Esplanade

An esplanade or promenade is a long, open, level area, usually next to a river or large body of water, where people may walk. The original meaning of esplanade was a large, open, level area outside fortress or city walls to provide clear fields of fire for the fortress' guns. In modern usage the space allows people to walk for recreational purposes; esplanades are often on sea fronts, and allow walking whatever the state of the tide, without having to walk on the beach. Esplanades became popular in Victorian times when it was fashionable to visit seaside resorts. A promenade, often abbreviated to '(the) Prom', was an area where people - couples and families especially - would go to walk for a while in order to 'be seen' and be considered part of 'society'.

In North America, esplanade has another meaning, being also a median (strip of raised land) dividing a roadway or boulevard. Sometimes they are just strips of grass, or some may have gardens and trees. Some roadway esplanades may be used as parks with a walking/jogging trail and benches.

Esplanade (Algonquin)

The Esplanade is a mixed-use development under construction on Randall Road next to the lifestyle center Algonquin Commons in Algonquin, Illinois. It is part of the Algonquin Corporate Campus. It is being built by commercial developers Centerville Properties. Currently, plans are for a few mixed-use three-story buildings containing apartments and ground-level retail located in the center of the development, 280 apartments spread across a dozen three-story apartment buildings located in the rear of the development to be built by Marquette Companies, several office buildings concentrated in the center of the development, multi-tenant retail service buildings, and several restaurants located in the center and peripheral edges of the property, primarily along Randall Road and Corporate Parkway. Currently, 220 apartment units and 40,000 square feet of commercial space is being constructed. A daycare center will also be part of the development, as will several industrial sites, and a possible hotel. Focal features include an arch over the main entrance, a namesake esplanade which will connect the apartments and offices to the shops and restaurants in the front of the property, outdoor terraces in the office buildings, a community center near the apartments, and outdoor patio seating at the anchor restaurants, flanked by graceful ponds, fountains, and landscaping.

Esplanade (disambiguation)

Esplanade commonly refers to a raised walkway. It may also refer to one of the following.

Walks, parks, and streets

Venues, complexes, and buildings