Neighborhood Preservation: A conversation on third spaces, libraries, and open streets

NPC Newsletter July 10, 2025

From AI to investment in third spaces: A moderated conversation with Shamichael Hallman and John Surico on community engagement and neighborhood preservation

We were so pleased to have Shamichael Hallman, Director of Civic Health and Economic Opportunity at the Urban Libraries Council, and John Surico, Senior Fellow for Climate and Opportunity at the Center for an Urban Future, join us for our Lunch & Learn program on June 18. We spoke about how libraries and open streets serve as fundamental neighborhood institutions, where residents of all walks of life are welcome and able to participate in activities that connect them to each other.

In the urban sphere, the idea of connection to community is fostered first with family, then in the places we work and then, in “third spaces.”

Third spaces anchor our sense of community identity; they are places that we visit regularly without specific purpose because we look forward to being there, enjoying the company that we find in these neighborhood institutions.

NYC Open Streets program is managed by the Department of Transportation. Through this program, streets are transformed into public spaces open to all, allowing for a variety of activities including education and cultural programming. And, of course, community building!

Third Space interactions take place in a variety of places.

o   Pubs, bars and coffee shops are places where people meet, engage with those around them, fostering a sense of belonging.

o   Libraries are free and welcome visitors from all walks of life, fostering literacy, offering broad cultural and educational programs, and, of course, access to books, data and information, and foster democratic values.

o   Municipal parks offer space for natural interactions on playgrounds, walking and bike paths, dog runs, chess tables, and sports activities

o   Open Street programs, such as that in New York City, are other spaces where residents are working to create spaces that all can have access to.  

Modern challenges.

o   The price of beer and policies that cap length of stay reduce the impact of some venues as community anchors and third spaces. 

o   The fractured nature of sports broadcast services has so dramatically impacted the ability of many small businesses to purchase the multiple streaming options required to follow favorite local teams, and patrons have stopped frequently these locals. ($4,785, That's how much it costs to be a sports fan now, NYTIMES)

o   iPhone and social media have reduced our abilities to interact face-to-face. While enabling a wider connection to the world, these technologies have supported keeping people isolated.

Balancing intentional actions to foster third spaces.

o   Libraries are revisiting where they locate; serving as anchors to traditional mall spaces is a way to meet the community in places they go to and, in serving to bring life to faltering mall spaces.

o   Libraries as incubator spaces for individuals to gain new skills and for entrepreneurs to find affordable space to develop business models. 

o   Outdoor library spaces are equally important in welcoming the public through planned programming and for supporting community gatherings. (i.e. in Memphis, residents would bring viewing equipment and gather to watch their favorite sports team in the library park.)

o   In the design of open streets and open plazas, we see continued attention to reducing traffic and thereby creating calmer and more safe streets for residents and introduction of greenery to provide an element of greenspace.

o   In neighborhood with little access to urban parks, open streets provide safe gathering places for family activities and neighborhood events – building stronger ties to the place where one resides.

o   Open streets have grown as identifiable institutions where residents can find connection in emergencies.

Other opportunities to support robust third spaces? Sports? AI?

o   Youth sports is an area of high participation, a place where instant connection is made with other families. This connection is tied to the nature of the relationship rather than any particular physical space, thus shifting the model of vibrant community connections to one based on associations (hiking club, book club, youth sports teams, etc.) rather than specific place.

o   The ability to harness data through AI can help us build safer streets more quickly and therefore, safer, more pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods. AI might be used to simplify bureaucratic procedures thereby making civic engagement more proactive rather than reactive.

o   And, of course, investment in third spaces is crucial. For open streets, government support lowers the barrier tor community participation - less wealthy neighborhoods have fewer resources to invest in volunteer efforts, green spaces and furnishings. We also see examples of business adopting models that incorporate public meeting spaces.

Reexamining where and how residents form connections to the places they live will continue to be important as we strive to build (and rebuild) livable neighborhoods.

Resources

· Reimagining the Civic Commons - A collaboration of national foundations and local civic leaders working to reimagine public spaces in ways that benefit communities.

· Project for Public Spaces - A placemaking approach to help communities transform their public spaces into vital places that highlight local assets, spur rejuvenation, and serve common needs.

· NYC DOT Open Streets - Transforms streets into public space open to all. These transformations allow for a range of activities that promote economic development, support schools, facilitate pedestrian and bike mobility, and provide new ways for New Yorkers to enjoy cultural programming and build community.

· NYC DOT Pedestrian Plazas - NYC DOT partners with community organizations to create plazas and prioritizes neighborhoods that lack open space. Reclaimed streets are transformed into vibrant, social public spaces for all to enjoy, enhancing safety, walkability, and access to public transit while supporting community, commerce, and culture.

· Urban Libraries Council - Urban libraries are a critical resource for transforming lives and strengthening communities. ULC is dedicated to strengthening and advancing the essential role of public libraries as dynamic, accessible places for opportunity, learning, and innovation.

· Design Trust for Public Space - an incubator that transforms and evolves New York City's landscape through collaboration with city agencies and communities. 

· Center for Creative Land Recycling - dedicated to transforming communities through land reuse and brownfield redevelopment.

Have a question or idea about your neighborhood preservation project?

Share your thoughts, suggestions, or resources by emailing us at:

info@nycnpc.org

NPC Newsletter Contributors

L. Danielle Cylich: NPC Board Chair, Danielle is always ready to share enthusiasm about the rich history and beauty found in the built environment and the people who inhabit our neighborhoods, and in protecting our natural resources.

The Neighborhood Preservation Center is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing and enabling conversations about the need for community space - both physical and virtual - in order to improve the urban environment and quality of life.

We work to facilitate mutually beneficial connections between like-minded groups in the livable cities sector, share resources and champion neighborhoods.