In recent years, urban pedestrian corridors have been increasingly recognized as key instruments for the regeneration of public spaces. However, the operational experience of many such spaces indicates that maintaining long-term vitality and economic dynamism remains challenging, and in some cases, these spaces become dependent on municipal financial support. This condition underscores the necessity of addressing the concept of economic resilience at the microeconomic scale and within pedestrian-oriented public spaces.

In this context, the concept of the urban third place—as a setting for voluntary social interactions, informal relationships, and collective urban experiences—offers a valuable analytical framework for understanding the socio-economic dynamics of public spaces. Despite its theoretical relevance, the conceptual linkage between the attributes of third places and the capacities for economic resilience at the scale of urban pedestrian corridors has received limited scholarly attention.

The present study aims to explain the capacities of urban third-place components in strengthening the economic resilience of pedestrian corridors. The research adopts an explanatory-analytical approach, employing a case study strategy focused on the “Sarzendegi” Pedestrian Pathway in District 2 of Tehran Municipality. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with an expert panel, and the extracted mechanisms were evaluated and refined through a modified Delphi method to achieve expert consensus.

The findings indicate that components such as facilitating voluntary social interactions, reinforcing collective identity, enhancing spatial functional flexibility, and activating event-based programming can be interpreted as potential capacities supporting the dynamism of small-scale economic activities and the relative continuity of economic interactions within pedestrian corridors.

Accordingly, the study proposes a prioritized conceptual framework to elucidate the mechanisms linking third-place attributes with economic resilience capacities at the scale of pedestrian corridors. The findings may inform planning, design, and management processes—particularly during the operational phase—by providing an analytical basis for strengthening the socio-economic vitality of urban pedestrian spaces.