Zach Sheats
Space 198
When Vans set its sights on establishing a presence in the iconic New York City skate scene, a critical missing piece was a dedicated community space to empower and nurture skateboarding culture year-round. The vision was to create an inclusive hub sheltering skaters from harsh winters while fostering skate-adjacent creativity through art and music activations. Critically, the space's design and programming needed to authentically reflect the local community's distinct identity.
Space 198 was conceived to fulfill this need, offering regular public skate sessions, monthly multi-disciplinary events, non-profit partnerships, and learn-to-skate initiatives. Complementing the indoor winter programming, summer block parties bookend the seasons, reminding skaters to enjoy NYC's outdoor terrain while amplifying the brand's presence citywide.
My role began by spearheading the concept's strategic framework - defining the mission, planning budgets, and developing an operational roadmap. When initiating the park's design process, we assembled a council of local influencers, including Vans athletes, skaters, non-profits, brand partners, skate shop owners, and park designers. This grassroots collaboration ensured Space 198 embodied the community's spirit.
Annually, I facilitated town halls inviting key voices to help shape marquee programming, nurture partnerships, and recalibrate our trajectory based on evolving needs. This feedback loop solidified Space 198 as an authentic platform amplifying NYC's skateboarding ecosystem.
Within its inaugural season, Space 198 welcomed over 1,000 local visitors, hosted impactful block parties and non-profit initiatives, and fostered meaningful community engagement. This localized approach strategically strengthened Vans' connection to skateboarding's cultural heartbeat in a globally influential market.
- Co-create with local community on needs of space and programming
- Partner with athletes and skatepark designers to design and build best in class skate facility
- Host brand activations and product launches seamlessly integrated into Space 198 community events
- Project strategy and management
- Creative briefing
- Management and oversight of operations
- Grassroots community hubs build lasting affinity by co-designing authentic gathering spaces that empower diverse voices to organically celebrate shared passions.
- Strategically collaborating with respected local leaders to co-create inclusive programming amplifies reach and impact for the brand within influential communities.