Connecting people, places, and local economies.
Led by Stephen (Steve) Davies, Co-Founder of Project for Public Spaces (PPS), Place Solutions Group helps communities reach their full potential through placemaking -- connecting local places, people, products, skills, and talent. At the heart and soul of our work are public markets, but we strive to go further -- to build dynamic places where local enterprises of all kinds can thrive and communities can celebrate their diversity and uniqueness.
Squares are the Hearts of Communities, Markets Their Soul: How Cities Put Them Together and Thrive
Articles
Markets are inextricably connected to the social and economic life of cities in virtually every culture around the world. We treasure a great market full of people enjoying the numerous pleasures of being there, and we've found that there is a science to understanding how these markets act as engines for local economies and hubs of social activity. READ MORE
Corona Plaza: How Street Vendors Created the Soul of a Queens Neighborhood
When Seeds Turn to Forests: Reflecting on 40 Years of Placemaking
Time will tell what the future holds for placemaking. We were just finding our way in those early days, but we knew we were onto something good, and we were deeply proud to carry on Holly Whyte’s work. In many ways, what we started out doing many years ago has grown so far and wide that it’s almost impossible to keep up. That’s a very good sign. READ MORE
Flint Farmers Market: A Market Designed Around Public Spaces and Social Life
The importance of this project is not that...positive impacts are happening in the troubled city of Flint but that they are happening intentionally because of one place in Flint. This investment is a gift to the city that keeps on giving, demonstrating placemaking's power to transform economies, community health, and everyday lives. READ MORE
In the summer of 2023, the City of New York shut down nearly 80 street vendors selling on Corona Plaza in Queens because they were operating without permits. This is not an unusual story for street vendors in the city, who are frequently treated as common criminals for trying to make a livelihood in a public space. Also, it was no surprise that the energy dissipated quickly on the plaza after the vendors were evicted.What is unusual is that the vendors are back – legally. READ MORE
"Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody."
Jane Jacobs