Post-Covid, many corporate service brands leaned into smaller footprints, take-out only, drive-through dominant, kiosk or app ordering. Lower rent, lower costs. This left space for independents to provide real places, real people, and authentic experiences.

In global housing density debates, one typology is often overlooked: the apartment neighborhood. Detroit’s Palmer Park shows how #mediumscalemediumdensity purpose-built apartment districts create complete communities with walkability & character, without towers or lost livability

The oblique views and spatial richness generated by the grid in the #detroitinstituteofthearts atrium + the quality of light from the skylight and the framing of views make for varying degrees of soft/hard shadows.Spatial art w/i a museum container.

The Grinnell Industrial Corridor. Planning on #detroit ‘s east side revealed its importance to me. The Art Moderne buildings may be worn/ vacant, but entries, windows, and massing still speak. A working industrial base remains. It’s worth restoring before this history disappears.

Had a great interview last week with developer and Flux City podcast host, Ed Carrington. Touched on a myriad of city building themes from transit to city governance to the international Detroit/Windsor border cities condition. Have a watch and a listen. youtu.be/dh6qFSVcn2s?si…

Black Public Joy by my colleague, Jay Pitter, is out this week— an uplifting narrative amid the strain of civic systems & public spaces. Toronto Life calls it an “instruction manual for joy.” The book frames public joy as civic, cultural and spatial infrastructure. (link)

Part of understanding what works (and doesn’t) in urbanism is going beyond simply noticing our environs to what I call ‘knowticing’ them. Walking a neighborhood, understanding it, empathizing with it, and respecting it. Noticing is a glance. Knowticing takes time.

The book is still being written on downtown office. Some returned with WFH, hybrid, or RTO. Office-to-res conversions create new conditions. Should downtowns be one of many neighborhoods in a polycentric city, or still our shared civic cores for the exchange of culture/ ideas?

I’m always intrigued by doorways. Whenever I’m on a #globalurbanstudy tour I try to capture at least one photo.This one’s weathered nature stood out to me as symbolic of the nature of the city itself. An image can capture the spirit of a place.Or, at least the memory. #ghent

Cities are top of mind,from housing to public space to civic process.After years of dialogue, Mark Nickita FAIA and I are taking it public with City Builders: a YouTube channel & podcast on urban issues, global study and urban documenting. Join us! 🎧🏙️ youtu.be/5FzkuPAWKGc

youtu.be/4bvOskHXduY?si… via YouTube What is a ‘GUS’? In Episode 4 of our NEW YouTube channel, CITY BUILDERS, we discuss our process of studying cities, why we do it, and why London is one of the best places to study. It’s an intro to our most recent global urban study.

3-story residential buildings are key city builders. At a scale that fits 2–2.5 story streets, they add dignified, affordable housing without disrupting neighborhood life. Context-friendly, and ideal for infill, #mediumscalemediumdensity has shaped great cities for generations.

What are our top 5 NFL stadiums? In this BONUS episode of our NEW YouTube channel, CITY BUILDERS, we get in the spirit for the BIG GAME and discuss top NFL stadiums based on our city building criteria. youtu.be/PubjpsgPTkE?si…

Last year I successfully picked the winner of the Superbowl based on the city with the more compelling urban fabric. So, why not do it again? (Maybe because I’m 1-3 over the last four years?🤔).

WHY SKETCH ANYMORE, WE HAVE COMPUTERS? In Ep 5 of our NEW YouTube channel, CITY BUILDERS, we take a deep dive into why sketching is important to us and to our city building process. Please like, subscribe, comment, and as always….Walk The Streets! youtu.be/hdor2ueM_Zo?si…

Transit shapes where cities grow, and who can access opportunity. Systems work when networks connect, are frequent, and feel good to use. Success?When transit aligns with zoning, land use, walkability, and supportive density. In the end, you get the transit your policies enable.

More mobility options don’t just cut congestion, they also free road space for those who need to drive. Cleaner and driverless vehicles help, but the bigger impact comes from land use. How we plan communities shapes how much we drive, walk, bike, or ride. #mobility #sprawl

In the next era of city building, retail success may depend more on fit than scale. Small storefronts support local, diversify tenants, and create the amenity-filled environs that make urban districts thrive. I’ve studied it in cities from London to Amsterdam to Shanghai.

Office-to-residential conversions are rising across the U.S. & Canada. Developers refining models, cities offering incentives, lenders gaining confidence. Downtown change to be driven by hundreds of mid-scale building conversions in the hybrid work era. propmodo.com/playbook/offic…

#Adaptivereuse juxtaposed old and new to strengthen the future of our cities. Reusing existing buildings is green, preserves character, and extends the life of valuable assets.The most resilient cities don’t erase their past, they leverage it. #CityBuilding #universityofwindsor