Recently the question has been raised how to fix an ugly building, mostly in regards to the Di Rimini (and here and here and especially here). It is a hard question to answer without first discussing what “ugly” means. While beauty is in the eye of the beholder, there are obvious problems with treating a …
I’m not always happy with Cost/Benefit Analyses to justify infrastructure investments. Induced economic activity has especially frustrated me because I don’t believe that an extra highway exchange can be justified just because it spawns a Wal-Mart. Too often we see these studies that proclaim a net benefit when in reality the private sector gains a …
Many urban neighborhoods have a need for infill construction, where homes that were lost to deterioration or other reasons must be replaced. Here in Irvington we have a unique case where a gas explosion in 2004 eliminated three houses instantly and blew out windows in a one-block radius. (images from kipar-one here) In an explosion …
Sunday, August 22 is World Kitchen Garden Day! It’s a perfect time to haul in some produce from a backyard garden and cook up something worthy of this great holiday. My wife and I installed a garden in the backyard this year, I have come to love it wholeheartedly.  Our garden has been one of …
It is a popular pastime here in Indiana to complain about property taxes and their effects on the local economy. In the minds of many citizens, these taxes are levied on property owners and appropriated for wasteful pet projects and high administrative costs. But that’s just flat-out wrong, as property taxes provide citizens with the …
Indianapolis neighborhoods are great. Our city consistently ranks as a top location for inexpensive housing costs. With our diverse and creative citizens, the neighborhoods have always been full of interesting people who care about their communities. Increasingly, our urban neighborhoods are under threat. Everyone recognizes how crime, pollution, and blight can ruin an area, but …