Creative Placemaking in Lower Manhattan’s Financial District

The Downtown Alliance needed to animate a series of underutilized privately owned public spaces along Water Street, a heavily trafficked corridor, to inspire a work/play neighborhood that extended stay time, drove commercial activity, and appealed to a range of employees in Lower Manhattan. We implemented design research to develop and execute public programming and a neighborhood branding strategy for an ongoing summer programming series that activated open space and promoted new forms of social interaction.

Context

How can you shift perceptions of Water Street from a lackluster business corridor to series of connected spaces that stimulates new activities and social interactions?  The Downtown Alliance BID needed to improve connectivity of a series of underutilized privately-owned public spaces (POPS), promote commercial activity in the area, and extend employee and resident stay time around the Water Street Corridor.

Approach

Our team developed a summer programming series and district brand to activate space and transform the corridor into a social destination to cultivate new forms of social engagement and attract new businesses into the area. We used design research, behavioral mapping, interviews,and participant observations to understand current use of open space and perceptions of the area. By mapping a series of local assets and uncovering people’s beliefs systems and cultural affiliations with the area, we developed a responsive brand identity and executed ongoing public programming.  

Outcome

Our work turned nine underutilized open spaces into active community spaces. We drove participation by using gaming techniques and a wayfinding system that blended physical branding with digital technology to guide people to activated sites. The creation and launching of the corridor branding helped market ongoing summer programming series. In addition to this brand, we develiverd a digital platform to aggregate events and market Game On! Campaign throughout NYC. Our client survey reported 100% exclusively positive response to brand and programing (398 respondents), and the client desired to extend programming for future years. Program engaged desired demographics (77% worked on Water St.; 48% work in TAMI industries- technology, advertising, media and information sectors). Programming is ongoing and has been extended for five consecutive years.