I am a Professor of Urban and Regional Planning and the Director of the PhD in Geography, Planning, and Design at CU Denver at the University of Colorado Denver, where I have been a faculty member since 2007. My research looks at how planners, designers, and city dwellers can help create more socially and environmentally just places. I am particularly interested in the relationship between the built environment and social equity, and my recent work examines issues of "green gentrification," shrinking cities, disaster justice, and transportation equity.
My current projects focus on how planners can build more immigrant-friendly neighborhoods, and how COVID-19 rates have been shaped by legacies of redlining and other historically-racist urban policies. I have published several dozen peer-reviewed articles and my work has been highlighted in outlets such as the New York Times, Reuters, Associated Press, USA Today, and The Guardian as well as NPR, Colorado Public Radio, and ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC affiliates. I also write editorials for the Denver Post and other newspapers and frequently produce articles of popular interest, such as a recent piece with Sarah Rowan published by the US News & World Report and PBS News hour.
I am dedicated to community impact, and I currently serve as a TIAA Chancellor’s Urban Engaged Scholar, which recognizes “outstanding contributions to the Denver metro region through community-engaged scholarship.” I am in the midst of a five-year term as a Fulbright Specialist, and in 2015-16 was a Fulbright Scholar at the Università degli Studi Roma Tre and a Visiting Professor at the University at Autónomade Barcelona.
In the College of Architecture and Planning, I previously served as Chair of the Department of Planning and Design from 2012-15 and Director of the Master of Urban Design program from 2008-15. I have taught a number of courses at CU Denver including Planning History and Theory, Social Justice and Planning, Parks and Public Spaces, Planning Capstone, Planning Project Studio, and Form and Formation of Cities.
I sit on and have chaired a number of dissertation and thesis committees for students in planning, landscape architecture, geography, and environmental design. I received my PhD in Planning and Public Policy from Rutgers University, an MSc in Development and Planning from University College London, and an AB in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley. For more information about me, visit my website.
Areas of Expertise
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Urban design, urban politics, land use planning, land use conflict, politics of public space, environmental justice, shrinking cities
Education, Licensure & Certifications
DEGREES HELD
- PhD, Planning and Public Policy - Rutgers University (2007)
- MS, Planning and Development - University College London (2001)
- BA, Architecture - University of California Berkeley (2000)
Awards
AWARDS RECEIVED
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2019-2024. Fulbright Specialist. US Department of State, Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs.
- 2019. TIAA Chancellor’s Urban Engaged Scholar. University of Colorado Denver.
- 2018. Faculty Award for Excellence in Research. College of Architecture and Planning, University of Colorado Denver.
- 2016. U.S-Italy Fulbright Scholar. Department of Architecture, Università degli Studi Roma Tre.
- 2015. Public Health Hero Award (for Department of Planning and Design). Tri-County Health District.
- 2012. Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching. College of Architecture and Planning, University of Colorado Denver.
- 2011. Faculty Award for Excellence in Research. College of Architecture and Planning, University of Colorado Denver.
- 2010. Urban Affairs Association (UAA) Conference Travel Award. Stipend for travel to annual conference, Honolulu, Hawaii.
- 2008. American Planning Association(APA) Colorado Student Project Award. Supervisor. “Denver Union Station public space study”.
- 2007. Urban Geography Graduate Student Fellowship. Association of American Geographers.
- 2006. Fannie Mae Foundation Travel Award. Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) Conference, Kansas City.
- 2005. Alumni Scholarship Award. Rutgers Association of Planning and Policy Students.
- 2005. Book review in Journal of the American Planning Association chosen by editor as a “Best Review” for Volume 71. 2004-7. Graduate Research Assistantship. Full tuition/stipend. Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University.
- 2003. Pre-Dissertation Research Travel Grant – Havana. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University.
GRANTS AND CONTRACTS
- 2020. Open streets, for whom? COVID-19 responses, active living, and social equity. Office of Research Services, University of Colorado Denver.
- 2020. Diversity, social capital, and resilience: How can diverse communities resist gentrification? EVOLVE Grant Program, College of Architecture and Planning, University of Colorado Denver.
- 2018. Designing for difference: Planning for integration in immigrant arrival neighborhoods. College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) Research Innovation Seed Programs (CRISP), University of Colorado Denver.
