivity makes for more strategy early on, as part of the design process lively, inclusive public spaces.
Semi-public and commercial Balancing revenue-generating activities activities add vitality, but with creating an environment that is clearly open to non-paying visitors can deter from inclusiveness without thoughtful outreach.
29 Adaptive Public Space Residents at the Center
How does the space reflect, welcome, and empower those who live in the community?
PHOTO: ALEXA BUSH
Knight Foundation & Gehl 30 ELLA FITZGERALD PARK / DETROIT, MICHIGAN
31 Adaptive Public Space It’s made me so much prouder to live here.
GRACE HUDSON RESIDENT SUMMIT LAKE
Knight Foundation & Gehl 32 IN BRIEF / RESIDENTS AT THE CENTER
Community participation allowed project organizers to build trust with residents, which in turn increased use and sense of attachment to the spaces.
What’s Working What’s Challenging
Projects that used piloting and other Projects continued to face barriers responsive engagement methods to attracting and building attachment experienced particularly high regularity among communities of color — especially in resident visits, enthusiasm, and Black respondents — due to legacies of attachment to place. disinvestment and distrust.
Projects that adopted community-based Citywide destinations faced challenges governance structures built resident trust in building local resident awareness — and drove visits. perhaps due to the outreach challenges that come with their broader reach.
33 Adaptive Public Space FINDINGS / RESIDENTS AT THE CENTER
What’s Working prototypes and pilot programming the project. What’s more, the space to engage residents during the had the most diverse Instagram — design process — pilots included usership of sites studied. Projects that used piloting and a nature center as well as food other responsive engagement nutrition programming, a service Testing out configurations and that benefited community methods experienced particularly programming on site allowed members in material ways. “When high regularity in resident visits, residents to see their input being we talk about participation and enthusiasm, and attachment to integrated in near-real time. “We engagement in this project, we met place. saw the manifestation of this basic needs along the way,” says conversation bloom into actual Demetrius Lambert-Falconer, Chief fruits of the conversation,” says Many project leaders conducted of Community Engagement for Summit Lake resident Grace pilots during their design process Summit Metro Parks. Hudson. “We saw things starting to — a step that demonstrated happen.” commitment to the project, helped After the project, 97 percent of overcome longtime distrust, and respondents to a 2018 survey felt Ella Fitzgerald Park and Centennial led to greater use of the spaces. the project had changed their Commons, which adopted similar neighborhood for the better, up approaches, also saw the greatest At Summit Lake Park — which used from 57 percent at the outset of levels of regular visitorship, enthusiasm, and attachment among respondents to the survey for this impact assessment. For example, when asked if they could live anywhere they wanted, 70 PHOTO: ALEXA BUSH PHOTO: percent of Centennial Commons respondents would choose to stay in their neighborhood, followed by 60 percent of Ella Fitzgerald respondents — the highest rates of all projects.
Ella Fitzgerald Park’s pilots helped project leaders reach audiences that typically didn’t show up at community meetings. For the Fitzgerald neighborhood, that meant exercises like a pop-up bike repair station that drew in local youth. “So many kids came out of Regular pop-ups near the future Ella Fitzgerald Park helped leaders reach more residents. the woodwork for this,” says Alexa
Knight Foundation & Gehl 34 PHOTO: KNIGHT FOUNDATION PHOTO:
Pilot events at Summit Lake Park met local needs by pairing a fresh food market with cooking lessons; the market continues today.
Bush, Design Director with the Reflects Detroit’s Chief Parks seeing ongoing changes to the City of Detroit. “No one had said Planner Meagan Elliott, “The Ella Riverfront, guided by sensor data this was a need at a meeting but Fitzgerald Park and neighborhood and the Conservancy’s ongoing clearly we saw there was a huge planning process … has been engagement with visitors. “People demand for bikes for kids in this critical to that trust re-building and watch design change all the time,” neighborhood.” making sure we’re never showing says Rachel Frierson, Director up unless we’re able to follow of Programming for the Detroit For Bush, prototyping through.” Riverfront Conservancy. “People demonstrated the City’s constantly ask us to help and add commitment to the process after — things. They feel like they actually decades of stagnation: “It was Projects that adopted community- have some say in designing these our way of putting our stake in the based governance structures built spaces.” sand. It changed how people saw resident trust and drove visits. what we were doing.” At The Discovery Center in Community participation helps Philadelphia, community Now that the park has opened, drive engagement well beyond the representation shows up in clear people have embraced it: 96 ribbon-cutting ceremony. roles: a third of the board is percent of survey respondents allocated to community member feel positively about the park — The Detroit Riverfront seats; a 15-member community including 100 percent of Black Conservancy, for example, has a engagement committee helps respondents, who reported feeling Community Advisory Team (CAT) gauge local needs; and Philadelphia “strongly positive.” What’s more, that helps inform programming Outward Bound School (POBS) 89 percent of respondents in the and improvements to the site. “I and Audubon have dedicated staff Fitzgerald neighborhood indicated credit the Conservancy for giving to shape and launch community- they feel the neighborhood has us more voice than I expected,” centric programming. changed for the better since the says CAT member Bob Hoey. project opened, up from a baseline These positions and processes of 34 percent. Visitors are now accustomed to help invite in more residents from
35 Adaptive Public Space PHOTO: ALBERT YEE ALBERT PHOTO:
The Discovery Center’s locally-oriented programming is helping overcome distrust and drive more resident engagement with the space.
the local Strawberry Mansion down the path of being a private "There needed to be more time area. “It’s important for community space. It would have been a built in for the organizations to members to see the committee disaster.” understand their histories here, members and chairperson are and to unpack their barriers to in place,” says Izzy Nelson, POBS What’s Challenging collaboration — to deal with that Community Engagement Manager. before bringing in the community," “That I can be the middle person — says Demetrius Lambert-Falconer, really helped.” Projects continued to face Chief of Community Engagement barriers to attracting and building for Summit Metro Parks. Guided by this outreach, the attachment among communities Center’s extensive youth of color — especially Black But building trust takes more than programming has made it popular respondents — due to legacies of a responsive and coordinated among local youth — 40 percent disinvestment and distrust. engagement process. “As much of the Center’s daily visitors are 24 community engagement as you or younger, according to survey For many projects, building have, you can’t erase history,” results. “It’s a more unified front trust among communities of says Bronlynn Thurman, Program when we have young people color remains a challenge. After Officer at Akron’s GAR Foundation. speaking up,” says Nelson. longtime disinvestment, many “There is a history of White people residents don't always positively coming into a neighborhood and According to Meg Wise, Executive view engagement with local changing it — and not for the Director of POBS, Knight governments and institutions. better. … Building trust through Foundation funding catalyzed community participation is a good these shifts toward community At the outset of the process, some step, but I think that the fear is representation: “If the Knight project leaders felt that more always going to be there.” grant hadn’t come and forced coordination would have helped the perspective on what a public project leadership understand This was especially true at nature space is and what it needs to do, legacies of disinvestment and spaces, for example, where 45 the project would have continued interaction with communities. percent of Black respondents
Knight Foundation & Gehl 36 agreed the space was “special environmental racism. connectivity within the waterfront to me,” compared to 56 percent area and to the wider city through of all respondents. By contrast, As The Discovery Center team wayfinding on public transit. neighborhood parks like Ella tackles historic barriers to access Fitzgerald Park and Centennial in environmental work, Cherry While these sites work through Commons had especially favorable Street Pier is also tackling historic these challenges, some are feedback from Black survey barriers to access in arts and starting to see signs of bridging respondents — who were more culture. “People of color are not across racial lines. Acori Honzo, likely to “strongly agree” that a sufficiently represented at Cherry artist-in-residence at Cherry Street space was special to them. Street Pier, but that is true for Pier, has seen his studio become a all arts and culture institutions platform for building awareness. “I “[Local Black residents] don’t in Philadelphia," says Almaz had a view of this White-dominated always feel encouraged because Crowe, the site’s Director of art world that wouldn’t get Black they don’t feel outdoor spaces or Communications and Marketing. art ... [because of Cherry Street environmental work have always Pier,] all of a sudden there’s a White been for them,” says Izzy Nelson, To draw in communities of color, lady sitting on my couch and she's POBS Community Engagement Cherry Street Pier ensures starting to ask me about my pieces Manager at The Discovery Center. diversity in its artists-in-residence, and say, ‘We need this, because a Over time, community-centered programming partners, market lot of us don’t know.’” programming is starting to draw businesses, and food vendors. in more locals to the project; The project is also seeking to Summit Lake resident Sandy events include mommy-and- improve outreach to communities Saulsberry has seen this dialogue me workshops and a talk on of color, and to improve physical at work, too, as events and trail
SURVEY / While most respondents agree neighborhood spaces “are special to me,” challenges remain in building attachment among Black residents at nature spaces.
