The Placemaking Round-Up
A biweekly newsletter with public space news, resources, and opportunities.
The Biweekly Bazaar
A curated dispatch on all things public markets plus the latest announcements from the Market Cities Program.
A biweekly newsletter with public space news, resources, and opportunities.
A curated dispatch on all things public markets plus the latest announcements from the Market Cities Program.
NEWS RELEASE
April 20, 2025 – New York, NY, Detroit, MI, Atlanta, GA. Project for Public Spaces announced today that it has selected three nonprofits to receive Community Placemaking Grants: Streets as Places & Destinations Stations to transform outdoor public spaces that will improve street safety and mobility. The three nonprofits are Open Plans for redesigning Clarkson Street in New York, NY, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation for developing a mobility hub at the Joy-Alpine Trailhead along the Joe Louis Greenway in Detroit, MI, and Atlanta Downtown for enhancing mobility at Garnett Station Plaza in Atlanta, GA. Thanks to support from General Motors, each organization will receive $100,000 each in direct funding, as well as planning, implementation, and capacity building assistance from Project for Public Spaces.
Launched in fall of 2021, Project for Public Spaces’ Community Placemaking Grants enable US-based nonprofits and government agencies to address inequality of access by working directly with local stakeholders to transform public spaces or co-create new ones. This cohort of grantees, which includes the 20th project since the program’s inception, was awarded for project goals that align with one of two outlined initiatives of focus. One initiative, “Streets as Places,” will improve traffic safety while enhancing the role of streets as the most accessible public spaces across the U.S. and the other initiative, “Destination Stations,” will improve user experience and raise awareness of micro-mobility options, EV charging, and public transit at mobility hubs through public space amenities and programming.
The selection criteria required applicants to engage community groups, participate in an open-ended visioning process, demonstrate the ability to deliver the project on time and on budget, and form strong partnerships with relevant organizations and public agencies. The placemaking projects funded through this grant program will take a “lighter, quicker, cheaper” approach, which emphasizes high-impact, low-cost improvements that contribute to long-term community goals.
“We welcome our Community Placemaking Grantees and applaud their dedication to creating lively streets and vibrant public spaces that are safe, accessible, and enjoyable for everyone. We are excited to work together to bring out the full potential of each space and can’t wait to see the positive and lasting impact they will have on their communities.”
— Elena Madison, Project for Public Spaces’ Director of Projects
Here is more about each project:
Project for Public Spaces announced today that it has selected three nonprofits to receive Community Placemaking Grants: Streets as Places & Destinations Stations to transform outdoor public spaces that will improve street safety and mobility. The three nonprofits are Open Plans for redesigning Clarkson Street in New York, NY, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation for developing a mobility hub along the Joe Louis Greenway in Detroit, MI, and Atlanta Downtown for enhancing mobility at Garnett Station in Atlanta, GA. Thanks to support from General Motors, each organization will receive $100,000 each in direct funding, as well as planning, implementation, and capacity building assistance from Project for Public Spaces.
A building on Clarkson Street in Manhattan, New York, is home to two diverse, specialized schools without a gym: City-As-School MS 560 and M721, a District 75 school. Without traffic calming measures or adequate pedestrian space, Clarkson Street is hectic, congested with cars during peak hours, and dangerous, with drivers using it as a cut-through to the nearby Holland Tunnel. The Community Placemaking Grant awarded to Open Plans will expand upon Clarkson Street’s success in NYC Department of Transportation’s Open Streets for Schools program, by improving the design of the street for a more lasting, engaging, and safe space for programming and usage by students and neighbors.
"We are thrilled to continue our work with City-As-School and to partner with Project for Public Spaces to help the school realize a calmer and more student-centered Clarkson Street. Open Plans originally helped City-As-School secure an Open Street in early 2024 to allow students the space they deserve to come together as a community, navigate car traffic safely, and to allow them to move and play!” said Sabina Sethi Unni, Schools Planner at Open Plans. “With this partnership and funding, we are eager to support the school by making permanent infrastructure improvements that allow for a safer street and reduce the burden on administrators."
The Joe Louis Greenway is a 29-mile trail system connecting 23 Detroit neighborhoods that provides bike, pedestrian, and recreational access to local residents. While the Joy-Alpine Trailhead is a popular point for greenway access, the space does not yet host active community programming, a strong desire voiced by legacy residents. Through our engagement and visioning process, Project for Public Spaces will develop a mobility hub with new amenities and programming in partnership with grant recipient, Detroit Economic Growth Association (DEGC), and DEGC’s partners, the City of Detroit, Joe Louis Greenway Partnership, and resident-led neighborhood-based organizations.
“This grant from Project for Public Spaces is what we needed to turn the Joy-Alpine Trailhead into a space that works for our community. Our residents have been clear about wanting more than just a starting point. They want a place that brings people together and makes getting around easier,” said DEGC President and CEO Kevin Johnson. “Thanks to Project for Public Spaces and General Motors, we can build this wonderful community asset for Detroiters to use and enjoy. We’re ready to collaborate closely with our partners and create a mobility hub that belongs to the people who live here.”
Located in the heart of Atlanta’s South Downtown, Garnett Station Plaza connects nearby neighborhoods, major civic institutions, and cultural landmarks, and serves as a major transportation hub for Atlanta’s public transportation system, MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority), and Greyhound stations. This project, in partnership with grantee Atlanta Downtown, MARTA Artbound, and the Atlanta City Studio, a program of Department of City Planning, will transform the plaza’s large concrete space into a welcoming, engaging environment designed to promote community connection and encourage more enjoyable use of the public realm.
"Collaborating alongside MARTA and the City of Atlanta, this important project will build upon already planned improvements to transform Garnett Station from an everyday train station into a recognizable landmark and civic asset,” said Alex Frankcombe, Atlanta Downtown’s Director of Art & Activation. “It will be a vibrant, welcoming public place that anchors South Downtown and enhances the experience for Atlanta commuters, residents, and visitors."
Starting in April, Project for Public Spaces’ Placemaking team will work with grantees to organize visioning sessions with their respective communities, before conceptualizing an activation plan, designing, construction, and programmatic implementation take place. Projects are expected to be completed by May 2026.
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About Project for Public Spaces
Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025, Project for Public Spaces has spent the past five decades bringing some of the most successful public places in the world to life. Today, it remains committed to putting community participation at the center of everything it does, from placemaking partnerships with corporations and foundations to workshops, trainings, conferences, on-the-ground design and planning services, and more. The interdisciplinary team has helped over 3,500 communities in 52 countries create inclusive places that change society for the better. Project for Public Spaces is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Learn more at PPS.org.
CONTACT
Anne Tan-Detchkov
Director of Communications & Marketing
Project for Public Spaces
atan@pps.org
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