Outreach Summary and Programmatic Vision

PERSHING SQUARE
SUMMARY OF OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
& PROGRAMMATIC VISION
July 2015
Prepared for
Prepared by
INTRODUCTION
In the winter of 2015, Pershing Square
Renew began a community outreach
process aimed at soliciting thoughts,
recommendations, and desires of the
Downtown Los Angeles community with
regards to Pershing Square. Pershing
Square Renew asked Project for Public
Spaces (PPS), a nonprofit planning,
design, and educational organization, to
support the community outreach process
and interpret this input as a program for
the space.
This initiative is a collaborative
effort between the City of Los Angeles,
Pershing Square Renew, downtown
Los Angeles’ civic and economic
development agencies, and many private
sector stakeholders.
To begin an extensive community
visioning process, Pershing Square Renew
4
conducted initial community workshops
in 2013. Based on this work, Pershing
Square Renew and PPS continued the
community outreach with a Placemaking
Workshop, focus groups with key
stakeholders, Pop-Up Placemaking, and
community surveys. These efforts drove
all of the suggestions contained within
this report.
In addition to the description of
the community engagement process,
this report will detail PPS’s ideas for
programming for the space. All of PPS’s
ideas outlined in this report are drawn
from the community vision. The result
is both a vision for Pershing Square and
Downtown LA and a program that will
be used to inform the competition for the
redesign of the space.
BACKGROUND2
COMMUNITY VISIONING PROCESS
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
5
6
COMMUNITY OUTREACH RESULTS10
A VISION FOR PERSHING SQUARE
17
WHAT MAKES A GREAT PLACE?
21
ACTIVITIES22
AMENITIES26
ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITIES28
APPENDIX A: ABOUT PPS
APPENDIX B: SURVEY AND WORKSHOP RESULTS
APPENDIX C: QUALITIES OF GREAT SQUARES
APPENDIX D: INNOVATION DISTRICTS
1
BACKGROUND
It’s an exciting time to live in Los Angeles:
there is a new sense of urbanism that can
be felt throughout the city. In Downtown,
Councilmember Huizar has led this
effort with his Bringing Back Broadway
initiative, parklets pilot, and advocacy
for more green space. Mayor Garcetti’s
transportation plan has begun to knit
the city’s disparate neighborhoods
together, car ownership for many in the
city’s most urban corners is an option,
not a necessity, and the “great streets”
program is changing the way residents
interact with their neighborhoods.
Downtown is at the center of this
transformation, and is key to improving
the future of the entire metro area.
Cities around the world are defined
by their public spaces. Prominent
among these legendary urban areas
are the central squares, from the stately
statues and museums of London’s
Trafalgar Square to the stores and
galleries surrounding San Francisco’s
2
Union Square. These great squares are
rivaled only by famous streets, from
the broad boulevards of Paris to the
winding alleys of Prague.
Focusing on public spaces is
a proven strategy for renewing a
downtown area and bolstering the local
economy: Detroit’s revitalization has
been anchored by a square, Campus
Martius, and a street, Woodward
Avenue. When revitalized, Pershing
Square and the adjacent blocks along
Broadway street can serve as catalytic
public spaces, and their success will
show the value of public spaces in
creating the communities that are the
building blocks of great cities.
This
vision
has
immense
implications for the city’s economic
development. Downtown Los Angeles
can become an “innovation district,”
drawing in creative businesses from
around the world and cultivating new,
local entrepreneurs (see Appendix
D). Around the country businesses have
realized that it is in their best interests to
move into the core regions of cities, both
to attract the best talent and to encourage
the kind of innovative thinking spurred by
the spontaneous interactions of city life.
In order to attract these modern economic
engines, the city’s core needs a strong
network of public spaces.
Pershing Square is an urban space, and
as such needs to be treated differently than
a more suburban-style park. The results of
the community outreach process match
up with a global trend: people want these
urban public spaces to be programmed,
not passive.
Los Angeles is already a top-tier global
city in terms of culture, business, tourism,
entertainment, and so much more, but its
public spaces leave much to be desired.
The city is at a crossroads, and it could all
begin with Pershing Square.
GRAND PARK
10 MINUTE WALK
5 MINUTE WALK
MAGUIRE
GARDENS
BILTMORE
FIG AT 7TH
GRAND
CENTRAL
MARKET
WATER
COURT
ANGELS
KNOLL
SPRING ST,
THE BLOC
MAIN ST,
Pershing Square
BROADWAY
3
4
COMMUNITY
VISIONING
PROCESS
5
5
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Placemaking is built on our belief that
community engagement must be early and
continuous for any project to be successful.
The programmatic ideas for Pershing
Square are based on the results of an
extensive community visioning process,
including a Placemaking Workshop, focus
groups with key stakeholders, Pop-Up
Placemaking, and Community Surveys.
These efforts followed up initial public
outreach forums in 2013, the results of
which framed all of the following outreach
conducted through this process. All of
these activities are summarized below.
PUBLIC OUTREACH FORUMS
In November 2013, the Pershing Square
task force hosted several forums where
downtown residents and workers were
invited to provide their input regarding
Pershing Square’s past, present, and
future. Conducted by Councilmember
Huizar’s office, these forums provided
a foundational understanding of the
6
community’s sentiments, which influenced
subsequent public outreach efforts.
DIGITAL SURVEY
In order to further expand the reach of
the community outreach effort, Pershing
Square Renew and the PPS team designed
an online survey that was widely
distributed to people around the Los
Angeles area. Over 500 people responded.
Many responses either explicitly or
implicitly noted a sense of Downtown Los
Angeles or Angeleno pride connecting
them to Pershing Square. The digital
survey showed markets to be the most
commonly preferred activity, followed by,
live performances and an outdoor lounge.
Open-ended questions, such as “What
other kinds of activities would you like
to see here?” allowed people to share
their programming ideas that will be
key in formulating a community-driven
vision for the square. The digital survey
complements the more traditional means
of outreach methods to reach a broader
range of constituents by engaging people
who will not necessarily attend meetings
or workshops in person. The survey was
promoted through social media and
the email lists of various community
organizations.
The full survey questions and a
summary of responses can be found in the
Appendix.
PLACEMAKING WORKSHOP
Project for Public Space facilitated a
Power of 10 Workshop on February 12th,
2015. Hosted by Pershing Square Renew, it
included over 60 invited stakeholders and
City staff to identify overarching goals
and destinations both in Pershing Square
and for greater downtown Los Angeles.
Some of the discussions centered on
how connections between Downtown
Los Angeles’ network of destinations
can be improved through programmatic
and physical solutions. PPS facilitators
asked attendees to brainstorm ideas for
improving and transforming Pershing
Square into a great place, one they would
love. The themes that emerged from
that workshop were key in forming our
recommendations.
STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS
In order to further engage key stakeholder
groups, PPS and Pershing Square Renew
held several focus group meetings in
February and March of 2015. These
meetings introduce the Placemaking
process while encouraging attendees to
brainstorm ideas for Pershing Square and
the surrounding neighborhood.
The team held one in depth meeting
in February with over 20 representatives
from the City of Los Angles, including
the Department of Recreation and Parks,
Department of Transportation, Metro, The
City Administrative Officer, and Mayor
Garcetti’s office. They held a second
meeting in April with the management of
the Biltmore Hotel.
TARGETED OUTREACH
The team presented to and requested
input from various other key stakeholder
groups, including:
Pershing Square Advisory Board
Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood
Council
Central City Association and Downtown
Center Business Improvement District
Historic Core Business Improvement
District
Bringing Back Broadway
Downtown Film Committee
Downtown Resident Task Force
Los Angeles Community Action Network
POP-UP WORKSHOPS
Based on the input gathered by the end of
March 2015, PPS created a pop-up visual
program preference survey to capture
ideas from members of the public who had
not been able to participate in any other
scheduled outreach events. The survey
featured pictures of the most popular
activities, uses, and programs.
PPS consulted with the Pershing
Square Renew team on where and when to
set up the pop-up workshops, which took
place at and on the following:
Pershing Square on Friday, April 26th,
2015 from 10:00am to 2:00pm
Grand Park on Saturday, April 27th, 2015
from 11:00am to 4:00pm
At the workshops, members of the PPS
team asked passersby a simple question,
“What would you like to do at Pershing
Square?” Following this initial interaction,
7
they were asked to vote for which activities
they could envision for Pershing Square.
Respondents included downtown Los
Angeles residents of all ages, ranging
from teenagers to adults and including
families, high school students, and office
employees.
In addition to helping our team better
understand the needs of the community,
the pop-up Placemaking work also
contributed to the growing excitement for
the future of Pershing Square and gave the
community a connection to the changes
occurring in the area. Over 500 people
participated in the activity.
DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT
The Pershing Square Renew task force
manages a number of social media
platforms to inform the public of
upcoming events, document milestones,
and educate and engage the public
around Placemaking principles. In
addition to regular e-blasts, the Pershing
Square Renew team engages on Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram, Vimeo, and through
the pershingsquarerenew.com website.
8
9
COMMUNITY OUTREACH RESULTS
Our online survey, completed by 540 people residing in the
greater LA metro region, helped reveal the make-up of Pershing
Square’s existing uses and users. The survey revealed important
information about the social habits of visitors to the square:
The survey also uncovered the rates at which these people visit:
17% of respondents visit more than 1x per week.
18% visit more than 1x per month.
35% of people visit the Square alone
25% visit multiple times per year.
31% visit with friends
25% visit at least once per year.
