THE GROUND FLOOR WINDOW INTO WHAT’S AILING DOWNTOWNS

Traditional retail was struggling even before the pandemic with the rise of e-commerce. “Cities need to see the street level as less a place of transaction, and more one of interaction. And perhaps the people interacting aren’t buying anything at all.” [NYT]

THREE DISTRICTS FOR STATE STREET?

Old Town, the Civic District and the Arts District: The idea is each of the three districts will have “a unique sense of place, look and feel, and site layout,” with “at least one plaza/gathering area in each district.” [Siteline]

OUTDOOR COVID SPACES NOW PERMANENT IN PARIS

Paris has long been renowned for its bustling cafe culture, with 13,000 open-air terraces occupying sidewalks and squares in the years before the pandemic. But thousands of additional outdoor spaces bloomed under an emergency program set up to relieve businesses during Covid lockdowns. They are now permanent. [NYT]