Staffing, Storage & Maintenance

As part of the design process, where possible, it is important to engage with local partners who may organize activations for a site. In most cases, those partners will be responsible for providing, or organizing, the staffing needed to execute an activation as well as the on-going maintenance.

Staffing

The design of a space must consider the staff and equipment necessary to setup and breakdown a potential activation. Whether this is setting up chairs in the morning and locking them up in the evening or building a stage and sound system for a small performance, staffing should match the level of activation in scale, size, and duration. Additionally, consider whether installation and breakdown will be performed by professional staff or volunteers.

When thinking about how to design a space for activations in progress, ensure designs accommodate the staff resources that are available. This may mean specifying light weight barricades that can be easily moved by a single person compared to a heavy barricade that requires a forklift or other machinery. For major events or large-scale spaces, the design should also consider security staffing and access control needs. Coordination with SAPO and NYPD may be necessary.

Lastly, consider how maintenance will be provided before, during, and after an activation; review Storage and Maintenance

Depending on the scale and type of activation, a management, staffing and operations plan will be helpful to ensure the proper monitoring, management, and maintenance. In coordination with community partners, DOT helps partners develop these plans to manage the street for multiple uses, including programming, outdoor learning and recreation, loading, deliveries, accessibility, emergency access, and more.

Storage and Maintenance

Activations present unique challenges when it comes to maintenance of a space. Where possible consider how to integrate storage and other support infrastructure into the design. Providing access to common utilities, such as electricity and water, can dramatically improve the quality of an activation and simplify maintenance. In many spaces, DOT works to incorporate Electrical Load Centers to provide power that can support activations as well as overall maintenance. In certain capital projects, DOT will make provisions during design and construction to bring utility connections to support a Concession. These design features reduce reliance on generators or other temporary services and allow for a much wider range of activations at a particular location.


Beyond utility infrastructure, designs must also accommodate necessary maintenance activities, including cleaning and removing trash and other debris. Designs should consider where trash and other debris may be staged and collected following an event and how that compares to everyday use.