Skimming the article, and in particular after reading "Oldenburg's characteristics", I feel it misses what I'd guess would be the core characteristic of a third place: choice. Home and work are places where you have to be[0]. The "third place" is somewhere you choose to be.
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[0] - Not technically, but the costs of not being there are generally too high to give one any realistic choice in the matter.
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[0] - Not technically, but the costs of not being there are generally too high to give one any realistic choice in the matter.