This post is about community hubs, realization, and an upcoming planning application. My neighbor Bekah will from time to time remind or goad me that we live in suburbia. We live on the outskirts of town, or as I’m inclined … Continue reading 3rd Places – Nate Allebach
This Washington Post article by Eli Saslow is both compelling reading and in equal measures depressing and a call to arms. This really isn’t about poor people who don’t try hard enough, don’t work hard enough, it’s about a failing system, everything from hours of work, to transport, and support systems. In many respects it resembles a self eating virus, where the only way forward for many is to eat their future. Meanwhile instead of meaningful change and addressing the issues, Republican States are wasting time banning books and trying any way they can to stop women getting abortions. Some … Continue reading The death spiral of an American family
Automation is everywhere, but most of us don’t notice it. Every product we buy, every service we use has been touched by automation, some more than others. Think about the products you buy about the grocery store? Come in a package? Packed by machine! Continue reading Creeping automation
This is one of the best blogs of many on the Strong Towns blog. American suburbia is only viable with heavy government subsidy and planning — It would be unaffordable otherwise. As we see the Growth Ponzi Scheme unwinding and the first decades of what journalist Alan Ehrenhalt has called The Great Inversion, Americans are experiencing a return to normal living conditions. In many ways, it’s a traumatic transition; who-moved-my-cheese on a continental economic scale. Source: The Greatest Social Challenge of our Generation — Strong Towns Continue reading The Greatest Social Challenge of our Generation — Strong Towns
*The inspiration for this post and the words and comments came from the excellent Strongtowns blog, and a post written by Gracen Johnson. One of the more interesting challenges of living somewhere that is a high development area, is not the density, construction, or traffic, it is trying to ensure that in the rush to build, there is more than a hat-tip to quality of life. Boulder and surrounds are synonymous with open space, and trails. All the developments adjacent to my neighborhood has trails and reasonably close access to open space, usually via trails. However, in a development with … Continue reading I don’t want to sit here
I hate that Austin is changing, but when I look at much of the change, I can’t deny that its better. This hiperstercrit blog sentiment and list of changes is one of my favorites. My poster example of change, is … Continue reading Changing Austin
Over on Dan Keshets’ “Austin On Your Feet” blog, Dan posted yesterday what I think was a follow-up to a long twitter conversation a number of us had. His post is about the City of Austins’ CodeNext project. Dan is an advocate for greater density in Austin, and as the name of his blog implies and the about page says “has lived and worked in central Austin near downtown without a car since 2005”. I’ve had the feeling that a lot of those advocating for greater density, and especially the acceptance by the central neighborhoods of much more permissive multi-family … Continue reading Density, M/F and “Character”
Next week sees the much heralded launch of the “rapid bus” in Austin. That’s a subject of huge importance and not to mention, massive debate and possibly deception. In order to prepare for this, the city has been making major changes, especially downtown creating priority lanes for buses, and new bike lanes. What is abundantly clear is the main in town south north route, Lavaca won’t be ready. While the priority lanes were being created, there has been major sewer work going on, the road surface has been ripped up, not just re-striped, lanes have been out for days just … Continue reading Lavaca – Off road slalom course