The Bottom-Up Revolution

In this episode of Bottom-Up Shorts, host Norm Van Eeden Petersman is joined by Ken Kunka, a consultant and coach for small-scale developers. A former building and permitting manager, Kunka helps others develop their craft as builders of stronger communities, with a focus on infill development. Here’s how he does it.

Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn).

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Jaime Izurieta is an architect, designer and author from Montclair, New Jersey, who focuses on the interaction between users and the built environment. He’s also the founder of Storefront Mastery, an award-winning creative agency that works with place management organizations to design and activate interactions between local businesses and their community.

This week, Izurieta joins host Tiffany Owens Reed to discuss the importance of designing experiences, instead of just buildings, and how local leaders can shift their perspectives of downtowns to make them more successful.

Local recommendations:

Le French Dad Bakery.

Local Coffee Montclair.

Watchung Booksellers.

Tino’s Artisan Pizza.

Storefront Mastery (site).

Check out Jaime Izurieta’s book, “Main Street Mavericks.”

Learn more about the Storefront Renaissance League.

Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).

Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

In this episode of Bottom-Up Shorts, host Norm Van Eeden Petersman is joined by Julie Emery, one of the leaders of Strong Milwaukee, a Local Conversations group. Emery and her group are helping to make their community stronger by building bus benches. Here’s how they started their program and how it’s evolving.

Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn).

Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Katy Clagett is a commercial real estate appraiser, but at her core, she’s an urban explorer and champion for overlooked spaces. At this year’s National Gathering, she won the Small Bets Competition for her “Flock Party” pitch of reclaiming a neighborhood alley using sheep and goats.

Clagett joins this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution to talk about the ways bottom-up projects can bring neighbors together and build community, as well as her experience with spearheading this kind of project.

Local recommendations:

Manheim Gardens.

Broadway Cafe.

Flock Party before-and-after images.

Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).

Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

In this episode of Bottom-Up Shorts, host Norm Van Eeden Petersman is joined by Sarah, the leader of Strong Towns Poway/Rancho Bernardo, a Local Conversations group. Sarah and several of her friends teamed up to install bike racks in places that were lacking them. Here’s how they used a really small budget and lots of determination to make something good happen in their community.

Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn).

Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

This Member Week, we’re excited to introduce you to Bottom-Up Shorts, a new collection of 10-minute episodes that we're adding to The Bottom-Up Revolution feed. Each week, Member Advocate Norm Van Eeden Petersman will talk with inspiring guests who are taking action in their community.

This week, he’s joined by Manav Sharma, one of the leaders of Strong Towns Vancouver, a Local Conversations group. Sharma and his group were inspired to make their community stronger through the tactical deployment of stickers. Here’s how they’re doing it.

Become a member today!

Strong Towns Vancouver sticker campaign coverage, pictures and video.

Resources for creating safe and productive streets.

Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn).

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Rik Adamski is the founder and president of Ash+Lime, a planning firm that strives to help cities and neighborhoods create thriving places by drawing on the wisdom of the past. Originally from Chicago, Adamski consulted for several of the most prominent planning organizations in the U.S. before moving to Texas and embracing a more nimble, actionable and participatory approach to developing communities.

In this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, Adamski joins host Tiffany Owens Reed to discuss his approach to urban planning, the challenges of implementing a new planning approach in cities, and the importance of community engagement and incrementalism.

Local recommendations:

Ten Bells Tavern (reopening soon).

Texas Theatre.

Jefferson Boulevard.

Tyler Station.

Stockyards District in Fort Worth.

Ash+Lime (website).

A Better Brainerd report.

Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).

Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Norm Van Eeden Petersman is the director of membership and development at Strong Towns. He regularly writes for Strong Towns on topics including housing, transportation and community building. He also co-leads his area’s Local Conversation, Deltans for People-Oriented Places.

In this episode, Petersman joins host Tiffany Owens Reed to discuss his work with Strong Towns and the importance of building community in your place. They also share an exciting update about the future of The Bottom-Up Revolution.

Local Recommendations:

Dunbar Lumber..

Nerd Feeder.

Localz Urban Cafe.

My Original Danish Pastry Baker.

Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).

Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Yamini Karandikar is the leader of Strong Towns San Antonio, a Local Conversation in Texas that advocates for safer streets and alternative transportation. Among other efforts, she successfully nominated an intersection in her city for review in the Strong Towns Crash Analysis Studio and is co-hosting a Local-Motive session on improving street safety. Professionally, she works in process improvement strategy within the electric and gas industry.

In this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, Karandikar talks with host Tiffany Owens Reed about her advocacy journey, what it’s like to conduct a Crash Analysis Studio, and how her community is changing for the better.

If you want more information about Karandikar’s experience with the Crash Analysis Studio and how it’s transforming her community, join her Local-Motive session on October 24 at noon CDT: “From Crash to Community Empowerment: How Addressing a Car Crash Helped Save and Change Lives.”

Local recommendations:

The Friendly Spot.

The Station Café.

Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).

Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Jacob Hyman is a civil-site engineer in training and the leader of Strong Towns Steubenville, a Local Conversation in Ohio. Originally from Florida, he moved to Steubenville after serving in the Air Force and started the city's Local Conversation two years later. He works for Crabtree Group, Inc., which provides site engineering services for traditional neighborhood developments and infill development across the country and globe.

Today, Hyman joins host Tiffany Owens Reed on The Bottom-Up Revolution to discuss the challenges of revitalizing a Rust Belt city, how Strong Towns Steubenville is tackling those challenges, and how a combination of creativity, community and faith could be exactly what Steubenville — and cities like it — need to thrive.

Local recommendations:

Steubenville Nutcracker Village.

Leonardo's Coffeehouse & Renaissance Coffee Roasting Co.

Spyridon Studios.

Chesterton & Co. Cigars.

Yorgo's Gyros & Potatoes.

4th Street Standard.

Martonis Pizza.

Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram).

Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!