Pioneer Courthouse Square Audit Report1

Tina

Description

153 WAVERLY PLACE NEW YORK, NY 10014 620-5660 FAX: [phone] (212)www.pps.org [e-mail] PIONEER COURTHOUSE SQUARE PLACE AUDIT REPORT - DRAFT May 22nd and 23rd, 2003 SUMMARY Project for Public Spaces was asked to lead a two-day Place Audit workshop for the board of Pioneer Courthouse Square and some members of the Parks Board. The goal was to look at how to make a great central square even better with particular attention to low usage periods in the winter. The workshop was also to look at the concept of an ice rink in the broader context of winter square programming concepts from around the world. About 20 people participated in the Place 1 Audit exercise from 8:30 to 11:30 AM on ndThursday May 22 . They were divided in to four groups and focused on four distinct 3 areas of the square (see map). Each group member was asked to perform the evaluation section of the Audit from the perspective of a different role –- a mother with two small children, a teenage student, a suburban shopper, an office worker and an elderly person. Although highly celebrated as a successful public space, the participants in the audit 2 4 were critical of Pioneer Courthouse Square’s performance as a community place. The Place Audit participants rated the square only slightly above average for “Uses and Activities”, “Comfort and Image”, “Access Place Audit sites and Linkages” and “Sociability”. The observations and ...

Informations

• Publié par: Ewli
• Nombre de lectures: 74
• Langue: English

Extrait

153 WAVERLY PLACE

NEW YORK, NY 10014

[phone] F

AX

: [phone]

www.pps.org [e-mail]

PIONEER COURTHOUSE SQUARE

PLACE AUDIT REPORT - DRAFT

May 22nd and 23rd, 2003

SUMMARY

Project for Public Spaces was asked to lead a two-day

Place Audit workshop for the board of Pioneer

Courthouse Square and some members of the Parks Board.

The goal was to look at how to make a great central square

even better with particular attention to low usage periods

in the winter. The workshop was also to look at the

concept of an ice rink in the broader context of winter

square programming concepts from around the world.

About 20 people participated in the Place

Audit exercise from 8:30 to 11:30 AM on

Thursday May 22

nd

. They were divided in

to four groups and focused on four distinct

areas of the square (see map). Each group

member was asked to perform the

evaluation section of the Audit from the

perspective of a different role –- a mother

with two small children, a teenage student,

a suburban shopper, an office worker and

an elderly person.

Although highly celebrated as a successful

public space, the participants in the audit

were critical of Pioneer Courthouse Square’s

performance as a community place. The

Place Audit participants rated the square

only slightly above average for “Uses and

Activities”, “Comfort and Image”, “Access

and Linkages” and “Sociability”.

The observations and recommendations

listed below summarize what was reported

back to the larger group after the audit and

1

2

3

4

Place Audit sites

Place Audit team

hard at work

in the follow up discussion the following day.

Bold recommendations

were marked as priorities by at

least five of the nine participants in the follow up discussion. The follow up discussion further developed

potential short term actions while identifying the need to involve the broader community in a similar

evaluation and recommendation process.

Group #1: Northwest Corner (Broadway and Morrison)

Observations

•

Corner at street level doesn’t seem to belong to

the square—feels cut off

•

Broken columns were designed to create

activity—light rail stop now results in

congestion.

•

Cluttered

•

Ugly news vending boxes

•

Hard to maneuver through the corner to enter

the square—always crowded and not enough

room

•

Renovation did not help this area—still seedy

Recommendations

•

Add a European style news kiosk

•

Add benches on Broadway

•

Remove the brick wall on the north side of Starbucks to make the entry

to the square more inviting and the activity of the café visible

•

Make the podium above the

fountain more playful (spy

glass?)

