“The Future of Main Streets in Small Legacy Cities”

On September 16, 2021, FoSCI founder Reif Larsen gave a lecture, “The Future of Main Streets in Small Legacy Cities: Flexible Storefronts & The Experiential Economy,” as part of the Zube Lecture Series in the Oliver Design Building at the University of Massachusetts.

Larsen examined the history of Main Streets in small cities and the effect of Urban Renewal on these corridors. He showed how the pandemic has forced cities to open their streets into laboratories of shared use and gave examples of what the future of the storefront, sidewalks, and public spaces might be including how ground floor occupancy models are shifting towards experiential programing and community spaces. Larsen provided case studies from Troy, Schenectady, and Kingston, NY.

Video of talk below.