There are some people in my neighborhood who started putting out goblins and other scary Halloween fare as early as the first week of October. To me that’s a little early but for some who can’t get enough of Halloween it’s simply divine! I think I understand this early-bird enthusiasm. Why live with the ordinary
Read more →
Today I received a newsletter announcing that one of my favorite communities, Angus Glen, was recently awarded the “Places to Grow Community of the Year” award from the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) in Toronto. As you know I’m not a fan of developer- or planner-speak, so I’m going to break down what
Read more →
Buying locally is a great way to protect the vitality of your community. But should you feel “joy” in doing so? That’s your call but I can tell you that the impact on our communities from growth in local business sectors is so essential to our quality of life, that when it works, “joy” is
Read more →
An interesting video about the beginnings of the New Urbanism movement. The first community developed according to new urbanism concepts was a community in Florida called Seaside. This community includes things like “incubator retail.” This is a concept whereby new businesses can set-up shop in temporary buildings. There’s no air conditioning, etc. but it’s an
Read more →
Think about your childhood, your college years, your first apartment…your first love. Of course people make the memory but wouldn’t you say the “place”…the neighborhood in which these hings occurred is integral to your experience and memories? That warm sense of “place” is a vital aspect of new urbanism that for me resonates most with
Read more →
As I continue planning for a 25th wedding anniversary celebration in a great American city I can’t stop thinking about “family oriented” activities. Maybe that’s because over the course of our 25-year marriage most of our fun-time decisions have been driven by the desire to choose activities that would be great fun for the kids.
Read more →
As my 25th wedding anniversary draws closer I’m getting a lot of pressure from online and offline friends to ensure that I consider “all” my top favorite cities before I finalize plans for our anniversary trip. At least that’s their polite way of saying “you can’t be serious about choosing a rust-belt city like Cleveland
Read more →
Lots of green space, walkable streets, a variety of local amenities and places to work – these are all elements of a great new urban center. There is, however, another key factor that makes an OK city a great one and that is vibrant and diverse local entertainment. Too often over the years I’ve listened
Read more →
When it comes down to it, one of the easiest ways to define new urbanism is the creation of places designed for human activity. Take Cleveland for example and its attempts to revitalize an economically and socially depressed corner of the city. One of it’s main corridors, Euclid Ave., empties out on the east side
Read more →
This house looks like it might be located in a rural community when actually it’s located in my suburban city – a city that has embraced new urbanism. The home is a heritage home that was renovated by someone I know to reflect the entire Main St. neighborhood which celebrates the region’s heritage. Interestingly enough this heritage area
Read more →
