In collaboration with: The Project for Public Spaces (PPS)

The purpose of the social and cultural impact assessment of the Moore Street Market project was to supplement the economic, political, design, and management assessment undertaken by the Project for Public Spaces (PPS). It also supplements the site assessment and on-site observations completed by PPS and contributes to the development of culturally appropriate vendor and place-making training workshops. The Public Space Research Group (PSRG) under the directorship of anthropologist Setha Low focused on gathering data to make an empirical case for the continuation of the Moore Street Market over the long-term, and a plan for its revitalization and greater sustainability that is responsive to its cultural context and socially diverse neighborhood. To accomplish this objective, this social and cultural impact study was organized and the data collected as a Rapid Ethnographic Assessment Procedure (REAP) focused on why the market should remain open and how it serves as an important social and cultural nexus for the community.

Photo by Rosa G.