Urban Planning and Public Space
Chatting about Cities (and Lovecraft)
Earlier this January, I talked with We Need Some Milk, a podcast discussing local politics and urban policy. Since the hosts and I shared such a wide-ranging and fun conversation, they decided to make my appearance a two-part episode. We chatted about the Jersey City political landscape, the New Jersey gubernatorial race, and my forthcoming…
New Year, New Podcast
2021 marks my third straight appearance on a New Year’s episode of We Need Some Milk, a podcast devoted to exploring local politics in Massachusetts and New Jersey. (Although this pairing might seem strange, trust me, it works.) Three years running … it’s officially a tradition. The hosts and I discussed the pandemic, cast predictions…
A Paean to a City
The seemingly never-ending COVID-19 pandemic has shredded municipal budgets and tax bases. A regular cycle of news stories darkly speculate as to the health of the American city. Essential services–mass transit, public parks, schools–seem imperiled. The current presidential administration and its conservative allies delight at the situation. At best, the future of our cites seem…
A Different Spread
Wealthy New Yorkers fleeing COVID-19 set off a chain reaction of displacement and cultural loss in rural New York and other regions. Artists and the creative class might receive blame for the dramatic changes in their communities. However, artists seldom win in stories of gentrification.
Statues for Whom?
Statues stand as markers or symbols of how we publicly view history. They sit in our parks and and in front of our public buildings. Before the protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd, few of us likely paid much attention to them as we walked to work, returned a library book, or reported…
Jersey City Funding the Arts? Maybe
Recently, the Jersey City council approved a ballot referendum for creating an arts trust fund in Jersey City. The proposal would dedicate permanent revenue for local arts and culture organizations. A small additional property tax would collect an estimated $800,000 to $1,000,000 per year–all for the arts.
2020 Predictions: We Need Some Milk
Last year, I appeared on We Need Some Milk, a sometimes irreverent podcast exploring local politics with a focus on New Jersey and Massachusetts. The hosts invited me back to participate in the program’s first episode in 2020.
My Fordham Conversation Continues
Discussing the contours of Jersey City history and politics isn’t easy. In fact, Robin Shannon’s and my extended sit-down for Fordham Conversations, a weekly program on WFUV (90.7 FM), resulted in two full episodes. You can hear Part 2 here.
My Fordham Conversation: Part 1
Recently, Robin Shannon invited me to join her on Fordham Conversations, a weekly program on WFUV (90.7 FM). We chatted about Jersey City, artists, regional history, gentrification, and my book, Left Bank of the Hudson.
Bromo Seltzer & Baltimore
Earlier this month, I visited an old friend in Baltimore ostensibly to lend him a hand with his cozy 1850s rowhouse. In between projects, he introduced me to a few (of the many) high points of Charm City. Knowing our shared passion for architectural, industrial, and local history, my friend prominently included a tour of…