12% visit with their families
11% visit with coworkers
9% visit with their dogs
Never , 5%
Other, 2%
Several times a
month , 7%
My dog, 9%
Several times a
year , 25%
Everyday , 7%
Co-workers, 11%
Alone, 35%
WHO DO YOU VISIT
PERSHING SQUARE
WITH?
Once a year , 8%
HOW OFTEN
DO YOU VISIT
PERSHING SQUARE?
Family/kids, 12%
Several times a
week , 14%
Friends, 31%
10
Once a month , 18%
Once a week , 17%
Even larger percentages of these people frequent areas nearby on
an almost daily basis:
Currently, the Square is frequented mostly as lunch and late
afternoon:
54% of respondents live nearby
29% visit during lunchtime
48% work nearby
25% visit during late afternoon/early evening
Other respondents frequent the Square and surrounding area
more rarely:
22% attend or host events at the Square or nearby
10% of respondents do other activities, like shopping or attend
meetings, nearby
18% visit during only special events and programs (like concerts and
markets)
12% visit during the evening or nighttime
10% visit during the morning
7% study nearby
Other, 5%
Morning, 10%
Lunchtime, 29%
CONNECTION TO PERSHING SQUARE
live nearby
work nearby
host/attend events
other
study nearby
54%
Evening/nighttime, 12%
48%
WHEN DO YOU
USUALLY VISIT
PERSHING SQUARE?
22%
10%
7%
For special events or
programs only, 18%
Late afternoon/early
evening, 25%
11
And when at the Square, people tend to do the following:
67% walk through
38% walk or stroll around the park
Approximately 54% of people visiting the square for special
events noted what brought them there. The survey’s collection of
responses mostly included:
Farmers markets
36% attend some sort of special event or program
Concerts
35% sit and relax
The holiday ice rink
21% eat/picnic
Food Truck Fridays
20% socialize with friends
20% people-watch and observe the Square’s activity
Other responses collected with less frequency included:
4% jog or bike
LA ArtWalk
Shakespeare in the Park
CURRENT TYPICAL ACTIVITY AT PERSHING SQUARE
walk through
take a stroll
12
67%
39%
attend events & programs
36%
sit/relax
35%
eat/picnic
21%
socialize with friends
20%
people watch
20%
jog/bike
4%
other
3%
Community-focused activities like blood drives and health
screenings
When asked to describe Pershing Square and Downtown Los
Angeles respectively, the results were telling, with largely positive
terms used to describe the neighborhood and largely negative
terms used to describe the square. The following terms are ranked
by frequency of use, with 1 indicating the highest frequency:
When asked to name their favorite places in DTLA, respondents
most often cited public resources:
Grand Park
Grand Central Market
Little Tokyo
Pershing Square
Downtown LA
Union Station
Concrete
1
Fun
The Arts District
Ugly
2
Exciting
The main library
Dirty
3
Vibrant
Central
4
Diverse
The Perch
Potential
5
Growing
Bar Ama
Uninviting
6
Changing
The Biltmore
Homeless
7
Historic
Isolated
8
Hip
Outdated
9
Walkable
Downtown
10
Urban
Others suggested private institutions:
The Standard
Bottega
Angel City Brewery
13
Others identified corridors, such as:
TOP ACTIVATION IDEAS FOR
PERSHING SQUARE FROM PEOPLE SURVEYED
Winston
Broadway
Figueroa
Spring
4th Street
7th Street
8th Street
These “favorite places” help inform people’s idea of DTLA as
“fun, vibrant, and exciting,” as well as “hip, diverse, and historic.”
Making physical and conceptual connections to these places will
help make DTLA’s positive image a part of Pershing Square.
Our on-site workshops and focus groups further revealed current
Pershing Square user preferences. When asked what they like
most about the current square:
29% cited shopping at the weekly farmers market
9% likewise cited spaces for gathering, socializing, and relaxing
When asked to describe their idea of relaxation:
55% said it involved having lunch with other people at public tables
or a café
21% said it involved being active and moving in some form or another
14
59%
live performances
58%
outdoor lounge
open lawn
54%
night markets
54%
culinary pop-up markets
53%
crafts and artisan markets
52%
When asked what activities and uses they saw as fitting for
Pershing Square:
59% cited live performances
58% cited outdoor lounges
54% cited open lawn
54% specifically chose “night markets”
53% specifically chose “culinary pop-up markets”
52% specifically chose crafts and artisan markets”
51% cited beer gardens
Notably, 78% of people cited some kind of market, showing the
overwhelming support for this key activity. 76% of respondents
indicated they would prefer some sort of food.
Other suggested activities from the respondents include:
Enhanced dog park
Shady seating and lounge area
Outdoor film screenings
Rotating art exhibitions
Concerts specifically featuring local musicians
BBQ and picnic space
Permanent café stalls and seating areas (in partnership with Grand
Central Market tenants)
Outdoor reading rooms (in partnership with LAPL)
Connections to surrounding streets and destinations (like the
historic Biltmore)
Taken as a whole, these responses illustrate what a successful, wellreceived Pershing Square would look like. The ideas presented
in the following pages take these community-driven data into
consideration and treat them as focal points of the Square.
15
16
A VISION FOR
PERSHING SQUARE
17
17
Pershing Square is a key part of the downtown
Los Angeles revitalization effort, due to both
its central location and its status as one of the
only open spaces in the area. As the downtown
renaissance intensifies and the millennial
and creative class population of residents and
workers expands, Pershing Square’s importance
as a central community-gathering place grows
exponentially. The square’s potential is already
evident in the impressive number of people that
attend its special events.
Pershing Square can become not just a
great public space, but also an anchor for the
surrounding neighborhoods like the Financial
District, Bunker Hill, the Civic Center, the
Historic Core, and all of downtown. Pershing
Square Renew’s public-private initiative can’t end
at the edge of the square; in order to achieve what
is possible, it must “reach out like an octopus”
(see Fig. 1 to right) to the surrounding streets and
neighborhoods, connecting all of downtown with
a walkable, livable network of places.
In its current design, Pershing Square does
not support this vision. Downtown residents
and workers view it is a concrete fortress
described by survey respondents as “ugly,”
“dirty,” and “uninviting” in a downtown that the
same respondents describe as “fun”, exciting,”
“vibrant” (these were the top three words used to
18
Fig. 1
POWER OF 10+
HOW CITIES TRANSFORM THROUGH PLACEMAKING
Each place within
Downtown LA
needs 10+ Major Destinations
Pershing Square
needs 10+ places in each
Pershing Square
needs 10+ things to do,
layered to create synergy
19
describe Pershing Square and downtown,
respectively). A survey of over 500 people
revealed that two-thirds of respondents
usually only walk through the Square, but
outside of special events rarely linger. Poor
design, weak surrounding ground floor
uses, and a lack of retail opportunities
discourage people from using the full
potential of Pershing Square, according to
respondents.
The message from Downtown is clear:
they want to see a great change happen in
the neighborhood. For this great change
to happen, Pershing Square needs to
become a model of a new type of public
destination in Downtown LA, an 18-hour
center of activity. Based on the input we
received through the community outreach
process, Pershing Square could become
an early morning destination for Yoga,
Zumba, and coffee, before transitioning
seamlessly to a place for lunch meetings
between colleagues and friends, with a
wide variety of food kiosks, market stalls,
and restaurants. After the workday ends,
entertainment and special events will
20
draw office workers and residents alike
well into the evening, and on weekends
it could feature special programming for
families, young people, and the elderly.
It is clear from the outreach process
that people in Los Angeles want an urban
space like Pershing Square to be active
and lively. This is in line both with global
trends and with results from Pershing
Square itself: programming run by the
Department of Recreation and Parks has
been wildly successful. Special event
programming like that will draw people to
the space, and the regular programming
will keep them there as regular users.
The goals of this renewal were clear
from the community engagement process.
Downtown stakeholders clearly expressed
their preference that vision for Pershing
Square should:
• Serve residents and Angelenos first;
• Celebrate the historic and cultural identity of Pershing Square, Downtown, and Los Angeles;
• Leverage the energy and creativity of Downtown LA by incubating a variety of new businesses and entertainment options;
• Connect the square into the lives of residents through regular daily activities;
• Develop a financially self-sustaining
strategy; and
• Have a strong management team to execute and guide the continual evolution of the vision.
In this report we will outline specific
programming ideas based on the
community visioning process. That said,
we believe the range of possibilities is
endless, and there is an opportunity to
continually experiment and innovate with
programming to respond to changing
demographics and emerging trends.
WHAT MAKES A GREAT PLACE?
Placemaking is a collaborative process that engages
people in creating and sustaining the public destinations
at the heart of their community: the places where we
play, shop, eat, gather, interact, and build the social ties
that hold a community together. Placemaking is the
discipline of creating great places that a wide variety of
people will use and enjoy throughout the day, the week
and the year.
In its 40 years studying what makes public spaces work,
PPS has found that four key attributes are key to the
success of any place.
Activities and Uses
Activities are the basic building blocks of a place. Having something to do for people of all ages gives people
a reason to come to a place again and again. Food is
key here, and nothing draws Users describe the space
as “fun”, “special”, “vital,” and “real.”
Access and Linkages
You can judge the accessibility of a place by its connections to its surroundings, both visual and physical. A successful public space is easy to get to and
get through; it is visible both from a distance and up
close. The edges of a space connect to the surrounding
streets, which themselves should be vital and interesting. The space should be linked to the rest of the city
through pedestrian, cycle, and transit routes.
Comfort and Image
Comfort includes perceptions about safety, cleanliness, and the availability of places to sit. Image refers to how inviting the space is, and
whether it maintains a distinct identity in line with the surrounding
neighborhood. Users describe the space as “safe”, “clean”, “green”,
“charming”, “attractive” and “historic”.
