Building Better Cities

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 D...

Penn Station has long been more than just a transit hub — it’s a mirror of New York itself: ambitious, messy, and perpetually under construction. Decades after the original station opened, financial troubles forced its owners to sell the air rights above, paving the way for Madison Square Garden. Now, the station is poised to embark on a new chapter of redevelopment. In this episode, host Kate Gas...

In Ann Arbor, Michigan, a bold experiment in community building is underway. Veridian at County Farm is a 14-acre net-zero neighborhood redefining what sustainable living can look like. In this episode, host Kate Gasparro sits down with Matt Grocoff , the visionary developer behind Veridian . Matt shares the story of how he discovered the site, the ethos driving its design, and how a virtual power...

In 2017, a long-vacant Sears distribution center on Cleveland Street in Memphis was reborn as Crosstown Concourse —a “vertical urban village.” The 1.5 million square foot behemoth is now home to healthcare, a high school, art galleries, a YMCA, restaurants, and 265 apartments.  For decades after Sears shuttered in 1993, the Crosstown corridor slipped off the city’s mental map—boarded storefronts,...

Big visions for our cities often start with ambitious master plans—20-acre sites, sweeping infrastructure, and promises of transformation. But as exciting as they sound, these projects can struggle under the weight of financing challenges, shifting market cycles, and the difficulty of sustaining community engagement over decades. On the other end of the spectrum are smaller, more incremental inter...

What happens when you close off miles of city streets to cars—and open them up to people instead? In Los Angeles, that question gave rise to CicLAvia , a now-iconic open streets event that has redefined how Angelenos experience public space. This week, host Kate Gasparro is joined by Aaron Paley , the co-founder of Community Arts Resources and one of the key visionaries behind CicLAvia. For decade...

When disaster strikes, it reveals not just the vulnerabilities in our built environment—but also the opportunity to rebuild with more intention. In the wake of the devastating LA wildfires earlier this year, conversations about recovery have expanded into questions of long-term resiliency, equitable redevelopment, and what kind of governance structures are needed to get there. To unpack these issu...

Abundance is about the promise of building more, more effectively. But getting there requires more than big laws—it takes local capacity, political will, and the ability to turn ambition into action. In this episode, Kate Gasparro sit down with Brian Regli , a former top advisor in Governor Josh Shapiro’s administration in Pennsylvania. They talk about what it’s like to be on the inside of a purpl...

Between 2021 and 2024, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act approved nearly $2 trillion in public investments. These investments were allocated to repair aging infrastructure, advance clean energy, and build toward a more connected, resilient future. But funding alone doesn’t build projects.  In this episode, host Kate Gasparro sits down with Zachary Ko...

Many high-profile smart city projects have missed the mark—not because the technology didn’t work, but because the process left people behind. That’s why a new model is emerging—one grounded in collaboration, transparency, and the idea that urban innovation should create value not just for investors, but for entrepreneurs, neighborhoods, and the public at large. In Detroit, Bedrock is helping lead...

What if entire neighborhoods shared integrated infrastructure—cutting costs, boosting performance, and unlocking real climate resilience? That’s the promise of district utility systems: shared infrastructure networks that serve multiple buildings with centralized solutions. From recovering waste heat and recycling greywater to deploying resilient solar-plus-storage microgrids, these systems offer...

How do you turn institutional ambition into a catalyst for community change?  This week on Building Better Cities , host Kate Gasparro sits down with Alex Feldman of U3 Advisors , a firm working at the intersection of anchor institutions and urban revitalization. From Detroit to Memphis to Philadelphia, U3 has helped universities and hospitals rethink their role in the cities they call home—not ju...

If you’ve spent any time in the world of placemaking, chances are you've been influenced—directly or indirectly—by the work of Carol Coletta . From her early days with the Mayors’ Institute on City Design to her leadership at the Memphis River Parks Partnership —Carol has consistently pushed cities to be more ambitious, more welcoming, and more connected. Now, she’s entering a new chapter, helping...

Federal funding can make or break an infrastructure project—but what happens when the rules change overnight? In this episode, Kate Gasparro is joined by Chris Livingstone , a seasoned expert in infrastructure finance and transaction structuring, with nearly 25 years of experience shaping major projects like the Washington Union Station Expansion and helping agencies like LA Metro navigate the com...

Have you ever wondered how you could truly invest in your community—not just symbolically, but with real equity? This week on Building Better Cities , Kate Gasparro sits down with Brian Ross of InfraShares to explore how equity crowdfunding is reshaping infrastructure finance. For the last decade, Brian has combined his expertise in infrastructure finance with a passion for community-driven invest...

Buildings contribute nearly 40% of global carbon emissions, with a significant share coming from embodied carbon—the hidden emissions in the materials we use to build. In this episode, Kate Gasparro sits down with Anish Tilak , a leader in RMI ’s Carbon-Free Buildings program, to explore how Buy Clean and Buy America policies are shaping the future of sustainable construction. They discuss the lat...

How do you close the financial gap between ambition and execution in urban development? In this episode of Building Better Cities , Kate Gasparro sits down with Ken Kalynchuk of Project Management Consultants to explore the world of public finance in the Midwest's largest and most iconic developments. From tax increment financing to historic tax credits, Ken explains how creative financial tools c...

In 2023, national insurance companies pulled out of Florida and California, citing escalating climate risks. Since then, natural disasters have only intensified, forcing property owners and developers to confront a critical challenge: How do we protect homes and investments in climate-risk areas? Following Hurricanes Milton and Helene, these questions have taken center stage—not just in impacted a...

Neighborhoods in the path of growth often attract investment, bringing new jobs and amenities—but they also create conditions ripe for gentrification and displacement. In this episode of Building Better Cities, host Kate Gasparro sits down with David Kemper, co-founder of Trust Neighborhoods , to explore solutions that put power back in the hands of residents. Over the past five years, David and h...

While the housing crisis may seem like the topic du jour, Los Angeles has spent decades grappling with this problem: too many people, too few homes. In this episode of Building Better Cities, host Kate Gasparro talks with Jenna Hornstock about local government's role in driving housing construction. As LA's Deputy Mayor for Housing, Jenna played a critical role in repositioning the city to increas...

In this episode of Building Better Cities, host Kate Gasparro interviews Lauren Mattern , a leader in Travel Demand Management (TDM) with two decades of experience working with major transit agencies including San Francisco’s MTA and Transport for London. Lauren's current work with Journey is focused on helping cities and developers find better solutions for urban mobility. They discuss how TDM st...

In this episode of Building Better Cities, host Kate Gasparro talks with Adam Friedberg about the core dynamics behind mega urban development projects. With Adam's leadership of  Buro Happold 's Cities Team, they discuss how sustainable infrastructure and a focus on community growth has helped revitalize Lake Erie communities and create South Korea's Songdo. Tune in to learn how these mega project...

In this episode of Building Better Cities , we’re taking a deep dive into rising household energy costs. Host Kate Gasparro revisits a 2022 conversation with Ben Dueweke, Director of Public Partnerships at Walker-Miller Energy Services , whose work focuses on reducing the energy burden in communities throughout the Midwest. Tune in to learn how energy efficiency and weatherization initiatives are...

In this inaugural episode of Building Better Cities , host Kate Gasparro chats with Dr. Andrew Sonta , about how urban design shapes social interactions. From third spaces to post-COVID city centers, they explore how thoughtful planning can foster stronger, more cohesive communities. Tune in to learn more and gain actionable insights for building better cities! Sources: Rethinking walkability: Exp...