Category: Developers
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Authenticity
This is one of two essays that I wrote in Charles Mudede’s Writing the City class at the Hugo House in 2018. I was more afraid of making my truths public back then, and didn’t know what to do with it once I’d written it. I’m finally publishing it here, without edits, in late 2021,…
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Helping out Salmon in Fremont, Seattle, WA
Why would developers voluntarily clean up icky runoff from the Aurora Bridge? In Fremont, a block uphill from Seattle’s ship canal, construction is wrapping up on a glassy office building. An unassuming, newly landscaped terrace flanks the building. The Aurora Bridge soars above the terrace, carrying cars over the canal. Along the canal, boats dot…
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Social Conscience in Columbus, OH
What counts as a thoughtful effort in a gentrifying neighborhood? In Columbus, I set out to investigate a few different takes on socially conscientious development. I learned something about how hard it can be to write hopefully and pragmatically at the same time….
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Tim McDonald, Onion Flats—Philadelphia, PA
Can a single design- and environmentally-conscious developer influence others? Tim McDonald runs Onion Flats with his three partners. Trained as an architect, Tim co-founded the Philadelphia-based alongside his brother. “As a developer,” he says, “every project I’ve ever done has been an opportunity to explore something. I’m a design-driven developer, and I come at it from…
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How to encourage collaborative development, organically
I’m cross-posting this older essay here so that you can find all of my writing in one place. Please visit Crosscut to read the full essay. Neighborhood development is fascinating work. The people who choose to spend their lives making places for people can be motivated by many factors beyond simple financial advancement. Yet planning policy…