I tend to explore what happens to suburbs as they age and begin to decline. But this time I’m going to explore what happens to suburbs that thrive and continue to grow and work their way up the value chain. It isn’t exactly what many people expect. “Be careful what you wish for.” A … Continue reading Growth and the Suburban Chassis
Check out these photos and try to guess where they were taken. If you thought Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Buffalo, Cincinnati, or a dozen other Rustbelt towns you’d be mistaken, although your confusion is completely understandable. It’s actually Portland, Oregon – that bastion of liberal, crunchy, hippie, yuppie, hipster, eco-friendliness. Go figure. I’m not putting … Continue reading The “Inner Cleveland” of Trendy Cities
This week I’m helping a friend move house after watching her grapple with some unappealing options for the last couple of years. In the end she’s leaving San Francisco and moving to the suburbs forty-seven miles to the south. She absolutely hates the suburbs, but given all the possibilities it really is the right … Continue reading The Reluctant Suburbanite, Or Why San Francisco Doesn’t Always Work
I just spent a long weekend exploring Seattle, Washington where I interviewed people about why they live where they do. It’s one thing to ask a city planner, economic development official, or transportation engineer about what people want in theory, but I prefer to ask ordinary people directly about the choices they’ve actually made. … Continue reading Seattle: Trade Offs, Upsides, Downsides, and Work Arounds
I’m a big fan of the Urban Cincy podcast coming out of Cincinnati, Ohio. This short video is a response to some of the head-scratching and confusion about why some San Franciscans are protesting the so-called “Google Bus”. The protests aren’t about the buses themselves or private transportation per se. Instead, the protests are about real estate and … Continue reading Where Transportation and Property Values Collide: San Francisco’s “Google Bus”
The Antelope Valley is a collection of exurban communities in the high desert of eastern Los Angeles County. Many people have relocated to the “AV” in recent years in response to the increasing cost, congestion, and perceived dangers of living “Down Below” in Los Angeles proper. Real estate developers are eager to entice new buyers … Continue reading Antelope Valley, Infrastructure and “Independence”
This is an introduction to a series of videos I’m working on about the Antelope Valley in California. I’ve chosen this particular area to explore not because it’s unique, but because it’s highly representative of many similar exurban communities all across North America. Continue reading The Future of the Antelope Valley
Granola Shotgun 