The New York Times

I reported on real estate for The New York Times from 2004-2008. This was a great time to cover urban redevelopment projects in the Tri-State region and across the United States. With an emphasis on planning and design, architecture, transit-oriented and sustainable development, I approached real estate reporting as an urbanist. Examples include Nashville’s burgeoning downtown residential scene, San Francisco’s efforts to build the “Grand Central of the West,” Cleveland’s dynamic “Eds and Meds” district, and a revitalized Minneapolis neighborhood pioneered by three literary non-profit organizations. I also wrote the hotels column ‘Checking In,’ covering travel accommodations from Route 66 …

Vertical Farming

I conceived and drafted a piece for New York magazine, titled Sky Farming, about the concept of growing food in urban structures. While the idea had been around for some time on a small scale (such as hydroponics), “vertical farming” as it is now understood was developed by Dickson Despommier, a professor at Columbia University, who went on to write a seminal book and inspire students and practioners alike. Since the piece I wrote for New York magazine was published in October 2007, urban farming has gone from futuristic to realistic, with commercial farms being developed around the world. According …