Urban Design Week: By the City / For the City Blog

Vacant Spaces: Finding new uses for un-loved corners

Wouldn’t it be great if…

Vacant Lots

NYC turned available spaces, from empty tree wells to vacant lots, into sustainable gardens of native trees and plants? Or provided approval and resources for community members to do so themselves?! [Clinton Hill, Brooklyn]
lighting can enliven and secure a vacant site throughout the different stages within its development cycle? [Crown Heights, Brooklyn]
there was a park instead of an empty lot collecting trash. [Flatbush, Brooklyn]
they didn’t waste so much space here. [Williamsburg, Brooklyn]
the empty lot across the street became a usable space - perhaps for a new theater or art space? [East Village, Manhattan]
empty lots could exhibit installations, of all scales, while in transition to being built/re-purposed. [Harlem, Manhattan]
all those vacant, boarded-up lots of stalled developments could be “lent” to the public for interim use? In some cases, that could just mean cleaning them up, making them safe, removing fences… [Lower East Side, Manhattan]
If strategically located vacant lots were filled with light. [Soho, Manhattan]
the old CYO/Whitestone Jewels site was converted into a community park as in Grammarcy Park. [Whitestone, Queens]

Vacant Storefronts

resources like under-employed people, vacant lots, & churches could be turned into ASSETS. Lots = urban farms, industrial composting & community centers. Vacant stores = sustainable businesses. [Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn]
If there were free public libraries where you could check out tools instead of books and periodicals? All kind of tools amassed through donations of individuals and corporations. [Downtown Brooklyn & Citywide]
all the empty ground floor retail spaces had some use in them temporarily while they are empty, so they could help activate the street. [Williamsburg, Brooklyn]
Streetscape and storefront design could reduce vacancy rates? [Greenwich Village, Manhattan]
Create Pop Up Food Cafes. To provide community access to fresh, delicious and healthy food and give entrepreneurs opportunities to provide service at reduced capital costs in short seasonal windows. [Hamilton Heights & Harlem, Manhattan]
there was a resurgence of mom and pop stores on Broadway. [Upper West Side & Soho, Manhattan]
1 out of every 100 foreclosed houses across the city was turned into a community center, daycare, clinic, or other needed service? [South Queens & Citywide]
The banks and indoor bank ATMs should include retail uses of interest to enliven the empty blank banking spaces that often blight neighborhoods. [Citywide]
artists were given access to work in the plethora of empty storefronts & stalled development throughout the city. [Citywide]
There was a city-wide clearinghouse where owners of vacant commercial spaces could list temporary availability [Citywide]

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these great suggestions. I...love it when people get smart, thoughtful
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Vacant Spaces: Finding new uses for un-loved corners

NYC turned available spaces, from empty tree wells to vacant lots, into sustainable gardens of native trees and plants? Or provided approval and resources for community members to do so themselves?! [Clinton Hill, Brooklyn]

lighting can enliven and secure a vacant site throughout the different stages within its development cycle? [Crown Heights, Brooklyn]

there was a park instead of an empty lot collecting trash. [Flatbush, Brooklyn]

they didn’t waste so much space here. [Williamsburg, Brooklyn]

the empty lot across the street became a usable space - perhaps for a new theater or art space? [East Village, Manhattan]

empty lots could exhibit installations, of all scales, while in transition to being built/re-purposed. [Harlem, Manhattan]

all those vacant, boarded-up lots of stalled developments could be “lent” to the public for interim use? In some cases, that could just mean cleaning them up, making them safe, removing fences… [Lower East Side, Manhattan]

If strategically located vacant lots were filled with light. [Soho, Manhattan]

the old CYO/Whitestone Jewels site was converted into a community park as in Grammarcy Park. [Whitestone, Queens]

resources like under-employed people, vacant lots, & churches could be turned into ASSETS. Lots = urban farms, industrial composting & community centers. Vacant stores = sustainable businesses. [Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn]

If there were free public libraries where you could check out tools instead of books and periodicals? All kind of tools amassed through donations of individuals and corporations. [Downtown Brooklyn & Citywide]

all the empty ground floor retail spaces had some use in them temporarily while they are empty, so they could help activate the street. [Williamsburg, Brooklyn]

Streetscape and storefront design could reduce vacancy rates? [Greenwich Village, Manhattan]

Create Pop Up Food Cafes. To provide community access to fresh, delicious and healthy food and give entrepreneurs opportunities to provide service at reduced capital costs in short seasonal windows. [Hamilton Heights & Harlem, Manhattan]

there was a resurgence of mom and pop stores on Broadway. [Upper West Side & Soho, Manhattan]

1 out of every 100 foreclosed houses across the city was turned into a community center, daycare, clinic, or other needed service? [South Queens & Citywide]

The banks and indoor bank ATMs should include retail uses of interest to enliven the empty blank banking spaces that often blight neighborhoods. [Citywide]

artists were given access to work in the plethora of empty storefronts & stalled development throughout the city. [Citywide]

There was a city-wide clearinghouse where owners of vacant commercial spaces could list temporary availability [Citywide]

10 Notes/ Hide

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