Sociability
A sociable place is one where people want to go to meet friends and
interact with a wide range of people who are different from themselves. This at the very heart of what makes a great place.
WHAT MAKES A GREAT PLACE?
Sociability
Uses &
Activities
PLACE
Access &
Linkages
Comfort &
Image
21
ACTIVITIES
Any great city square has a variety of
smaller places within it that offer a wide
range of activities for diverse groups of
users at different times of day, week, and
year. Pershing Square should provide a
wide variety of activities for these users,
everything from sitting and eating lunch
to shopping to watching performances and
attending civic events. It is clear from the
community outreach process that people
want a high degree of programming and
activation. It can quickly become the best
picnic location in Los Angeles.
Opportunities for both spontaneous
and planned activities should be clustered
around mini-destinations within Pershing
Square to create a critical mass of activity
so many different people have a reason to
be at the Square throughout the day.
The community visioning process
indicated several overarching categories
of activities that people would like to see
in the space, including:
22
Food, Beverage, Retail, and Markets
Arts, Culture, and Entertainment
Play and Recreation
Community and Education
These included both daily activities,
like space for sports and a market, and
special events, like movie nights and
performances. The chart on the opposite
page (Fig. 3) indicates specific activities
that fall into these categories and whether
they are special events or daily activities.
It also includes a section on suggested
amenities, which will be discussed further
in the next section of the report. Directly
to the right (Fig 2.) is a word cloud from
the Pershing Square Renew community
workshop. The size of the words indicates
the frequency with which it was brought
up.
The management team is of the utmost
importance to allow for innovation with
programming as the desires of residents
and other users of the space inevitably
change over the years.
The next page contains images with
examples of activities that online survey
respondents believe would be a good fit
for Pershing Square.
Fig. 2 - Word cloud for Pershing Square based
on the community outreach process
Fig 3. - All of the items on this page are
drawn from community suggestions based
on the Power of 10 Workshop and Pop-up
Placemaking events. They are ordered by
frequency of mentions.
23
The images on the next two pages were shown to
participants in the online survey. The numbers in
the captions following the location indicate the
percentage of respondents who marked that they
would be interested in seeing that sort of activity
in Pershing Square.
Outdoor Lounge at Bryant Park - New York, NY - 58%
24
Beer Garden - Baden, Switzerland - 51%
Live Performances at The Cannery - San Francisco, CA - 59%
Outdoor Reading Room at Bryant Park - New York, NY - 47%
Exercise Classes at Bryant Park - New York, NY - 42%
Crafts and Artisan Market at Discovery Green - Houston, TX - 52%
25
AMENITIES
Survey results indicated that Pershing
Square currently has an unfriendly
pedestrian experience, partially due
to the lack of amenities. Participants
saw potential to break the Square into
several different sections with pedestrian
circulation throughout to help scale down
the vastness of the space.
Pershing Square should be a lush
oasis within the city, but the community
outreach clearly indicated that it
should also be actively used. In order to
accommodate these active uses, there
needs to be a variety of seating and shade
opportunities on both hardscape and on
grass. Installing movable seating and
shade structures will allow for flexible
uses at various times of day, which is key
to making the community vision a reality.
A key element of the square’s success
will be the “clustering” of key activities and
amenities. For example, a market will be
more successful if it is paired with seating
and is visible from the road, whereas a
children’s play area should be placed
near the drinking fountain for thirsty
parents. While the specifics will be up to
26
the designers, this should be a consideration
throughout the process.
Based on the online survey, 55% of
respondents currently visit Pershing Square
for special events such as the farmers
market, concerts, and special holiday events.
To build on the success of this programming,
the Square should be designed to be flexible
in order to accommodate a variety of types of
events, from large to small, private to public,
events that target the downtown community,
all of Los Angeles, and visitors from around
the world.
To enhance this flexibility, a portion of
the Square should be left open for various
types and sizes of events. This could include
a variety of activities suggested by members
of the community during the outreach
process, like small lunchtime concerts,
outdoor movies, art shows, or craft fairs.
Flexible space will allow for experiments and
the continuous development of new types of
programs. Given the popularity of existing
special events at Pershing Square and based
on the input received, this flexibility is key to
the square’s long term success.
“People like to sit where
there are places for
them to sit.”
- William H. Whyte
27
ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITIES
Pershing Square should be an incubation
site for regional entrepreneurs, whether
they are designers, makers, chefs, curators,
or crafters. Downtown LA already has
a strong creative culture, providing an
opportunity to encourage local brands,
retail, and businesses to come together
at Pershing Square in order to capture
diverse audiences. Kiosks and other
temporary structures can provide homes
for a rotating selection of LA’s best and
brightest. These can include cafés, book
stores, and more.
An overwhelming 71% of people
surveyed wanted to see some kind
of market take place at the Square.
Markets can quickly create a new visitor
destination while bringing economic
activity downtown, supporting longerterm retail and entertainment initiatives.
The popularity of markets in LA mirrors
a global trend, with public markets
experiencing a resurgence around
the world.
Markets can be created
with relatively little investment. With
good management and light, minimal
infrastructure, barriers to entry for
28
vendors are low. A successful temporary
market can be made a permanent or
semipermanent fixture down the line.
Complementing the community input
and the global trend, the existing markets
at Pershing Square run by the Department
of Recreation and Parks are incredibly
popular. Another program, the Friday food
trucks, is also one of the most popular
programs currently run at the park.
Making programs like these regular and
ongoing will help turn people who make
their way down for these special events
into regular visitors to the square.
Another key element suggested by the
community that will lead to the square’s
ongoing success is the surrounding retail.
The ground level of surrounding buildings
needs to include retail that complements
the suggested markets and vendors in the
square. This creates an “outer square” and
softens the edges between the square and
the surrounding neighborhood, drawing
people in and encouraging them to view
Pershing Square as part of their daily
routine, not a discrete space that is only
for special occasions.
29
APPENDIX A
30
ABOUT PPS
OUR APPROACH
AREAS OF EXPERTISE:
Project for Public Spaces (PPS) is a nonprofit planning,
design and educational organization dedicated to helping people create and sustain public spaces that build
stronger communities. Our pioneering Placemaking
approach helps citizens transform their public spaces
into vital places that highlight local assets, spur rejuvenation and serve common needs.
•
•
•
•
•
•
OUR HISTORY
PPS was founded in 1975 to expand on the work of William (Holly) Whyte, author of The Social Life of Small
Urban Spaces. We have since completed projects in
more than 3000 communities in 43 countries and all 50
U.S. states and are the premier center for best practices,
information and resources on placemaking. More than
600 people worldwide are members of our Placemaking
Leadership Council.
Project for Public Spaces is made up of a highly
experienced and cross-disciplinary staff trained in environmental design, architecture, urban planning, urban
geography, environmental psychology, landscape architecture, arts administration, and information management.
Placemaking plans
Citywide strategic plans
Trainings, conferences and presentation
Multi-use destinations
Public markets
Transportation
APPENDIX B
38
Pershing Square Online Survey Results
Surveys collected=540
1) What is your connection to Pershing Square? (n=487/540)
a) Live nearby 54%
b) Work nearby 48%
c) Organize/attended events 22%
d) Other 10%
e) Study nearby 7%
●
●
●
●
People who responded “other” frequently cited visiting the Square as part of their larger
visits to DTLA for work, shopping, or pleasure. (About 2 dozen responses in this vein.)
Other people commented that they had either lived or worked nearby in the past and
continue to feel connected to Pershing as a place.
Some noted a passive sense of connection, noting the Metro stop as their primary
association with the Square.
Many responses either explicitly or implicitly noted a sense of DTLA or Angelino pride
connecting them to Pershing.
2) Typically, how often do you visit Pershing Square? (n=532/540)
a) Several times a year 25%
b) Once a month 18%
c) Once a week 17%
d) Several times a week 14%
e) Once a year 8%
f) Everyday 7%
g) Several times a month 7%
h) Never 5%
●
●
●
●
Approximately 21% of respondents visit more than 1x per week.
Approximately 45% of respondents visit more than 1x per month.
Approximately 88% of respondents visit multiple times per year.
Approximately 95% of respondents visit at least once per year.
3) How do you usually get to Pershing Square? (n=530/540)
a) Walk 52%
b) Metro 26%
c) Car 17%
d) Bike 3%
e) Bus 2%
f) Taxi 0.2%
●
Majority of visitors come by foot or Metro subway stop
4) What time of the day do you usually visit the Square? (n=521/540)
a) Lunchtime 29%
b) Late afternoon/early evening 25%
c) For special events and programs only 18%
d) Evening/nighttime 12%
e) Morning 10%
f) Other 5%
●
●
●
●
Some people who responded with “other” commented that they do not visit, but rather
pass by or through en route to the underground parking, Metro station, or other nearby
destinations.
A few harsh critics emphasized how they visit the Square at no point in the day, saying
“I never visit now as it is so awful” and “I rarely visit the square because of its general
concrete squalor.”
One person, ostensibly a student, gives a more detailed and revealing account of
Pershing’s flexible use patterns: “It depends on what I’m going to do. I usually go around
lunch time to study. I go at any time if I want to relax, read, go for a walk, etc. I also
attend certain events at whatever time I am able to.”
In general, uses shift with time, from one period of the day to another.
5) What do you usually do at Pershing Square? (n=523/540)
a) Walk through 67%
b) Take walk/stroll 38%
c) Attend special events and programs 36%
d) Sit/relax 35%
e) Eat/picnic 21%
f) Socialize/chat with friends 20%
g) People-watch 20%
h) Jog/bike 4%
i) Other 3%
j) Walk/stroll 1%
●
●
●
One respondent says: “I'm with the Los Angeles Conservancy and we run a tour
program that meets at Pershing Square every Saturday and Sunday.”
Another person, ostensibly a UCLA professor, notes: “Host UCLA class on plant
materials, study for class projects.” It seems quite a few responses come from this
interest group of landscape architecture students/academics.
A large percentage of respondents who chose “other” noted that they pass through
“without stopping” or “as fast as possible” to avoid interaction with “the bums and the
urine smell.” One person noted the only reason he/she stops is “to see just how bad
things are.”
6) If you visit Pershing Square for special events and programs,
please tell use which ones. (n=291/540)
●
●
●
Approximately 54% of respondents detailed special events and programs.
Not a whole lot of variation between responses. Primarily farmer’s market, concerts, and
holiday events like the ice rink.
Other events noted were “food truck Fridays,” LA ArtWalk, Shakespeare in the Park, and
community-oriented activities like blood drives, health care screenings, and school
cultural field trips.
7) Who do you usually come to Pershing Square with? (n=520/540)
a) Alone 35%
b) Friends 31%
c) Family/kids 12%
d) Coworkers 11%
e) With my dog 9%
f) Other 2%
●
●
Responses for “other” included “husband,” “spouse,” or “wife.”
Other, more cynical respondents took the opportunity to emphasize that “I never visit.”
8) What 3 words would you use to describe Pershing Square? (n=484/540)
●
●
●
●
Top 3 keywords by frequency of appearance: “Concrete,” “ugly,” “dirty”
Next 3 most frequent: “Central,” “potential,” “uninviting”
“Homeless,” “isolated,” “outdated,” and “downtown” round out the top 10 responses
Issues around maintenance/order overshadow innately good qualities like the Square’s
central location in downtown with an open/airy, albeit kitschy post-modernist design.
9) What 3 words would you use to describe Downtown LA? (n=481/540)
●
●
●
●
Top 3 keywords by frequency of appearance: “Fun,” “exciting,” “vibrant”
Next 3 most frequent: “Diverse,” “growing,” “changing”
“Historic,” “hip,” “walkable,” and “urban” round out the top 10 responses
Downtown’s present and growing sense of dynamism leads to a sense of “hipness”
fueled by walkable, urban, and historic qualities desirable to many in today’s cities.
10) What are your 3 favorite places in Downtown LA (DTLA)? (n=476/540)
●
●
●
Destinations noted frequently included Grand Park, Grand Central Market, Little Tokyo,
Public Library, Union Station, Disney Concert Hall, and the Arts District.
Private institutions like The Perch, Bar Ama, the Biltmore, the Standard, Bottega, and
Angel City Brewery appeared often on the list.
Streets like Winston, Broadway, Spring, Figueroa, 4th, 7th, and 8th came up repeatedly.
●
“My home” was a popular response, suggesting a large residential
interest in the project
11) Which of these can you envision for Pershing Square? (n=523/540)
a) Live performances (ex: The Cannery, SF, CA) 59%
b) Outdoor lounge (ex: Bryant Park, NY, NY) 58%
c) Open lawn (ex: Kunstradgarden, Stockholm) 54%
d) Night market (ex: Piazza Novona, Rome) 54%
e) Culinary pop-up market (ex: Madison Square, NY, NY) 53%
f) Crafts & artisan market (ex: Discovery Green, Houston, TX) 52%
g) Beer garden (ex: Baden, Switzerland) 51%
●
Responses above are ones receiving 51% support or greater
12) Do you have any more ideas on what could help make Pershing Square
extraordinary? (n=403/540)
●
●
●
●
Approximately 75% of respondents gave additional feedback on how to improve
Pershing Square.
A general nod in favor of, as one person put it, “an urban oasis” for those in the
downtown--a place of reprieve.
Common topics arising from the surveys include: opening up the park to the
streets/removing high perimeter walls; reconfiguring the parking garage ramps;
lessening the concrete and urban heat island effect; creating a better dog park; adding
plenty of shade and xeric greenery; reviving elements of the old 1910 Parkinson plan;
programming the space with outdoor film screenings, rotating art exhibitions, and local
musician concerts; adding a permanent restaurant/cafe tenant to activate and guard the
space all day; repainting/rethinking the bell tower; reviving the old park’s fountain; adding
BBQ and picnic space; and creating connections to adjacent destinations like the
Biltmore through design details, bringing in food vendors like Grand Central Market’s
“Eggslut” through repurposing of Pershing’s old yellow building, or the main branch
library through an outdoor reading room.
One person interestingly suggested using the soon-to-be removed trusses of the 6th
Street Bridge as part of a new park sculpture, lit up and incorporated into the water
feature perhaps as a nod to the area’s history.
13) What is your zipcode? (n=499/540)
●
●
Only one zipcode (94115) comes from outside the greater LA metro region)
193 respondents (36%) entered a zipcode in DTLA
14) What is your gender? (n=523/540)
a) Male 61%
b) Female 36%
c) I prefer not to answer 3%
15) What is your age? (n=524/540)
a) 18-34 49%
b) 35-50 32%
c) 51-65 15%
d) I prefer not to answer 2%
e) Over 65 2%
16) What is your ethnicity or race? (n=514/540)
a) White/Caucasian 56%
b) Hispanic or Latino 19%
c) Asian/Pacific Islander 12%
d) I prefer not to answer 8%
e) Black or African American 2%
f) Other 2%
g) Native American or American Indian 1%
17) Did we miss anything? (Local orgs, institutions, events, talent to partner with,
amenities? (n=234/540)
●
●
●
●
Approximately 43% of people added local orgs/partnering opportunities to the list.
Names dropped include: LA County Bike Coalition, LA Walks, Daveed Kapoor, RAC
Design/Build, Joe Linton, Cinespia, Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, LA
Conservancy, SAJE, organizations for people of color in Downtown LA, The Los Angeles
Visionaries Association, Brigham Yen, SCIARC, AEG, UCLA art and arch students,
LAVA, local flea market organizers, SubSystem Events, create:fixate, FIDM, Electric
Dusk Drive, LA Mas, California Native Plant Society, Renegade Craft Fair, TreePeople,
Northeast Trees, Enrich LA, Santa Monica Mountain Conservancy, Arts District groups,
the Last Bookstore, NewFilmmakers LA, LA Forum, James Corner, Downtown Women’s
Center, Los Angeles Homeless Coalition, LAMP, Levitt Pavillions, the Lincoln Center Out
of Doors, LA2050, Septer Hed (artist), Red Bull, Woodbury University, LA Common,
MoCA, Disney Hall, La Plaza de Cultura y Artes, Otis College of Art and Design, LA
Community Action Network, the Perch, Theodore Payne Nursery/Foundation, Chrysalis,
Independent Shakespeare (theatre troupe), LAPL’s ALOUD program, Cal Poly Pomona
Landscape Arch program, Land Art Generator Initiative, BlackList LA, Urban Land
Institute, the Trust for Public Land, Taste of DTLA.
Repeated calls for inclusion of local commerce/business partners, local art, greenery,
hammocks and other amenities lending themselves to a relaxed environment.
A general call for balance between programming and passive space.
18) If you want to stay involved in the process of shaping the future of Pershing
Square, add your email address below. We’ll stay in touch! (n=264/540)
● Approximately 49% of respondents gave their emails for further project updates
1. What's An Ideal Town Square?
A place where you can take a nap, read a book or picnic
A place where you can see a concert or other programmed event
A place where services are provided to the public
A forum where people can gather to protest, rally, hear a speech or march
Total
2. Currently as the space is now, what do you like most about Pershing Square?
Being able to shop at the weekly farmers market
It's a gathering spot to relax and talk to friends
Being able to see a concert
Being able to use the pet area
It provides a space for rallies marches and protests
It's a destination to bring people from out of town
It's a place to participate in an urban garden
Enjoying the public art the park offers
Total
30
10
1
2
43
69.8%
23.3%
2.3%
4.7%
17
17
6
6
5
4
3
29.3%
29.3%
10.3%
10.3%
8.6%
6.9%
5.2%
0.0%
58
3. What type of activity in a town square is least important to you out of these
choices?
Being able to walk a dog
Ensuring that kids can play
A schedule of established concerts, movies and entertainment
Commerce in the park: a café, farmers market, fairs etc.
Total
15
11
11
3
40
37.5%
27.5%
27.5%
7.5%
4. Your idea of relaxation in a park or town square is:
Sharing lunch with others at a table or by a café
Being able to be active, participate in recreational activity
Strolling through the park en route to a destination
Sitting or laying on the grass, enjoying a book or picknicking in the shade
Total
23
9
7
3
42
54.8%
21.4%
16.7%
7.1%
25
61.0%
14
2
34.1%
4.9%
0.0%
5. You want to use Pershing Square as a:
A place that mostly meets the needs of the community that uses it and lives
around it
A pleasant green space that people can enjoy as they pass from one destination
to the next
Destination point, tourist attraction
A place that is the epicenter for speeches, rallies and demonstrations in Los Angeles
Total
41
6. Does your ideal park offer eating options?
Yes
No
Total
32
10
42
76.2%
23.8%
7. What time of day is use of the park most important
Mid-day lunch
Late afternoon/evening
Night (8:00 PM-10:00 PM)
Early morning
Total
18
17
3
1
39
46.2%
43.6%
7.7%
2.6%
APPENDIX C
34
QUALITIES OF
GREAT SQUARES
Piazza del Campo, Siena
Sheldon Cohen Island, Cambridge
THE INNER SQUARE
& THE OUTER SQUARE
REACH OUT
LIKE AN OCTOPUS
Visionary park planner Frederick Law
Olmsted’s idea of the “inner park” and the
“outer park” is just as relevant today as it
was over 100 years ago. The streets and
sidewalks around a square greatly affect its
accessibility and use, as do the buildings that
surround it. Imagine a square fronted on
each side by 15-foot blank walls — that is the
worst-case scenario for the outer square.
