Gated Public Space To Save It

Updated: 2025.08.22 2M ago 1 sources
Converting fully open civic areas into partially controlled‑access zones can prevent encampment and disorder, making them usable for a wider public. Requiring proof of travel to enter Union Station’s central seating reduced misuse and improved safety without total exclusion. — This frames 'less public' design as a trade that preserves common goods under urban disorder, informing zoning and transit policy.

Sources

Union Station, Meet Union Station: What the Blue Zones Know But Won't Say About Trump's D.C. Effort
Chris Bray 2025.08.22 100% relevant
Union Station’s central hall now requires a train ticket to access seating, reversing prior encampment conditions.
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