The joys of walkable density! Sam Seidel invited me to talk about the joys of density for his podcast, unPlanned. A topic long dear to my heart (Boston Globe once referred to me as "density's darling"). Listen and send me your thoughts! youtube.com/watch?v=z5OUaI…

Had a chance to talk to the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce Strategic Leadership Visit group in Boston “to explore innovative ideas and programs which have helped to build partnerships to impact positive community change." Terrific idea and terrific group! gwinnettchamber.org/slv/

Looking forward to speaking about the essential role "walkable density" will play in adapting our communities to accelerating demographic, economic, technological, and climate changes over the next two decades at the AIA's RUDC Conference October 19-20th in DC,

Congratulations to my colleague & friend, Erin Perdu, on her election to be President of the American Institute of Certified Planners. In an era that talks about "complete" streets & "complete" communities, Erin is the epitome of a "complete" planner and a great model for us all.

The year after Black Lives Matter protests, the S&P 100 added more than 300,000 jobs — 94% went to people of color. It was mostly at lower levels but still, truly incredible bloomberg.com/graphics/2023-…

Our Stantec office developed this collective visioning excercize--let's all design a Utopian Boston. Color dots & strings represent age brackets (not enough 65+! :)). Really interesting messages about opportunities & challenges inherent in a knowledge economy city...OK, & fun!

Definitely worth reposting. Look forward to thoughts and reactions. Also worth a conversation to better understand at many levels re how our economy is working re genuine equity and inclusive opportunity.

Looking forward to joining my client, Katie Kemezis, to talk about transformation of Nashville's Global Mall into a multicultural live/work/play/learn/create Arts and Innovation District at Tennessee APA's annual conference tomorrow.

Thanks to the AIA's Regional and Urban Design Committee for sponsoring their recent symposium "Cities in Transition: Designing for a World in Flux" and to my fellow panelists for a terrific discussion on how cities and suburbs alike can thrive by planning to manage change.

Washington Post: "America’s big-tech cities are thriving, not dying". Innovation jobs and investment are headed to cities that attract and retain educated workers. Think mixed-use, walkable, amenity...and diversity. washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/… (thanks Jamie Greene)

Gave a closing keynote on "A New Era of Suburban Opportunity" for the Metropolitan Atlanta Regional Symposium today. First I got hear a terrific public & private sector leaders make my case by talking about transformative "urban" redeveopment across suburban Gwinnett County GA.

Active People, Healthy Nation is a CDC initiative to help 27 million Americans become more physically active by 2027. To be real, we need comfortable sidewalks, transit, & nearby destinations to encourage people to walk. As the data below shows...we have work to do. Let's do it!

Some good news re transit ridership...and nice that it comes from Dallas :)

“Number of people walking declines steeply in the U.S” Sad headline! Interesting tie-in to pandemic impacts on downtown vitality. My prediction? A downtown housing boom over the next 2 decades will bring unprecedented downtown vitality--and walkability. tinyurl.com/5febxxxr

Too good not to repost

Unlock a new era of opportunity from North America’s malls. Join me and colleagues on December 7th, 1:30-2:30pm ET, for Stantec's Mall of the Future series to learn about hands-on tools for transforming single-use malls into vital 21st mixed-use centers. stantec.co/3uqyDal

Folks over 65 represent 60+% of US population growth to 2040. These are the folks hit hardest by tclimate change. Join me and America Walks colleagues as we interview Danielle Arigoni about her new book Climate Resilience for an Aging Nation. 12/12 2pm ET lnkd.in/dTvvSGxu

Downtown office to housing conversions: lessons learned from Cleveland Cleveland is using conversions to create a new mixed-use downtown neighborhood. Critical lessons? Two—tax incentives and compact critical mass! lnkd.in/eAFfWvh8

Where was architect Steve Mouzon when we needed him? On a walk through Amsterdam's Jordaan--difficult to imagine a building more oblivious to its context and community's values! Next time, ask Steve--what should a police station look like along an 18th century Amsterdam street.

A building designed to meet its neighbors, and the street animates the public realm, draws people to its adjacent sidewalk, promotes a sense of shared community--and it the process creates a safer environment.