Then imagine that same square situated next
to a public library: the library doors open
right onto the square; people sit outside
and read on the steps; maybe the children’s
reading room has an outdoor space right on
the square, or even a bookstore and cafe. An
active, welcoming outer square is essential
to the well-being of the inner square. Active
edge uses
Just as important as the edge of a square is
the way that streets, sidewalks and ground
floors of adjacent buildings lead into it.
Like the tentacles of an octopus extending
into the surrounding neighborhood, the
influence of a good square such as Union
Square in New York starts at least a block
away. Vehicles slow down, walking becomes
more enjoyable, and pedestrian traffic
increases. Elements within the square are
visible from a distance, and the ground floor
activity of buildings entices pedestrians to
move toward the square.
» Active edge uses
» Gateways and entrances
» Focal points inside
Paris, France
Place de la Republique, Lyon
TRAFFIC, TRANSIT
& PEDESTRIAN
ATTRACTIONS &
DESTINATIONS
To be successful, a square needs to be easy
to get to. The best squares are always easily
accessible by foot: Surrounding streets are
narrow; crosswalks are well marked; lights
are timed for pedestrians, not vehicles;
traffic moves slowly; and transit stops are
located nearby. A square surrounded by
lanes of fast-moving traffic will be cut off
from pedestrians and deprived of its most
essential element: people.
Any great square has a variety of smaller
“places” within it to appeal to various people.
These can include outdoor cafés, fountains,
sculpture, or a bandshell for performances.
These attractions don’t need to be big to
make the square a success. In fact, some
of the best civic squares have numerous
small attractions such as a vendor cart or
playground that, when put together, draw
people throughout the day. We often use
the idea of “The Power of 10” to set goals
for destinations within a square. Creating
ten good places, each with ten things to do,
offers a full program for a successful square.
» Connected to adjacent areas
» Range of transportation
options
» Vehicles do not dominate
» Choices of things to do
» Triangulation opportunities
» Clustered activity around
destinations
» 10 + Places
Strøget, Copenhagen
IDENTITY & IMAGE
Historically, squares were the center of
communities, and they traditionally helped
shape the identity of entire cities. Sometimes
a fountain was used to give the square a
strong image: Think of the majestic Trevi
Fountain in Rome or the Swann Fountain
in Philadelphia’s Logan Circle. The image
of many squares was closely tied to the
great civic buildings located nearby, such
as cathedrals, city halls, or libraries. Today,
creating a square that becomes the most
significant place in a city–that gives identity
to whole communities–is a huge challenge,
but meeting this challenge is absolutely
necessary if great civic squares are to return.
» Showcases local assets,
culture & civic identity
» Contextual signage
» Educational opportunities
Pioneer Courthouse Square, Portland
Sønder Boulevard, Copenhagen
FLEXIBILITY IN DESIGN
AMENITIES
The use of a square changes during the
course of the day, week, and year. To respond
to these natural fluctuations, flexibility needs
to be built in. Instead of a permanent stage,
for example, a retractable or temporary
stage could be used. Likewise, it is important
to have on-site storage for movable chairs,
tables, umbrellas, and games so they can be
used at a moment’s notice.
A square should feature amenities that
make it comfortable for people to use. A
bench or waste receptacle in just the right
location can make a big difference in how
people choose to use a place. Lighting
can strengthen a square’s identity while
highlighting specific activities, entrances, or
pathways. Public art can be a great magnet
for children of all ages to come together.
Whether temporary or permanent, a good
amenity will help establish a convivial setting
for social interaction.
» Overlapping and changing uses
» Form supports function
» Experiments with low cost
improvements
» Comfortable places to sit
» Attracts a cross-section of users
» Source of local/regional civic
pride & ownership
Philadelphia Art Museum, Philadelphia
PLACE MANAGEMENT:
CENTRAL TO SOLUTION
The best places are ones that people return to
time and time again. The only way to achieve
this is through a management plan that
understands and promotes ways of keeping
the square safe and lively. For example, a
good manager understands existing and
potential users and gears events to both
types of people. Good managers become so
familiar with the patterns of how people use
the park that waste receptacles get emptied
at just the right time and refreshment stands
are open when people most want them.
Good managers create a feeling of comfort
and safety in a square, fixing and maintaining
it so that people feel assured that someone
is in charge.
Management presence through:
»
»
»
»
Security
Maintenance
Knowledgeable & accessible staff
Ongoing visible improvement efforts
Holiday Market, Bryant Park, New York
SEASONAL STRATEGY
A successful square can’t flourish with just
one design or management strategy. Great
squares such as Bryant Park, the plazas
of Rockefeller Center, and Detroit’s new
Campus Martius change with the seasons.
Skating rinks, outdoor cafés, markets,
horticulture displays, art and sculpture help
adapt our use of the space from one season
to the next.
» Flower Show, Skating Rink,
Fashion Show,
» Christmas Market, Play Equipment,
Cultural Festival, etc.
Paris Plage, Paris
DIVERSE
FUNDING SOURCES
A well-managed square is generally beyond
the scope of the average city parks or public
works department, which is why partnerships
have been established to operate most of
the best squares in the United States. These
partnerships seek to supplement what the
city can provide with funding from diverse
sources, including–but not limited to–
rent from cafés, markets or other small
commercial uses on the site; taxes on
adjacent properties; film shoots; and benefit
fundraisers.
» Public support
» Private sponsorship
» Broad partnerships
APPENDIX D
36
THE RISE OF
INNOVATION
DISTRICTS:
A New Geography Of Innovation In America
Bruce Katz and Julie Wagner
A
S THE UNITED STATES SLOWLY EMERGES FROM THE GREAT RECESSION, A REMARKABLE SHIFT IS OCCURRING IN THE SPATIAL GEOGRAPHY OF INNOVATION.
FOR THE PAST 50 YEARS, THE LANDSCAPE OF INNOVATION HAS BEEN
DOMINATED BY PLACES LIKE SILICON VALLEY—SUBURBAN CORRIDORS OF
SPATIALLY ISOLATED CORPORATE CAMPUSES, ACCESSIBLE ONLY BY CAR,
WITH LITTLE EMPHASIS ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE OR ON INTEGRATING
WORK, HOUSING AND RECREATION.
A new complementary urban model is now emerging, giving rise to
what we and others are calling “innovation districts.” These districts, by our definition, are geographic areas where leading-edge
anchor institutions and companies cluster and connect with startups, business incubators and accelerators.1 They are also physically
compact, transit-accessible, and technically-wired and offer mixeduse housing, office, and retail.
Innovation districts are the manifestation of mega-trends altering
the location preferences of people and firms and, in the process,
re-conceiving the very link between economy shaping, place making and social networking.2 Our most creative institutions, firms
and workers crave proximity so that ideas and knowledge can be
transferred more quickly and seamlessly. Our “open innovation”
economy rewards collaboration, transforming how buildings and
entire districts are designed and spatially arrayed. Our diverse
population demands more and better choices of where to live, work
and play, fueling demand for more walkable neighborhoods where
housing, jobs and amenities intermix.
Led by an eclectic group of institutions and leaders, innovation
districts are emerging in dozens of cities and metropolitan areas in
the United States and abroad and already reflect distinctive typologies and levels of formal planning. Globally, Barcelona, Berlin,
London, Medellin, Montreal, Seoul, Stockholm and Toronto contain
examples of evolving districts. In the United States, districts are
emerging near anchor institutions in the downtowns and midtowns
—
Cover: The geography of Barcelona’s innovation district, highlighted in blue,
is located in the heart of
the city. It has served
as an inspiration for many
innovation districts in the
United States.
Credit: Barcelona City Council.
Area of Economy, Business and
Employment
1
of cities like Atlanta, Baltimore, Buffalo, Cambridge, Cleveland,
Detroit, Houston, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, St. Louis and San Diego.
They are developing in Boston, Brooklyn, Chicago, Portland, Providence, San Francisco and Seattle where underutilized areas (particularly older industrial areas) are being re-imagined and remade.
Still others are taking shape in the transformation of traditional exurban science parks like Research Triangle Park in Raleigh-Durham,
which are scrambling to keep pace with the preference of their
workers and firms for more urbanized,
“The trend is to nurture
vibrant environments.
living, breathing
Innovation districts have the unique potential to spur productive, inclusive and
sterile remote compounds of
sustainable economic development. At
a time of sluggish growth, they provide
research silos.”3
a strong foundation for the creation and
expansion of firms and jobs by helping companies, entrepreneurs,
universities, researchers and investors—across sectors and disciplines—co-invent and co-produce new discoveries for the market. At
a time of rising social inequality, they offer the prospect of expanding employment and educational opportunities for disadvantaged
populations given that many districts are close to low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. And, at a time of inefficient land use,
extensive sprawl and continued environmental degradation, they
present the potential for denser residential and employment patterns, the leveraging of mass transit, and the repopulation of urban
cores.
communities rather than
2
2
WHAT THEY ARE
Innovation districts constitute the ultimate mash up of entrepreneurs and educational institutions, start-ups and schools,
mixed-use development and medical innovations, bike-sharing and
bankable investments—all connected by transit, powered by clean
energy, wired for digital technology, and fueled by caffeine.