Neighborhood parks have the most enthusiasm from respondents
Parks — with 70 percent indicating they Neighborhood “strongly agree” or “agree” that the space is “special to me.” Citywide Citywide Destinations
ALL RESPONDENTS Nature Nature Spaces
At nature-related projects, Black respondents indicate ambivalence
Parks toward the projects at higher rates Neighborhood On the other hand, at neighborhood parks and citywide destinations, Black respondents were more likely Citywide Citywide
Destinations to “strongly agree” that the space was
special to them. BLACK RESPONDENTS BLACK Nature Nature Spaces
“Strongly agree” “Agree” “Neutral” “Disagree” “Strongly disagree”
37 Adaptive Public Space connections draw in more people from beyond the neighborhood. “There are people who have never had a conversation with a Black woman in their community that are stopping to talk with me and finding out ‘wow, we have a lot in common,’” she says.
— Citywide destinations faced challenges in building local resident awareness — perhaps due to the outreach challenges that come with their broader reach.
Respondents for citywide draws (such as Cherry Street Pier, Detroit Riverfront, and MOMENT) were more likely to say they didn't visit these spaces because they didn't know what they could do there, or because they didn't know about the place to begin with.
For example, the most common reason that citywide destination respondents cited for not visiting the space was “I’m not sure what to do at this place” (42 percent, compared to 28 percent for nature spaces, and 24 percent for neighborhood parks). Citywide destination respondents were also more likely to cite "I haven't heard of it" as a reason for not visiting (18 percent, compared to 8 percent for neighborhood parks, and 6 percent for nature spaces).
According to Sandi McIntosh — a lifelong Detroit resident and relatively new Riverfront volunteer — “Only a year or so ago did I find out what was going on at the Riverfront and Downtown. … Downtowners know what’s happening, but it’s the neighborhoods that need exposure.”
Knight Foundation & Gehl 38 MOVING FORWARD / RESIDENTS AT THE CENTER
Consider ... Responding directly to local Using pilots as a way to demonstrate needs can help overcome commitment to the project, reach a wider audience, and gain rapid longtime distrust, and lead to community feedback higher rates of resident visits and stewardship.
To ensure continued use, Building in governance for consistent locals should be empowered participation in the space after opening, rather than making community input a to shape a public space well one-time event after the ribbon cutting.
Successful engagement Aligning on past work, capacity, and requires advance goals of each organization before showing up to the community with a coordination, commitment, request for input and accountability from the agencies leading the process.
A single engagement process Pairing public space and engagement or public space will not erase with long-term policy and planning to dismantle racist systems enduring legacies of racism toward communities of color.
Citywide destinations face Engaging underrepresented challenges engaging all neighborhoods through outreach or local pop-ups neighborhoods they reach.
39 Adaptive Public Space Community Ripple Effect
What broader impacts is the space having on the community, city, and beyond?
PHOTO: FAIRMOUNT PARK CONSERVANCY
Knight Foundation & Gehl 40 THE DISCOVERY CENTER / PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
41 Adaptive Public Space [The grant] was the seed money to get [the project] off the ground.
CHUCK HAMMERS FORMER HEAD PROPERTY-BASED IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT DOWNTOWN SAN JOSE
Knight Foundation & Gehl 42 IN BRIEF / COMMUNITY RIPPLE EFFECT
Investments catalyzed funding for innovative ideas, and led to local capacity-building and community development.
What’s Working What’s Challenging
Initial investments helped catalyze co- Some projects are still working to scale funding and follow-on funding necessary beyond proof-of-concept, due to larger to activate and sustain these projects. barriers to adoption.
Public space investments catalyzed larger Investments in public spaces that were not community development efforts by shifting paired with proactive policy, or planning perceptions and symbolizing positive generated fear of displacement among change was possible in these areas. some residents. Funding local organizations built local community development capacity, ensuring resident-centered programming and development. Workforce development programs sustained site maintenance and led to job pathways for local residents. Youth programs fostered local stewardship — and built community pride. Dedicated studios and storefronts catalyzed small business growth. Public space planning processes and convenings inspired local leaders to take on more innovative, resident-centric, and collaborative approaches to their work.
43 Adaptive Public Space FINDINGS / COMMUNITY RIPPLE EFFECT
What’s Working get [the project] off the ground,” Ella Fitzgerald Park has become says Chuck Hammers, former the first investment in a $13 million — head of the local Property-Based neighborhood improvement Initial investments helped catalyze Improvement District in San Jose. plan — which includes a co-funding and follow-on funding greenway, a commercial corridor necessary to activate and sustain At Centennial Commons, Knight’s revitalization, and homeownership these projects. $1 million capital investment pathways: “There are so many through Reimagining the Civic structural problems this Grantees valued Knight funding for Commons led to over $1.5 neighborhood faces that the its commitment to catalyzing early- million in funding from the perception shifts caused by Ella stage concepts and attracting Philadelphia Water Department Fitzgerald Park are helping with,” co- and follow-on funders. Funding — for installation and ongoing says Alexa Bush, Design Director commitments from Knight and maintenance of an on-site rain at the City of Detroit. other funders helped many of these garden. More recently, the project projects absorb risk, and build the received over $500,000 in follow- Summit Lake Park has experienced buy-in and legitimacy needed to on funding for a second phase a similar dynamic. Says James secure other funding sources. of work at the site, and for an Hardy, Akron’s Deputy Mayor for employee to lead programming in Integrated Development: “It’s Knight was an early investor in the West Fairmount Park. not just about high-quality public Detroit Riverfront, donating $1.5 space,” he says. “It’s that the public million to the project’s 2004 capital What’s more, grantees valued space becomes a platform for all campaign. More recently, Knight Knight’s flexibility and collaborative these other conversations around and the Kresge Foundation each approach to grantmaking, equity, community and economic invested up to $150,000 in Detroit especially when Knight funded development, and housing.” Riverfront's Freight Yard. For the early-stage concepts. “We never Building on the momentum of the Riverfront’s Valade Park, Knight’s felt like we couldn’t walk up to Summit Lake investment, a $15.5 $225,700 investment in 2017 came them and be honest about what’s million vision plan is now underway with over $900,000 in co-funding happening on the ground,” says in the area. from other sources. In addition, Rachel Frierson of the Detroit in 2018, the Valade Family made a Riverfront Conservancy. The Discovery Center is also generous donation of $5 million, exploring how it can integrate which supported construction and — with community development operations at the park. Public space investments catalyzed efforts. Under Strawberry Mansion larger community development CDC leadership, local community MOMENT’s 2015 Knight Cities efforts by shifting perceptions and groups are exploring proactive Challenge grant of $139,000 symbolizing positive change was measures — from stabilizing funded a first-of-its kind retail possible in these areas. housing for longtime residents to concept and led to over $600,000 envisioning a corridor that knits in funding over the next four Each project’s impact has extended together The Discovery Center years. “It was the seed money to beyond site boundaries. with other civic assets.
Knight Foundation & Gehl 44 Centennial Commons has also built momentum for new collaborations. For example, the Fairmount Park Conservancy and Centennial Parkside CDC are exploring an area mobility study, and deeper collaborations with community groups and Fairmount PHOTO: FAIRMOUNT PARK CONSERVANCY PARK FAIRMOUNT PHOTO: Park cultural institutions to drive resident-centered development.
Together, these cases demonstrate how public spaces can catalyze neighborhood change, and play a role in wider community development efforts.
