Building Better Cities

Building Better Cities
  • 5.0 (10)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

Welcome to Building Better Cities, the podcast where we explore the evolving landscape of urban development and the crucial role that infrastructure and real estate investments play in shaping our communities.

  1. 6D AGO

    How mission-driven development pencils on Chicago’s South Side — with Byron Brazier

    How do you make mission-driven development pencil in a neighborhood shaped by decades of disinvestment? In this episode of Building Better Cities, host Kate Gasparro sits down with J. Byron Brazier, lead developer of Woodlawn Central, a nearly $895 million mixed-use development on Chicago’s South Side anchored by the Apostolic Church of God. Together, they explore how community-led, faith-based development can drive large-scale urban regeneration without displacement. The conversation dives into how Woodlawn Central is moving forward without relying on Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and how financing tools like joint ventures, phased development, and future tax-increment strategies help the project pencil.  This episode is a must-listen for developers, city leaders, investors, planners, and community builders interested in equitable development, transit-oriented districts, and new models for community-driven urban revitalization. Resources: Woodlawn Central: "A model for the new Black community" (Urbanize Chicago) A Woodlawn megadevelopment stirs hope and fear in the Chicago neighborhood (WBEZ Chicago) Price tag for Church's sweeping plant to redevelopment Woodlawn property could hit $1B (Block Club Chicago) Bid to aid 'vulnerable residents' by Obama Presidential Center wins city panel's unanimous backing (WBEZ Chicago) Why homes for low-income renters are far more expensive to build (BisNow) Thanks for listening to Building Better Cities! If you'd like to stay connected, don't forget to Subscribe and Follow. You can find all our archived newsletters and podcasts right here. Want to get in touch? Just email the team at kate@buildingbettercities.com.

    33 min

  2. DEC 4

    The housing system is broken- can upzoning save it? (with Ben Metcalf)

    Why is housing so expensive — and what are states doing about it? Well... California has passed SB 79 to spur transit-oriented development. This upzoning will leverage infrastructure investments to increase supply and build more sustainable cities. To unpack what that means, host Kate Gasparro sits down with Ben Metcalf, Managing Director of the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at UC Berkeley and one of the nation’s leading experts on housing policy, zoning reform, and development feasibility.  Ben brings a rare, full-spectrum view of the housing system — from his experience as a developer, to shaping national policy at HUD under the Obama Administration, to leading California’s Department of Housing and Community Development. Together, Kate and Ben explore: What SB 79 actually does and why it’s a big dealHow upzoning and land use reform are becoming bipartisan tools to address the housing shortageThe political tension between state mandates and local controlLessons from other states pursuing transit-oriented development (TOD) and pro-housing policyWhat cities, planners, and developers need to prepare for implementationHow national cost pressures — construction inflation, interest rates, labor shortages — shape what gets builtIf you follow housing policy, zoning reform, TOD, state housing laws, land use planning, or the future of affordability, this episode breaks down the trends shaping America’s housing landscape and how SB 79 could become a national model. Listen in to learn how policy reform and industry innovation can unlock more homes, stronger transit systems, and more equitable cities. Resources: Gov. Newsom signs law overhauling local zoning to build more housing (Cal Matters) State housing policy changes are more random than you think (Mercatus Center) Framing Futures: pro-housing legislation goes vertical in 2025 (Mercatus Center) How Minneapolis became the first to end single-family zoning (PBS) Unlocking additional housing through accessory dwelling units (American Legislative Exchange Council) Unlocking the power of transit-oriented development (Building Better Cities) Thanks for listening to Building Better Cities! If you'd like to stay connected, don't forget to Subscribe and Follow. You can find all our archived newsletters and podcasts right here. Want to get in touch? Just email the team at kate@buildingbettercities.com.

    34 min

  3. NOV 13

    From the Archives: How urban design fosters stronger communities with Dr. Andrew Sonta

    When the Building Better Cities podcast launched just over a year ago, we set out to explore how we design and deliver the infrastructure and buildings that shape our lives. So this week, Kate is revisiting the very first episode of the podcast — a conversation with Dr. Andrew Sonta that explores the connection between the urban form and social cohesion. His work at EPFL focuses on human interaction in the built environment. And, since the conversation, more studies have expanded on this idea, showing something fascinating — and a little troubling. Even as our cities are built to enable connection, people are walking faster, lingering less, and spending less time in shared spaces. It feels like the right moment to pause and reflect on why that’s happening — and what it means for the kind of cities we’re building. As we continue to talk about smart growth, density, and sustainability, it’s worth remembering that cities are also social ecosystems. The way we move through and experience them matters. Resources: Rethinking walkability: Exploring the relationship between urban form and neighborhood social cohesion (Sustainable Cities and Society) Pedestrians now walk fast and linger less, researchers find (MIT) Thanks for listening to Building Better Cities! If you'd like to stay connected, don't forget to Subscribe and Follow. You can find all our archived newsletters and podcasts right here. Want to get in touch? Just email the team at kate@buildingbettercities.com.

    26 min

  4. OCT 30

    Tulsa's bold model for restorative development with Ashley Philippsen and Dr. Lana Turner-Addison

    More than a century after the Tulsa Race Massacre devastated Black Wall Street, the land where that thriving community once stood is again shaping Tulsa’s future. The 56 acres of Kirkpatrick Heights and Greenwood, long defined by stalled redevelopment and distrust, are now the focus of a community-led effort to restore both land and power. In this episode, Kate speaks with Ashley Philippsen and Dr. Lana Turner-Addison, co-chairs of the Kirkpatrick Heights–Greenwood Master Plan. Ashley is Executive Director of ImpactTulsa and a former Deputy Chief of Community Development and Policy for the City of Tulsa. Dr. Turner-Addison is a lifelong North Tulsa resident, educator, and advocate who has served as President of Tulsa Public Schools Board and Director of Human Rights for the City. Together, they discuss how the plan has led to the formation of the new Greenwood Legacy CDC, and what it takes to navigate history, rebuild trust, and center healing, ownership, and accountability in community development. Resources: Redevelopment plan advances for Tulsa massacre area (Congress for New Urbanism) Tulsa announces reparations for the 1921 'Black Wall Street' massacre (Washington Post) Greenwood Legacy Corporation to host 2 community meetings (Fox) How Tulsa, Oklahoma's civic and philanthropic leaders have catalyzed inclusive, tech-driven economic growth (Brookings) Thanks for listening to Building Better Cities! If you'd like to stay connected, don't forget to Subscribe and Follow. You can find all our archived newsletters and podcasts right here. Want to get in touch? Just email the team at kate@buildingbettercities.com.

    33 min

  5. OCT 14

    The battle over Penn Station's redevelopment with Claire Read

    Penn Station has long been more than just a transit hub — it’s a mirror of New York itself: ambitious, messy, and perpetually under construction. Decades after the original station opened, financial troubles forced its owners to sell the air rights above, paving the way for Madison Square Garden. Now, the station is poised to embark on a new chapter of redevelopment. In this episode, host Kate Gasparro sits down with documentarian Claire Read to discuss her film Penn F---ing Station, which traces years of high-stakes political maneuvering, community resistance, and evolving design visions for the station’s renewal. After years of gubernatorial leadership shaping the project, the Trump administration has recently stepped into a lead role — placing Amtrak and the U.S. Department of Transportation in control. Together, Kate and Claire explore how local dynamics, often kept off the national front page, ultimately determine how major projects come together. They unpack what this new federal intervention means for power, accountability, and the long-term trajectory of the project — and how documenting Penn Station’s evolution reveals broader truths about who builds cities, who shapes their futures, and how the local and the national collide in urban development. Resources: Trump administration takes control of $7B Penn Station redevelopment (Construction Dive) When Penn Station Was a Masterpiece (The New York Historical) The Gods of Times Square (IMDB) Penn Station advocates to submit their own redevelopment plan (City & State New York) Thanks for listening to Building Better Cities! If you'd like to stay connected, don't forget to Subscribe and Follow. You can find all our archived newsletters and podcasts right here. Want to get in touch? Just email the team at kate@buildingbettercities.com.

