Make the street a living room. That's the aim of California landscape architect Steve Rasmussen-Cancian, who sees the simple act of building and placing benches, planters, and other street furniture as a way to build stronger communities... and, according to this article, prevent the displacement of low-income people that often accompanies gentrification.
We're fans of domesticating public space: all neighborhoods should have the option of a casual chat with a neighbor.
Well in NYC most any attempt to provide a public space, benches, etc. unless constantly "policed" or gated seems to end up being occupied by homeless vagrants and/or drug dealers along with graphitti and piles of garbage. Drug dealers don't need a vacant lot. There are many nice neighborhoods with low-income people, but high or low-incom unless someone chases off the low-lifes these public spaces become an eyesore. I don't think that "gentrification" has much to do with it.
view jimkk's profile
this idea is very much in the spirit of Jane Jacobs- eyes on the street.
view michael d bailey's profile
Living in Atlanta as I do...I second jimkk's comments. The city here tried this approach about the time of the '96 Olympics.
In the past 11 years these installations have become permanant homeless homes, the art installations have been defaced, and generally have become eyesores not much better than the blight they replaced...
You need to treat the root cause of homelessness (mental illness usually), not put lipstick on the pig...
view hdtex's profile