Earlier this year I recorded two podcasts for the community radio program Design Minded in Indianapolis with Lee Alig and Steve Mannheimer, former architecture critic of the Indianapolis Star. We talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly of architecture and design in the city. Here's the first episode. If the player doesn't display for you, … [Read More...]
More From Aaron
Bi-State Showdown in Kansas City
The Kansas City metro area is surely one of America's most unusual. Among large metro areas spanning multiple states, it has the highest percentage of its population living in the state that does not contain its central city (apart from the perhaps even more anomalous case of Washington, DC). There are two municipalities called Kansas City, one in … [Read More...]
The Story of Cities
My latest piece is a long essay in the current edition of Comment magazine. It's called "Storied Cities" and is about the myths, histories, cultures, and rituals that make cities unique. Here is an excerpt: How is this history, and thus so much of the identity, culture, and economy of a place, understood and communicated? Despite the importance of … [Read More...]
The Cloud Over America’s Downtowns
My latest column is online in Governing magazine. It's called "The Cloud Over the Future of America's Downtowns" and is about the particular challenge coronavirus related shutdowns pose to the American downtown renaissance. Here's an excerpt: The pandemic has dealt American downtowns severe blows across multiple dimensions. The first is the impact … [Read More...]
Coronavirus Impact on Business, Work, and Life
If you joined yet, please check out and subscribe to Heartland Intelligence, my monthly research briefing on this critical region of the country that will determine the outcome of the next election. Last week I joined John Fenton from GoLocalProv in Providence for a livestream on the coronavirus. If the video doesn't display for you, click over … [Read More...]
City of Indianapolis Backs $25 Million in Paycheck Protection Loans
I want to highlight a great development here in Indianapolis. The city of Indianapolis has approved allocating $25 million to fund federal paycheck protection program loans underwritten by the Indy Chamber. (Full disclosure: I am a consultant for the chamber). The SBA's forgivable Paycheck Protection Program was such a big hit that the loan … [Read More...]
Coronavirus and the Future of Remote Work
For those of you who have not yet signed up, please check out and subscribe to Heartland Intelligence, my monthly research bulletin on the cities of the greater American Midwest. As you may also know, I've been doing writing for the Indy Chamber's publication Indy Forward. My latest piece there is on the future of remote work in the … [Read More...]
America’s Distributed Governance System
My latest column is online at Governing. It is about America's distributed governance system, and how it has many strengths as well as the weaknesses we like to bemoan. Here is an excerpt: If there's one level of government that's most frequently touted as obsolete and an obstacle to progress, it's state government. Yet it's those much maligned … [Read More...]
The Lifeblood of America
My latest piece is online at City Journal and is about the impact of coronavirus on small businesses and efforts to try to help them. Here's an excerpt: Shutdowns mandated by the coronavirus are a pending apocalypse for small businesses, which employ 48 percent of American workers. The average small business has only 27 days’ worth of operating … [Read More...]
Chamber Launches Rapid Response Hub for Small Business
The Indy Chamber has launched a new "Rapid Response Hub" site to provide assistance to small businesses dealing with challenges from the coronavirus. If you see or hear of other similar efforts by Chambers, cities, or others in other cities, let me know and I'll add them to this page as well. The Indy Rapid Response Hub right now has FAQs … [Read More...]
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