Washington D.C.
May 2024 - Nov 2024
Ensuring street vendors have a right to the public realm by removing barriers to participation and creating wraparound support for micro-enterprises
Neighborhood commercial districts like Columbia Heights and Mount Pleasant are a bright spot in a city challenged with a dramatically different post-pandemic public life profile and retail landscape. Although both neighborhoods have benefitted from high foot traffic and residential density, the public realm isn’t yet reflecting or supporting the culture, commerce, and community it hosts.
As part of a multi-disciplinary team led by Gehl, Think Place Agency served as retail and economic
development expert, bringing insights into small and minority businesses — what they need to thrive and how they support broader business ecologies. Our research, stakeholder engagement, and public realm strategy input focused on developing the right design and policy to incorporate vendors into the streetscape in an intentional way.
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