Building Better Cities

By Kate Gasparro - Urban Development & Sustainable Infrastructure Expert

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Description

Cities don't just happen. They're shaped by the choices we make about housing, transportation, infrastructure, public spaces, and the communities we want to become.

Yet too often, the systems we rely on make it difficult to build the places people need.

Building Better Cities with Dr. Kate Gasparro goes behind the scenes with the leaders, builders, thinkers, and innovators reimagining how cities grow. Each episode explores the ideas and solutions helping create more sustainable, equitable, and thriving communities.

Breaking norms. Building cities.


Episode Date
How Urban Design Pushes Families to the Burbs
Jul 23, 2026
When Impact is the Asset: Transforming Forgotten Spaces with Lindsey Scannapieco
Jul 08, 2026
Can Impact Investing Redefine Urban Development? (with Brian Murray)
Jun 24, 2026
Building Codes Are Political. We Just Don't Talk About Them. (with Ed Mendoza)
Jun 10, 2026
Why Local Developers Matter More Than Ever with Jim Heid
May 28, 2026
How San Diego rewired California housing incentives with Colin Parent
May 13, 2026
What makes a better city? Inside LEED’s urban framework with Dr. Vatsal Bhatt
Apr 29, 2026
Funding city infrastructure at the ballot box: what Nashville got right with Amanda Wall Vandegrift
Apr 16, 2026
Part 1: Why zoning reform isn't solving the housing crisis with Yonah Freemark
Apr 01, 2026
Part 2: Why transit investment is really a city building decision with Yonah Freemark and Sam Sklar
Apr 01, 2026
Why mayors can't solve the housing crisis alone with Michael Tubbs
Mar 18, 2026
From extraction to regeneration: place-based development in Appalachia with Steven Baumgartner
Mar 04, 2026
The climate goals are clear. The infrastructure spending isn't. (with Adie Tomer and Ben Swedberg)
Feb 19, 2026
Overcoming friction to build regenerative cities with Eric Corey Freed
Feb 04, 2026
What it really takes to save a downtown with Mayor White of Greenville, SC
Jan 21, 2026
Replay: Can rebuilding for resilience make insurance affordable? (with Alisa Valderrama)
Jan 08, 2026
How mission-driven development pencils on Chicago’s South Side — with Byron Brazier
Dec 18, 2025
The housing system is broken- can upzoning save it? (with Ben Metcalf)
Dec 04, 2025
Replay: How urban design fosters stronger communities with Dr. Andrew Sonta
Nov 13, 2025
Tulsa's bold model for restorative development with Ashley Philippsen and Dr. Lana Turner-Addison
Oct 30, 2025
The battle over Penn Station's redevelopment with Claire Read
Oct 14, 2025
Building a net-zero neighborhood for the future with Matt Grocoff
Sep 30, 2025
From vacancy to vertical village and beyond with Todd Richardson
Sep 03, 2025
Shaping vibrant neighborhoods with infill development with Shruti Shankar and Roberto Jenkins
Aug 21, 2025
The public realm and the resistance of placemaking with Aaron Paley
Aug 07, 2025
Who rebuilds LA? Planning post-fire recovery with Dr. Minjee Kim
Jul 10, 2025
How purple states foster consensus and build with Brian Regli
Jun 25, 2025
The Implementation Era: building beyond the big bills with Zach Kolodin
Jun 10, 2025
Detroit's new model for scaling urban innovation with Kevin Mull
May 21, 2025
Scaling value and resilience through district utility systems with Daniel Hansen
May 06, 2025
Catalyzing urban change through institutional impact with Alex Feldman
Apr 16, 2025
Placemaking to build (upon) pride and participation with Carol Coletta
Mar 28, 2025
Infrastructure projects in a shifting federal policy landscape with Chris Livingstone
Mar 13, 2025
Crowdfunding public good and the future of community-backed projects with Brian Ross
Feb 25, 2025
How addressing embodied carbon can strengthen U.S. manufacturing with Anish Tilak
Feb 05, 2025
The role of public finance in driving transformative developments with Ken Kalynchuk
Jan 22, 2025
FutureProof-ing cities and pricing climate risk with Alisa Valderrama
Jan 07, 2025
Neighborhood Trusts and how they prevent community displacement with David Kemper
Dec 10, 2024
Taking LA's housing projects from permits to construction with Jenna Hornstock
Nov 18, 2024
Trends in urban mobility and the TDM advantage with Lauren Mattern
Nov 04, 2024
Better blueprints for mega urban developments with Adam Friedberg
Oct 22, 2024
Easing the energy burden throughout the Midwest with Ben Dueweke
Oct 07, 2024
How urban design fosters stronger communities with Dr. Andrew Sonta
Sep 18, 2024