Food Vendors Invited Onto Vacant Lots

With few other options for stalled construction sites, real estate companies have begun inviting food vendors to set up shop on the sites, often for free, and often to both parties' benefit.

1 minute read

December 23, 2011, 10:00 AM PST

By Judy Chang


"A sign outside Riverpark Farm, at the eastern end of 29th Street, informs passers-by that it is on the future site of the second tower at the Alexandria Center for Life Science, 'where construction was temporarily suspended due to the unprecedented worldwide financial crisis of recent years.'

The farm, which provides most of the produce for Tom Colicchio's restaurant Riverpark, has put its 6,000 plants under plastic tents to survive the winter. Warm-weather plants like okra and tomatoes have been replaced with hardier ones like carrots. The plants are grown in stacked milk crates, which will be moved elsewhere on Alexandria's campus when construction finally begins, but there are no plans to move them anytime soon."

Thursday, December 22, 2011 in The New York Times

portrait of professional woman

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. Mary G., Urban Planner

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.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 11, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of Shirley Chisholm Village four-story housing development with person biking in front.

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning

SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

June 8, 2025 - Fast Company

Yellow single-seat Japanese electric vehicle drivign down road.

The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs

The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.

June 6, 2025 - PC Magazine

People riding bicycles on separated bike trail.

With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike

For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.

45 minutes ago - UNM News

Bird's eye view of half-circle suburban street with large homes.

In More Metros Than You’d Think, Suburbs are Now More Expensive Than the City

If you're moving to the burbs to save on square footage, data shows you should think again.

2 hours ago - Investopedia

Color-coded map of labor & delivery departments and losses in United States.

The States Losing Rural Delivery Rooms at an Alarming Pace

In some states, as few as 9% of rural hospitals still deliver babies. As a result, rising pre-term births, no adequate pre-term care and "harrowing" close calls are a growing reality.

June 15 - Maine Morning Star