Paddy Steinschneider

03/09/2026

John Verni is doing important work in Westchester that should be a positive influence throughout the County.

A “redeveloper”, attorney, investor, and community leader committed to preserving historic properties, revitalizing downtowns and supporting local organizations that give our cities, towns and villages a sense of place. Click to read John Verni on Substack. Launched 40 minutes ago.

01/12/2026

10/25/2024

The citywide legislation tailors missing middle options to different neighborhoods, and a sliding scale floor-area ratio (FAR) supports more attainable building types.

10/06/2024

My bet is that the dna of the Asheville River Arts District will cause a regeneration that is better than ever and creates a new best story.

North Carolina's flagship for authentic incrementalism is gone.

07/16/2024

This is part of nine-part series where three students ask three questions to architects, planners, and figures at the Congress for New Urbanism (CNU 32).

07/13/2024

The curated content unlocking the stories of those building better cities in the South. Click to read Southern Urbanism, a Substack publication with hundreds of subscribers.

10/23/2023

Dining in parking spaces isn't as ubiquitous as it once was, but it's still here. And we found some pandemic pedestrian blocks holding on too.

10/22/2023

On this Tuesday evening, I will be meeting with the Board of Trustees in Dobbs Ferry to discuss this year's Ferry Festa, compared to previous years', leading to a discussion about next year's. The last two Festas have been rainy, and this is a rain or shine event, which admittedly is much better when it is not raining. Where Pumpkin Fairs at the elementary school can move from the playground to inside the school, there is no similar solution for the Festa.

In the past, a rain date has been discussed but two things have discouraged that possibility: one is that restaurants and vendors who are dealing with food, which is an important component of the Festa, have a tough time with moving the event from one Saturday to another; two is that moving it from Saturday to Sunday was determined to not be a possibility, due to the reality that having the DPW, who is another critical component of the Festa, work until midnight for a Festa cannot work with DPW workers needing to show up the next morning to fulfill their Monday responsibilities.

This year the Festa fell on the Saturday of Columbus Day weekend. On the Friday before the Saturday Festa, we considered moving it from Saturday to Sunday, which turned out to be a beautiful day, but couldn't make that happen, due to not having integrated that option into the program. In the past, we have avoided Columbus Day weekend and the representation that "everyone goes away that weekend." The magic of a Saturday scheduled Festa on Columbus Day weekend is that it could be shifted to the Sunday, if that was built into the program.

Here is the question: What do people think of changing it from "rain or shine" to scheduling the Festa for the Saturday of Columbus Day weekend with the Sunday included as the option, in the event of inclement weather?

Thanks

06/11/2023

“Yesterday I was visiting my son's school.

I see a bright colored bench in the yard. I asked if this was the only place to sit.

- And he said to me, ′′ No, that's the bench of friends. When someone is lonely or can't find a play partner, they'll sit there and others invite them to play with them."

- I tell him I thought this was great, and I asked him if he used it himself?

- He says: ′′ Yes at the beginning of the year when I was new here.

I sat there and another student came to invite me to play with him. This made me happy. And now when I see someone sitting there, I also invite them to play."

What a great idea to have a Buddy Bench on all playgrounds!

05/20/2023

Meet the Congress Focus: Corridors. Charlotte, NC is investing $38.5 million to bring the idea of "connector" back to corridors. Explore the work happening on the ground and through informative sessions throughout CNU 31 on May 31 - June 3! https://www.cnu.org/cnu31/focus

10/05/2022

The lessons of New Town at St. Charles.