This paper examines the relationship between public displays and street-level users in the built environment.  The research highlights ongoing prototype development for a new approach to identifying and presenting different interface modes for touchscreen pervasive displays.  These displays provide a unique opportunity to function at two levels: 1) public communication device and 2) private interface platform.  This research and the resulting paper seek to expose some of the challenges in a multifaceted interface and potential solutions currently being examined.  At the core of this inquiry and resulting dissemination was a desire to evaluate how street-level interactive displays will play a role in the ever expanding infrastructure of the ‘smart city’.  In particular, this work discusses some of the challenges that exist in deploying these displays in a sidewalk environment for the purpose of pedestrian tracking and engagement.