May 11-12, 2006.

To inquire about this workshop, please contact Chris Heitmann at (212) 620 5660 or email cheitmann@pps.org.

The Workshop

Cities and towns across the US are rediscovering the benefits of public markets. Learn how to start a market in your neighborhood or town. Look at case studies and explore the market planning process, including goal setting, concept development, economic feasibility, management, site selection and design. Class participants have included mayors, community development officials, neighborhood organizers and market sponsors.

Instructors

Steve Davies, as senior vice president of PPS, has directed nearly 500 major projects in the U.S and abroad and is sought out as one of the foremost thought leaders in public markets. He oversees the activities of PPS's Public Market Program, where he currently works on a multi-million dollar grant-making and policy initiative for public markets and farmers markets with the Ford Foundation and W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

A specialist in all phases of market development, David O'Neil has worked on over 200 market projects around the world and has directed four international public market conferences, the most recent in October, 2005 in Washington DC. David recently published "Reading Terminal Market: An Illustrated History," a beautifully illustrated narrative about one of the country's largest public markets located in Philadelphia, PA.

The Place

Nowhere is the vibrancy of public markets more apparent than in New York - a city rich in cultures, food, festivals, music and street life.

This workshop puts us in the heart of the action. We'll visit some of the city's most famous markets, in addition to smaller, though equally vital, neighborhood markets.

We'll also visit Union Square - a former hangout for junkies - now home to the city's best known open-air farmers market, which draws over 100,000 shoppers on a hot summers day.

Registration

Registration covers two days of tuition, including market tours, on-site evaluations, slide presentations, case studies, a copy of "Public Markets and Community Revitalization," and training support materials. We will also provide refreshments, a light breakfast on Thursday, lunch on Thursday and Friday, and a cocktail reception Thursday evening.

Organizations registering three or more participants at the same time will receive a 10% discount. Confirmation, directions, your copy of "Public Markets and Community Revitalization" and a program will be sent to participants 10-14 days before the course.

PRICE

If you are registering at the individual rate, you can sign up online. If you are registering as part of a team, please call Chris Heitmann at 212-620-5660.

No refunds after May 4th, no exceptions.

Food

A light breakfast on Thursday, lunch on Thursday and Friday, and the Thursday evening cocktail reception are covered by the registration fee. Additionally, there will be a reception at a local restaurant on Friday evening following the completion of the workshop (NOTE: this is a change from previous workshops). Light appetizers will be served. Although the cost of this reception ($25) is not included in the registration fee, we encourage you to attend since people have found the networking opportunities one of the best aspects of our training courses.

Accommodation

Here are a couple of our favorite places to stay in New York. They are close to the course site and the walking tours. We'll keep updating this section with more recommendations, so check back often. Book early as spaces tend to fill up quickly during this time of year!

If you find that these hotels are all booked up during your stay in New York, you can search for additional hotels online by clicking here. The most convenient neighborhoods to search in are: the Village, the Lower East Side, Soho, Flatiron/Union Square/Gramercy and Chelsea.

WASHINGTON SQUARE HOTEL
Website: http://www.wshotel.com/english/ws_toc.htm
Phone: (212) 777-9515
Recently renovated, this little gem of a hotel offers a great location a few blocks from PPS's office and right on Washington Square Park.

ST. MARK'S HOTEL
Website: http://www.stmarkshotel.qpg.com
Phone: (212) 674-0100
Located near the PPS office this hotel offers small and clean rooms from $100/night (Note: though they do not accept credit cards). The hotel is above a lively street--ask for a room not facing the street if you are concerned about noise. Three floors of rooms, all with private bath, television and air conditioning. There is no elevator in the building.

UNION SQUARE INN
Website: http://www.unionsquareinn.com
Phone: (212) 545-0879
A small, reasonably priced, European-style hotel close to the training course site and the Union Square Greenmarket. "Affordable and very clean."

MURRAY HILL INN
Website: http://www.murrayhillinn.com
Phone: (212) 683-6900
A small budget "no frills" hotel near the training course on Thursday. Rooms are very small - but the rates are low. "Very clean and excellent location (but no elevator)."

What to bring

Dress code is casual throughout the course. Bring comfortable walking shoes and a raincoat and umbrella for site visits. Even if it rains, we like to stick to our existing schedule for the walking tour and site visits.

Directions

Airport travel information can be found at these links. Any of these airports are suitable, though if you're into transit systems, both JFK and Newark have new Airtrains that link the airport to train stations. Cabs might be the quickest way, but will run you $30-40. There are also a variety of shuttle buses available.

From LaGuardia Airport

From Newark Airport

From John F Kennedy International Airport

Map of New York City Subway

Bios

Once you register for the course please send us a short bio of yourself and your organization. Please see sample bio below.

Rich Miller
Director, City of Rome, NY, Dept of Parks and Recreation

Rich is the director of Parks, Recreation and Community Activities for the City of Rome, New York. The City of Rome, located in upstate New York about halfway between Albany and Syracuse, has 20 parks, 11 playgrounds, and one civic arena in its inventory. He is very interested in the role civic spaces play in community revitalization and in the development of trail systems. He has a bachelor of science degree from Syracuse University. He and his lovely wife, Nancy, have two sons and two cocker spaniels. All remain avid New York Knicks fans in spite of the past few years.

Questions?

Contact Chris Heitmann by email or phone: (212) 620-5660.