In a world growing increasingly connected by social media and globalization, one of the most important things that a city can do to ensure long-term economic vitality is to promote its distinctiveness. Municipalities facing budget shortages and austerity, however, must find ways in which they can work with local businesses to promote a vibrant culture without accruing extensive public costs. It is within this business-beautification nexus that cities around the world are finding new and innovative ways to promote placemaking and long-term economic sustainability.
While it may be tempting to sacrifice urban parks for new residential and commercial development, young professionals are placing an increasingly important emphasis on neighborhoods and communities that offer cohesiveness and culture, as seen in CEOs for Cities’ 2011 report, The Young and Restless. In an effort to create the type of urban culture that many people are now seeking, cities like San Francisco have tried to make placemaking easier by making zoning codes and regulations more transparent and accessible. With the recent launch of SF Better Streets, zoning and regulatory bodies in the Bay Area have streamlined information on permits and guidelines and have provided helpful information for organizing creative events—such as “play streets” (roads that have temporarily been turned into recreational space) and outdoor markets—targeted at neighborhood vibrancy.
These have helped small businesses—the benevolently-christened “gazelles” of local economies—to cater to locals with innovative ideas directed at their cities’ cultures. In San Francisco, this has resulted in the proliferation of “parklets,” street-side parking spaces that have been converted into aesthetically-designed outdoor parks. Some of these urban oases have been funded by businesses and have allowed them to expand their storefronts to the ambulatory outdoor market while simultaneously helping to offset government budget pitfalls through the sale of permits. Other parklets, paid for by a combination of donations and local government funds, are free and open to the public but are maintained by nearby businesses looking to increase patronage. The city and businesses alike have found these parklets to be economically advantageous, and a biking and walking campaign promoted by the local government has further bolstered local vitality.
For more information about San Francisco’s “Pavement to Parks” reclamation initiative, visit http://sfpavementtoparks.sfplanning.org/castro_commons.htm