•

Activate the area where the

skylights are located

•

Eliminate tinted glass in

Starbucks pavilion

•

Provide more circulation

space

Group #2: Southwest Corner (Broadway and Yamhill)

Observations

•

Wall on Yamhill helps separate light rail use (used

as seating) from the square and makes the square

safer for children by separating it from the street

•

“i” sign is a good wayfinding element

•

Benches and shade trees on Broadway create more

intimate social settings for smaller gatherings

(families, outdoor classrooms, informal music

makers)

•

Great people watching—people come from transit

•

Most wheel chair use on the side walks—some use ramp

•

No inviting cafes at street level around square—no inviting neighbors

•

Square is a chance for the community to come together

Paris, Luxemburg Gardens open café area

San Francisco news kiosk

Recommendations

•

Replace cooling tower with an attractive

news kiosk

•

Add more colorful plantings and flower

baskets

•

Add structure to make square more

usable during inclement weather

Group #3: Base of the fountain and Small Amphitheater

Observations

•

Area rated highly—comfort and image good;

ramp provides accessibility for strollers and bikes

•

Lack of tables

•

Poor visibility and wayfinding to Visitor

Information Center

•

Café users hidden by walls

•

Blank wall and brass door segregates upper and

lower areas and does not activate plaza

•

Theater and passageway to Powells is hidden

•

Neighboring buildings need to be more inviting to

pedestrians

Recommendations

•

Open visual access to Starbucks

•

Create a tiered plaza with cafe seating and a glass canopy

with radiant heating for weather protection

•

Improve Pioneer Courthouse to draw people across the

street

•

Make the neighbors more inviting to pedestrians with

sidewalk cafes and other uses

•

Program the small amphitheater space

•

Provide peaceful areas attractive to the elderly with seating

that is easy to get up out of

•

Provide a variety of winter programming

•

Provide the flexibility to use features for more than one

program function

•

Provide more opportunities for school groups to use the

square for performances and outdoor classrooms and

readings (this was the location of the city’s first school)

Group #4: South east/Vending area

Observations

•

Area to die for, but people don’t use it

•

Used for food vendors, but their presentation could

be better

•

Clean, but unattractive

•

Isolated from light rail users and the street—street

seems disassociated from the square

Copley Square, Boston

Ghirardelli Sq. San Francisco

Fiesta event in small amphitheater

Salta, Argentina

•

No inviting entrances

•

Great views, but brick walls limit visibility to the square

•

People are attracted to “Umbrella Man”

•

Walls separating square from street are not inviting and are staked out by teenagers

•

Too many hard surfaces

Recommendations

•

Replace brick walls above Powells

with low wrought iron fence to

increase visibility to square

•

Remove a pillar to make entry

more inviting (Morrison Street

side has fewer columns)

•

Remove walls on Yamhill

•

Add eclectic (artist-designed) benches to invite people into the

space from the street

•

Add more plantings

•

Add permanent European-style kiosk for

food vendors

•

Add moveable tables and chairs

overlooking the square

Additional Observations & Recommendations

Friday’s discussion precipitated further reflection. PPS appreciated the energy, enthusiasm and creativity

of board members participating in the audit. The following observations and recommendations were

made.

•

Higher brick walls block visibility to and from the square

and are not accommodating as seating allowing certain users

to dominate edges of square and transit stop waiting.

•

Tenants should

contribute to the

vitality and public use

of the square. In this

regard, Starbucks is not performing adequately as a tenant

– tinted windows, not putting out tables and chairs on

Broadway, not using barista cart, not orienting activity to

the square, not providing colorful plantings.

•

Newspaper kiosk at Yamhill and Broadway would

activate and manage entrance and eliminate the wall of

newspaper vending boxes that restrict visibility and

circulation.

Starbucks used to be more open with

moveable tables and chairs

Korv, Denmark

Luxemburg Gardens, Paris

Bruges, Belgium

•

Maximum use should be made of existing “back of the house”

space under the square for support purposes to maximize

available open space. For example, if other alternatives are

identified for trash storage or mechanical space the available

space might be used for stage equipment or ice skate rental.

