[ RECOMMENDATION ]
5. Provide a
pre-approved list of on-call technical assistance providers and equipment and
furniture vendors.
WHYDuring
the pandemic, professional creative firms and agencies across the City stepped
forward to support commercial districts through the design and construction of
outdoor dining and vendor or concession structures and furniture, planning Open
Streets, and designing street furniture for ad-hoc use on plazas and sidewalks.
While most of this help was pro-bono or sponsored by businesses amidst the
pandemic, these artists and professional creatives deserve acknowledgement for
the support that they have provided and continue to provide in enlivening our
public realm.
GOALS
︎ A User Experience
︎ B Long-Term Coordination
︎ C Inclusive Design
︎ D Collaboration and Communication
︎ E Support commerce and entrepreneurship
CATEGORY / TYPE
︎ Process / Regulatory Framework
︎ Funding
︎ Technical Assistance
︎ A User Experience
︎ B Long-Term Coordination
︎ C Inclusive Design
︎ D Collaboration and Communication
︎ E Support commerce and entrepreneurship
CATEGORY / TYPE
︎ Process / Regulatory Framework
︎ Funding
︎ Technical Assistance
THE STORY A + A + A, a local design studio, and Think! Chinatown, an intergenerational nonprofit based in Manhattan’s Chinatown, collaborated to help restaurants design and build their outdoor dining structures. Think! Chinatown fundraised through their robust community following, while A + A + A offered their design services low-bono. A + A + A contacted a woman-owned contractor, who offered to charge 50% of her normal rate. The lumber came from Chinatown Building Supply. Each build required the efforts of a variety of folks. It would be difficult to replicate this phenomenon on a large-scale, but it can be pieced together on the local scale and resources can be publicized to help local coalitions fill in gaps.
“If you have all the right partners in place, it’s a doable thing: a group with deep roots, a studio with skills, volunteers. There’s a certain amount of magic that needs to happen, with the trust of the community, to go from there.”
A + A + A studio, Chinatown
HOW TO IMPLEMENT
To make these
professional services more accessible to community groups and individuals
without existing working relationships with creative firms and agencies with
expertise in designing and fabricating unique public realm furniture and
amenities, plus experience navigating City permit processes, the City should
create a publicly available resource list of “Public Realm Design” technical
providers. To do so, the City should follow these steps:
- Release a request for qualifications for on-call technical experts
in tactical place-making, urban design, architecture (hospitality),
landscaping, lighting, traffic engineering, etc.
- Evaluate proposals submitted through RFQ and determine a shortlist
of City-approved technical experts for public space design and activation,
giving priority to local vendors based in NYC DOT’s Streets Plans’
geographic “areas of need.”
- Release approved vendor list, including direct vendor contact
information and sample work—resources should be updated in one to three
year intervals and hosted on City websites related to public realm
activation (e.g. the DOT Plaza program website, SAPO events permit
website, Retail Experiential Markets website [see other recommendation in
this brief])
- At the end of the RFQ contract, the City should evaluate all leads
and awards generated through the publication of approved vendor lists.
- Conduct periodic review of vendor list and update accordingly (for example, every three to five years, consistent with on-call vendors contracted with other City agencies),
Case Study ︎︎︎ Case Study ︎︎︎ Case Study ︎︎︎
Public Space Activations Catalog
City of New York, NY
NYC DOT's Public Space Activations Catalog will include a list of nonprofit organizations available to provide activations in NYC DOT managed public spaces. All activations on the list will be free of charge and suitable for New Yorkers of all ages and abilities. These nonprofit organizations will offer activations across the following categories: Arts and Culture, Active and Healthy Living, Learning and Educational Activities, Crafts and Design.
Each fall, NYC DOT releases a request for proposals for organizations that wish to be included on the Public Space Activations List. Acceptance to the list does not guarantee selection nor funding. In addition to NYC DOT-funded opportunities, Public Space Activations Partners may self-fund, or work with our community partners to bring their activations to Open Streets, Plazas and other NYC DOT managed public spaces.
WHO GETS IT DONE
To build on to the Public Space Activations Catalog, DOT should consider an addendum that includes the “Public Realm Design” technical provider resource list. The list should not only serve as a resource to CBOs seeking support and partnership, but should also be used by City agencies to ensure quality of public space activation and programming.
WHO DOES THIS HELP
Communities with limited resources to hire or limited access to local creative and design service professionals.
Each fall, NYC DOT releases a request for proposals for organizations that wish to be included on the Public Space Activations List. Acceptance to the list does not guarantee selection nor funding. In addition to NYC DOT-funded opportunities, Public Space Activations Partners may self-fund, or work with our community partners to bring their activations to Open Streets, Plazas and other NYC DOT managed public spaces.
WHO GETS IT DONE
To build on to the Public Space Activations Catalog, DOT should consider an addendum that includes the “Public Realm Design” technical provider resource list. The list should not only serve as a resource to CBOs seeking support and partnership, but should also be used by City agencies to ensure quality of public space activation and programming.
WHO DOES THIS HELP
Communities with limited resources to hire or limited access to local creative and design service professionals.
︎︎︎ Executive Summary
︎︎︎ Introduction
︎︎︎ The Brief/Challenge
︎︎︎ Understanding the Regulatory Landscape
︎︎︎ Sidewalks
︎︎︎ Streets
︎︎︎ Plazas
︎︎︎ Navigating the Current Regulatory Process
︎︎︎ Adapting to the Pandemic
︎︎︎ Introduction
︎︎︎ The Brief/Challenge
︎︎︎ Understanding the Regulatory Landscape
︎︎︎ Sidewalks
︎︎︎ Streets
︎︎︎ Plazas
︎︎︎ Navigating the Current Regulatory Process
︎︎︎ Adapting to the Pandemic
︎︎︎ Enhancing the City’s Approach to Public Space Management
︎︎︎ Recommendations
︎︎︎ Appendix
︎︎︎ Credits
︎︎︎Watkins Public Space
︎︎︎What’s Up, Jamaica!
︎︎︎ Recommendations
︎︎︎ Appendix
︎︎︎ Credits
︎︎︎Watkins Public Space
︎︎︎What’s Up, Jamaica!