Hello subscribers, both old and new.
This is the new location for The Messy City. I hope you enjoy the new format, and some of the features I’ll be able to unlock by being on Substack. My plan is to post weekly with the long-form types of pieces that you can find on here or the original site. I’ll also plan to record the first podcast episodes in January. Those will be published when I’ve worked out the kinks and have a couple to share.
On this page, you’ll find a few of my older pieces I’ve cross-posted. These were some of the most-read and most-shared in the last several years. I had a very productive writing period in 2018, prior to moving back to Kansas City. Then, well, life changed a whole lot, and I wasn’t able to keep the same writing discipline. Who knew that having two little kids, moving, and starting a new job would mean something would have to be sacrificed from my schedule??
Anyway, life has again shifted, as it does so often. I feel more in control of my schedule, and I’m fired up to start sharing my thoughts again. Expect a little more irreverence, and a little more fun from the site. If you’ve read anything here before, you know I love diving deeply into something and giving actionable advice. Or at least, what I think is actionable advice - your mileage may vary. But I also think we need to just lighten things up from time to time, and I love some good sarcasm and mockery. My first new post for 2023 may actually not reflect that as much, since it’s a more personal and somber topic. Beyond that, though, here’s hoping to keep it lighter and point out some of the absurdities of all of our efforts in the field of urban design, architecture, and policy-making. Let me know if I succeed or fail.
Hope you had a good turning of the calendar—
Kevin