Given the vast distinctions in regional economies, the form and
function of innovation districts differ markedly across the United
States. Yet all innovation districts contain economic, physical, and
networking assets. When these three assets combine with a supportive, risk-taking culture they create an innovation ecosystem—
a synergistic relationship between people, firms and place (the
—
Boston’s 1000-acre innovation district along the
South Boston waterfront.
Credit: Boston Redevelopment
Authority
ECONOMIC
ASSETS
PHYSICAL
ASSETS
NETWORKING
ASSETS
INNOVATION
ECOSYSTEM
—
All innovation districts
contain economic, physical,
and networking assets.
3
physical geography of the district) that
facilitates idea generation and accelerates commercialization.
Economic assets are the firms, institutions and organizations that drive,
cultivate or support an innovation-rich
environment. Economic assets can be
separated into three categories:
Innovation drivers are the research and medical institutions, the
large firms, start-ups and entrepreneurs focused on developing cutting-edge technologies, products and services for the market. Due to regional variations in
industry strengths, each district is comprised of a unique mix
of innovation drivers. Tech driven industries most likely to be
found in Innovation Districts include:
—
Robots come to life at
Drexel University in
Philadelphia’s innovation
district.
Credit: Halkin/Mason Photography, courtesy of Drexel
University
• High-value, research-oriented sectors such as applied sciences and the burgeoning “app economy”
• Highly creative fields such as industrial design, graphic arts,
media and architecture and
• Highly specialized, small batch manufacturing
Innovation cultivators are the companies, organizations or
groups that support the growth of individuals, firms and their
ideas. They include incubators, accelerators, proof-of-concept
centers, tech transfer offices, shared working spaces and local
high schools, job training firms and community colleges advancing specific skill sets for the innovation-driven economy.
Neighborhood-building amenities provide important support
services to residents and workers in the district. This ranges
from medical offices to grocery stores, restaurants, coffee
bars, small hotels and local retail (such as bookstores, clothing
stores and sport shops).4
4
Physical assets are the public and
privately-owned spaces—buildings,
open spaces, streets and other infrastructure—designed and organized to
stimulate new and higher levels of connectivity, collaboration and innovation.
Physical assets can also be divided into
three categories:
Physical assets in the public
realm are the spaces accessible to
the public, such as parks, plazas
and streets that become locales
of energy and activity. In innovation districts, public places are
created or re-configured to be
digitally-accessible (with high
speed internet, wireless networks,
computers and digital displays
embedded into spaces) and to encourage networking (where spaces
encourage “people to crash into
one another”).5 Streets can also
be transformed into living labs to
flexibly test new innovations, such
as in street lighting, waste collection, traffic management solutions
and new digital technologies.
Physical assets in the private
realm are privately-owned buildings and spaces that stimulate innovation in new and creative ways.
Office developments are increasingly configured with shared work
and lab spaces and smaller, more
affordable areas for start-ups. A
—
1. Coffee shops (like Detroit’s Great Lakes Coffee) are
now places for entrepreneurs to work and network.
Credit: Marvin Shaouni, originally published in Model D
—
2. The newly constructed District Hall is the hub for
Boston’s Innovation District, facilitating networking and
idea-sharing.
Credit: Gustav Hoiland
5
new form of micro-housing is also
emerging, with smaller private
apartments that have access
to larger public spaces, such as
co-working areas, entertainment
spaces and common eating areas.
Physical assets that knit the
district together and/or tie it
to the broader metropolis are
investments aimed to enhance
relationship-building and connectivity. For some districts, knitting together the physical fabric
requires remaking the campuses
of advanced research institutions
to remove fences, walls and other
barriers and replace them with
connecting elements such as bike
paths, sidewalks, pedestrian-oriented streets and activated public
spaces. Strategies to strengthen
connectivity between the district,
adjoining neighborhoods and
the broader metropolis include
infrastructure investments, such
as broadband, transit and road
improvements.
—
The new M-1 streetcar line will connect the core elements of the Detroit innovation district—the midtown and
downtown.
Credit: Anderson Illustration
Networking assets are the relationships between actors—such as individuals, firms and institutions—that have
the potential to generate, sharpen and
accelerate the advancement of ideas.
Networks fuel innovation because they
strengthen trust and collaboration
within and across companies and in-
6
dustry clusters, provide information for
new discoveries and help firms acquire
resources and enter new markets.
Networks are generally described as
either having strong ties or weak ties.6
Strong ties occur between people
or firms with a working or professional history that have higher
levels of trust, are willing to share
more detailed information, and
are more apt to participate joint
—
To help develop networks, 22@Barcelona organizes many
problem solving. Networking asevents including their monthly networking breakfasts.
sets that build strong ties focus
Credit: Barcelona City Council. Area of Economy, Business and
on strengthening relationships
Employment
within similar fields. These types
of assets include: “tech regulars”
(where “techies” discuss problems
“It’s all about programming:
or advances in their work as a
choreographing ‘spontaneous’
collective), workshops and training sessions for specific fields,
opportunities for smart people to
industry-specific conferences and
interact with each other. This is what
meetings and industry-specific
separates us from traditional science
blogs for local firms and entrepreparks.”7
neurs.
Weak ties occur between people
or firms working within different
contexts or economic clusters
where there is infrequent contact.
Weak ties provide access to new
information, new contacts and
business leads outside of existing networks. Networking assets that build weak ties focus
on building new relationships
7
across sectors. Examples include:
networking breakfasts (where
experts and star innovators offer
new insights in their fields followed by open time to network),
innovation centers, hack-a-thons
across industry clusters such as
life sciences and tech, tech-jam
start-up classes and even the choreographed open spaces between
buildings.
Research indicates that both strong
ties and weak ties are fundamental to
the innovation process and firm success.8
8
3
WHERE THEY ARE
Burgeoning innovation districts can be found in dozens of cities
and metropolitan areas across the United States. These districts
adhere to one of three general models.
The “anchor plus” model, primarily found in the downtowns and
mid-towns of central cities, is where large scale mixed-use development is centered around major anchor institutions and a rich base
of related firms, entrepreneurs and spin-off companies involved in
the commercialization of innovation. “Anchor plus” is best exemplified by Kendall Square in Cambridge (and the explosion of growth
around MIT and other nearby institutions like Mass. General Hospital) and the Cortex district in St. Louis (flanked by Washington
University, Saint Louis University, and Barnes Jewish Hospital).
—
Barcelona’s innovation district, 22@Barcelona, is one
of the earlier models found
globally.
Credit: Barcelona City Council.
Area of Economy, Business and
Employment
The “re-imagined urban areas” model, often found near or along
historic waterfronts, is where industrial or warehouse districts are
undergoing a physical and economic transformation. This change
is powered, in part, by transit access, a historic building stock,
and their proximity to downtowns in high rent cities, which is then
supplemented with advanced research institutions and anchor
companies. This model is best exemplified by the remarkable
regeneration underway in Boston’s South Boston waterfront and
Seattle’s South Lake Union area.
The third model, “urbanized science park,” commonly found in suburban and exurban areas, is where traditionally isolated, sprawling
areas of innovation are urbanizing through increased density and
9
an infusion of new activities (including retail and restaurants) that are
mixed as opposed to separated. North
Carolina’s Research Triangle Park,
perhaps the 20th century’s most iconic
research and development campus, is
the strongest validation of this model.
In November, 2012, RTP unveiled a new
50-year master plan that calls for a
greater concentration of buildings and
amenities, including the creation of a
vibrant central district, the addition of
up to 1,400 multi-family housing units,
retail and the possible construction of
a light rail transit line to connect the
park with the larger Raleigh-Durham
region.9
THE THREE TYPES OF INNOVATION DISTRICTS
Their location varies within a
metropolis
ANCHOR PLUS
MODEL
URBANIZED
SCIENCE PARK
The urbanized science park model
tends to located
in suburban and
even exurban areas
The anchor plus
model tends to be
located in the
downtowns and midtowns of central
cities.
RE-IMAGINED
URBAN AREA
The reimagined
urban areas model
tends to be located in older industrial areas, often
along waterfronts
near downtowns
10
4
HOW TO GROW
Practitioners in leading edge innovation districts offer five pieces
of advice:
First, build a collaborative leadership network, a collection of
leaders from key institutions, firms and sectors who regularly and
formally cooperate on the design, delivery, marketing and governance of the district. In advanced innovation districts in Barcelona,
Eindhoven, St Louis and Stockholm, leaders found the Triple Helix
model of governance to be fundamental to their success.10 The
Triple Helix consists of structured interactions between industry,
research universities, and government.
Second, set a vision for growth by
providing actionable guidance for how
an innovation district should grow and
develop in the short-, medium- and
long-term along economic, physical
and social dimensions. Most practitioners cite the importance of developing a vision to leverage their unique
strengths—distinct economic clusters,
leading local and regional institutions
and companies, physical location and
design advantages and other cultural
attributes.
—
One of Stockholm’s innovation districts, Stockholm
Life, is implementing a
bold plan, which includes
extending the district over
a major highway.
Credit: WSP
—
Charting a course for this
district’s future growth:
the Cortex Master Plan in
St. Louis.
Credit: Ayers Saint Gross
11
Third, pursue talent and technology
given that educated and skilled workers
and sophisticated infrastructure and
systems are the twin drivers of innovation. Pursuing talent requires attraction,
retention and growth strategies; integrating technology requires a commitment to top notch fiber optics (and, in
some places, specialized laboratory
facilities) to create a high quality platform for innovative firms.
