App or Nothing: Why Adults in Cities Should Unplug
I recently almost died. I was walking across a highway overpass that cuts through Center City while listening…
The New Urban Order: Retail as a Public Good?
As Philadelphia prepared to host a run of major 2026 events — the 250th, the World Cup, the…
The New Urban Order: When Devolution is Evolution
I’ve been watching former Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham for years, seeing how he has helped to transform…
8 Big Ideas from Bloomberg CityLab in 2026
As some of you know, I’ve been posting quite a bit about Bloomberg CityLab in Madrid, an annual…
The Case Against Managed Decline in SDP
For the past month, Philadelphia has been publicly debating a new facilities master plan for our school district.…
Are Cities Recovering Or Struggling Again?
Six years ago, we shut down cities across the world. In the first three years afterward, a full…
The New Urban Order: Putting Pedestrians First
For decades, American cities have tried to leverage transit infrastructure with transit-oriented development (TOD). It’s the cornerstone of…
276,000 Acres of Public Land in Plain Sight
In January, the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy announced a new initiative, Public Land for All Communities and…
The Best Things to Happen in Cities in 2025
What a year 2025 has been. I kind of can’t believe we made it … To end on…
5 Vibe-y Predictions for 2026
Some people love December for the candy canes or excuses to watch Love, Actually or drink egg nog.…
Philly Had the Answer to the Manosphere
Last week, the New York Times published a piece by Willy Staley about a skatepark in Malmö, Sweden…