- 2018. Designing for difference: Planning for immigrant integration in Metro Denver’s arrival neighborhoods. EVOLVE Grant Program, College of Architecture and Planning, University of Colorado Denver.
- 2017. Green gentrification in Chicago: Development, displacement, and community activism. Office of Research Services, University of Colorado Denver.
- 2016. Bringing Stein back in: Regional planning and equity in the 21st Century American West. Clarence S. Stein Institute, Cornell University.
- 2013-15. Tri-County Health Department, Health Impact Assessment Grant, funded by Pew Trust.
- 2015. Colorado Center for Sustainable Urbanism. Gates Family Foundation.
- 2012-2015. National Park Service internship program. Master of Urban and Regional Planning program, University of Colorado Denver.
- 2014. Sustainable Communities Initiative: Outcome Assessment and Knowledge Sharing. Denver Regional Council of Governments.
- 2014. NSF (RAPID): Affordable Housing and Equitable Recovery: A Study of the 2013 Colorado Flash Floods. National Science Foundation.
- 2014. Income, Community Development, and Transit Quality in the Denver Region. Office of Research Services, University of Colorado Denver.
- 2014. Toward Equitable Recovery: Affordable Housing after the 2013 Colorado Floods. Office of Research Services, University of Colorado Denver.
- 2013. Understanding Household Recovery Following Colorado Flash Floods. Natural Hazards Center.
- 2011. Privatization of public space: Incentive Zoning programs in the US. Center for Faculty Development, University of Colorado Denver.
- 2010. Spatial inventory training using various geospatial technology platforms. Center for Faculty Development, University of Colorado Denver.
- 2010. Development of sustainable joint urban design studio with Tongji University. Institute of International Business (IIB) CIBER program, University of Colorado Denver.
- 2009. Perceptions of publicness in NYC’s privately owned public spaces. Institute for the Social Sciences, Cornell University.
- 2008. Lost space: Security zones and the shrinking of public space. Center for Faculty Development, University of Colorado Denver.
- 2008. Denver Union Station public space studio course. Open Space Initiative Group, Denver. **Winner of APA Colorado Student Project Award**
- 2007. Control by design: Encouraging diversity in Denver’s public spaces. Center for Faculty Development, University of Colorado Denver.
- 2007. Inner ring suburb design/redevelopment study. Wheat Ridge 2020.
Courses
MOST RECENT COURSES
- City Building
- City Design Policy
- Planning Methods
- Planning Studio II
- Urban Form Theory
- Urban Design Studio
Research
RESEARCH TOPICS
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2020. Green gentrification or “just green enough:” Do park location, size, and function affect whether a place gentrifies or not? Urban Studies, 57: 402-420 (with A. Rigolon).
- 2020. Planning with justice in mind in a shrinking Baltimore. Journal of Urban Affairs, 42: 351-370 (with J. Hollander, E. Whiteman, and M. Johnson).
- 2020. Bridging and bonding: Public space and immigrant integration in Barcelona’s El Raval. In Mehta, V. and D. Palazzo (Eds.).Companion to public space. New York: Routledge, pp. 378-389.
- 2020. Is your neighborhood raising your coronavirus risk? Redlining decades ago set communities up for greater danger. The Conversation. May 26 (with S. Rowan). Reprinted by: PBS News Hour, Milwaukee Independent, Chicago Reporter, US News and World Report, Ohio Capital Journal, Edge Media Network, Route Fifty, Raw Story, Houston Chronicle, Idaho Press, San Antonio Express-News, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Fairfield Citizen, The Hour, The Telegraph, Midland Daily News, Greenwich Time, Beaumont Enterprise, The National Interest, CU Denver Research, and Colorado Sun.
- 2019. Toward a socio-ecological model of gentrification: How people, place, and policy shape neighborhood change. Journal of Urban Affairs, 41: 887-909 (with A. Rigolon).
- 2019. Designing for difference in Barcelona’s El Raval. In Banerjee, T. andA. Loukaitou-Sideris (Eds.). The new companion to urban design. New York: Routledge, pp. 122-134.
- 2018. What shapes uneven access to urban amenities? Thick injustice and the legacy of racial discrimination in Denver’s parks. Journal of Planning Education and Research. Online First (with A.Rigolon).
