PLACEMAKING
EUGENE,OR February 15, 2017
PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Squares Public Markets Parks
Transportation Mixed-Use New Development
Downtowns Civic Centers Campuses
43 countries, 6 continents, 50 US states, 7 Canadian provinces, 110 major cities, 3,000 communities
WHAT IS PLACEMAKING? Placemaking inspires people to collectively reimagine and reshape their public spaces as the heart of their communities.
Placemaking strengthens the attachment between people and the places they share, and builds stronger communities.
“What attracts people most it would appear, is other people.� -- William H. Whyte
5
WHAT MAKES A GREAT PLACE?
GOALS •
Create vibrant, engaging public spaces in the downtown that appeal to everyone
• •
Ensure safety and security for everyone. Attract new businesses, catalyze new development and create a mix of uses Give downtown Eugene a sense of place and a unique identity
•
• Embrace downtown Eugene as the city’s center for culture and commerce • Connect the key public spaces with walkable, bikeable ”streets as places” • Create a city-wide, on-going Placemaking campaign for the downtown
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Interviews and Focus Groups: – Met with 16 organizations, 100 people Activity Maps: – August, October, November Two Placemaking Workshops: – 60 participants Pop-Up Placemaking Stations: – 12 locations, 250 participants Resident Survey: – Close to 2,000 responses
SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS eugene-or.gov/3368/Places-for-People---Downtown
STRENGTHS
• Huge potential: it’s turning around • Great destinations like the Library, Hult Center and markets • Central area is very walkable • Creative and engaged population that passionately desires a center for their city • An imaginative city staff working hard to activate public spaces and improve safety
SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS WEAKNESSES THE SAFETY ISSUE IS A CRISIS THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED • • • • •
Many Eugene residents say they don’t come downtown because they feel unsafe The public perceives one user group dominating the public spaces and their behavior intimidates others We heard there is not enough being done for homeless, substance abusers, mentally ill and troubled youth e.g. affordable housing Lack of everyday activity to attract a critical mass and variety of people downtown to make it safe Very little for families or children to do
TOP TEN WORDS TO DESCRIBE PUBLIC SPACES (from survey) • • • • • • • • • •
DIRTY HOMELESS UNSAFE SCARY DRUGS POTENTIAL UNWELCOMING DANGEROUS UNINVITING UNDERUTILIZED
5% 5% 5% 3% 3% 2% 2% 2% 2% 1%
(From Pop-Up Stations)
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS • •
• •
Safety and social service interventions above all Making the downtown safe and welcoming requires bold action: 1. Social Service Interventions (housing, shelter, etc.) 2. Programming and Activation: overwhelm negative activity with positive 3. Significant physical changes Get a critical mass of people downtown–especially families and children--with events, activities and commercial uses Immediate short-term interventions and experiments should pave the way for long-term changes.
A VISION FOR DOWNTOWN
1. Eugene Public Library 2. Lane County College 3. Oregon Contemporary Theater 4. The Atrium 5. McDonald Theater
6. Hult Center 7. Future City Hall 8. City Hall Plaza 9. Morse Free Speech Plaza 10.Lane County Building
11. Shedd Institute 12. Riverfront redevelopment site 13. Alton Baker Park
VISION & CONNECTIVITY
PARK BLOCKS
GOALS FOR PARK BLOCKS • The Civic Square for all of Eugene: a gathering place for the city; the city’s living room and family room • A destination that accommodates families and downtown employees with passive and active uses, all week long • A permanent home for both Farmers and Saturday Markets, • Make each Park Block more flexible, permeable, visible, and ADA accessible • Traffic calming on 8th Avenue and Oak Street to allow for safe crossing • Maintain the trees and a Pacific northwest character
WEST PARK BLOCK
WEST PARK BLOCK
WEST PARK BLOCK
WEST PARK BLOCK
EAST PARK BLOCK
EAST PARK BLOCK
EAST PARK BLOCK
FARMERS MARKET
PARK BLOCKS
PARK BLOCKS CONCEPT PLAN
7th Avenue
Oak Street
Willamette St.
