Tucson’s First Parklet
A parklet is a way to transform a piece of asphalt into welcoming public space. We’re ready for them in Tucson!
What is a parklet?
Parklets are a cost-effective urban intervention being utilized in cities throughout the United States including San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles, to name a few. A parklet is created when an under-utilized public space (usually an on-street parking space) is turned into a non-permanent “pocket park”. Local materials are used to create planters, seating, shade, and other elements that enhance the space, making it a public place for gathering, recreating, and relaxing.
Parklets in other cities have proven to increase property values and drive up revenues for nearby businesses. Because they are in the public right-of-way, anyone can use them, but an adjacent business or organizations must commit to maintenance and upkeep of the area, as well as fund their construction.
Are there any in Tucson?
Not yet! The closest thing that has existed to date was the #Corbettporch patio (pictured below) located outside of Exo Roast Co at the intersection of 6th Avenue and 7th Street. It was created using temporary materials like paint, planters, and flexposts, but has been removed to make way for a roadway project.
The backstory
Back in 2014, LSA began working with the City of Tucson to develop a Tucson Parklet Program based on San Francisco’s highly successful “Pavement to Parks” program, which has seen dozens of parklets installed to date.
In tandem with that, we partnered with a few of our favorite local businesses at the NW corner of 6th Avenue & 7th Street to push for the establishment of Tucson’s first parklet. Our friends at Exo Roast Co. and Tap & Bottle committed to making the pilot parklet happen so that it could serve as an example for businesses throughout Tucson to look to, and together we began raising funds to build it.
Soon we had a great concept architecture firm: DUST Architects. They came up with a great, desert-appropriate Semilla design for the parklet (scroll down to check out the concept).
Unfortunately, after a great jump start complete with a crowd-sourced fundraising campaign and lots of media coverage, we ran into some hiccups in the planning process. Namely, we found out that the entire vicinity of that intersection would be torn up in 2015 to do some major underground drainage work, in preparation for a major roadway project, and decided to hold of building a “permanent” parklet.
What happened next?
Flash forward to 2018. Somehow the roadway project was still nowhere in sight, meantime Exo and Tap+Bottle’s love and care had created a bustling, burgeoning business district. With so much more foot traffic in the area, the intersection became full of conflicts between people getting around in different ways, meantime Exo still didn’t have any outdoor overflow space for patrons to congregate in.
Thanks to an AARP Livable Communities grant, the team came together again to reclaim and redesignate the abundant asphalt in the area, turning it into a much safer place for everyone using it. Over the course of a day LSA, partners, and tons of volunteers painted the intersection, effectively creating a small, LQC (lighter, quicker, cheaper), temporary “parklet” for the neighborhood.
So what’s happening now?
Unfortunately, the roadway project—Downtown Links—is finally happening and the #Corbettporch has been torn up. But, the COVID-19 pandemic has given streets a whole new value in people’s lives. Conversations about developing a true Tucson Parklet Program are once again happening and we’re optimistic that a policy will finally be fully fleshed out and adopted. Meantime, we continue working with our friends on 6th Avenue to utilize on-street parking in new ways. Stay tuned!
SEMILLA micro park[let]
"The intent was to initially reclaim a parking space and make it a small, inspiring and beautiful outdoor space for people to gather. This process then incorporated the City of Tucson’s plans for street improvements at the corner of 6th Ave. and 7th St. as part of the Downtown Links project.
The intent remaining the same, the Semilla (seed) was planted to RECLAIM parts of the new and existing hardscape, by incorporating water collection and reintroduction of soil and desert plants. The idea to reclaim the earth and watershed is based heavily on practices already in use throughout parts of the city and surrounding neighborhoods, through sustainable harvesting of rainwater as irrigation to REGENERATE the biology of the desertscape in the urban environment. This will promote the growth of native, pollinator, and edible plants that support the lives of the desert species that depend on them.
This lays the groundwork and is the essential part of the concept that is SEMILLA micro park. Once Phase 1 is complete, it sets the stage for Phase 2 and the introduction of components that allow for the human interaction and habitation of the space. Steel root structures grow steel grate hexagon lilypads out of the earth, existing as a canopy above the micro life of the catch basin. Steel and wood seating also emerges from the catch basin to provide solitary or communal interaction. These components allow for us to COMMUNE with each other and the micro environment created. A place to CONGREGATE and play during business hours or after hours for a stroll through the neighborhood.”
Support our advocacy efforts to clear the way for parklets all over Tucson: