I live on a not so great street. It’s a shame because it could be really great! My side of the street is filled with small storefronts, bars and restaurants. There is lots to see from the sidewalk and there are lots of places to stop along the way. The other side of the street is filled with a monolithic building that has no retail (or other) activity at all. And the next … [Read more...] about Great streets.
Articles
It’s a dog’s life.
I measure real estate trends by dogs. Let me explain. Quite a few years ago my son became the owner of an adorable German Shepherd puppy. And then he became an airline pilot and I began to co-parent a handsome 100 lb German Shepherd dog … from my downtown Pittsburgh apartment. I’d take Atlas out for his evening walks. He loved to walk the streets sniffing people and … [Read more...] about It’s a dog’s life.
Parking minimums gone!
The pandemic shone new light on the value of urban land. Climate change has also prompted some serious thought to the role of the car in the urban landscape. In Montreal a parking lot has become a children's playground. In Winnipeg several have become popular beer gardens. In Toronto, a 100-unit apartment building is replacing a downtown parking lot. We are … [Read more...] about Parking minimums gone!
Starter Home. Where are you?
“The economics of the housing market, and the local rules that shape it, have squeezed out entry-level homes.” writes Emily Badger for The New York Times. “The disappearance of such affordable homes is central to the American housing crisis. The nation has a deepening shortage of housing. But, more specifically, there isn’t enough of this housing: small, no-frills homes … [Read more...] about Starter Home. Where are you?
Flat is the new normal.
“Mass-market production and the commodification of housing has led to a ‘flattening’ of design into a limited set of bland, homogeneous options” writes Diana Ionescu for Planetizen. Once upon a time, houses used to have unique features. Today, if you drive around any American city, you’ll see neighborhoods full of cookie cutter homes and rows of surprisingly similar, cheaply … [Read more...] about Flat is the new normal.