Fourth, promote inclusive growth by
using the innovation district as a platform to regenerate adjoining
distressed neighborhoods as well as creating educational, employment and other opportunities for low-income residents of the city.
Strategies in places as disparate as Barcelona, Detroit and Philadelphia have particularly focused on equipping workers with the
skills they need to participate in the innovation economy or other
secondary and tertiary jobs generated by innovative growth.
—
22@Barcelona developed
several programs to connect area children with
work and workers inside the
district.
Credit: Barcelona City Council. Area of Economy, Business
and Employment
Finally, enhance access to capital to support basic science and
applied research; the commercialization of innovation; entrepreneurial start-ups and expansion (including business incubators and
accelerators); urban residential, industrial and commercial real
estate (including new collaborative spaces); place-based infrastructure (e.g., energy, utilities, broadband, and transportation);
education and training facilities; and intermediaries to steward the
innovation ecosystem. Districts in Cambridge, Detroit and St. Louis
have successfully re-deployed local capital to meet these needs.
12
5
THE PATH
FORWARD
The potential for the growth of innovation districts in the United
States is exceptionally strong.
Virtually every major city in the United States has an “anchor plus”
play given the confluence of a vibrant central business district, a
strong midtown area and transit connecting the two.
“Innovation districts embody
the very essence of cities:
an aggregation of talented,
driven people, assembled
in close quarters, who
exchange ideas and knowledge
in a ‘dynamic process of
Many cities and older suburban communities are also making progress on
“re-imagining urban areas,” repositioning underutilized sections of their
community through investments in
infrastructure (or infrastructure removal), brownfield remediation, waterfront
reclamation and transit-oriented development.
—
Shared and private wet
lab spaces in the Kendall
Square innovation district
help drive life science innovation at reduced cost.
Credit: LabCentral, Inc.
innovation, imitation, and
Lastly, a handful of “urbanized science
parks” (and their adjacent suburban
communities) are clustering development, encouraging density and creating spaces to allow individuals
and firms to network openly.
improvement.’”11
The rise of innovation districts aligns with the disruptive dynamics
of our era and represents a clear path forward for cities and metropolitan areas. Local decision makers—elected officials and heads of
large and small companies, local universities, philanthropies, com-
13
munity colleges, neighborhood councils and business chambers—
would be wise to unleash them. Global companies and financial
institutions would be smart to embrace them. States and federal
government should support and accelerate them. The result: a step
toward building a stronger, more sustainable and more inclusive
economy in the early decades of this young century. !
Acknowledgments
We extend our gratitude to the following innovation district leaders and practitioners for teaching and advising us throughout the writing process. We realize
the extent to which you have become integral to this project: Josep Pique and
Isabel Ponti (Barcelona); Nicole Fichera and Mitchell Weiss (Boston); Margaret
O’Toole, Tim Rowe and Sam Seidel (Cambridge); Dave Egner, Benjy Kennedy, Pam
Lewis, Sue Mosey, Rip Rapson and Laura Trudeau (Detroit); Linco Nieuwenhuyzen,
Jasmijn Rompa and Bert-Jan Woertman (Eindhoven); Bill McKeon (Houston); Dennis Lower and Donn Rubin (St. Louis); John Fry and Lucy Kerman (Philadelphia);
Kofi Bonner and Roberta Achtenberg (San Francisco); Ada Healey (Seattle); and
Thomas Andersson and Ylva Williams (Stockholm).
We owe a special thank you to Jennifer Vey for her broad and grounded contribution to the overall direction of the Metro Program’s innovation district work over
the past year and invaluable help on the individual innovation district profiles.
Thank you to Alex Jones for his superb mapping and research talent; David Jackson for his excellent editing; Alec Friedhoff, Dan Essrow, and Han Nguyen for their
impressive work on the native web product, and Jody Franklin for teaching us the
meaning of “native web product” and helping to guide many aspects of this multilayered work.
For their insightful reflections and continuous prodding, we extend our deepest
thanks to Andy Altman, Dennis Frenchman, Theresa Lynch, and Thomas Osha.
For their helpful comments on early drafts of the paper, we thank Alan Berube,
Jennifer Bradley, Chris Leinberger, Amy Liu, Mark Muro, and Rob Puentes.
On behalf of the entire Metropolitan Policy Program, we also thank Vicki Sant,
Comcast, the Kresge Foundation, Lennar Urban, the Rockefeller Foundation, the
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, and the New Economy Initiative of Southeast
Michigan for their support of our innovation districts work. Finally, we thank the
Metropolitan Leadership Council, a network of individual, corporate, and philanthropic investors that provide the Metro Program with financial support and true
intellectual partnership.
14
CAMBRIDGE: KENDALL SQUARE
Anchor Plus Model
Red Line to Harvard University
WHITEHEAD INSTITUTE
FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH
AKAMAI TECHNOLOGIES INC
BROAD INSTITUTE
NOVARTIS INSTITUTES
FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH
GENOMICS
COLLABORATIVE
ACCELERON
YAHOO!
CAMBRIDGE INNOVATION CENTER
Facebook | Apple | Highland Capital | Charles River
Ventures
AMAZON
LAB | CENTRAL KOCH CENTER FOR GOOGLE CAMBRIDGE
INTEGRATIVE
MICROSOFT
CANCER
RESEARCH
MIT MEDIA LAB
Red Line to Boston
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE
OF TECHNOLOGY
CHARLES RIVER
PFIZER RESEARCH
TECHNOLOGY CENTER
Anchored by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and connected by transit to Harvard, Mass
General and other research and medical institutions,
Cambridge’s Kendall Square is today’s iconic innovation district.
Since its founding in 1861, MIT has emphasized university/industry partnerships and the commercialization of ideas. Starting in the 1950s, the university has
actively deployed university-owned land to support
this goal. In the last two decades, this strategy has
helped catalyze growth of a nationally significant life
sciences/pharmaceutical cluster. It has also spurred
the development of hundreds of small firms and attracted several major technology companies.
1/4 mile
The Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC), founded in
1999 and housed in an MIT-owned building, is a good
example of the interplay between the university and
private sector. An independent organization, CIC has
helped develop the modern concept of co-working
while encouraging entrepreneurs and start-ups in its
high quality environment. Firms at CIC have attracted billions of dollars of seed funding and later-stage
investment.
Making Kendall Square a dynamic residential district
with associated amenities is now a focus in Cambridge. Since 2005 nearly 1,000 new housing units
have been built in the area, as well as many new
restaurants and retail outlets.
15
PHILADELPHIA: UNIVERSITY CITY
Anchor Plus Model
Market-Frankford Trolley
to West Philadelphia
UNIVERSITY CITY
SCIENCE CENTER
PENN ALEXANDER
SCHOOL
FIRST ROUND
CAPITAL
DREXEL UNIVERSITY
30TH STREET STATION
Market-Frankford Trolley
to Center City
UNIVERSITY OF
PENNSYLVANIA
WISTAR INSTITUTE
ER
IV
VA HOSPITAL
I
LK
UY
CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
OF PHILADELPHIA
R
LL
H
SC
UNIVERSITY OF THE SCIENCES
1/4 mile
UPENN INNOVATION
AND RESEARCH PARK
(PLANNED)
Home to the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel
University, University of the Sciences and Children’s
Hospital of Philadelphia, University City is leveraging its assets in teaching, research, and medicine to
become a hub of innovation and entrepreneurship.
The University City Science Center is a driving force
behind this evolution. Founded in 1963 as the nation’s first urban research park, today it comprises 31
member institutions throughout Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, and Delaware. Penn Medicine is anchoring
the newest UCSC building, and Drexel has opened
its ExCITe Center and (in partnership with UCSC) a
tech incubator in the area. Both are part of Drexel’s
Innovation Neighborhood project, which extends to
30th Street Station. All told, UCSC’s 17-acre campus houses 2.5 million square feet of office and lab
space, with business incubation, networking opportunities, and support services for a cluster of emerging
and established companies in life sciences, nanotechnology, IT and other sectors.
University City’s leaders are actively engaging with
nearby neighborhoods. Drexel helped win a federal
“Promise Zone” designation to revitalize Mantua, just
north of the area. Penn and Drexel have also championed public education: Penn built and helps operate
a nearby pre K-8 school, and Drexel is exploring a
similar endeavor.
16
ST. LOUIS: CORTEX
Anchor Plus Model
METROLINK
to Washington
University
WASHINGTON
UNIVERSITY
MEDICAL SCHOOL
CAMPUS
GOLDFARB SCHOOL
OF NURSING
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
GENOME DATA CENTER
CORTEX I
FOREST
PARK
ST. LOUIS COLLEGE
OF PHARMACY
BIOGENERATOR
ACCELERATOR LAB
TECHSHOP ST. LOUIS
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
GENOMICS INSTITUTE
BJC HEALTHCARE
HOSPITAL CAMPUS
SOLAE/DUPONT
FDA
SHRINER’S HOSPITAL
CENTER FOR EMERGING
TECHNOLOGIES
ST. LOUIS UNIVERSITY
BIOGENERATOR
@4240
CAMBRIDGE INNOVATION CENTER
FUTURE CORTEX METRO
STATION (2016)
BJC
HEALTHCARE
COFACTOR GENOMICS
METROLINK
to Downtown St. Louis
1/4 mile
The Cortex Innovation Community (Cortex) aims to
make the core of St. Louis a platform for commercialization and entrepreneurship and “a lively setting
for work, play and living.”
