Posts by David Alpert — Founder
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BRT won’t work for Tysons & Dulles
Paul Weyrich, the leading conservative advocate for rail, argues for the Metro extension and against BRT in a Post op-ed. Keep reading…
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Jacobs & Locke smack down Pascal & Corbu
Today, the community and creativity of cities—a consequence of many people interacting in all aspects of life—is widely recognized as one of cities’ greatest strengths. Naturally, then, Jane Jacobs’ celebration of the vibrant city seems obvious and Le Corbusier’s vision of the isolating city of huge towers and empty spaces seems ridiculous,… Keep reading…
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Do offices revitalize a neighborhood?
DC’s Department of Housing and Community Development is moving to Anacostia, to a site about eight blocks from the Metro, in an effort to revitalize the area. Richard Layman thought this was a mistake in 2005 when officials suggested moving WMATA headquarters to Anacostia, and argues that the 1986 Reeves Center at 14th and U doesn’t get credit for U Street’s success. Keep reading…
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New event calendar
There’s now an event calendar on the right sidebar, listing community meetings and public agency hearings where you can participate in your community or see the decisions getting made that affect our city and region. Keep reading…
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Fire Mary Peters
The Teamsters have a campaign going to fire US DOT Secretary Mary Peters for continuing a program that lets Mexican trucks haul freight in the US with lower safety standards. It’s a good cause, but it’s not the only reason Mary Peters ought to be fired—there’s her dislike for bike paths, unenthusiasm for transit, and opposition to gas tax increases are all… Keep reading…
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Right on, Harriet Tregoning!
When I moved to DC, many people asked how I could possibly like DC as much as New York. Certainly DC has a few flaws (we need more transit, for example). But DC is terrific in many ways, and on Smart Growth, the DC government is light years more progressive. Just look at this comment by Harriet Tregoning, DC’s head of planning, last night at the Dupont Circle Citizens Association:We… Keep reading…
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EveryBlock and more for DC
EveryBlock is a new site that lets you see everything going on in your block: pictures people upload, inspection violations in local restaurants, building permits, and more. Here’s my old block in NYC. It looks like it could be a very useful tool for citizens to keep up with what’s going on in their neighborhoods. Rob Halligan is pushing to bring it to DC—that would… Keep reading…
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Stopping the bank invasion
Belmont, Massachusetts is the latest town to consider zoning rules that let them keep their downtown from being taken over by banks. Banks can pay higher rent and generate less noise than other establishments, so landlords love them, but a good downtown needs a mix, and banks don’t generate foot traffic nights or Sundays. Via Richard Layman. Keep reading…
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Parking review part 3: Forces against fixing parking
Previously in parking-land, I summarized last week’s parking zoning review meeting wherein the group reached a surprising (to me) level of consensus on when to remove minimums and institute maximums in the parking zoning code. Other than residents who don’t believe we can effectively manage spillover parking, what obstacles remain to a better approach to parking? Keep reading…
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Ed Glaeser: level the playing field
In a Boston Globe op-ed, Harvard economist Ed Glaeser is the latest to make the argument that our economic policies let suburbs pay less than their fair share while cities pay more. Via Ryan Avent. Keep reading…