- 2018. Disaster risk creation in the Darjeeling Himalayas: Moving towards justice. Environment and Planning E: Nature and Space, 1: 340-362(with A. Rumbach).
- 2018. “We’re not in the business of housing”: Environmental gentrification and the non-profitization of green infrastructure projects. Cities, 81: 71-80 (with A. Rigolon).
- 2018. Privately owned parks in New Urbanist communities: A study of environmental privilege, equity, and inclusion. Journal of Urban Affairs, 40: 543-559 (with A. Rigolon).
- 2018. Are multimodal travelers satisfied with their lives? A study of accessibility and wellbeing in the Denver, Colorado metropolitan area. Cities, 74: 179-187 (with C. Makarewicz).
- 2018. A quality index of parks for youth (QUINPY): Evaluating urban parks through geographic information systems. Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science, 45(2): 275-294 (with A. Rigolon).
- 2017.Democracy, protest and public space: Does place matter? In Marvin, C. and S. Hong (Eds.). Place, space, and mediated communication: Exploring context collapse. New York: Routledge (with E. Carver), pp. 122-145.
Predicting Gentrification to Prevent It
How Redlining Impacts Public Health
How Neighborhoods Shape Immigrant Integration
Smart Decline: Planning for Shrinking Cities
Designing More Inclusive Public Spaces
Other News & Events
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS
The city is taking steps to keep (some) parks (mostly) car-free long after the pandemic is gone by David Sachs. Denverite. September 24, 2020. How decades of racist housing policy left neighborhoods sweltering by Brad Plumer, Nadja Popovich, and Brian Palmer. New York Times. August 24, 2020.The durability of redlining in Denver’s past is shaping Coronavirus hot spots now, researchers say by Nathaniel Minor. Colorado Public Radio. June 23,2020. A proposed development could change the look of Bonnie Brae. How has it remained intact this long? by Esteban Hernandez. Denverite. January30, 2020. When do new parks drive gentrification? Housing Matters Blog, Urban Institute. December 18, 2019. Not all new parks are linked to gentrification in low-income neighborhoods. LSE US Centre. November 1, 2019. The gentrification effect of urban parks by James Brasuell. Planetizen. October 21, 2019. Why greenway parks cause greater gentrification by Richard Florida. City lab. October 10, 2019. An iconic diner may soon be developed into housing. The owner couldn’t be more relieved by Jenny G. Zhang. Eater. August 26, 2019. Predicting gentrification: CU Denver research model predicts neighborhoods likely to gentrify by Micah Smith. Denver 7. July 29, 2019. “There’s speculators buying up houses:” Denver’s East Colfax braces for transit, density and displacement by Andrew Kenney. Denver Post, July 22, 2019. Unequal access to parks in Denver has roots in history by Rachel Cernansky. Colorado Trust, July 16, 2019. New study shows the huge impact gentrification is having on residents in these cities by Cynthia Meason. Go Banking Rates, June 20, 2019. Why some neighborhoods gentrify, and others don’t by Jenny McCoy. The Colorado Trust, June 10, 2019.[Spanish version here]. How to predict gentrification by Katie Burton. Geographical Magazine, April 1, 2019. How gentrification is changing Colorado by Ryan Warner. Colorado Public Radio, February 13, 2019. Chicago’s 606 bike path made gentrification inevitable, expert claims by Casey Brazeal. Planetizen, December 22, 2018. Creators of the 606 trail made no effort to prevent gentrification around it: report. The Real Deal, December 16, 2018.Was gentrification around the 606 inevitable? by Dennis Rodkin. Crain’s Chicago Business, December 13, 2018. Study: The 606 shows the downside of having parks nonprofits lead infrastructure projects by Lynda Lopez. Streets blog Chicago, December 7, 2018. Do security robots signal the death of public space? by Eric Schewe. JSTOR Daily, November 29, 2018. If you’re not white or wealthy, you’re less likely to live near a Denver park by David Sachs. Denverite, October 21, 2018. Securing public space? by John Lorinc. Building Magazine, September 7, 2018. Urbanismo centenario aún aleja aminorías de espacios públicos en Denver, Hoy Los Angeles, September 4, 2018. Why concrete