Proposal for Grand Army Plaza

Images via Streetsblog

I love going to Prospect Park but contending with Grand Army Plaza on the way there is enough to keep me away. There's a great discussion on Streetsblog about recent proposals that are meant to improve the pedestrian and bike experience. The proposal is an improvement on the current experience - there are more stable islands where pedestrians can wait and those holding areas are going to be prettified, but it is also fairly clear that cars continue to have priority in this public space. The improvements seem to be concentrated on what happens to circulation once you enter the vehicular area, and doesn't show the experience from the approach.

Regardless of the many nays, I hope some improvements will be made in the short-term. Still, I can't wait for the day when Grand Army Plaza is conceived as the spectacular entrance to Prospect Park, instead of a roundabout to connect the streets.

via Streetsblog

Recycling for the public

The City just announced a public space recycling program. Though I thought at first this meant that we were recycling old tire swings from playgrounds into surfacing, what it really means is that recycling receptacles will be put in public spaces so you can get rid of the newspaper you just finished on the train, or that plastic bottle you just drank out of.

It's about time!

It's still in an experiment mode, but I hope it gets through this stage quickly and rolled out. Recycling bins should be as ubiquitous as trash cans.

You'll find the recycling bins at:
* Bronx: Poe Park
* Brooklyn: Columbus Park
* Manhattan: Union Square Park & Whitehall Ferry Terminal
* Queens: Hoffman Park
* Staten Island: Tappen Park, Cloves Lake Park, St. George Ferry Terminal

The new taxi design

This has been all over the media, so for those who are anxiously following the story, you can watch the exhibit being built with the Design Trust photo journal, Day zero and Day One.

And don't miss Deborah Marton's conversation on WNYC. Here's the Design Trust's info on the exhibit.

Update on those London Toilets

via bubblejam.net

Update

and another article on the loos in London.
Bloomberg

A new public space for Dumbo

Will Dumbo get a new public space in the middle of one of its streets?

The triangle seems to have gotten a whiff of inspiration from the Gansvoort proposal, though there isn't a big blank structure from a bridge there.



There are many intersections like these around New York, and sometimes it does seem that the City has given up making them useful for people and instead turning them over to cars. Now that there's greater community-based interest in reclaiming these space, the challenge is how to make the triangles provide for people without making them all feel the same.

Ending "endless sitting"

I don't know if banning sitting is ever really the answer; that's what Berkeley, CA is thinking about doing.

LBC public market

When you think about Long Beach, CA, you don't think public spaces. But here are some shots of the very popular farmers market held every Sunday in the Alamitos Bay Marina's parking lot. Adjacent is a little flea market.






It's a shame that the easiest way to get there is by car. Judging by how crowded the market was on Sunday, the demand is there.