Training

The next How to Turn a Place Around training course will be held on September 25-26, 2008. Registration is now open - click here to register or contact Craig Raphael at craphael@pps.org or Sandy Pan at span@pps.org. You may also call them at (212) 620-5660.

THE PLACE

PPS President Fred Kent (center) leads a tour of Midtown Manhattan's famed small urban spacesThis course puts us in the heart of Greenwich Village, a thriving historic neighborhood that's evolved enormously in recent years. It provides ample examples of mixed-use buildings, residences and offices, historic brownstones next to new developments, on varying scales. We'll visit Union Square Park, Rockefeller Center and Bryant Park, among other public spaces.

We will spend two days exploring the principles of making places through walking tours, presentations, case studies, PPS's Place Performance Evaluation Game, and the examination of two distinct neighborhoods. We will focus our observations and Placemaking techniques on Greenwich Village and Midtown.

THE WORKSHOP

Participants discuss their evaluations of Union Square ParkThis workshop is designed for professionals and non-professionals alike who help plan towns and cities -- from highway engineers and real estate developers to community garden advocates and housing specialists. Based on PPS's 30 years of experience in placemaking, and inspired by our popular book, How to Turn a Place Around, the course shows participants our unique approach to revitalization.

Enrollment is limited to 35 participants, in order to promote a close-knit environment that fosters a deep understanding of what makes public spaces function and of PPS's innovative methods for analyzing them. During the course, participants work in small teams to observe and analyze places in Greenwich Village that illustrate pertinent issues, give insights and encourage participants to see the sites from a user's point of view.

Specific topics will include:

  • Introduction to Placemaking, PPS’ approach to community based planning
  • Components of a great public space
  • Tools and techniques to evaluate and design Places
  • Development of  a work plan of immediate, short-term, and long-term actions to improve a site
  • Engagement of your community
  • Discussion of current projects and case studies

FACILITATORS

Fred Kent, PPS President and Founder who has led workshops across the globe on Placemaking and the revitalization of city spaces;

Kathy Madden, PPS Senior Vice President and environmental designer who has directed research, design and training projects worldwide; and

PPS senior staff, who will give specialized presentations throughout the workshop.  

The next How to Turn a Place Around training course will be held
September 25-26, 2008

REGISTRATION

Registration for the course is now open. Click here to register.

Prices are as follows:

Groups of three or more are eligible for a discount rate. Prices are per person: $450 for individuals and non-profits, $550 for government agencies and for-profit companies. To receive the discount rate, please call Craig Raphael at 212-620-5660.
  • $550 for non-profits and individuals
  • $650 for government agencies and private companies

Enrollment in training courses now includes a PPS membership!  You can view all the benefits of being a PPS member here.

Three merit-based scholarships are available. To download the application, please click here. Please return your application to craphael@pps.org by August 10th.

FOOD

Light breakfast on Thursday and Friday, lunch on Thursday and Friday, and the Thursday evening cocktail reception are covered by the registration fee.

ACCOMMODATION

Here are some of our favorite places to stay in New York. They are close to the course site and the walking tours. Book early as spaces tend to fill up quickly during this time of year!  If you find that these hotels are all booked up during your stay in New York, you can search for additional hotels online by clicking here. The most convenient neighborhoods to search in are: the Village, the Lower East Side, Soho, Flatiron/Union Square/Gramercy and Chelsea.

WASHINGTON SQUARE HOTEL
103 Waverly Place
Phone: (212) 777-9515
Recently renovated, this little gem of a hotel offers a great location a few blocks from PPS's office and right on Washington Square Park.

UNION SQUARE INN
209 East 14th Street
Phone: (212) 614-0500
A small, reasonably priced, European-style hotel close (1/2 mile walk) to the PPS office and the Union Square Greenmarket. "Affordable and very clean."

MURRAY HILL INN
143 E. 30th Street
Phone: (212) 683-6900
A small budget "no frills" hotel about 1.5 miles (and a quick subway ride) north of the PPS office. Rooms are very small - but the rates are low. "Very clean and excellent location (but no elevator)."

HOTEL 17
225 E. 17th Street
Phone: (212) 475 2845
A highly recommended budget hotel close to Union Square, the East Village, and Grammercy Park

HOTEL CHANDLER
12 East 31st Street
Phone: (212) 889 6363
A boutique hotel that is a top recommendation by past participants

OFF SOHO SUITES
11 Rivington Street
Within US:  1.800.OFF.SOHO (1.800.633.7646)
Outside US: +1.212.979.9808
An affordable alternative to hotels, you can rent suites for 2-4 people in the heart of the eclectic Lower East Side or East Village neighborhoods

AMSTERDAM HOSPITALITY HOTELS
Five modern though plain hotels, perfect in terms of balance of aesthetic and budget. Rooms for under $200 per night. The hotels are The Ameritania, Amsterdam Court, Bentley, The Marcel and The Moderne (The Marcel is the closest to our office).

BED AND BREAKFASTS
For those who prefer bed and breakfasts, this site lists New York's ten best as rated by Hotel-Guides.us. Soho Bevy's comes with high recommendations.

WHAT TO BRING

Dress code is casual throughout the course. Bring comfortable walking shoes and a raincoat and umbrella for site visits. Even if it rains, we like to stick to our existing schedule for the walking tour and site visits.

DIRECTIONS

Airport travel information can be found at these links. Any of these airports are suitable, though if you're into transit systems, both JFK and Newark have Airtrains that link the airport to train stations. Cabs might be the quickest way, but will run you $40-50. There are also a variety of shuttle buses available.
From LaGuardia Airport
From Newark Airport
From John F Kennedy International Airport
Map of New York City Subway

BIOS

Once you register for the course please send us a short bio of yourself and your organization. Please see sample bio below.

Rich Miller
Director, City of Rome, NY, Dept of Parks and Recreation
Rich is the director of Parks, Recreation and Community Activities for the City of Rome, New York. The City of Rome, located in upstate New York about halfway between Albany and Syracuse, has 20 parks, 11 playgrounds, and one civic arena in its inventory. He is very interested in the role civic spaces play in community revitalization and in the development of trail systems. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from Syracuse University. He and his lovely wife, Nancy, have two sons and two cocker spaniels. All remain avid New York Knicks fans in spite of the past few years.

QUESTIONS?

If you have any questions, please email Sandy Pan at span@pps.org and Craig Raphael at craphael@pps.org. You may also call them at (212) 620-5660.

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