Did the places I once enjoyed change? No, just me. Because I foolishly learned, from a design perspective, how bad they actually were.

Writing about successful neighborhood planning, my friend and colleague Howard Blackson used the term “placeshaker” as a catch-all for the grass roots engagement efforts that empower, but don’t necessarily define, placemaking. That got me thinking...

Success is people consciously working together, putting differences aside in pursuit of higher quality of life, and getting something done.