— Centennial Parkside CDC has become a neighborhood convener since its founding. Funding local organizations built local community development about investing in people and success in Ella Fitzgerald Park, the capacity, ensuring resident- process — which is a challenge program’s approach has become centered programming and because you can’t cut a ribbon a “template for how we increase development. on it. It’s messy, it’s complicated,” workforce participation across all says Morgan. “But in the long run, our parks projects,” says Meagan Funding for Centennial Commons if we’re serious about this work Elliott, Detroit’s Chief Parks and The Discovery Center being transformational, it’s the Planner. helped elevate the profile of each work that needs to happen.” area’s community development At Centennial Commons, corporations. “Strawberry — Centennial Parkside CDC runs a Mansion CDC and Centennial Workforce development programs workforce development program Parkside CDC either didn’t exist sustained site maintenance and led to maintain the site. Since 2018, or were very much in their to job pathways for local residents. the organization's Clean and Green infancy when [Reimagining the Team has been contracted by the Civic Commons] started, and Both Centennial Commons and Philadelphia Water Department have almost been meteoric in Ella Fitzgerald Park embedded to maintain rain gardens on site their rise,” says Patrick Morgan, workforce development into their — employing five residents and First Deputy Commissioner of operational models. picking up 21,510 gallons of trash Parks & Recreation for the City of from the area to date. Philadelphia. Ella Fitzgerald Park partnered with Greening of Detroit, a local The program has led to additional For example, Centennial organization that hires workers contracts with the Philadelphia Parkside CDC has: become a with barriers to employment, Commerce Department and go-to leader in programming whether criminal records or lack of the Philadelphia Zoo to clean Centennial Commons with local transportation. Greening of Detroit other parts of the neighborhood. partners, developed a sustainable has provided career pathways This success has also enabled maintenance model for the space, to 20 Fitzgerald neighborhood Centennial Parkside CDC to and hired a program director residents to date. hire a director of sanitation and and a director of sanitation and environmental programming, environmental programming. With a 90 percent job placement who will be increasing their rate, Greening of Detroit far capacity, growing cleaning Investments in capacity-building outperforms the 35 percent services, connecting the program lay the groundwork for community national average placement to other workforce development transformation. “It’s very much rate for green jobs. Through its opportunities, and creating
45 Adaptive Public Space PHOTO: OHIO & ERIE CANALWAY COALITION OHIO & ERIE CANALWAY PHOTO:
Summit Lake Park’s youth ambassador program helps maintain the space and will continue for a second summer in 2021.
programs around litter prevention. permanent job placement. is critical to driving generational impact. For example, Philadelphia — “The youth ambassadors Outward Bound School has Youth programs fostered program lit a fire in Chanale,” employed a young woman from local stewardship — and built says Devon Buskin, Greening of the community, Izzy Nelson, to community pride. Detroit Workforce Director, of serve as a community engagement one ambassador. “She went on manager for The Discovery Center. Many projects have also to advocate for coursework on Her work engaging her peers and created opportunities for youth community engagement in her neighbors may be paying off: for engagement and empowerment. school,” he says, adding that other example, whereas 100 percent of alumni moved on to undergraduate survey respondents aged 18 to 24 In summer 2020, Summit Lake and master’s programs in forestry. felt that The Discovery Center is piloted a youth ambassador essential to their neighborhood, program for planting and To their peers, ambassadors just 71 percent of respondents over landscaping, securing often serve as role models for 54 felt this way. commitments from the whole community participation. “The cohort to continue upkeep efforts youth ambassadors are the cool For some, the impact on youth in summer 2021. kids in the neighborhood,” Buskin is more spontaneous. At Cherry says. “If the cool kids are setting Street Pier, for example, artist- Ella Fitzgerald Park also has a the tone that this is the thing to do, in-residence Keni Thomas youth ambassadors program with then others follow. The impact is (Thomcat23) speaks of art’s power Greening of Detroit. The program there. It’s authentic.” to inspire young people: “I’ve had helps high school students secure mothers come in with their kid and scholarships to study forestry at Bringing young people into say, 'This is what your drawing can historically Black colleges, provides the process and giving them be,'” he says. “If you have a little internships, and ultimately leads to responsibility as changemakers kid who looks like you and you can
Knight Foundation & Gehl 46 show them your process, they can The platform helps them clarify What’s more, the pandemic seems feel like Superman.” their goals — whether they evolve to have stimulated rather than to a larger brick-and-mortar stymied business growth for — presence, an online shop, or Cherry Street Pier artists, thanks Dedicated studios and storefronts another model. "I was able to to increased foot traffic from catalyzed small business growth. really understand what a scaleable drop-in visitors and attractions business looks like," says Angie like the outdoor restaurant and Small business development Chua, a former MOMENT tenant. bar. Instagram content reflects is fundamental to the mission "If not I would be over a sewing this increased exposure. For of both Cherry Street Pier and machine, working harder not example, 36 percent of sample MOMENT — supporting artists smarter. This was a catalyst on posts in October shared art-centric and entrepreneurs by boosting where I want this business to go." content, three times the share of exposure and minimizing their posts (12 percent) that documented operational headaches. Cherry Street Pier artist-in- social activity or landscape views residence Sharif Pendleton from within the garden restaurant. MOMENT has provided a platform agrees, noting how important it is for local entrepreneurs — all to offload operations and public As visibility has grown and the tenants have been minority- or relations to the Cherry Street Pier Pier has refined its approach to women-owned businesses, with team: “The more hats you can put selecting and supporting artists, all 10 run by women, and eight by in other places, the better," he says. so have artist sales. A third of the women of color. They benefit from Other artists spoke of how the latest cohort have been able to pay San Pedro Square foot traffic and Cherry Street Pier model — built rent based on their on-site sales, a growing local following. “My on collaboration and engagement compared to 15 percent in the reach has doubled in just a few with the public — gave them Pier’s first cohort. weeks — that is something I’d have more room to exchange ideas, to pay for,” says tenant Alyssarhaye evolve their craft, and focus on the — Graciano. business side. Public space planning processes and convenings inspired local leaders to take on more innovative, resident-centric, and collaborative approaches to their work.
Beyond their communities, these projects also reshaped business as usual in city government and in public space planning. “[Ella Fitzgerald Park] was the most
PHOTO: SAN JOSE DOWNTOWN ASSOCIAITON JOSE DOWNTOWN SAN PHOTO: functional interdepartmental process I’ve been a part of for the last six years. It set a new standard for how we collaborate internally,” says Meagan Elliott, Detroit’s Chief Parks Planner.
