Building Better Cities

Kate Gasparro - Urban Development & Sustainable Infrastructure Expert
  • 5.0 (13)
  • 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. FEB 19

    The climate goals are clear. The infrastructure spending isn't. (with Adie Tomer and Ben Swedberg)

    California has record levels of federal infrastructure funding and some of the most ambitious climate goals in the country. But why are transportation emissions still rising?  In this episode of Building Better Cities, we explore how infrastructure funding impacts urban development and sustainable infrastructure strategies. Join host Kate Gasparro as she sits down with Adie Tomer and Ben Swedberg from Brookings Metro to unpack the disconnect between urban development goals and the realities of infrastructure project funding and delivery. From federal formula funding to state-controlled transportation budgets, learn how funding pathways shape what cities can build on the ground. Then we zoom in on California as a case study. Despite strong climate policies and major investments, the state continues to prioritize projects that expand roadway capacity, while struggling to fund the supporting infrastructure needed for infill housing and transit-oriented development. If reducing vehicle miles traveled requires better land use patterns, walkable neighborhoods, and shorter trips — are we funding the right kinds of sustainable infrastructure? This conversation explores the connection between transportation, housing, and economic growth — and what it would take to better align infrastructure spending with climate goals and practical urban outcomes. If you care about urban development, cities, infrastructure finance, and the future of sustainable infrastructure, this episode is for you. Resources:  California's road to climate progress, Parts 1-5 (Brookings Metro) The Regional Transportation Block Grant (Brookings Metro) Highway shakedown: How local road users are subsidizing state highway investments (Brookings Metro) Climate-accountable planning (Brookings Metro) With commuting down, cities must rethink their transportation networks (Brookings Metro) Building for proximity: The role of activity centers in reducing total miles traveles (Brookings Metro) Send a text 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. FEB 4

    Overcoming friction to build regenerative cities with Eric Corey Freed

    If we know how to build healthier, more sustainable and regenerative buildings, why do so few of them actually get built? This conversation focuses on the execution gap holding cities, developers, and institutions back from delivering better places for people. Despite decades of innovation in materials, design strategies, and performance data, progress often stalls when good ideas collide with risk-averse systems, outdated assumptions, and institutional friction. Our guest is Eric Corey Freed, an architect and longtime leader in regenerative design. Drawing on his experience working at Eco Districts, the Living Future Institute, and now with Cannon Design, Eric introduces a powerful reframing: innovation doesn’t fail because we lack creativity — it fails because friction makes “no” easier than “yes.” Together, host Kate Gasparro and Eric explore how fear, habit, and misaligned incentives prevent sustainability practices and what it looks like when buildings move beyond being “less bad” to becoming truly regenerative. From healthier materials and biophilic design to performance metrics that prioritize human well-being, this episode offers practical insight into how cities can create places that actively improve health, resilience, and community outcomes. If we want cities that are genuinely better for people, the challenge isn’t imagining better buildings — it’s removing what’s standing in the way of building them. Resources: Nature Becomes Architect: Growing our next generation of buildings (TEDx) Creating zero-carbon buildings for a regenerative built world (Reuters) What if we grew our buildings? (Treehugger) Net zero buildings for people and planet (Cannon Design) The Design Firm Making Net-Zero Emissions Buildings a Reality (Time) Send a text 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.

    35 min

  3. JAN 21

    What it really takes to save a downtown with Mayor White of Greenville, SC

    Downtowns across the country are struggling after COVID — with empty storefronts, declining foot traffic, and major uncertainty about the future of office districts and city centers. In this episode of Building Better Cities, host Kate Gasparro sits down with Mayor Knox White of Greenville, South Carolina to unpack what it really takes to save a downtown — and why Greenville’s approach has become a national model for mid-sized cities. Greenville, SC is now known for its walkable Main Street, mixed-use downtown living, and the transformation of the Reedy River into Falls Park. But that success was far from inevitable. Mayor White reflects on downtown decline in the 1970s, the decision to invest ahead of the market, and the political courage behind bold moves like narrowing Main Street and removing the Camperdown Bridge. The conversation explores: Downtown revitalization strategies after COVIDPublic-private partnerships in city redevelopmentHow tax increment financing (TIF) can support downtown recoveryWhy mixed-use development is essential for vibrant city centersHow cities can reinvest downtown success beyond the coreHousing affordability and rising rents in revitalized downtownsAs many cities search for ways to bring life back to downtown corridors, Greenville’s experience offers timely lessons on leadership, planning, and long-term investment. This episode is for city leaders, planners, developers, and anyone thinking seriously about the future of downtown America. Resources: From groundbreaking to opening of Honor Tower, see Unity Park through the years (Greenville News) Falls Park on the Reedy (Rudy Bruner Award) Downtown Reborn (City of Greenville) Small and midsized downtown recovery: Overcoming obstacles and uplifting innovative solutions in four regions (Brookings) To save downtowns, cities need to do more than turn offices into housing (Urban Institute) Can we save the downtown? Examining pandemic recovery trajectories across 72 North American cities (Cities) Send a text 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.

    36 min

  4. JAN 8

    Replay: Can rebuilding for resilience make insurance affordable? (with Alisa Valderrama)

    One year ago, the Los Angeles wildfires made one thing unmistakably clear: climate risk is no longer peripheral to urban life — it is a defining condition for many cities. The loss of thousands of homes has forced urgent questions about how to rebuild in climate-risk areas. Homeowners are facing rising insurance costs — further exacerbating the affordability crisis. Earlier this year, we explored how pricing climate risk into insurance could create a pathway for insurers to re-enter these markets. Beyond that approach, there are more efforts to make insurance more affordable. But without fundamentally changing how we design for resilience, these tools risk normalizing unsafe conditions rather than correcting them. That’s why we’re replaying this timely conversation with Alisa Valderrama, founder of FutureProof. As a climate-based insurtech start-up, FutureProof prices climate risk using insurance data and weather models. With a recent aquisition, FutureProof is expanding it's capabilities to address wildfire risk in pricing products for leading national insurers. In this episode, Alisa shares how quantifying climate risk for insurers is changing the way we build (and rebuild) with resilience. Resources: FutureProof Technologies Acquires Terrafuse AI to Address Wildfire Risk (Business Wire) Who Pays When Insurance Fails to Cover Climate Disasters? (NRDC) Forging a resilient future for California's homeowners and insurers (McKinsey) Send a text 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

  5. 12/18/2025

    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) Send a text 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

  6. 12/04/2025

    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) Send a text 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

  7. 11/13/2025

    Replay: 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) Send a text 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

  8. 10/30/2025

    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) Send a text 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
See All (31)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
13 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
    Kate Gasparro - Urban Development & Sustainable Infrastructure Expert
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    31
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Building Better Cities
  • Show Website
    Building Better Cities

You Might Also Like