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PODCAST

The Reflective Urbanist

Peter Hendee Brown

The Reflective Urbanist is for all city-builders, from design professionals, developers, and civil servants to elected officials, interest groups, and community members. Each episode combines a story, a theory, and a lesson, bridging between ideas and practice to illuminate how things get done in the city.

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All Episodes

00:07:37

#P009: Definitely don't publish it

The Reflective Urbanist ·

2025/04/02

Hi everybody and welcome back to The Reflective Urbanist! This week’s episode is in honor of Signalgate! I know, I know, that was so last week and it has already been replaced by Venmo-gate but still, I wanted to move this episode to the front of the que. I wrote it months ago, recorded it three weeks ago, and hadn’t intended to release it for a few more weeks but alas, recent news has made it relevant right now. This episode is called “definitely don’t publish it” and it is about why you should

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00:06:27

#P008: The Mayor is a person of no importance

The Reflective Urbanist ·

2025/03/26

Who really holds the power—the big names on the door or the people behind the scenes? My architect friend knew the answer, and Kafka’s The Castle shows what happens when you don’t. Before you get lost in a bureaucratic maze, consider this: the key to success might be in the hands you’re overlooking.Episode music: Scherzo for Nightmares by Aaron Paul LowLicense code: E3D3QLWKKRR0EBXR

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00:06:32

#P007: We couldn't afford to worry about a few ducks

The Reflective Urbanist ·

2025/03/23

Public meetings about development projects often feel like a stage for well-rehearsed arguments: developers promise economic growth, while community members worry about what they stand to lose. But few presentations capture this dynamic as perfectly—or as hilariously—as an old Saturday Night Live sketch featuring Keyrock, the Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer. Despite claiming to be baffled by modern life, Keyrock has no trouble making a slick case for a new development, brushing off environmental concerns

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00:07:25

#P006: Wait!

The Reflective Urbanist ·

2025/03/21

Architects are trained to follow a logical, step-by-step process—big decisions first, small refinements later, all leading smoothly from concept to completion. But in the world of real estate development, decisions don’t always happen on schedule. Sometimes, they happen at the last possible second—like the night before a grand opening, when a developer insisted a window be moved three inches to the left. To the team scrambling to make it happen, the change seemed unnecessary, even reckless. But in

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00:05:28

#P005: Two developers walk into a city planning...

The Reflective Urbanist ·

2025/03/19

When it comes to development approvals, the rules aren’t always as clear-cut as they seem. This essay dives into a real-life planning commission meeting where two similar projects—just a block apart—got very different treatment. One developer was required to add costly brick to match the neighborhood, while the other was waved through with a sleek, modern design. What gives? The answer lies in how individual planners and commissioners interpret the rules, a concept explored in Street-Level

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00:10:25

#P004: Strange Bedfellows

The Reflective Urbanist ·

2025/03/18

San Francisco’s longshoremen and historic preservationists formed an unlikely alliance to block waterfront redevelopment. As shipping jobs disappeared and piers sat empty, longshoremen held out hope for cargo’s return, while preservationists fought to save the area’s historic warehouses. Despite different motivations, they found common ground in opposing new development, stalling projects for decades—proof that politics truly makes strange bedfellows.Episode music: Crooked Old Shrew by Fernweh

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00:05:34

#P003: He fired my daughter

The Reflective Urbanist ·

2025/03/17

In "He Fired My Daughter," a senior partner attempts to impress a nonprofit CEO by name-dropping a mutual acquaintance, Bob, during a high-stakes interview for a development contract. Unbeknownst to him, Bob had previously fired the CEO's daughter, making the tactic backfire and contributing to the firm's loss of the project. The essay underscores the risks of name-dropping, highlighting research that shows it often leads to negative impressions rather than the intended positive ones.Episode music:

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00:06:14

#P002: How to get a sidewalk built ... quick

The Reflective Urbanist ·

2025/03/17

Peter shares a compelling tale of a city manager who, frustrated by bureaucratic delays, snaps a photo of a mother and child dangerously navigating a busy road without a sidewalk. This simple act jolts county officials into action, leading to the rapid construction of the much-needed sidewalk. The essay uses this story to illustrate John Kingdon's framework on policy change, emphasizing how problems, solutions, and political circumstances must align—often propelled by a proactive "policy

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00:08:52

#P001: Who do I have to pay?

The Reflective Urbanist ·

2025/03/17

Why does the same development process feel straightforward in one city and like a bureaucratic maze in another? In Who do I have to pay?, Peter unpacks this mystery through a Chicago developer’s blunt question about Minneapolis red tape. Drawing on Daniel Elazar’s political subcultures—moralistic, traditionalistic, and individualistic—Peter explores why different cities play by different rules and how those unwritten norms shape urban governance.Episode music: Looming by Yeti MusicLicense code:

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00:09:57

#P000: The Reflective Urbanist

The Reflective Urbanist ·

2025/03/15

The Reflective Urbanist is a series of essays that bridge the gap between theory and practice in city-building. Drawing from a career that has spanned architecture, government, real estate development, and academia, I explore how big ideas shape—and are shaped by—the realities of urban development. Each essay follows a simple structure: a story, a theory, and a lesson, offering insights for architects, planners, developers, officials, and engaged citizens alike. Inspired by years of moving between

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30 results

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