Beyond the scope of Centennial Commons and The Discovery Center, the work of Centennial Parkside CDC and Strawberry Mansion CDC are starting to inspire a shift in the City of Philadelphia’s approach to community engagement. “We’re trying to change the way we Tenants make MOMENT storefronts their own, drawing in visitors from San Pedro Square. do business and engage with
47 Adaptive Public Space residents at scale, which is very minority- and women-owned Izzy Nelson, POBS Community much informed by the lessons businesses. Project leaders also Engagement Manager. Ongoing learned from these organizations,” developed a unique operating engagement efforts are helping says Patrick Morgan, First model — working across city residents see the space is Deputy Commissioner of Parks & government, the local downtown theirs to use. What's more, the Recreation for Philadelphia. association, and curator SJ Made development process connected to bring the project to life. local community groups with Inspired by Cherry Street Pier, funders — laying the groundwork Philadelphia’s Parks & Recreation The model of retrofitting a space for anti-displacement initiatives department is also exploring a not originally designed for retail like a pilot program for local home social entrepreneur-in-residence is still gaining traction. “It’s a big repair. “Through The Discovery model for its vast network of undertaking for businesses to Center process, those connections community and recreation centers. take on themselves vs. a curator remain,” says Tonnetta Graham, or mediator [like SJ Made] to take President of Strawberry Mansion For Akron’s Bronlynn Thurman, it on. Local small businesses don’t CDC. this mindset shift speaks to the less have the same AAA rating,” says quantifiable impact of philanthropy Kevin Biggers, SJ Made’s Chief Summit Lake Park has led to a — its power to convene. “Even Strategist. “I know that there’s range of community investments, more valuable than the money not a significant incentive for such as a $15.5 million vision plan we give out is making those developers, either. They have to that is now underway in the area. connections and helping grantees build these retail spaces per policy, The influx of funding has led to think farther or wider than a but there’s no incentive for them to some displacement concerns. “Whether we like it or not, change certain approach,” she says. “When build them outside of the big box is coming,” says resident Grace developing communities, money is model. Nor is there a real incentive Hudson. “My main concern is that important but it isn’t everything.” to retrofit the spaces.” in the process the people that are here don’t get displaced.” Indeed, many project leaders were The pandemic’s disruptive able to build a knowledge base impact on retail may be shifting Such anti-displacement measures through learning across cities, in perceptions of the model’s viability. may include property tax freezes both structured and unstructured San Jose Downtown Association or homeownership pathways. formats. “How do you quantify a has seen rising interest from local property owners to adopt micro- “We need to sit down and set cocktail hour in Chicago where an agenda for getting ahead of you learn and are inspired by retail in several area storefronts. As the pandemic further disrupts displacement,” says Bronlynn a lot of brilliant people?” says Thurman, Program Officer at GAR retail and drives residents to Jennifer Mahar, Senior Director Foundation. “The right players are live more locally, micro-retail of Civic Initiatives at Philadelphia’s there. We just need to empower may be gaining momentum as a Fairmount Park Conservancy. neighborhood leaders and be path to improving public life and “Those inspirations influence your honest with each other about supporting local entrepreneurs. work months and years down the risks of displacement.” Adds the road. You can’t put a price on James Hardy, Akron’s Deputy — connections.” Mayor for Integrated Development Investments in public spaces that “It’s going to take proactive policy were not paired with proactive intervention." What’s Challenging engagement, policy, or planning generated fear of displacement — among some residents. Some projects are still working to scale beyond proof-of-concept, due Some residents view new public to larger barriers to adoption. spaces with caution. "Strawberry Mansion is a heavily gentrified MOMENT demonstrates how area. So when The Discovery micro-retail can transform the Center came in, the space amenity mix in a downtown to itself wasn't problematic, but activate an area and support it symbolized something," says
Knight Foundation & Gehl 48 MOVING FORWARD / COMMUNITY RIPPLE EFFECT
Consider ... Funding organizations that Identifying and funding the local represent and are trusted by organizations that can serve as community champions and co- residents ensures spaces will operators of a space be trusted and used by the community.
Public spaces can serve as Creating workforce and youth a highly effective venue for development programs that give opportunities for local residents and local workforce and youth transitional workers development.
Entrepreneurs and small Exploring how public spaces can businesses benefit from the accommodate artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs at more affordable rates exposure they gain in public than market-rate storefronts — and spaces. engaging them in the design process
Innovative public space Building in funding opportunities to models take time to gain scale beyond an initial proof-of-concept site, to amplify the innovative concept traction in the wider market.
Public space development Taking proactive measures to tie public must be paired with larger space design to larger community development efforts that prevent planning and policy efforts, displacement (e.g., wealth-building) in order to breed more equitable and holistic community development.
49 Adaptive Public Space Sustaining in the Long Run
How does the project sustain operationally and financially over time?
PHOTO: GEHL
Knight Foundation & Gehl 50 CHERRY STREET PIER / PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
51 Adaptive Public Space We have our own little army of volunteers.
RACHEL FRIERSON DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMING DETROIT RIVERFRONT CONSERVANCY
Knight Foundation & Gehl 52 IN BRIEF / SUSTAINING IN THE LONG RUN
Local stewardship, responsive processes, and trusted operators helped sites develop sustainable operating models and adapt to changing conditions.
What’s Working What’s Challenging
Sites that invested in resident-centered Some sites balanced the realities of engagement early on fostered stewardship needing revenue to be sustainable with the and reduced maintenance costs. need to preserve their mission.
Responsiveness to community input, Complex local funding dynamics have observations, and sensor data helped compelled some projects to explore more operational teams adapt to changing sustainable revenue from methods like conditions. value capture. Trusted operators relieved mission-driven studios and storefronts of traditional operational challenges.
53 Adaptive Public Space FINDINGS / SUSTAINING IN THE LONG RUN
What’s Working ensuring long-term maintenance. the neighborhood.
— Reflects Alexa Bush, Design The Detroit Riverfront also relies Sites that invested in resident- Director for the City of Detroit, on a robust volunteer base for centered engagement early on “The city was on the mend from maintenance and wayfinding. In bankruptcy, so we created a fostered stewardship and reduced 2019, 385 volunteers contributed culture of people using the park maintenance costs. 8,100 hours: “We have our own as a way to keep eyes on the park little army of volunteers,” says and keep it alive because the city For many sites, cultivating Rachel Frierson of the Detroit doesn’t do a lot otherwise. We Riverfront Conservancy. stewardship has helped them realized that the park needs to maintain and operate sites, despite sustain its own life.” At Centennial Commons, there’s public sector budget constraints value in bringing on residents — in some cases, exacerbated by This resident-centered to lead maintenance (whether COVID-19. stewardship approach is working. through volunteership or A 2018 survey of park users local workforce development Ella Fitzgerald Park embedded found 62 percent of respondents programs). “When residents see co-creation and stewardship into reported participating in their neighbors working to keep the design process as a way of stewardship or advocacy related to the area clean, it creates a sense of ownership and generally draws less litter and vandalism,” says Centennial Parkside CDC Executive Director Chris Spahr. “It also builds a sense of pride in the space as a community-maintained space.”
— Responsiveness to community input, observations, and sensor PHOTO: DETROIT RIVERFRONT CONSERVACY RIVERFRONT DETROIT PHOTO: data helped operational teams adapt to changing conditions.
Many projects have adapted their approach to design, operations, and programming based on their on-the-ground experiences.
The Detroit Riverfront has developed a knack for adapting Riverfront volunteers lead programming, attend cleanups, and offer wayfinding assistance. based on learnings on the ground.
Knight Foundation & Gehl 54 PHOTO: MCM HOSPITALITY PHOTO:
Cherry Street Pier’s garden restaurant has become a reliable revenue source that helps the project ensure affordable rates for artists.
