Upzoned Strong Towns

Not everyone who left the office for remote work returned after the pandemic lockdown ended. Many employees stayed remote, and, in doing so, they left behind a swath of empty office buildings in downtowns across North America. Developers see these abandoned places as easy cash, that is, if you can find the right sort of abandoned office space. On this episode of Upzoned, urban developer Andrew Ganahl talks with host Abby Kinney about the challenges of this pattern of growth, but also the good that could come out of it.
ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

“The developers who see dollar signs in abandoned downtowns,” by Alex Mayyasi, The Hustle (April 2023).


Andrew Ganahl (Twitter).


Abby Kinney (Twitter).


Theme Music by Kemet the Phantom.

Have you ever wondered why multifamily housing has the same, copied look in most places? Part of the reason is due to the way regulations require architects to build stairs. On this Upzoned podcast, host Abby Kinney talks with special guest and architect Kevin Klinkenberg about how building codes and zoning laws can be helpful, yet at the same time limit building possibilities.
ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

“Why Does American Multifamily Architecture Look so Banal? Here’s One Reason,” by Michael Eliason, The Architect’s Newspaper (March 2023).


Abby Kinney (Twitter).


Kevin Klinkenberg (Twitter).


Theme Music by Kemet the Phantom.

Like all major cities in America, Seattle is facing a housing shortage. And 100 years ago, Seattle faced a housing shortage bigger than the one it has now. The initial response to the historic shortage was to build small, boxy, apartment buildings holding four to six apartments (called Cowboy Hotels) that blended in with the houses already established in the neighborhood. In this Upzoned episode, host Abby Kinney and co-host Chuck Marohn talk about Cowboy Hotels and their financial possibilities.
ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

“Small Apartments From 100 Years ago Offer Townhome Alternative,” by Joshua McNichols, KUOW, (March 2023).


Abby Kinney (Twitter).


Chuck Marohn (Twitter).


Theme Music by Kemet the Phantom.

Homelessness in rural areas can look different than in bigger cities: as noted in a recent article by The Daily Yonder, rural homelessness is more “hidden,” and is expressed through couch surfing, roommate arrangements, and housing insecurity versus seeing people without homes on the street. 
What can we do to address the housing crisis in rural communities? Join host Abby Kinney and co-host Chuck Marohn on the Upzoned podcast as they talk about this growing problem and possible solutions.
ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

“Tackling Rural America’s ‘Hidden’ Housing Crisis,” by Taylor Sisk and Jan Pytalski, The Daily Yonder (March 2023).


Abby Kinney (Twitter).


Chuck Marohn (Twitter).


Theme Music by Kemet the Phantom.

High-earning Americans are renting instead of buying homes. Some even say they plan to rent indefinitely. Why is that? In this week’s Upzoned episode, join host Abby Kinney and guest Norm Van Eeden Petersman as they talk about this trend.
ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

“Three Million U.S. Households Making Over $150,000 Are Still Renters,” by Will Parker, The Wall Street Journal (March 2023).


Abby Kinney (Twitter).


Norm Van Eeden Petersman (Twitter).

“What happens when old buildings have reached the end of their life, either their useful life in terms of safety or their desirable life in terms of modern living?” a Next City article asks. The piece goes on to say that when buildings throughout the U.S. get demolished, the once useful construction materials often end up in landfills. But there’s a growing movement to try and disassemble buildings carefully, and rescue building materials to be used in other projects. In today’s Upzoned episode, host Abby Kinney and co-host Chuck Marohn talk about this growing movement.
ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

“How A Deconstruction Company And Salvage Shop Are Keeping Building Materials Out Of Landfills,” by Cinnamon Janzer, Next City (March, 2023).


Abby Kinney (Twitter).


Chuck Marohn (Twitter).