The Atlantic's Eric Jaffe centers on James Corner's latest work in Cleveland's Public Square, and goes to describe his other well-known projects, including the High Line, and transformations of public parks and urban spaces throughout the country.
"Few people have done more in recent years to breathe life into America’s dead or dying public spaces," writes Jaffe. "Best known for designing the High Line in New York, Corner has been called a landscape 'rock star' and mentioned as a modern successor to Frederick Law Olmsted, the visionary behind Central Park."
Credit: Inhabitat.com
Corner, who hails from just outside industrial Manchester, England, moved to the United States in the 1980s to study urban design at the University of Pennsylvania. As a prime example of his work, many cite not the High Line but Freshkills Park, an ongoing 2,200-acre landfill transformation on Staten Island that began in 2003 and is celebrated for turning a true wasteland into a place that will be not only safe but also attractive to visitors.
Jaffe points to "Santa Monica, San Francisco, Seattle, Brooklyn, Memphis, and Chicago (as) just some of the places that have turned to his practice, James Corner Field Operations, to revive their urban parks." Add redesigning Minneapolis' Nicollet Mall to the list, though Planetizen noted at least one critic of his design for the downtown pedestrian and transit mall.
"City planners are increasingly realizing that investment in public spaces, many neglected for decades, can provide a competitive edge in luring new businesses and residents—especially young creative types—to the urban core," writes Jaffe. Nowhere is that more true than the HIgh LIne - one of the reasons other cities want to replicate its success. Cleveland is no exception, notwithstanding its recent revitalization and downtown population growth.
Public Square “has been our front yard for over a century,” Ann Zoller, the head of land Studio, a local design partner working with Corner’s firm, says. “We really felt that if you had all this development but you still had a dysfunctional Public Square, the city was never going to thrive as it could.”
Jaffe goes on to describe Corner's plans for the historic Public Square that acts as transit hub as well as projects in other cities. "Construction started this spring on Corner’s final design, which is estimated to cost $32 million," he adds.
Planetizen readers may be more familiar with Jaffe's articles that appear in The Atlantic's sister publication, CityLab, that are regularly posted in Planetizen.
FULL STORY: Reclaiming the Public Square

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

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

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

Rebuilding Smarter: How LA County Is Guiding Fire-Ravaged Communities Toward Resilience
Los Angeles County is leading a coordinated effort to help fire-impacted communities rebuild with resilience by providing recovery resources, promoting fire-wise design, and aligning reconstruction with broader sustainability and climate goals.

When Borders Blur: Regional Collaboration in Action
As regional challenges outgrow city boundaries, “When Borders Blur” explores how cross-jurisdictional collaboration can drive smarter, more resilient urban planning, sharing real-world lessons from thriving partnerships across North America.

Philadelphia Is Expanding its Network of Roundabouts
Roundabouts are widely shown to decrease traffic speed, reduce congestion, and improve efficiency.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Ada County Highway District
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service