Operational improvements are Now, the team is especially focused operating model that eases their in part guided by the Detroit on supporting artists, building experience. “Any struggles that we Riverfront Conservancy’s extensive relationships with repeat partners had putting this space together network of sensors on-site — in programming, and securing would have been times ten in a real developed in partnership with the sustainable revenue sources from retail space,” says MOMENT tenant University of Michigan and with venues like its outdoor restaurant Au Nguyen. Adds Kevin Biggers, Knight Foundation funding. This and bar. Chief Strategist of SJ Made, the helps the Conservancy uncover space’s operator and curator: patterns in people moving, — “Day-to-day operations aren’t too spending time in, and more Trusted operators relieved onerous … other types of pop-ups recently, wearing masks, in the mission-driven studios and required a lot more daily upkeep. space. storefronts of traditional What’s interesting about these operational challenges. spaces is that the tenants, they For Cherry Street Pier, the take over and run with it.” pandemic actually presented an At MOMENT and Cherry Street opportunity to re-focus after a Pier, trusted operators with Local entrepreneurs and creatives high-octane period of working experience in creative retail and see this value, drawn to the around the clock and on the fly the arts have helped shepherd affordability, size of the spaces, and to accommodate event rentals tenants through their residencies. the exposure they get on lively San and other programming. “We’d Pedro Square. SJ Made currently been realizing we have to do less MOMENT's curator, SJ Made — a has a waitlist of almost 100 people better rather than just trying to do collective of San Jose makers and looking to secure one of the four everything,” says General Manager entrepreneurs — has been involved storefronts. Sarah Eberle. “The pandemic was since the beginning of the project a nice chance to step back and look design process. With tenants in Cherry Street Pier’s management at what was important.” mind, it helped shape a design and team helps market and position
55 Adaptive Public Space artist studios on site. Over time, and funding may help alleviate a nearby apartment complex Pier management has learned how burdens on tenants and ensure under construction, and is now to better support artists — such as their longer-term operational and building partnerships with a by meeting with artists regularly to financial sustainability. local real estate developer and connect them with commissioning, business improvement district. programming, and marketing At its Freight Yard site, the Detroit For long-term sustainability, such opportunities. They have also Riverfront Conservancy tempered revenue sources will be especially refined their approach to curating its ambitions to incubate small important for the Riverfront, a each cohort — selecting artists-in- businesses with the need for $200 million project that has a $2 residence who can thrive on the financial and operational longevity. million annual operating budget. public engagement opportunities “Because it was below grade, The efforts to gain income from available at the Pier. These lessons we didn’t count how difficult it value capture could help the learned have helped the Pier to would be for vendors to thrive in project boost sustainability — better fulfill its mission of elevating the space,” says Rachel Frierson, diversifying its funding beyond local artists that engage the public Director of Programming. philanthropic sources, limited with the arts. public funding, and its endowment. After facing permitting, What’s Challenging coordination, and visibility Delaware River Waterfront challenges, the site now houses Corporation (DRWC), which owns Cherry Street Pier, is turning to — a successful beer and wine development of properties it owns Some sites balanced the realities of garden, rather than an array of while it looks toward a waterfront- needing revenue to be sustainable pop-up shops. “The idea of Freight wide value capture agreement. with the need to preserve their Yard was to stop and pause and “We’re developing them in such mission. enjoy these open spaces on the Dequindre Cut. That evolution of a way that we can have a reliable source of income and rent,” says Both Cherry Street Pier and the the project is 100 percent there … Lizzie Woods, DRWC Vice President Detroit Riverfront — citywide but for spurring business, that’s of Planning and Capital Programs. destinations with complex not a huge aim of what we’re doing operating models — are working to right now,” says Frierson. stay nimble as they seek long-term sustainability. — Complex local funding dynamics Cherry Street Pier is committed have compelled some projects to to ensuring affordability for its explore more sustainable revenue artist tenants: “We try to operate from methods like value capture. everything at a lower than market rate, which is so great for the Public spaces pool funding community and not so great for the from a complex network of operating budget,” says General philanthropy, individual donors, Manager Sarah Eberle. “But it’s a and tight public budgets. Some choice we’re making, a conscious projects are working to diversify choice.” beyond these sources so they are better positioned for long-term Even still, lease revenue from its sustainability. outdoor restaurant and bar has been a financial boon, especially Methods like value capture interest during the COVID-19 pandemic as both Cherry Street Pier and the visitors have flocked to socialize Riverfront as a way to diversify outdoors there: “It’s helping funding and benefit financially from support artists, the restaurant nearby development, but they are is supporting us financially, and not in place just yet. in better times that could be the key to us sustaining,” says Eberle. The Riverfront attempted to Indeed, additional revenue sources secure a cut of revenue from
Knight Foundation & Gehl 56 MOVING FORWARD / SUSTAINING IN THE LONG RUN
Consider ... Building community support Building a sense of ownership over for projects increases sense the project through consistent and responsive engagement of stewardship over time.
Volunteer networks can help Deploying volunteers for maintenance, offset operational costs. They wayfinding, or events, and integrating their insights into operations succeed when they have a say in the direction of the space.
Trusted operators and Enlisting seasoned curators to help curators set up public spaces design and operate mission-driven storefronts / studios and tenants for success.
Public spaces require a Supporting operators in securing complex network of funding consistent revenue streams (e.g., value capture, commercial leases) for long-term sustainability.
Project goals sometimes Staying true to the project’s mission, need to change based on but flexible on operations based on data and experiences from the ground lessons from the ground.
57 Adaptive Public Space Conclusion
Considerations for public space funders, practitioners, and city and community leaders
Knight Foundation & Gehl 58 CONCLUSION
xpanding the scope design around these constraints. local organizations shepherd of funding beyond More proactive wayfinding or the public space and signal to shovels in the ground walkability planning would have residents that it is theirs to use and laid the groundwork helped Cherry Street Pier and the embrace. Efor public spaces that reflect Detroit Riverfront improve resident local communities and respond access. Centennial Commons, Inclusive engagement methods to changing conditions. Many by contrast, incorporated traffic that fostered participation during projects’ ability to adapt and calming into the project to invite the design process were also continue attracting visitors during residents to the site. Survey results crucial to building this resident the pandemic cemented this indicate the investments are attachment among communities strong foundation. improving perceived access: 64 of color. Projects that adopted percent of Centennial Commons pilot processes, for example, Despite this, projects face respondents found the space used quick-to-install projects to challenges. Challenges most “very easy” to access, compared respond to resident feedback and often are related to: planning to a cross-project average of 54 reflect their desires and concerns around site-specific barriers to percent. To address connectivity, in something visible and tangible. access; addressing perceptual funders might earmark a portion Community participation can and issues around inclusion and of their investments for mobility should continue after the ribbon trust in communities of color; improvements, and project cutting, too; projects that had ensuring projects lead to equitable leaders might integrate mobility community governance structures, community development; and improvements into project such as The Discovery Center creating sustainable operating planning from the start. and Detroit Riverfront, fostered models that balance revenue consistent resident input over time, generation with a consistent focus — which contributed to program on mission. To address challenges around development that reflected specific inclusion and trust among activities local residents were To build on successes and communities of color, expand interested in. overcome challenges, Knight, other support of local organizations funders, and the broader field can and fund ongoing community Expanded funding and support consider action in five areas: participation efforts. for community organization staff, for relatively quick and low-cost — In many disinvested communities pilots, and for ongoing community To address challenges related of color, investing in and building representation can model more to physical connectivity, invest the capacity of community inclusive public space design and in design changes that improve organizations — not just the spaces management. access to the site. themselves — elevates trusted local leaders who can serve as — While one public space alone champions of the project. One To proactively manage resident cannot overcome barriers like community leader spoke of the concerns around displacement, highways or hills, projects can importance of this approach: when tie public space investments to
59 Adaptive Public Space broader community development like Cherry Street Pier and Detroit that have no precedents. Through processes. Riverfront, value capture was an its role as convener, philanthropy enticing but elusive source of new can facilitate cross-community New public spaces can be an revenue. As project leaders look knowledge sharing. This process inspiring first step toward inclusive to adopt such models, funders can help project leaders trade development, but they can also might play both a convening ideas, develop tactics to overcome generate fear of displacement and a funding role — bringing common challenges, and build among long-time residents or stakeholders together to explore lasting relationships that serve communities of color. how public spaces can generate them well after the design process. sustainable revenue (e.g., by Projects like Ella Fitzgerald Park gaining income from nearby These recommendations are communicated investments were development through value a start, and more detailed for local residents by framing them capture). considerations for design as the first step in a broader set of strategies, community relations, resident-centered improvements Both MOMENT and Cherry Street and evidence-based planning are — such as homeownership Pier also represent innovative new provided on the following pages. pathways and a commercial models for supporting creatives corridor revitalization. Projects like in public spaces. In both cases, Closing The Discovery Center, on the other interviewees were interested in hand, surprised some residents scaling the model. Funders might As Gehl and Knight Foundation who were less concerned with consider investments to help scale take stock of the lessons from birding habitats than they were second iterations of successful this impact assessment, they with issues like housing security. projects in other locations — in acknowledge there is much partnership with the project transformative work already From project outset, leaders leaders who were successful in the underway in public spaces and can work to identify where first site. communities — of which these there is opportunity to integrate projects are just a sample. For site-specific work with broader — those committed to ensuring community-based planning efforts Overall, to help project leaders public spaces meet resident needs or concerns — and seek funding think more boldly and address and drive equitable community opportunities accordingly. challenges to their work, create development, the lessons in this opportunities for cross-project report serve as a guide. — knowledge exchange. To create sustainable operating Many thoughtful planners, models, fund innovative new Despite differences in their designers, and community leaders paradigms that diversify revenue projects, each grantee shared how know that more inclusive and sources. valuable it was to discuss common responsive approaches are vital. challenges and generate new ideas Putting these approaches to For large-scale projects catalyzing with other public space leaders. work can be more challenging. By nearby real estate development, Many of the grantees lead projects revealing successful strategies
These lessons emphasize the importance of engaging, reflecting, and empowering communities throughout the lifecycle of a public space — from design to programming to operations.
Knight Foundation & Gehl 60 and tactics, the projects in this report point the way toward more inclusive and adaptive methods in public space planning — in the pandemic and beyond.
What's more, these findings demonstrate how thoughtfully- developed public spaces can spark larger community change — by helping residents re-envision and embrace their neighborhoods, building capacity of local organizations, and spurring additional investment in the area. From small neighborhood parks to landmark waterfront sites, public spaces are a strong foundation for more positive and equitable community development.
