Placemaking

By: J. David Chapman/February 2, 2017

Placemaking is a multifaceted approach to planning, design, and management of public places. It capitalizes on local communities’ assets, inspirations, creativity, heritage, and potential with the intention of creating public spaces that promote health, happiness and well-being.

Sounds like the answer to an essay question on an exam in one of my real estate courses, but those of us passionate about improving and succeeding in the built environment must pay attention to, and invest in, placemaking. I propose the definition is changing and placemaking no longer just applies to public places, but has become the responsibility of and opportunity in privately owned places.

Driving through downtown Edmond, I saw a camera crew on the corner of Hurd and Broadway. The crew was filming a new episode of Discover Oklahoma.

Sitting on the northwest corner of Hurd and Broadway is a unique concept that Katie and Melissa Morgan call KatieBugs. The mother-and-daughter teams sell their gourmet, organic, shaved-ice products in the summer and hot chocolate and marshmallows in the winter months.

This classical setting is right out of a Norman Rockwell print. Overhead lights strung from poles canvass the lot where customers sit at colorful vintage tables while children play games on grass mats, while partaking of the amazing ice and chocolate products. Customers walk up to windows cut into a 1950s vintage trailer. The lot is surrounded by a white fence, which produces boundary and sense of place. No one would have predicted the city of Edmond would allow a trailer to be placed on maybe one of the most prominent and expensive corners in the downtown area.

The city leaders took a chance and allowed this temporary-use and private example of placemaking and have reaped the benefits with as many as 100 new patrons an evening in the summer and 50 in the winter months visiting this unique downtown venue. Not only have they collected sales tax on the sold products, but more importantly, a sense of place was created where neighbors congregate enjoying their community.

Kudos to Katie and Melissa for creating KatieBugs, the city of Edmond for allowing this creative use, the citizens of Edmond for allowing it in “their backyard,” and Discover Oklahoma for showcasing our positive efforts for Oklahomans.

J. David Chapman is an associate professor of finance and real estate at the University of Central Oklahoma (jchapman7@uco.edu).