The Other Affordable Housing Option
In Minnesota, two cities made entirely of trailer homes show us a different model for affordable housing — one that’s been successfully operating for decades. Source: https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2018/6/19/trailer-park-affordable-housing-manufactured
What Charleston Can Teach Us About the Value of Place
Why does Charleston’s quaint downtown have such astronomically high property values? Source: https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2018/6/14/what-one-historic-town-can-teach-us-about-the-value-of-place
The Dollars and Sense of Annexation
When a city annexes surrounding land, it’s usually touted as a benefit for residents and municipal budgets. This could not be further from the truth. We have the data to prove it. Source: https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2018/8/3/the-dollars-and-sense-of-annexation
Some Inspired Heights Comparisons in Downtown Asheville
The issue of building height is becoming a hot political topic all around the country. Folks have some pretty strong thoughts about how tall things should be. What are those ideas based on though? Do we really have a good sense of what sized buildings do and don’t make sense in our cities? Here’s a… Continue Reading »
The Big Easy
I am super excited about speaking as part of a group of amazing women at the upcoming CityBuilding Exchange conference in New Orleans, November 15-17. More info on the event here. I’ve never been to New Orleans, which is kind of hard to believe, since I’m from the South and I love beignets. I had just… Continue Reading »
The Big Easy
I am super excited about speaking as part of a group of amazing women at the upcoming CityBuilding Exchange conference in New Orleans, November 15-17. More info on the event here. I’ve never been to New Orleans, which is kind of hard to believe, since I’m from the South and I love beignets. I had just… Continue Reading »
Area Sinkhole Hungry for McMansions (with cheese)
Actually, a better dairy accompaniment to this sinkhole meal would be butter, given that the Florida subdivision where homes were swallowed is called Land O’Lakes. This is what happens when you build sprawling homes on Swiss cheese land. Very sad, but a lesson on land use, environmental degradation, and the perils of sprawl.
Ode to the Dead Malls
Yesterday, I read a great article in the NY Times about a guy who is obsessed with dead and dying malls, and creates short films about these malls. Of course, the bizarre, sad wonder and whimsy of these films reminded me of the crazy images my colleague Josh McCarty shares periodically when he is out on site… Continue Reading »
Welcome, Will Creasy!
We are super excited to welcome Will Creasy, GIS Analyst, to our staff this month! Will is spending some time this week with our GeoAccountant, Josh McCarty, in Durham, NC. We are working on the Durham Beltline project, and Will is getting some special assistance from George Firefox Burnside: He also checked out some of Durham’s… Continue Reading »
Waking up in the wrong ‘burb?
And you may ask yourselfWhat is that beautiful house?And you may ask yourselfWhere does that highway go to?And you may ask yourselfAm I right? Am I wrong?And you may say yourself, “My God! What have I done?”-Talking Heads, “Once in a Lifetime” This morning I read this article in the NY Times about the most expensive decision… Continue Reading »