Read on for more considerations for shaping transformative public spaces
61 Adaptive Public Space Considerations for more transformative public spaces What follows are actions funders and practitioners may take to build on the lessons learned in this impact assessment. They focus on three areas:
Design Strategies / Developing high-quality public spaces that meet local needs
Earmark funds for pilots and prototyping, which help projects gain real-time design and programming feedback, reach more audiences, and demonstrate commitment to the process.
Incorporate physical connectivity improvements and engagement of mobility experts to ensure access between site and neighborhood.
Ensure sites are strategically located — such as those that can drive community development, have high connectivity potential, are located in long-disinvested areas, or have historical local significance.
Use high-quality, locally resonant design and materials to demonstrate commitment to the community and reflect what people care about.
Organize convenings and knowledge sharing opportunities within and across communities, to spark new concepts and ideas, and to help teams experience and see new ways of working or designing.
Community Relations / Driving collaboration, trust, and attachment over time
Ensure the project is part of — or can drive — a broader community planning process. Take the time to understand what other efforts are underway in the community, and how the public space can catalyze, complement, and coincide.
Support and elevate community champions (e.g., CDCs, respected residents) who have the best pulse on local needs to set the public space agenda.
Stay collaborative and adaptive. Work with grantees to scope projects that are clear on mission, but flexible in tactics and timing.
Use the project to support collaborative working relationships. By engaging a cross-section of city and state departments, community organizations, and funders, projects can set a new bar for collaborative public space design.
Create governance structures to ensure ongoing local representation and outreach after completion (e.g., board seats, community outreach committees).
Support workforce development programs that can manage maintenance of the space by hiring local transitional workers.
Knight Foundation & Gehl 62 Evidence-Based Planning / Informing ongoing learning in public space
Make evidence-based storytelling part of the project from the get-go, by creating evaluation plans that define measures of success — so grantees can more consistently monitor and share progress, and so funders can understand how impacts relate across the portfolio.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to data collection.Rather than a standard set of metrics, let project goals, desired outcomes, and grantee capacity determine data collection methods and define metrics for success.
Identify metrics that are consistently insightful across projects. Gehl found certain metrics were particularly important to gauging impact: frequency of visits, average hourly visitors, perceived access, sociodemographics of visitors, and perception (sentiment and attachment).
Add human stories to quantitative metrics, using interviews and focus groups to gain a fuller picture of impact beyond quantitative dashboards.
Experiment with new methods / tools, such as: (1) social media analysis to understand digital footprint and use, and (2) research services to understand who hasn’t been to the space and why (not just active visitors). These services can add a more objective perspective, as grantee surveys often are administered by project practitioners, which can add bias.
Use broader datasets like the census selectively — to inform public space context and long-term neighborhood trends, rather than as a standalone measure to assess public space impact.
Work with existing datasets — even if they’re a patchwork. Leverage sources like grantee-generated programming summaries and sensor data to triangulate different forms of impact at the sites.
63 Adaptive Public Space Appendix 1
Overview of methodology
Methods reveiwed include:
• Interviews & Focus Groups • Observational Analysis • Online Survey • Social Media Analysis
Knight Foundation & Gehl 64 65 Adaptive Public Space Interviews & Focus Groups
Gehl interviewed 53 people involved in all projects to understand project conditions and perceptions aligned to the focus areas of this impact assessment. Interviews and focus groups lasted 30 to 90 minutes each, with some requiring follow-up conversations, and some covering multiple projects. The list of people interviewed for each project is below.
AKRON / Summit Lake PHILADELPHIA / Centennial Commons PHILADELPHIA / The Discovery Center Interviews Interviews Interviews • James Hardy, Deputy Mayor of • Jennifer Mahar, Senior Director • Tonnetta Graham, Executive Integrated Development, City of of Civic Initiatives, Fairmount Park Director, Strawberry Mansion CDC Akron Conservancy • Patrick Morgan, First Deputy • Grace Hudson, Resident • Patrick Morgan, First Deputy Commissioner of Parks & • Demetrius Lambert-Falconer, Chief Commissioner of Parks & Recreation, Strategy and of Community Engagement, Summit Recreation, Strategy and Engagement, City of Philadelphia Metro Parks Engagement, City of Philadelphia • Izzy Nelson, Community • Dan Rice, President & Chief • Tashia Rayon, Program Manager, Engagement Manager, Philadelphia Executive Officer, Ohio & Erie Centennial Parkside CDC Outward Bound School Canalway Coalition • Chris Spahr, Executive Director, • Meg Wise, Executive Director, • Sandy Saulsberry, Resident Centennial Parkside CDC Philadelphia Outward Bound School • Bronlynn Thurman, Program Officer, GAR Foundation PHILADELPHIA / Cherry Street Pier SAN JOSE / MOMENT Interviews DETROIT / Ella Fitzgerald Park Interviews • Marcus Bush, Site Manager of • Kevin Biggers, Chief Strategist, SJ Interviews Cherry Street Pier, DRWC Made • Meagan Elliott, Chief Parks Planner, • Almaz Crowe, Director of • Chuck Hammers, Former President City of Detroit Communications and Marketing, of the Downtown San Jose Property- • Alexa Bush, Urban Design Director - DRWC Based Improvement District East Region, City of Detroit • Sarah Eberle, General Manager of • Scott Knies, Executive Director, San • Devon Buskin, Workforce Cherry Street Pier, DRWC Jose Downtown Association Development Director, Greening of • Joe Forkin, President, Delaware • Nate LeBlanc, Business Detroit River Waterfront Corporation Development Manager, San Jose • Chanale Greer, Youth Ambassador (DRWC) Downtown Association • Emma Fried-Cassorla, Creative • Marie Millares, Street Life DETROIT / Riverfront Director, DRWC Manager, San Jose Downtown Interviews • Dave Moore, Director of Parks and Association • Rachel Frierson, Director of Attractions, DRWC • Jim Ortbal, Deputy City Manager, Programming, Detroit Riverfront • Patrick Morgan, First Deputy City of San Jose Conservancy Commissioner of Parks & • Nathan Ulsh, Director of Policy and • Gregory “JB” Sims, Owner, Smokey Recreation, Strategy and Operations, San Jose Downtown G’s Smokehouse Engagement, City of Philadelphia Association • Meagan Elliott, Chief Parks Planner, • Lizzie Woods, Executive Vice • Blage Zelalich, Downtown Manager, City of Detroit President of Development and City of San Jose Capital Projects, DRWC Volunteer / Community Advisory Team • Lavelle Young, Vice President of Tenant Focus Group Focus Group Operations, DRWC • Angie Chua, Founder and Creative • William Bilalkowski Director at Bobo Design Studio • Zenola Brandon Artist Focus Group • Alyssarhaye Graciano, Founder, • Deborah Hardison-Hill • Jim Abbott Designer and Knitter at • Bob Hoey • Acori Honzo BlackSheepMade • Sandi McIntosh • Kathleen Nace • Au Nguyen, Owner, Au La La Design • Janlynn Miller • Sharif Pendleton • Elena Newnell • Athena Scott • Leslie Tom • Thomcat23 (Keni Thomas) • Ann Usitalo
Knight Foundation & Gehl 66 Social Media Analysis
This analysis provides a snapshot differentiates Instagram from • Demographic Bias: There into each project studied — a other social networks like Twitter, are demographic trends in glimpse into a sample of visitors at lending a richer and often more social media and Instagram- a specific moment in time. In doing nuanced form of data than a tweet. specific usership that have so, rather than providing a holistic inherent bias. Social media is overview of visitorship, we’re What’s more, Instagram provides more widely used by women able to highlight a sample of user a large user base. It is the second- and Instagram usership perspectives and their experiences most popular social network skews towards a younger and perceptions of each place. (behind Facebook, which has demographic (ages 18-49). It is stringent data access restrictions also more widely used by urban Instagram was selected as the in place and thus was excluded residents. data source for social media from this study) and also the fastest analysis because of its variety in growing in terms of usership. • Limits on Post Archives: content, growth in usership, and Instagram limits how many mobile-first platform. Lastly, mobile-first content allows posts can be collected, which researchers to access data that limits our ability to view data The platform’s rich set of user- archives users’ daily events, where from months past. For this generated content includes: a they document their own personal reason, we were only able to text-based component; a visual, experiences, trips, and lifestyles on collect data from November photography-based component the go. and October 2020 for the most that provides insight into highly engaged geotags, where preferences and experiences; and This snapshot contains some data is reflective of usership a geographic tagging component. limitations: during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research suggests that this variety For geotags with lower rates of engagement, data was METHODOLOGY DIAGRAM collected from as far back as summer 2019.
