Photo by Steve Rhodes.

Things neighbors don’t like

PQLiving discusses the frustrating experience of returning a Zipcar to a downtown reserved space only to discover someone has illegally parked there. (Paul S) …  Renew Shaw pans the flashing LED “Open” signs that have been proliferating of late. …  DC Metrocentric looks at the insanity of National Harbor’s persistent whining about not having transit, after they built their development far from transit.  (Tip: Paul S)  

Things developers don’t like

Home builders, or at least some quoted for this article, aren’t pleased with Virginia’s new connectivity rules. (Richmond Biz Sense, Froggie)  (Tip: Froggie)  

At the head

Gabe Klein was formally confirmed as DDOT Director (DCist) … Montgomery County named a new economic development director. (Washington Business Journal, Jaime)  (Tip: Jaime)  

Studies slamming sprawl

A Brookings report looks at “job sprawl”, the movement of jobs away from the city center in 98 metropolitan areas. (Jaime) … Another report classifies Mattawoman Creek in Charles County as endangered, which could slow or stop the sprawl-inducing Charles County Connector. (News Channel 8, Dave Murphy)  (Tip: Jaime)  

Buzz is where you find it

A geography study maps “buzz”, showing the places inside major cities where “cool stuff” happens. The article spends a lot of time on the fact that the “buzz” happens in more established areas (like Broadway and Lincoln Center) than in upcoming artsy neighborhoods (like NYC’s East Village), though that seems also to have a lot to do with which lists of arts events the mappers used. Somewhat self-congratulatorily, the article says “the data helped show the continued dominance of the mainstream news media as a cultural gatekeeper,” but perhaps it just shows that the mainstream media is important to those who get their information from the mainstream media. (NYT, Jaime)  (Tip: Jaime)