Summer 2019

The 2015 design plan for the Jacksonville Landing showed a two-level public plaza. The lower level would have steps taking people down closer to the St. Johns River.
ber before outstanding lease agreements
are resolved with the sub-tenants that
remain at the Landing. So, there’s time for
the public to append some new ideas to
previous thoughts on what comes next.
Calls have been made to replace the
Landing with an equally iconic structure. It
sounds exciting. A park? Kinda boring.
It doesn’t have to be.
“I think a park in connection with
other things to do Downtown is the way
to go,” said Elena Madison, vice president
at Project for Public Spaces. “Especially if
you think of your public destinations as a
network, instead of individual islands.”
So, how do planners separate the good
from the great when it comes to urban
parks?
engagE people
Ask yourself, Madison said, are people
there or not? You don’t simply want a
grassy contemplative place where you can
be on the water. That kind of park has a
different function, one more appropriate
for a residential neighborhood than the
heart of Downtown.
Urban parks are multiuse destinations,
with event lawns, public plazas, dining
spots and retail kiosks. They engage people
with playgrounds, climbable art and
touchable water features.
Downtown Detroit activated an underused
lawn by transforming it into a seasonal
beach, with a large sand-filled area,
lounge chairs, a deck, and a beach bar and
grille. In the winter, the space turns into an
ice skating rink.
Harvard University activated its campus
public spaces with outdoor seating,
URBAN DESIGN ASSOCIATES (2)
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J MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019