    30 min

  6. SEP 30

    Building a net-zero neighborhood for the future with Matt Grocoff

    In Ann Arbor, Michigan, a bold experiment in community building is underway. Veridian at County Farm is a 14-acre net-zero neighborhood redefining what sustainable living can look like. In this episode, host Kate Gasparro sits down with Matt Grocoff, the visionary developer behind Veridian. Matt shares the story of how he discovered the site, the ethos driving its design, and how a virtual power plant with onsite solar and batteries will allow the community to be self-sufficient while also serving as an asset to the regional grid. Together, Kate and Matt also explore how Veridian integrates energy, water, and food systems to create a model for resilient, regenerative living. Veridian is proof that sustainability can be woven into everyday life- not at a premium upgrade, but as the foundation for a healthier, more resilient community. Resources: Energy-Efficient Isnt' Enough, So Homes Go "Net Zero" (NYTimes) Residents have almost no energy bills int his self-powered Ann Arbor neighborhood (M Live) "Net Zero" Living in a Green Home in a Walkable, Historic Neighborhood (Smart Cities Dive) Ann Arbor's sustainable energy utility aims to build the electric power grid fo the future- alongside the old one (The Conversation) Thanks for listening to Building Better Cities! If you'd like to stay connected, don't forget to Subscribe and Follow. You can find all our archived newsletters and podcasts right here. Want to get in touch? Just email the team at kate@buildingbettercities.com.

    30 min

  7. SEP 3

    From vacancy to vertical village and beyond with Todd Richardson

    In 2017, a long-vacant Sears distribution center on Cleveland Street in Memphis was reborn as Crosstown Concourse—a “vertical urban village.” The 1.5 million square foot behemoth is now home to healthcare, a high school, art galleries, a YMCA, restaurants, and 265 apartments.  For decades after Sears shuttered in 1993, the Crosstown corridor slipped off the city’s mental map—boarded storefronts, empty sidewalks, and years of disinvestment. Today, the investments and energy imbued at Crosstown Concourse has become a catalyst for neighborhood revival, from a partnership with Live Nation to build a new music venue to more than 30 acres of mixed use redevelopment.  In this episode, host Kate Gasparro talks with Todd Richardson about how arts and patient capital sparked Crosstown’s rebirth, and how that momentum is fueling the next wave of investment. Resources: Satellite Music Hall breaks ground at Crosstown (Choose901) Community Leadership Drives the Transformation of an Abandoned Sears Warehouse (MetropolisMag) Crosstown Concourse Case Study (Bruner Foundation) Crosstown Concourse Documentary (Crosstown Concourse) Toronto's Distillery District (Distillery District) MASS MoCA's History (MASS MoCA) Ponce City Market History (Ponce City Market) Midtown Global Market History (Midtown Global Market) Thanks for listening to Building Better Cities! If you'd like to stay connected, don't forget to Subscribe and Follow. You can find all our archived newsletters and podcasts right here. Want to get in touch? Just email the team at kate@buildingbettercities.com.

    38 min

  8. AUG 21

    Shaping vibrant neighborhoods with infill development with Shruti Shankar and Roberto Jenkins

    Big visions for our cities often start with ambitious master plans—20-acre sites, sweeping infrastructure, and promises of transformation. But as exciting as they sound, these projects can struggle under the weight of financing challenges, shifting market cycles, and the difficulty of sustaining community engagement over decades. On the other end of the spectrum are smaller, more incremental interventions: storefront upgrades, parklets, infill housing, and neighborhood-scale design moves that reshape our everyday experience of place. These fine-grained efforts can feel more organic, more participatory, and often create some of the most beloved neighborhoods we know today. In this episode of Building Better Cities, host Kate Gasparro is joined by Roberto Jenkins and Shruti Shankar from RDC and Studio One Eleven to explore this tension between top-down master planning and bottom-up placemaking. Together, they talk about how incremental projects in places like the Long Beach Design District are reshaping communities, what it means to design at the human scale, and how partnerships can unlock lasting urban change. Resources: Inside RDC-S111's Transformative Long Beach Headquarters (Work Design Magazine) Infill Development Supports Community Connectivity (APA) How to drive urban infill development in your city (C40) Mapping the Parklet Craze (SPUR) Thanks for listening to Building Better Cities! If you'd like to stay connected, don't forget to Subscribe and Follow. You can find all our archived newsletters and podcasts right here. Want to get in touch? Just email the team at kate@buildingbettercities.com.

    32 min
See All (27)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

Welcome to Building Better Cities, the podcast where we explore the evolving landscape of urban development and the crucial role that infrastructure and real estate investments play in shaping our communities.

Information

  • Creator
    Building Better Cities
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Building Better Cities
  • Show Website
    Building Better Cities

You Might Also Like