There is an exciting movement happening in the Bay Area that may make its way to Sunny San Diego.

Hopefully…

A group of innovators and architects called The Rebar Group have essentially reprogrammed the way public space is used.

What originally started as an experiment to transform parking spaces to temporary public parks, has become a phenomenon that may make its way to the Upper East Village Neighborhood of Downtown San Diego.

Parklets | Walklets – Urban Parking Spaces-Transformed

It all started back on November 6th, 2005, when The Rebar Group initiated an experiment to take back the streets of San Francisco.  Literally.

The experiment targeted metered parking spaces, which enable one to temporarily lease, prime public space.  The study focused on reprogramming a typical vehicular parking space, and leasing it for recreational public use, at least until the meter ran out.

Parklets provide a small, temporary public park, installed to provided nature, seating, and shade.

What started as a simple two hour intervention has blossomed into an international event called Park(ing) Day where people around the globe reclaim the streets for people, for fun, and for play.

Such progressive creativity is exactly the direction that developers who are proposing what is to be called San Diego’s I.D.E.A. District of Downtown located in  The Upper East Village.

I.D.E.A. District- San Diego

The acronym I.D.E.A. stands for Innovation, Design, Education, and Art.

Currently, developers are looking to transform a 93 acre warehouse laden area of Downtown San Diego into a sustainable mixed use development that would create an innovative, jobs-driven design and education cluster enriched by the arts in the heart of San Diego.

Parklets and Walklets seem to be a perfect fit for this I.D.E.A District, expanding public spaces, activating the streets, narrowing the driving  lanes, and providing desirable open space in prime locations.

Who would have thought PARK(ing) in San Diego could Open Minds by Opening Public Spaces?