Cherry The Discovery Summit Street Pier Center Lake Park • Varying Number of Posts by
(n=226) (n=18) (n=14) Site: Some projects have more Instagram engagement than Dequindre Cut Robert C. MOMENT others — resulting in variation Freight Yard Valade Park across the size of each (n=139) (n=71) (n=7) project’s scraped data set. Additionally, not all projects in this study had actively-engaged 475 posts or formally designated scraped via geotags & Instaloader Instagram geotags. Due to this, Centennial Commons and Ella Fitzgerald Park were omitted THEMATIC CAPTION RAW GRAPHS & CODING VISUALIZATIONS from this analysis.
• Inconsistent Geotagging: We used the project’s geotag IMAGE SUBJECT QUALITATIVE IMAGE location to collect data specific CODING ANALYSIS to each site. This means we were only able to capture data that users tagged at each QUANTITATIVE CONTRIBUTOR project. Any posts shared at DEMOGRAPHIC Data collection CODING the project locations but not ANALYSIS Data analysis tagged were thus not captured.
67 Adaptive Public Space Online Survey
Design and Distribution and for recording/collecting they were most familiar with, their survey responses — potentially leading some Gehl distributed an online survey to this skews the resulting data respondents to indicate they understand visitorship, perception, toward those with access to were unfamiliar with a project and attachment for each project. certain technologies, given the they actually were familiar The survey was distributed “digital divide” experienced in with. Gehl listed projects with using Pollfish, an online market- some marginalized groups. as much context as possible research service. This service uses (e.g., "MOMENT micro-retail • Using the geolocation of an “organic sampling method,” shops on San Pedro Square") prospective respondents, while which allowed Gehl to target helpful for getting place-based The diagram at right breaks down respondents within a predefined insight at a very granular the survey samples into groups as 1- to 5-mile geographic radius of level, also means that some they were analyzed. Respondents each project site. Based on their respondents who participated were grouped based on their self- geographic location, a random in the survey could have been identification as being familiar with set of respondents received an just passing through the area, a given project. From there, their invitation to participate via their rather than a local resident. survey responses were analyzed mobile device. From there, invited both based on sentiment but also participants could opt to respond • Some projects observed sociodemographically to uncover to the survey with a chance to win higher rates of participation broader patterns across the a monetary incentive. The survey than others. Given the sample, where applicable. ran for six weeks, engaging over specific radii for targeting 800 unique respondents. survey participants, projects The intent of this diagram in lower-density residential is to visualize how sample Discussion environments saw less traffic. sizes decrease as more In an attempt to reach a criteria is applied, ultimately Unlike other methods of survey stable sample size across all resulting in smaller groups as distribution, Pollfish’s service projects, the radii for these sociodemographic filters are ensured the survey was randomly lower engagement projects applied. distributed to each project’s local was slightly expanded during population. This form of sampling the survey period. While this In the righthand column, select made sure the respondent pool expansion helped collect demographic characteristics are was not biased toward an over- responses, it also skews the displayed for reference and are not representation of active users and sample pool to a larger group inclusive of all groups included in already engaged with the projects. of people who may be less this study. Further, administering the survey aware of the project. in this way responded to grantee concerns about over-engaging • Some of the distinct projects their stakeholders in a way that highlighted in this report are could be perceived as a burden. in the same city (in Detroit and Given the context of the ongoing Philadelphia). In these cities, pandemic, this research method respondents may have been also allowed for extensive survey targeted for a given project distribution without requiring (geographically close to them) respondents to physically interface but were more familiar with with the research team. another project in a different part of the city.
Limitations • Many of the projects studied are known by multiple names. • The survey distribution method This may have confused survey required participants have a respondents when they were smartphone both for outreach asked to identify which project
Knight Foundation & Gehl 68 OVERVIEW OF SURVEY SAMPLE GROUPS
All responses By city By project By demographic 800+ Avg: 204 Avg: 87 Avg: 26
*
*
*Radii for Summit Lake Park and Centennial Commons changed partway through the survey — from 1 mile to 5 miles and 3 miles, respectively — to field more responses
Observational Analysis
The observational analysis used Gehl team at Cherry Street Pier Summit Lake. The observational in this report provides a look and MOMENT, data collected by data used in this report does not into public life activity at the sensors at the Detroit Riverfront, provide a complete picture of project sites through foot traffic foot traffic totals from previous public life at each site, but an initial and stationary activity data. The years provided by Cherry Street understanding of how people are public life data used in this report Pier, and public life data collected using the site. comes from a range of sources as a part of Reimagining the Civic — data collected firsthand by the Commons for Ella Fitzgerald and
69 Adaptive Public Space Appendix 2
Overview of online survey findings
Knight Foundation & Gehl 70 71 Adaptive Public Space CLOSER LOOK Survey Analysis
Gehl conducted an online survey of over 800 people within a 1 to 5 mile radius of each site. Responses reveal insights around public space use, access, perception, and attachment to place and community. For more on Gehl’s methodology, visit Appendix 1.
Public spaces attracted people living nearby — with variations in race, income, and frequency of visits.
DEMOGRAPHICS OF FAMILIAR RESPONDENTS Prefer not to say White respondents make up the largest Arab share of respondents familiar with the surveyed projects. Asian Black —
RACE Hispanic/ Latino Non-White respondents were familiar with Detroit Riverfront, MOMENT, and The Multiracial/ Other Discovery Center at higher rates; 53% of Ella Fitzgerald Centennial Detroit Cherry Summit The Discovery White MOMENT respondents familiar with each project Park Commons Riverfront Street Pier Lake Park Center were non-White. Prefer not to say Low income Across all but two projects, low-income respondents make up the largest share Middle income of familiar respondents. High income
INCOME — MOMENT drew the highest shares of high- income respondents (51%) while Detroit Ella Fitzgerald Centennial Detroit Cherry Summit The Discovery MOMENT Park Commons Riverfront Street Pier Lake Park Center Riverfront drew the highest shares of low- income respondents (59%). Neighborhood Parks Citywide Destinations Nature Spaces
HOW OFTEN DO YOU VISIT? Most projects draw regular visitors. Daily or weekly Monthly — A couple times a Cherry Street Pier has the lowest rates year or less of reported regular usership (daily, 5%; weekly, 8%) while Ella Fitzgerald Park (27% daily; 27% weekly) and Centennial Commons (20% daily; 34% weekly) have the highest — aligning to the Pier’s identity as a place for special occasions, and the parks' identities as neighborhood hangouts.
Ella Fitzgerald Centennial Detroit Cherry Summit The Discovery MOMENT Park Commons Riverfront Street Pier Lake Park Center
Neighborhood Parks Citywide Destinations Nature Spaces
Knight Foundation & Gehl 72 Perceptual barriers impact use — especially among marginalized groups.
HAVE YOU VISITED THIS PLACE?
Most people who were familiar with the projects have visited them. — The Discovery Center saw the lowest reported visitorship among all projects Unsure — with disproportionately low visitorship from residents over 54, and from No low-income residents. Notably, low Yes visitorship was also observed among Black respondents, despite the fact Ella Fitzgerald Centennial Detroit Cherry Summit The Discovery MOMENT Park Commons Riverfront Street Pier Lake Park Center that responses indicated non-White respondents were familiar with the Neighborhood Parks Citywide Destinations Nature Spaces project at higher-than-average rates.
WHY HAVEN’T YOU VISITED THIS PLACE?
All respondents Black respondents Low-income Lack of awareness and sense of safety respondents deter some marginalized groups. — Black respondents cited not knowing what to do at a space at higher rates. — Low-income respondents cited safety more than other groups — especially at nature spaces and neighborhood parks. — Lack of time was the most-cited reason for not visiting neighborhood parks and nature projects. Citywide destinations observed higher rates of visitors not Unsure knowing what to do there. It’s out of the way It feels unsafe I haven’t heard of it Not sure what I’d do there
Neighborhood Citywide Nature Neighborhood Citywide Nature Neighborhood Citywide Nature I don’t have time Parks Destinations Spaces Parks Destinations Spaces Parks Destinations Spaces
“THIS PLACE MAKES IT EASIER FOR ME TO ACCESS AND USE OPEN SPACE AND NATURE.”
Across the board, projects are succeeding in making people feel closer
Parks to nature. Neighborhood — Despite their missions, nature-centric
Citywide Citywide projects observed the highest rate of Destinations disagreement as well as ambivalence with this statement. Nature Nature Spaces
Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree
73 Adaptive Public Space 82% of all respondents People feel positively about these spaces, to feel positively about varying degrees by demographic group. these projects
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS SPACE?
Neighborhood parks have the most enthusiasm from respondents. Parks
Neighborhood — Respondents at Ella Fitzgerald Park and Centennial Commons feel “strongly Citywide Citywide
Destinations positive” and that the space is “special to me” at higher rates — especially among Black respondents. Nature Nature Spaces
Extremely positive Somewhat positive Neutral Somewhat negative Extremely negative
“THIS IS A PLACE WHERE I FIT IN.”
While 81% of all respondents agree
Parks with the statement, low-income
Neighborhood respondents are more neutral. —
Citywide Citywide Low-income respondents are more likely Destinations to feel neutral about whether they fit in. Nature Nature Spaces
Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree
“THIS PLACE IS ESSENTIAL TO MY NEIGHBORHOOD.”
67% of all respondents agree with the statement — and 83% of respondents
Parks in neigborhood parks Neighborhood — Nature spaces in historically Black,
Citywide Citywide disinvested neighborhoods (The Destinations Discovery Center and Summit Lake Park) feel less “essential” to respondents. This echoes concerns voiced by grantees Nature Nature Spaces about distrust and skepticism among Black residents, given legacies of environmental racism. Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree
Knight Foundation & Gehl 74 Respondents who use these spaces have high levels of attachment to their neighborhoods and cities.
HOW SATISFIED ARE YOU WITH YOUR METRO AREA AS A PLACE TO LIVE?
Respondents for neighborhood sites tend to have the greatest satisfaction
Parks with their cities. Neighborhood — 95% of Ella Fitzgerald Park respondents
Citywide Citywide were satisfied with Detroit, followed Destinations by 86% of Centennial Commons respondents for Philadelphia. Nature Nature Spaces
Extremely satisfied Somewhat satisfied Neutral Somewhat dissatisfied Extremely dissatisfied
“MY METRO AREA’S CULTURE AND LIFESTYLE ARE PERFECT FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME.”
Despite being in the same city, respondents for some projects differed Parks on their attachment to metro area. Neighborhood — For example, 91% of Centennial Commons Citywide Citywide
Destinations respondents agreed, whereas 80% of The Discovery Center respondents agreed. Nature Nature Spaces
Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree
SUPPOSE YOU COULD LIVE ANYWHERE YOU WANTED IN THE UNITED STATES. WOULD YOU CHOOSE TO: Neighborhood Parks Citywide Destinations Nature Spaces Neighborhood park respondents are most likely to want to stay in their neighborhood — signaling quality local 20% spaces may help drive community 28% attachment. 66% 49% 28% 23% 55% — 70% of Centennial Commons 14% 17% respondents would choose to stay in the neighborhood, followed by 60% of Ella Fitzgerald respondents — the highest rates of all projects. Stay in my neighborhood Move to a different neighborhood Move to a different metro area altogether
75 Adaptive Public Space Appendix 3
Overview of social media analysis findings
Knight Foundation & Gehl 76 77 Adaptive Public Space CLOSER LOOK Cherry Street Pier The Discovery Center Moment Social Media Analysis
This snapshot of each public space's Instagram footprint provides a glimpse into the everyday life of these public spaces. Through analysis of photo subjects, caption content, post timing, and user information, the sites' missions come to life online. To inform the analysis, Gehl scraped over 450 posts’ worth of Instagram data for select Knight Foundation projects — revealing data and stories related to place sentiment and activity. The approach is a complement to other methods that directly engaged those using or involved with the spaces.
Note: Centennial Commons and Ella Fitzgerald Park are not represented in this analysis, as they had a more limited geotagged Instagram presence. For more on the methodology, visit Appendix 1.
Knight Foundation & Gehl 78 Dequindre Cut Valade Park Moment Summit Lake Park (Detroit Riverfront) (Detroit Riverfront) PHOTOS: INSTAGRAM USERS; NOTE: SOME FACES HAVE BEEN BLURRED OUT FOR PRIVACY OUT FOR BEEN BLURRED HAVE SOME FACES USERS; NOTE: INSTAGRAM PHOTOS:
79 Adaptive Public Space Projects’ missions are reflected in visitors' Instagram photo subjects.
PHOTO SUBJECT BY PROJECT
Pictures of art, people, and landscapes specific, mission-driven activities. Research indicates that photos of self- were most prevalent. Across the most Cherry Street Pier and MOMENT saw portraits, friends, activities, captioned popular subject categories, photos the greatest share of photos showcasing photos (pictures with embedded text), featuring children, waterfront views art, aligning to these projects' ambitions food, and gadgets are the six most and people posing for “instagrammable to showcase the work and promote the common subjects shared on the app. moments” (e.g., photo stand-ins, visibility of local artists and makers. By contrast, the high number of art oversized adirondack chairs at Summit and landscape photos — two of the Lake Park) were widely documented. Summit Lake Park and The Discovery top subjects in this snapshot study Center, on the other hand, saw the — indicates that these projects are Places with the least diverse greatest share of landscape photos, succeeding in attracting visitor interest documentation — MOMENT and The aligning to their missions to connect for draws like public art and green space. Discovery Center — are quasi-public people to nature and once-neglected spaces where operators guide more shorelines.
Knight Foundation & Gehl 80 Caption language in projects’ geotagged posts reflects their distinct identity.
Analysis of post language indicates that the space and the most visible activities Street Pier’s civic Instagram activity, visitor experiences align with project cultivated there, while reinforcing the on the other hand, related to electoral goals and missions. project’s ambitions to showcase local activism — in particular, many users entrepreneurship. posted advocacy related to voting and For instance, in the Detroit Riverfront’s the 2020 election. Additional research Robert C. Valade Park, the dominant At Dequindre Cut and Cherry Street Pier, is needed to build on these findings, and voice throughout the Instagram sample we also observed users documenting further explore how public art can serve is drawn from the most highly engaged political expression and public art. as a canvas for personal and political actors in that network: the two resident #BlackLivesMatter was a common expression in public space. food vendors at the park. This high level term in the language used by Dequindre of commercial engagement on social Cut visitors, who highlighted street art media may shape visitors’ perceptions of advocating for the movement. Cherry
POST LANGUAGE BY PROJECT
81 Adaptive Public Space Some projects serve as everyday places, while others see more concentrated bursts of engagement.
The streamgraph below visualizes the engagement. In some cases, these time series of visitor posts throughout bursts of engagement coincide with the month of October. The first two program events. For example, MOMENT’s weekends of the month saw spikes “Animal Crossing Pop-Up Shop” in early in engagement across all projects, October (a warmer month), themed after but some sites skewed toward more the popular video game, drew many consistent (Cherry Street Pier and attendees according to organizers, and Dequindre Cut) or sporadic (MOMENT the event was mentioned in 71 percent of and Summit Lake) social media sampled Instagram posts.
POST VOLUME OVER TIME BY PROJECT
Knight Foundation & Gehl 82 Most people posting in the Instagram sample are city residents, with some sites fielding regional visitors.
Across the project samples, local city ORIGIN OF INSTAGRAM USERS BY PROJECT residents comprised the largest share (over 65 percent) of Instagram users posting at the project. This is a promising sign that the projects are serving city residents first and foremost — and no doubt, it is a reflection of the hyper-local lives brought on by COVID-19 travel City restrictions and distancing measures.
At Cherry Street Pier and Dequindre Cut, a portion of Instagram users came from the wider region. This dynamic reflects these sites’ broader appeal beyond their neighborhoods.
83 Adaptive Public Space MARCH 2021
Knight Foundation & Gehl 84