2026 Theses Master's

Reevaluating the Agora: The Role of Public Space in the Flatiron-NoMad Commercial District

Zhou, Yang

Retail and commercial spaces are an integral part of life in a city. Through their role in providing amenities and essential services, they also serve as important public spaces, allowing for people from all walks of life to meet and interact with one another whether actively or passively (Sevtsuk 2020, 3). The intertwined relationship between retail and public life highlights the role of public space as an asset in spurring economic growth in commercial districts.

This research aims to understand the confluence between the economic and social dimensions of commercial districts, and to create a comprehensive picture of how they become a space for public life, through an analysis of the Flatiron-NoMad district. By triangulating findings from interviews with key stakeholders of the district and experts of the district’s history and public space, surveys with businesses in the district, and public space observations, the research identifies four key themes: the influence of social mix on the commercial landscape; the unfolding of economic interests in the public realm within public space management strategies; public-private partnership in a commercial district; and the symbiosis of the retail landscape and public space.

The research finds that while public space planning, management, and activation strategies contribute to a more vibrant public realm that is well-received by visitors and businesses, findings also raise questions of how public space might also become an object for and of consumption, and how certain strategies may exacerbate inequities both in the city and within the district. As such, the research advocates for commercial district planners to take into account these insights to create better public spaces in future.