Happy New Year! Wrapping up 2024.
A wrap-up of another year, the last half of which saw me writing a historically limited amount, which is a
Read MoreCities & Urban Planning
RenCen: It’s Time For Detroit To Reject Silver Bullet Thinking.
Dan Gilbert and General Motors remain among the only two entities that Detroit has never really said “no” to. Both are worth about $40 billion each, and now they want even more money.
Read More
Is Underground Parking Really That Expensive?
Underground parking is a good way to rethink the largest single urban land use– and the way to finance and develop it is actually deceptively simple.
Read MoreThe Lodge Freeway Is Now Old Enough To Retire. Maybe?
In November 1959, commuters rejoiced at the prospects of being On The Lodge Wit It.
Read More
Repeat After Me, Class: Better Data Will Not Solve It.
I attended a meeting of this volunteer committee on MSU’s campus that convenes monthly to talk about alternative transportation. Safety
Read More
Capital Observations I: MSU’s Walkable, Or Not-So-Walkable, Campus.
Michigan State University’s campus has many things to love. The culture around transportation, however, could use some work.
Read More
Streamlining City Approvals Will Speed Up Housing, Says New Paper
Researchers from the University of California Los Angeles and California State Northridge used a set of mathematical and statistical models to explain how improving bureaucratic processes in building departments could have outsized effects on increasing the rate of housing development.
Read MoreJasper Wildfire: Can We Fireproof Cities?
TLDR: Probably not. But I’m bringing up the question in the aftermath of a wildfire that destroyed about a third
Read More
Initial Funding Commitments Secured for Modular Housing Platform
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: The Handbuilt City is thrilled to announce that we recently finalized the terms of two preliminary funding
Read MoreMackinac 2024 Speakers: “The Rent Is Too Damn High. We Need More Supply.”
At the Davos of the Midwest, a.k.a. Mackinac Policy Conference 2024, policymakers and other stakeholders put their heads together to figure out how we can make housing more affordable. It’s one of the first times that such a powerful and visible group of people have discussed the issue in Michigan.
Read More