FUTURE CITY HALL
FARMERS MARKET PLAZA
LANE COUNTY BUILDING
East Park Street
West Park Street
8th Avenue
PROPOSED SATURDAY MARKET LAYOUT
Existing layout/number of tents: 134 (west) +96 (east) Proposed layout/number of tents: 180 (west) + 180 (east)
RENDERED VIEW
KESEY SQUARE
GOALS FOR KESEY SQUARE • To become the heart of the downtown commercial and entertainment district and the center of the innovation community • The key downtown intersection • A destination that attracts people everyday, throughout the day and night, and on weekends. • Focus on food and beverage + entertainment
VOODOO DOUGHNUT TRES SIZZLE PIE
THE BARN LIGHT
KESEY SQUARE CONCEPT PLAN STARBUCKS
SIZZLE PIE
THE BARN LIGHT
Willamette St.
8th Avenue
VOODOO DOUGHNUT TRES
KESEY SQUARE
KESEY SQUARE
KESEY SQUARE
KESEY SQUARE
FAÇADE AND OUTSIDE WALLS TREATMENT-Traditional building
KESEY SQUARE
Glass doors: Nana doors
KESEY SQUARE
FAร ADE AND OUTSIDE WALLS TREATMENT- Green Faรงade/Roof
KESEY SQUARE
FAร ADE AND OUTSIDE WALLS TREATMENT- Green Faรงade/Roof
KESEY SQUARE
LIBRARY PLAZA
GOALS FOR THE LIBRARY PLAZA • Welcoming gateway into Eugene: make the indoor activities visible • Engage the four corners • Provide traffic calming • Areas for families, teens and college students • Convert the Atrium to retail
LIBRARY PLAZA
LIBRARY
LIBRARY
LIBRARY PLAZA
LIBRARY PLAZA
LIBRARY PLAZA
LIBRARY PLAZA
ROSA PARKS PLAZA
ROSA PARKS PLAZA
COMMUNITY COLLEGE SEATING AREA
RENDERED VIEW
RENDERED VIEW
HULT PLAZA
GOALS FOR HULT PLAZA • A cultural magnet with vibrant outdoor activities supporting the indoor uses • A strong and visible connector between north Willamette and downtown • Make the whole area---Hult and Hilton Plazas-- feel like one clear, visible, permeable space • Enhance entrances to Hult and Hilton • Improve crossings on 6th and 7th Avenues
HULT PLAZA
HILTON HULT CENTER
HULT PLAZA CONCEPT PLAN
HILTON HULT CENTER
HULT PLAZA
PPS NEXT STEPS • PPS finalizes recommendations and report, incorporating council comments • PPS develops management & implementation recommendations • PPS continues to review design
CITY STAFF NEXT STEPS • Staff, with partners, begin LQC activation • Staff proceeds to project scoping and design development • Staff returns to council for funding decisions
LIGHTER, QUICKER, CHEAPER INTERVENTIONS ASAP Start to activate in April Introduce games and play Events and performances Mobile food carts, temporary staffed food and info. kiosks or tents • Partner with local arts organizations • Build on Winter Days’ success • Incremental experiments toward long-term solutions • • • •
ROBUST MANAGEMENT • 80% of the success of a public space can be attributed to good management • The best public spaces in the country are not managed solely by city government • Consider managing parks, streets and downtown together • Example: partnership among city, nonprofit management entity and BID • Engage many local partners
PLACEMAKING CAMPAIGN
• • • • •
Organize a sustained effort Continue to engage the public Build partnerships Evaluate short-term experiments Extend Placemaking to streets, parks and riverfront
We Have to Turn Everything Upside Down To Get it Right Side Up
eugene-or.gov/3368/ Places-for-People---Downtown pps.org @PPS_Placemaking ProjectforPublicSpaces