Behind New York City’s POPS stars

How did New York City create its almost 600 Privately-Owned Public Spaces (POPS)? Edith Hsu-Chen, Executive Director, New York City Department of Planning says it is about close public-private partnerships and constantly fine tuning regulations or even pioneering new ones to cater for unique and interesting public spaces.

Writer: Serene Tng

Interview with Edith Hsu-Chen when she was in Singapore © Urban Redevelopment Authority Singapore

You have shared that “every world class Central Business District (CBD) needs a world class public realm”. Why is it so important to invest heavily in enhancing our public realm?

Edith: The Central Business District in East Midtown has an incredible history with many banking, law, finance and real estate companies located here, including Fortune 500 companies. But over time, it started to lose its appeal not just to people coming to work here or are passing through but to corporations as well because it was too focused on offices. Beyond just coming to the offices to work, outside of these, it felt dead and quiet. There was not enough engaging street life and public spaces. It did not appeal to a wider diversity of the larger population beyond the CBD workers.

Times Square, New York City © NYC Department of Transportation

For world-class CBDs to function well, it is no longer enough to just cater for quality office buildings, investing heavily in the public realm has become critical. A city is ultimately for everyone. For New York City, where there is so much diversity and dynamism, the real action is on our sidewalks, our streets, our public spaces, parks and school playgrounds and even in public spaces within private properties. It is where we are meeting and interacting with people.

What does a good public space look like to you?

Edith: A good public space is one that's inviting and cater for a diversity of people, not just for one generation or one gender. Whether you are using public spaces to rest, eat, read, or meet with friends and family, you should feel safe. The space should also be highly visible and accessible.

1095 Sixth Avenue, New York, NY © NYC Department of City Planning

Over the years, we've been refining our regulations to enhance the design of public spaces, for them to have more porous openings and better sight lines and visibility, removing blocked areas so that you can see and enjoy the entire public space thoroughly.

New York City has almost 600 privately owned public spaces. How does the city government work with the private sector to create such an impressive number of public spaces?

Edith: We have been prioritising the creation of public spaces in private properties since the 1960s. Our initial focus was for public spaces to provide relief especially in denser areas. But over time, we saw that public spaces were important not just for mitigating density but can also help to make the city more welcoming, inviting and inclusive.

In the beginning, the focus was just to provide a simple public space on the ground floor of the building so that people can walk through it. Over time, we refined our regulations to include finer elements such as indoor covered pedestrian spaces, seating and landscaping etc. We have also expanded our public space programme to ensure that provision of such spaces is not just in high-density areas.

Broadway at West 26th Street, made pedestrian-friendly through “Broadway Vision” redesign project © NYC Department of Transportation

We see the provision of public spaces in private properties as the ultimate public-private partnership. The government cannot pay for everything. So, what we did was we pioneered and wrote our regulations to mandate and encourage the private sector to deliver public amenities with the right incentives. For example, if developers provide a plaza or an open space in their properties’ ground floor, they will get six or 10 square feet (0.56 or 0.93 square metres) of extra floor area per one square foot of public space. For different kinds of public spaces provided like an arcade or a covered pedestrian space, the extra floor area will differ.

In coming up with the right incentives for the private sector, we must find the right balance of incentives that are necessary and sufficient and are not just a giveaway to the private sector. The incentives have to be generous enough for the private sector to find it viable to provide public spaces in their properties and they too have to do their own analysis to assess if this can work for them.

After so many years, how is the private sector embracing the provision of public spaces in private properties?

Edith: When I started working in the city planning sector 25 years ago, there was more resistance from private property owners to provide public spaces even if they could get additional bonus floor area as they will still need to maintain the public space over time.

It has taken decades to create an expansive array of public spaces throughout the city. Given the momentum that we have built over the years, there is now a strong desire in the private sector for their developments to be an integral part of the cityscape and public realm.

It is exciting to now see developers wanting to deliver the next coolest and best public space. We also have private property owners come to us wanting to explore new public space ideas. People are realising that designing a building to be a part of the public realm will not only enhance the prestige of the building and the company, but it is also good for the city and people too.

As a planner, what have you learnt in encouraging and shaping public space provisions?

Edith: What is most critical is that we need to continuously keep learning, calibrating and adjusting our regulations and amenities’ needs as we go along to ensure that we are delivering what people need today and in the future.

It is also important to bear in mind that all public spaces are different. While there are similar traits in many of our public spaces, there are no two identical spaces. Every property is different. Every location is different. One space may need more circulation while another space may need more seating.

As planners, when drafting the regulations and guidelines, we should not just cater for the lowest common denominator. We need to cater for and allow for outliers, for each public space to be unique and interesting.

"As planners, when drafting the regulations and guidelines, we should not just cater for the lowest common denominator. We need to cater for and allow for outliers, for each public space to be unique and interesting." — Edith Hsu

What is one public space in New York City that you find most memorable?

Edith: I continue to find the High Line very memorable. It is a great example of successful public-private partnership which remains today even in its maintenance and programming.

The Highline, New York, NY © Brittany Petronella for NYC Tourism

What many may not know is for the preservation of the High Line as a public amenity to be viable, we had to create a new transfer district spanning the entire length of the High Line. If your property is right next to the High Line, you can enjoy the transfer of development rights from the High Line. Property owners benefit from this in supporting their new construction projects. They get to build taller buildings along it. This ensures that there is lesser loss of development potential for their properties.

As a result of investing in such a public amenity, within a few years of the High Line opening, billions of dollars were invested in real estate and the West Chelsea corridor, enhancing the entire neighbourhood. The High Line was a wonderful experiment and project for the city because it defied a lot of rules. A lot of people said an elevated public space won't work. Many said no one wants to be 30 feet above the ground and walking so close to apartments. You can look inside someone's apartment. It’s a bit strange, but it's quite wonderful.

Since New York City was awarded the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize Laureate in 2012, what has been one major shift you have observed?

Edith: One of the biggest shifts has been a stronger and deeper focus on enhancing our public realm. People are expecting more from the public realm and enhancements are also being delivered. Our public realm has improved significantly in the past decade.

Illustrative site plan of Fresh Kills Park, Staten Island, NY. The largest park developed in New York City in over a century, Fresh Kills is transforming of what was once the world’s largest landfill into a sustainable, publicly-accessible park. © Fresh Kills Park Alliance

The 9/11 event was also a pivotal moment where many felt that the city was taken away from them and destroyed in a way. It created enduring values and a fighting spirit where it motivates us to want to be part of rebuilding the city in coming out even stronger, making sure that we show that New York City is for everyone. This means investing heavily in our public realm.

Edith Hsu-Chen is the Executive Director of the New York City Department of City Planning. In partnership with the Chair of the City Planning Commission, Executive Director Hsu-Chen is responsible for setting and implementing the City’s planning and development agenda, promoting inclusive and equitable growth throughout the five boroughs. One of her current priorities is to deliver on the administration’s “City of Yes” planning initiative. This three-part modernisation of the zoning code will help New York City achieve carbon neutrality, expand economic opportunities, and provide housing for all. Between 2008 and 2022, she served as the planning director for the borough of Manhattan. Throughout her career, she has implemented a multitude of plans focused on improving neighborhoods as great places to live, work and play, and modernising New York’s business districts to enhance their competitive edge.