Bad Math and the Panther’s Path

For years, Urban3’s deep, customized data analyses have been used to interrogate systems of planning, design, and land use across the country. In one southern Florida county, the firm’s work was used to quite literally put these systems on trial. Specifically, Urban3’s Joe Minicozzi was called as an expert witness on behalf of the Conservancy… Continue Reading »

The Cartography of Racism

Redlining is a discriminatory practice that puts services (financial and otherwise) out of reach for residents of certain areas based on race or ethnicity. It created maps that reinforced systematic denial of mortgages, insurance, loans, and other financial services based on location (and that area’s default history) rather than on an individual’s qualifications and creditworthiness…. 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 »