Blog
Interview: Reid Ewing, Author of Pedestrian and Transit-Oriented Design
Posted by Tara Sturm on May 20, 2013 |
There are many great books you could use to kick off your summer reading—and those of you interested in urban design may be excited to get your hands on Pedestrian and Transit-Oriented Design—a joint project of the American Planning Association and the Urban Land Institute.
The book provides measurable guidance for creating communities that are designed for humans. There are 28 features it promotes as “best practices,” divided into 3 groups—essential (orienting buildings toward the street, without parking in between), highly desirable (closely spaced street trees), and nice additions that may not be essential (“worthwhile” characteristics, public art, water features, etc.).
We were thrilled to get the opportunity to talk with Reid Ewing, a coauthor of the book, to hear his thoughts on the book, on urban design, and how what the book’s topic fits in with the CEOs for Cities mission.
CEOs for Cities: What sets this book apart from others like it today?
Reid Ewing: Others are not nearly as specific, concrete, tangible. This book takes the subject of urban design into the realm of operational guidance. The photos are incredible. There are also…
What signs do – and don’t – tell us about America’s parking
Posted by admin on May 02, 2013 |
What do we really know about parking?
Of everything that the responsible urban planner has to think about, parking can be the most vexing. Incredibly, no one knows how much of it there is in the U.S., which can make it tough to study. Part of the problem is that all parking is local, to paraphrase Tip O’Neil. You can’t borrow one of Albuquerque’s plentiful parking spots when you’re circling the block in Manhattan’s East Village. And although satellites can give us part of the story, it would take an unprecedented nationwide census (on par with the one we conduct of people) to deliver an accurate count...
City Disrupters
Posted by Lee Fisher on April 10, 2013 |
Our President and CEO, Lee Fisher, talks about how-- and just as importantly--where change happens in today's world, highlighting some of the great disrupters that drive energy and action in our cities.
Interactive Mapping: Tools for Building Community
Posted by magosto on March 13, 2013 |
The growth and popularity of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has led to growth in map availability with increasing ease of use. As more and more people become familiar with GIS programs, they can make maps for recreational uses. Map websites for the public include Greemap.org and Google Maps. Both of these sources allow the public to contribute points of interest to a community map, creating a new visual angle on civic engagement and crowdsourced data...
Lee Fisher Explains the Secret Sauce of City Success
Posted by Tara Sturm on March 12, 2013 |
On March 1, 2013, listeners at the City Club of Cleveland waited eagerly to watch our President and CEO, Lee Fisher, unveil the secret sauce of City Success. You too can discover the recipe of the secret sauce by clicking here or above to watch the video. Enjoy!
Dealing with Dichotomies: Toward Understanding
Posted by Tara Sturm on March 08, 2013 |
Oppositional categories have been in existence throughout all of history: dark vs. light, good vs. evil, male vs. female. In today's world we find many others that cause tension and conflict in ways that drastically affect our cities- from the great political divide to the hotly contested question of density. Our most recent blog post examines the root of all dichotomy, self vs. other, and how breaking down barriers can lead to healthier, more functional cities.
Balancing the New Old American City
Posted by magosto on March 07, 2013 |
The focus of city revitalization efforts and policy prescription as of late has increasingly been focused on young professionals— in order to cultivate creative talent and innovation. Cities and municipalities have funneled money into amenities generally associated to the needs of this population, hoping to attract and retain these young people. Though this is generally deemed a vital step in creating a vibrant, economically feasible city, the effect of the transient nature of this group on the stability of the neighborhoods has historically been considered negative. The most common argument points out that homeowners have an incentive to invest in their community—primarily due to permanence and the overall neighborhood’s effect on property values.
Startup Competition Fosters Culture of Innovation in Cleveland and Beyond
Posted by Tara Sturm on March 04, 2013 |
Ryan Marimon and Brian Adams (no, not that Bryan Adams) are two software developers that are leading the charge in bringing this institution into the city of Cleveland, organizing the first Startup Weekend the city has seen in three years—which is taking place this weekend (March 8-10). They recognize the potential power of this competition to jump-start entrepreneurial energy within the city, even within a short time-frame.
Transit-Oriented Development in Cleveland’s Urban Core
Posted by Nicholas I. Emenhiser on February 20, 2013 |
As Cleveland’s inner city population has yet to stabilize, despite a massive influx of young professionals, the city has turned to transit as a promising fix for the city’s problems. Transit-oriented development (TOD) is one of many ways cities are remaining competitive with outer suburbs for the almighty real estate dollar, and Cleveland has established itself as a regional leader worth keeping an eye on...
Matchmaking for Good: Crowdsourcing and Revitalization
Posted by admin on February 13, 2013 | Featured Partners, Guest Bloggers
Matchmaking is a service often associated to websites such as E-Harmony, but by harnessing the power of crowdsourcing and social platforms in the urban sectors, these necessary resources can come into reach (and our communities can certainly benefit from finding a little bit of love). Whether connecting with someone on ioby to fund a local environmental project, Change By Us to create a link between resident and leader, or matching spaces with creative ideas on ArtHERE to crowdsource revitalization, there are an increasing number of tools that help to realize the visions we previously thought impossible by simply creating connections."