www.nathanielhood.com
The new URL: www.nathanielhood.com The old URL http://natesjobsearch.wordpress.com did its job. The whole “job search thing” did eventually work out – and I have a job now. It’s going well. That’s why I decided to drop it and go with “www.nathanielhood.com” – It’s my name and I’ve dropped “.wordpress.com“. And it (surprisingly) only cost $5 … Read more
The Future Importance of Local Infrastructure Funding?
Here’s my new post @ Strong Towns. Enjoy! [Here is a nice road in Northern Michigan - somewhere by Lake Superior] About a decade ago, Saturday Night Live did a skit that epitomized the spirit of the late 1990s. In a mock 2000 Presidential debate, Al Gore (played by Darrell Hammond) responds to each question … Read more
Lake Elmo and the Misconceptions of “Growth”
Critics say Lake Elmo’s anti-growth bias is obvious when you look at what’s happened in neighboring cities. Those neighbors have eagerly welcomed malls, factories, offices. [Pioneer Press, Jan. 29, 2012]. To those unfamiliar, Lake Elmo is a quaint, little town east of St. Paul. The town held its own throughout the years of combative suburban … Read more
Workshop #2: Lake Elmo: Small, and shrinking?
Note: This is a ‘workshop‘ post. Translation: I’m writing for other websites and I wanted to ‘work it out‘ here. If an idea abruptly stops, well, that means I haven’t finished what I’m doing. Mostly because I’ve been busy – so stay tuned. The headline is a little deceiving. For starters, Lake Elmo isn’t that … Read more
Workshop #1: Should Minneapolis have a “downtown sports district”?
Note: This is a ‘workshop‘ post. Translation: I’m writing for other websites and I wanted to ‘work it out‘ here. If an idea abruptly stops, well, that’s about it. \ The best stadium site got snubbed, at least according to Steve Berg in the Star Tribune. Perhaps we’ve just witnessed the ultimate NIMBY encounter: America’s … Read more
Post-modernism meets parking garage
A parking garage is a parking garage is a parking garage – except when it isn’t? “Take the Pritzker Prize-winning architecture firm of Herzog & de Meuron, point them at that epitome of urban blight, the parking lot, and the result is the latest Miami Beach spectacle: part event space, part garage, part penthouse.” – … Read more
The new Vikings stadium & the psychology of sports fans
It looks as if Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton is pushing the Vikings to look downtown Minneapolis. While I’m not going to dive into my thoughts and opinions on the stadium proposal, I wanted to share a diatribe that really explains what is driving the public and policy makers into making such a poor economic decision. … Read more
The Izzy’s Conundrum: Can condos co-exist with light industrial?
Izzy’s is expanding. Owners Jeff Sommers and Lara Hammel plan to build an ice cream factory in Minneapolis. They’ve put in an offer for a city-owned empty lot near the Guthrie Theater. If all goes according to plan, the facility will be up and running by spring 2013. [Pioneer Press, Dec. 16, 2011] Great! The … Read more
Urban Highway Removal in Minneapolis?
NOTE: You can read a different version of this on Streets.MN! In the Twin Cities, skyways have worked their way into the cultural vernacular probably more than was intended by their original designers. A few connections quickly turned into a culture of second level retail that eventually pulled retail away from the street; and whether … Read more
Quick Post: Crime and Cities
Two interesting articles on crime and cities: Where Does Crime Go After Public Housing Projects Are Demolished? As critics have lamented for years, the mega American public housing projects built during the 1960s and ‘70s were often so flawed in their design as to harm residents – and the neighborhoods around them – more … Read more