barriers are the wrong move for Canadian cities afterToronto van attack by Tristan Cleveland. Toronto Star, April 30, 2018. Tech companies aim for easy access over brawny security at offices by Paresh Dave. Reuters, April 4, 2018. Will Brick welcome weed? Zoning may prove controversial by Daniel Nee, Brick Shorebeat, November 10, 2017. Inside POPS: The private spaces that aren’t so private by Fiona Lally. Unreported London. May 19, 2017. Council crackdown by Todd Heywood. Lansing City Pulse. April 19, 2017 Cover story: Why is private security patrolling our public streets? by Bill Forman. Colorado Springs Independent. September 21,2016. Pot shops draw ire of nearby businesses by Kristen Wyatt. USA Today. November 16, 2014. New pot shops on the block not always so popular by Kristen Wyatt. Daily Mail. November 11, 2014. When pot shops are new kids on the block, other businesses aren’t always too happy by Kristen Wyatt. Fox Business. November 11, 2014. Zoning for pot favors low-income neighborhoods by Juliette Fairley. Main Street. August 26, 2014. Study: Denver pot sellers zoned to poorer neighborhoods by Staff. 9News. August 19, 2014. Marijuana study: NIMBY rules push many Denver dispensaries into low-income areas by Michael Roberts. Westword. August 19, 2014. Study: Zoning laws force pot shops into low-income and minority neighborhoods by Web Staff. Fox 31 Denver. August 19, 2014. Denver marijuana sellers zoned to low-income neighborhoods, study finds by Caitlin Hendee. Denver Business Journal. August 18, 2014. Once-dilapidated city train stations enjoying a renaissance by Nathan Heffel. National Public Radio. August 17, 2014Lakewood PD fighting crime through blueprints by Ryan Haarer. 9News. August 13, 2014. Research uncovers inequities in zoning rules, health impacts of pot shops by Nelson Harvey. Health News Colorado. August 13, 2014. Denver’s in the middle of the pack for walkability by Caitlin Hendee. Denver Business Journal. June 17, 2014. Denver struggling to keep performing arts complex relevant by Megan Verlee. Colorado Public Radio. May 23, 2014.Continuum’s plan for old CU Hospital site draws favorable reviews by Steve Raabe. Denver Post. March 23, 2014. CU’s former Health Sciences Center sold for $30 million by Howard Pankratz. Denver Post. February 20, 2014. Malls work on their security, but keep it in the background by Ronda Kaysen. New York Times. November 26, 2013. Westminster begins planning for new downtown by Howard Pankratz. Denver Post. June 20, 2013. Burbanite: Curb appeal by Aaron Cole. Aurora Magazine. May 9, 2013. City plan looks to revitalize Denver’s poorest neighborhood by Jeremy Meyer. Denver Post. April 20, 2013. Aurora shooting: Mall’s troubled history of racism, crime by Alice Hines. Huffington Post. July 28, 2012. The suburban mall: A thing of the past? by Nathan Heffel. Colorado Public Radio (KUNC). March 5, 2012. The crackdown on Occupy controversy: a rebuttal by Naomi Wolf. The Guardian. December 2, 2011. The legacy of 9/11 for community and the built environment by Kaid Benfield. The Atlantic. September 13, 2011. In braver new world of post-9/11 building, windows, ‘eyes on street’ trump blast walls by Steven Litt. Cleveland Plain Dealer. August 14, 2011. Post-9/11 security zones create ‘architecture of fear’ by Staff. International Business Times. December 15, 2010. Like a pigeon on a train by J. David Goodman. New York Times (online).April 30, 2010. A quarter of downtown’s public space is off limits to the public, study finds by Julie Shapiro. DNA Info. April 29, 2010. City living in an age of hyper-security: it’s not what it used to be by Kaid Benfield. National Resource Defense Council Switchboard. July 24, 2009. Mapping security by Julia Galef. Metropolis. July 8, 2009. Study says too much of downtown is off limits by Theresa Agovino. Crain’s New York Business. September 11, 2008.Keeping space with security needs by Ellen Stevens. Latitude. Fall 2008. Union Station may become Denver’s gateway again — if it stays on track by Joel Warner. Westword. August 14, 2008. Area students present Union Station redesign plans by Sara Gandy. 9News. May 14, 2008. CU Students to help design areas around Union Station by Kevin Flynn. Rocky Mountain News. March 6, 2008.
