Alexandra Behr, “Exploring the Third Space in a Post-Covid Landscape on Milwaukee’s Eastside”
Mentor: Hyejin Yoon, Geography
Poster #27

In geography, the first place is home, the second place is work, and the third space is all the other places we live our lives. However, with the disruption of COVID-19, government-mandated shutdowns around the world reorganized the way we experience these spaces. The third space took one of the biggest economic hits of all the sectors with many of them being inaccessible to the public, and for many people, their homes became their workspaces. Now four years removed from the shutdowns, third spaces are back open for the enjoyment of people, but many people still work from home or experience a hybrid of part-time home and part-time office. Neighborhood taverns in Milwaukee’s Eastside neighborhood will serve as my research area as they are places where the community comes together. For this study, I will deploy surveys in several taverns that ask open-ended questions about the general demographics and habits of the patrons visiting these bars. With more people teleworking how does that affect the third space of urban centers? Are people visiting them more often and seeking out the company of others in an isolating society? I hypothesize that there is increased traffic and positive reviews at these neighborhood taverns from people who have an increased need to leave their homes and socialize.