•

A satellite book stall in front of Powell’s could specialize in

unique books, maps and posters about Portland and double as

an informal information kiosk.

•

Winter is an ideal time to showcase local businesses, arts, school

performances, and neighborhood and ethnic groups. These groups should be involved in

preparing a vision and program for winter events in the square. It was pointed out that in many

cultures winter is the time for arts, crafts and events that celebrate community.

•

The winter event should have a central focal point

allowing smaller events to be clustered around it

in other parts of the square. The central plaza of

the square is an ideal location for this focal point.

The focal point should be protected from the

weather and designed to be flexible to

accommodate multiple events. These events

might include a stage, ale garden, ice rink and

winter market.

•

Concern was expressed that having a corporate

sponsor’s name on a large banner makes the space

seem less public. There are other ways

sponsorship can be communicated that is more

compatible and civic spirited.

Short Term Actions

•

Starbucks to put out barista cart, tables and chairs,

plantings

•

Use audit recommendations to guide Starbucks planned

renovation

•

Add colorful plantings in pots on steps and near walls

•

Program small amphitheater

Next Steps: Initiating a Community/Place Driven Process

The level of attention and public concern that Pioneer Courthouse Square receives can be harnessed as an

opportunity rather than feared as an obstacle. Shifting the focus from the community reacting to ideas

suggested by the board to getting the community to develop the vision is in many ways a more natural

and productive role for both the community and the board as well as the myriad of professional and

public interests engaged in the performance of the space. A place-driven, community/vision-driven

process to define and guide enhancements to the square seems to be what all the parties involved are

indeed craving.

What better opportunity for launching such a level of community involvement than the concept that

emerged out of the board Place Audit of the Winter Square. The concept of celebrating and showcasing

local talents, arts and culture would both depend on a drive the creative contributions of a diverse array

of the regions constituency.

Union Square Christmas Market, NYC

Central Park, NYC

It would be our recommendation, to start this process through reaching out to specific communities and

users groups that would both benefit greatly from involvement in the programming of the square and

would likewise contribute significantly to the square and the civic life of Portland. These groups would

likely include:

•

Local schools leaders that want to showcase what is going on in their schools

•

Arts organizations (local shows, local music, museums, galleries, etc.)

•

Leaders from Portland’s ethnic and cultural groups

•

Leaders from Portland’s neighborhoods and possibly even some regional locations (showcasing local

heritage, businesses and skills)

These groups could become the driving force behind the concept of a winter square that draws on and

supports the best of Portland.

To launch this involvement PPS is prepared to assist PCS Inc. in running two Place Game Workshops --

one with the schools and arts organizations and one with the neighborhood and ethnic groups --

demonstrating to the targeted audience the importance of the square and the potential impact and benefit

to them of their involvement its programming and ongoing improvement. The workshops will focus on

general improvements to the square as well as specific partnering and programming opportunities

associated with the concept of the winter square.

To support and augment this process PPS could offer a Local Online Planning Center as an opportunity

to engage a broader audience in the placemaking process. Such a site allows for greater public access to

and documentation of the process. It also facilitates development of ideas and connects them with the

broad pool of PPS case studies, images and instructive resources. (See attachment)

To further inform this process, activity mapping with local students could be conducted for one day.

Such systematic observation is designed to uncover data about stationary users of the square by

overlaying activities (loitering, eating, talking, smoking, hacky sack, etc. and sitting, leaning, standing)

with age, sex, group size, time of day and location.

Additional community involvement could be garnered through larger PPS facilitated Place Game

workshops as well as locally run workshops. PPS can run large public meetings ( around 100 people)

designed to gather further input, participation and buy in. Additionally, PPS is able to train local people

to run small Place Game workshops with selected groups of users and potential users.

Pioneer Courthouse Square is a fertile place for a community/place driven process. PPS looks forward to

further discussion on how to structure such a process and maximize the potential of both the space and

the greater Portland community’s involvement in its evolution.