Cortex was formed in 2002 by a consortium of anchor institutions, which pooled local institutional and
philanthropic funds with state tax credits and city resources. The goal is to transform a 200-acre corridor
between St. Louis University, Washington University
Medical School, and Barnes Jewish Hospital into a
vibrant urban community and a center of research
and enterprise, building on the city’s base of worldrenowned plant and life sciences research.
Several pieces of the strategy are already taking
shape. Cortex is aggressively working to build a
cluster of innovation centers to attract investment
and stimulate entrepreneurial growth. The founding
of the BioGenerator (a sophisticated accelerator) has
helped close the funding gaps challenging dozens of
local startups.
The Cortex West Redevelopment Corporation, the
city-designated master developer of the area, has
also sparked 1.5 million square feet of office and
research space, housing, infrastructure, and retail,
leveraging $500 million in public, private, and civic
capital and creating 2,850 direct jobs to date; over
10,000 jobs are projected upon completion of the $2
billion buildout.
17
DETROIT: DOWNTOWN, MIDTOWN
Anchor Plus Model
HENRY FORD HOSPITAL &
INNOVATION INSTITUTE
TAUBMAN CENTER FOR DESIGN EDUCATION
TECHTOWN
COLLEGE FOR CREATIVE
STUDIES
WAYNE STATE
DETROIT MEDICAL
CENTER
FORD FIELD &
COMERICA PARK
COMPUWARE BUILDING
GUARDIAN BUILDING
DETROIT
INTERNATIONAL
RIVERFRONT
OI
TR
M@DISON BUILDING
BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD
DE
DTE ENERGY
T
RI
VE
R
M1 RAIL LINE
1/4 mile
After decades of well-documented economic decline
and population loss, Detroit intends to build on the
assets of its Downtown and Midtown core by designating the area as an innovation district.
3.1 percent of the city’s land area—yet it has nearly 55
percent of the city’s jobs, and 11 percent of its business establishments. The soon-to-be built M-1 streetcar line will both serve and boost this activity.
Current market momentum in the area reflects years
of investment by dozens of public, private, and philanthropic organizations. Corporate relocations—most
notably the headquarters of Quicken Loans—have
fueled a downtown renaissance, sparking the growth
and attraction of IT and other firms as well as the expansion of housing and retail. Midtown’s resurgence
can largely be attributed to anchor-driven expansions and focused efforts to restore the urban fabric.
Today, the entire 4.3 square mile area comprises just
The Detroit Innovation District (DID) is officially
designated by the city, supported by the state, and
governed by stakeholders from anchor institutions,
the private and civic sectors. The District represents
Detroit’s best potential to grow population and jobs
in a way that both stimulates innovation and brings
real value to residents and neighborhoods.
18
SEATTLE: SOUTH LAKE UNION
Re-Imagined Urban Area
LAKE UNION
BATTELLE SEATTLE RESEARCH CENTER
MUSEUM OF
HISTORY AND INDUSTRY
FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER
RESEARCH CENTER
ALLEN INSTITUTE FOR
BRAIN SCIENCE
UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON
RESEARCH CAMPUS
NOVO NORDISK
INSTITUTE FOR
SYSTEMS BIOLOGY
GATES FOUNDATION
SPACE NEEDLE
AMAZON
SEATTLE BIOMEDICAL
RESEARCH INSTITUTE
PATH
The rapid revitalization of South Lake Union
(“SLU”)—from a run-down, low-rise warehouse
district a mere decade ago to a vibrant, mixed-use
engine of housing, transit and global technology and
life science firms today—stands out as one of the
most dramatic urban transformations in the United
States.
The transformation has been spearheaded by Vulcan
Real Estate, a company owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. In the aftermath of a failed referendum
to approve a public park, Vulcan began to assemble
distressed properties in the area. In the early 2000’s,
it persuaded the University of Washington to locate
its medical and bioscience campus in SLU. UW and
NORTHEASTERN
UNIVERSITY
SEATTLE
1/4 mile
Streetcar to
Downtown Seattle
the existing Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center fueled the growth of health care and life science
firms. In the late 2000s, Amazon decided to locate
its global headquarters in SLU, accelerating growth
in not only housing and retail but also entrepreneurial businesses.
The growth of SLU has been marked by a close public/private partnership—including key public investments to build transit, fix congestion, and enhance
energy—as well as extensive engagement of local
neighborhoods and residents. Growth has been iterative and incremental and built on trust and collaboration.
19
BOSTON: INNOVATION DISTRICT
Re-Imagined Urban Area
Red Line to Downtown Boston,
Cambridge, Harvard University
BOSTON LOGAN
AIRPORT
ONE MARINA PARK
VERTEX
PHARMACEUTICALS
INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART
DISTRICT HALL
BLADE
ZIPCAR HQ
WEWORK
+ GENERAL ASSEMBLY
BOSTON INNER HARBOR
FACTORY 63
SEAPORT WORLD
TRADE CENTER
FRAUNHOFER CSE
BOSTON CONVENTION
AND EXHIBITION CENTER
BLUE HILLS BANK
PAVILION
HQ BOSTON
MASSCHALLENGE
BOSTON DESIGN CENTER
DRYDOCK SHARED LABS
1/4 mile
Red Line to UMass Boston,
Quincy, Dorchester
In 2010, former Boston Mayor Tom Menino outlined a
bold vision for a Boston Innovation District, arguing,
“There has never been a better time for innovation
to occur in urban settings ….”
Reconnected to the city with the “Big Dig” and Boston Harbor Cleanup projects, Boston’s once-isolated
Seaport is transforming into a hub of innovation
and entrepreneurship. While lacking a world-class
research engine or an established cluster of firms,
a powerful regional knowledge base combined with
good infrastructure provided a strong foundation for
growth. Since designation, more than 200 technology, life science and other companies have moved
into the District, adding over 6,000 jobs.
Several unique assets have helped to create what
is now a dynamic, collaborative environment. MassChallenge, the world’s largest startup accelerator,
provides shared office space and no-strings attached
grant financing to startup firms from around the
globe. District Hall is the world’s first public innovation building, providing civic gathering space for the
innovation community. And Factory 63 is an experiment in “innovation” housing, offering both private
micro apartments and public areas for working,
socializing, and events.
Success has wrought growing concerns about affordability. Private investment is expected to add thousands of housing units over the next few years.
20
RALEIGH-DURHAM: RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK
Urbanized Science Parkv
RTI INTERNATIONAL
GRIFOLS
SYNGENTA
RESEARCH TRIANGLE
FOUNDATION
SIGMA XI
PARK CENTER
PROGRESS CENTER
BD TECHNOLOGIES
BASF
FIDELITY INVESTMENTS
Recognizing that the 20th century model of suburban science parks demands an update, Research
Triangle Park (RTP) leaders are working to urbanize
portions of the 7,000 acre park and its environs.
Hailed as a center of innovation since the late 1960s,
by the mid-2000s RTP stakeholders became concerned that the park’s sprawling structure and closed
research environment could hinder its long term
success. In response, in 2012 the RTP foundation
released a new 50-year master plan for physically
remaking the area, with the purpose of both enticing
workers to live nearby, and keeping and attracting
firms that want to benefit from the “random collisions” that density and open innovation offer. “Many
1/4 mile
of today’s knowledge workers expect amenities and
opportunities to connect and share ideas in a socially
dynamic setting,” the plan observes. “The independent campuses at RTP, mostly hidden behind trees,
do not reflect this trend.”
Build-out of the urbanization plan will begin with
Park Center, a nearly 100 acre site at the heart of
RTP that will be redeveloped to include high-density
residential and mixed-use buildings. RTP is also advocating for a new commuter rail system that would
connect the park to the downtowns of Raleigh and
Durham.
21
Endnotes
1. Anchor institutions are research universities and research-oriented medical
hospitals with extensive R&D.
2. Select excerpts come from the recent book, The Metropolitan Revolution,
co-authored by Bruce Katz and Jennifer Bradley.
3. Pete Engardio, “Research Parks for the Knowledge Economy,” Bloomberg
Businessweek, June 1, 2009.
4. See Christopher Leinberger and Mariela Alfonzo, “Walk this Way: The Economic Promise of Walkable Places in Metropolitan Washington DC” (Washington: Brookings Institution, 2012).
5. Michael Jaroff, Dennis Frenchman, Francisca Rojas, “New Century City
Developments Creating Extraordinary Value” (Cambridge: Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, 2009).
6. Mark Granovetter, “The Strength of Weak Ties,” American Journal of Sociology 78 (6)(1973): 1360-1380.
7. Dennis Lower, President and CEO, Cortex
8. Tom Elfring and Willem Hulsink, “Networks in Entrepreneurship: the Case of
High-technology Firms,” Small Business Economics 21 (2003): 409-422.
9. Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina, “Research Triangle Park:
Master Plan” (2011).
10. Professor Etzkowitz, “Innovation in Innovation: The Triple Helix of University-Industry-Government Relations,” Social Science Information: 3 (2003):
293-337.
11. Peter Hall, Cities in Civilization: Culture, Innovation, and Urban Order (London: Phoenix Giant, 1999).
22
About the Authors
Bruce Katz is a vice president at the
Brookings Institution and founding director
of its Metropolitan Policy Program.
Julie Wagner is a nonresident senior fellow with the program.
For More Information
Alex Jones
Policy/Research Assistant
Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program
acjones@brookings.edu
About the Metropolitan Policy Program
at Brookings
Created in 1996, the Brookings Institution’s
Metropolitan Policy Program provides decision makers with cutting-edge research
and policy ideas for improving the health
and prosperity of cities and metropolitan
areas including their component cities,
suburbs, and rural areas. To learn more
visit: www.brookings.edu/metro
23