In San Francisco, the Pavement to Parks
program has launched an initiative that may someday alter the way many
dense U.S. cities decide to treat the streets of their commercial
strips.
Taking the PARK(ing) Day concept to a more permanent, logical level, the Parklets
Program has begun experimenting with trial spaces allowing businesses
to convert parking spaces into outdoor public spaces and cafes. The
first was installed in March outside the Mojo Bicycle Café
on Divisdero Street where two parking spaces were reallocated to
people-space; now cafe tables & chairs, benches, bike parking, and
plants sit over a raised platform over the asphalt. If all goes well
thru the evaluation period, the idea is to eventually turn the process
into a regular permitting process that business groups and communities
can apply for. It looks good: owners of Mojo say business is up 30%
and they have had to hire more staff.
The Pavement to Parks program has already transformed a number of
community spaces in the Castro, Showplace Triangle and Guerrero Park.
We briefly look at those at well in this video.
