Parklets

[maxbaby]

Interesting.
http://www.journalmpls.com/news/news/tu ... o-parklets

[TommyT]

I just did a google search for them and some are actually really neat little spaces! I approve of this idea.

[PhilmerPhil]

Parklets, pedestrian plazas, bollard bump outs, planter protected bike lanes, painted intersections: Bring on the cheap, easy, and immediately implementable improvements!

[MSPtoMKE]

Here's one I came across in the Mission District in San Francisco:

Pocket Patio by MSPdude, on Flickr

Not getting a lot of use at that time, but I assume if there were tables and chairs, they would be used.

[MNdible]

I've seen these before in a number of locations, and in my observations they tend to work great as privately funded, maintained, and used (e.g., sidewalk cafe seating). They don't work great as any sort of public space, because nobody's really paying enough attention to them.

[FISHMANPET]

I saw some in Vancouver, but it was raining when i was there and nobody wanted to sit on a bench when it was raining.

[seanrichardryan]

I just built something like a parklet tonight, in the City Center courtyard, where one ought to have been all along. Come down and enjoy it until Mother's Day.

[John]

Here's one I came across in the Mission District in San Francisco:

Pocket Patio by MSPdude, on Flickr

Not getting a lot of use at that time, but I assume if there were tables and chairs, they would be used.

There are tons of these in San Francisco. Love them!

[nordeast homer]

I like the idea, but the one above looks kinda tacky to me.

[Anondson]

So there is even a thing called Park(ing) Day. A day once every year to take the space of on street metered parking and make it a parklet http://parkingday.org/

Hopkins is going to install one for a few days for Park(ing) Day.
http://www.thinkhopkins.com/hopkins-parklet.html

[grant1simons2]

The new one in from of Spyhouse on Nicollet

[TommyT]

Okay. I LOVE these things, but I might be a tiny bit disappointed if they are all the same. I think what's so cool about other one's around the country are that they are all unique and different. I hope they hold competitions to design these things, I mean we have a hella local artist scene here so why not?

[skyrab]

I just built something like a parklet tonight, in the City Center courtyard, where one ought to have been all along. Come down and enjoy it until Mother's Day.

Very cool seanrichardryan! Can you comment on the kind of bureaucracy (if any) did you have to muddle through to bring it to fruition? Such a great concept, just wondering about ordinary citizens setting them up with regard to city compliance/liability issues etc.

[grant1simons2]

I think what we need to keep in mind is that this is the pilot program these just to see how well they'd work in the city. If they end up working well then that would be a good time to get artists involved, and if the city doesn't do it themselves then we should tell the city.

[MNdible]

As I suggested earlier in the thread, the city's involvement in this should be limited to just permitting. Everything else should be done by private users who are going to take the lead on designing, using, programming, and maintaining these. There's really no good reason for the city to get involved.

All the city needs to do is assess if there are any safety reasons why a particular location wouldn't work and charge a fee commensurate with the value of the public right of way that is being used (probably should vary by location). The fee could cover the cost of occasional inspections, and any surplus could go to improve the streetscapes in commercial areas.

[Minneapolisite]

Why start this in September, though? June-August would have made more sense.

[grant1simons2]

Fall is an amazing season for reading outside and drinking tea

[Minneapolisite]

Regardless, no one is sitting in the parklet in front of Spyhouse. I'm a wimp, I chose to stay inside, but I was already hanging outside at Porch Fest. If only they also had a bluegrass band playing next to it, I'm sure people would be taking a seat. Parklets + cool weather = underutilized parklets. Parklets + cool weather + street performers = utilized parklets.

[grant1simons2]

Well I'm sitting at in now. Some people might not know you can yet. Its been there for a day

[Minneapolisite]

If I didn't see it, it didn't happen. And why would anyone think they can't sit in those chairs? Like they're going to start to sit down and some random people are going to come out and grab them and say they're only for looking, not for sitting? I liked the guy in the smart car trying to squeeze between the little space between the parklet and motorcycle, especially because he had a good deal more room than he thought he did.