Creative Ways to Activate Roofless Buildings and Vacant Lots

Pocket parks aren’t the only way to repurpose underused urban spaces.

1 minute read

September 17, 2024, 6:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Man and woman watch waterfall in Paley Pocket Park in Manhattan, New York City. Park is filled with white tables and chairs.

Paley Pocket Park in Manhattan, New York. | Linda Harms / Adobe Stock

When a building roof collapses, whether from age and neglect, a natural disaster, or other causes, buildings and lots often sit vacant and underused for years.

In a piece for Strong Towns, Becky McCray highlights various ways that cities and groups can repurpose roofless buildings.

Most commonly, cities install pocket parks in these locations, but McCray points out that these often go underused. “Try cheap and temporary setups to see what people in your town will actually use. This is important because I’ve seen a lot of pocket parks in small towns, but I’ve very, very, very rarely seen a person actually using one, and I’ve never seen a group or a crowd enjoying a pocket park.”

McCray’s suggestions include adding ample seating and picnic tables to parklets to encourage family and group outings and making the space more inviting with amenities such as public restrooms, games, and art.

For McCray, the key to activating vacant spaces is providing comfort, amenities, activities — or ideally a combination of the above that encourages people to come, stay, and interact.

Vacant lots can bring in revenue, too: “Rent the space to a nearby eatery for outdoor seating during the nice-weather season,” McCray suggests, or offer it for use by farmers’ markets, artisans, and special events.

Friday, September 13, 2024 in Strong Towns

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I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

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