ABSTRACT
City governments, acting increasingly as co-sponsors of public-private development projects, have opened a new channel for design review. City representatives who negotiate plans for these projects with private developers typically try to achieve public objectives in design. The bargaining process for public-private development is similar to design review in many ways and warrants attention in this light. A review of recent case studies shows that city negotiators use their leverage to limit the size of projects, incorporate features that will attract the public at large, make clear connections to nearby streets, preserve landmark and historic structures, and encourage unconventional design as a strategy to help city projects cope with suburban competition.
