The Third Place

Ray Oldenburg coined the term "the third place" in the 1991 release of his book, The Great Good Place. Oldenburg stated that our first place is our home, our second place is our work, and then there needs to be a third place where we can gather with other members of our community. This place should be neutral, free from pressure to purchase something, within walking distance, and equally available to all members of the community despite demographics. When I think about the third place, I think about television sitcoms. They usually have three types of sets: the homes of the characters, the workplaces of the characters, and then that third place where they always hang out and somehow no one else ever takes their spot. There have even been shows about the third place itself (think "Cheers").

In this chapter Roseland talks about creating a community. If people go to work and come home, drive into their attached garage and spend the evening indoors or in a fenced in backyard, there is a good chance they will never get to know the people on the other side of that fence. Human beings as a species are not meant to be so isolated. We rely on social structure for the benefits and safety it brings us. Roseland says that neighborhoods should be designed with physical characteristics that encourage "an atmosphere of peace, security, and pride among residents." Neighbors who socialize with each other can create an informal social system where people help each other with child care, house repairs, and generally looking out for each other. Residents in social neighborhoods are far more likely to report suspicious activity at a neighbor's house.

To facilitate this type of community or "sense of place" as Roseland calls it, every neighborhood needs a third place within walking distance. Often these take the form of a park, a book store, or a coffee shop when there is ample seating and no expectation that something will be purchased (although something often is). Friends can meet to hang out, informal business meetings can take place, or strangers can get to know each other. Now that pretty much everybody and their grandma owns a laptop, netbook, or iPad, retail and food establishments are installing wifi to draw more people in. This trend coincides with the growing number of people who work from home or "telecommute." Places like cafes are seeing many people come in to do work because people have the tendency to want to be around other people.

Many developers and entrepreneurs have set about to create that third place for neighborhoods. One idea is to convert a mall that is failing or has been abandoned. We discussed in class how it is not uncommon for malls to die for one reason or another and then there sits prime real estate and a whole lot of unused space. Developers may rethink the space to make it a place where people go to hang out and create community. However, I have personally witnessed that this isn't always successful if not done just right.

My hometown of Appleton, Wisconsin boasts that it was the first place in the United States

to have a covered mall. Located in a fairly prominent spot, the Valley Fair Mall was still alive and kicking when I was a kid, but somewhere along the line it died. Having the third place idea in mind, developers purchased the mall and planned to turn it into a hang out spot for teenagers. The plans included a skate park, lounge areas, clothing stores, and keeping the existing arcade and movie theater. The city thought this was a great idea. It would give something for teenagers to do and keep them out of trouble. Unfortunately, the developers could never get the funding to go through with the plan and the mall was bulldozed and a grocery store was built in its place.

In the city where I did my undergrad, Stevens Point, Wisconsin, I got much more up close and personal with a dying mall. I worked at a children's museum located in their downtown mall and in the two years I was there, I watched store after store shut down or move out. But something pretty awesome happened as more space became available, community activities began moving in. Old stores were converted into meeting spaces for local groups such as the model train enthusiasts. Community concerts were hosted in the main spaces, fund raisers, the prom, you name it. Unfortunately for this mall too, the money just wasn't there. I sadly read an article during the research of this blog. The city of Stevens Point, wanting to redevelop the site for other purposes, declared the mall condemned for economic reasons and took ownership of the property. A court case is still pending, but it looks like my beloved CenterPoint Marketplace is getting bulldozed.

The Third Place Commons

There is, however, an excellent example of using a redeveloped mall as a third place working out really well. Developer Ron Sher, inspired by Oldenburg's book, purchased a failing and crime ridden mall in Bellevue, Washington and turned it into The Third Place Commons. It is described as basically being an indoor town square. Unlike the projects I have seen fail, Sher made his project a success by creating a partnership involving the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Like a regular mall, there are businesses such as bookstores, cafes, and restaurants with "sidewalk seating." But this place also has a library branch, a children's art center, a stage for performances, a giant chess board, meeting rooms, and plenty of lounge space. The fast food chains in the food court have been replaced with local establishments representing many ethnicities. Outside, the once boring expanse of parking lot now incorporates trees and sculptures by local artists. Bellevue residents have really taken to the new space, and a greater sense of community has been developed. In addition, a building was saved from abandonment.

These types of spaces are necessary for a healthy and enjoyable community. They can happen in any type of city, town, village or rural area and can vary greatly in size and primary purpose. Perhaps, through the development of designated community spaces, we can finally break down this American self-imposed isolation and need for a privacy bubble. Everyone, get to know your neighbors!