Frank Mils’ Post

👨💻 As a researcher specializing in community-based and participatory research, I'm committed to asking who isn't invited to the table. Whose voice is not included in decision-making? What ways can we use education and research to build community and work towards equity? After working with Yonkers youth experiencing gentrification, I've seen the ways developers and municipalities ignore the lived experiences of some of their most important community members: young people! 🏙 The New York Times article "Williamsburg: What Happened?" is an excellent example of using visuals and research to construct an informative timeline of major events that have shaped the Brooklyn neighborhood over the past 36 years. It beautifully outlines how Williamsburg follows Phillip Clay's stages of gentrification, including PE Moskowitz's fifth stage when neighborhoods become luxury commodities. Take a look at Sam Stein's Capital City for more information! 🏗 And yet, the article doesn't do a good job highlighting the voices of those impacted by gentrification. Just calling it "Peak gentrification" is only part of the battle. 🏘 I want to hear the stories and voices of those displaced, those struggling to stay, and those fighting to preserve community. https://lnkd.in/eqZkiWYC

New York City just isn’t what it used to be. There--I said it. Anyone have a good umbrella repair shop in NYC? I couldn’t find one either! It’s been over 60 years since we’ve updated our commercial zoning rules. We still have regulations for umbrella repair shops, taxidermy stores, and ship chandlers on the books. (I had to google that last one too.) But it’s not just that... There’s a lot of confusion about what can go where. Did you know that in most NYC local retail corridors: -->  Stores can sell bikes but cannot rent or repair them on-site. -->  Bars can have live music, but not stand-up. (Don’t even think about dancing!) -->  A salon can do your hair, but not your wig. -->   You can open a store to sell your sourdough, but not your hot sauce. The good news--the city has finally figured out it’s time for a change. Read more about why we need it in this article. Some communities have legitimate concerns, and I fully expect that the City Council will temper some of these changes, especially around nightlife and home occupations. So how do you capitalize on this? Give me a call. https://lnkd.in/gk5jxfgX

I’ve lived on the Upper East Side for 30 years and it shows. Believe it or not, it used to be a playground for the young and hip… Back in the days before they knew what Brooklyn was. Now? My 26 year old nephew wouldn’t be caught hanging out here. It’s where old people (like me) live. But here’s the upside to being around the block this long: With all the young people seeking cooler neighborhoods, the price of the esteemed Upper East Side are now (believe it or not) more affordable - particularly East of 2nd Avenue.. Williamsburg and Brooklyn Heights bleed you dry these days. But here? It's a pleasantly surprising different story. This shift in affordability is starting to attract a whole new crowd. And so it goes with the ebb and flow of Manhattan’s neighborhoods. Don’t get me wrong, Fifth Ave and Park Ave are still as pricey as ever. But there's this other side… a side that's becoming more accessible and (dare I say) cool again. The 2nd Ave subway has completely transformed the avenue and attracted an incredible variety of new restaurants and clubs, including many for the younger set. Yes, you can go dancing on the upper east side. Who knew? So I’ve stuck around long enough to witness the rise, fall and rise again of the Upper East Side. Now who feels old? What other Manhattan neighborhoods are coming back around? #uppereastside #newyorkcity #manhattan

19 Facts You May Not Know About New York: 1. New York pizza slices are so big, they come with their own gravitational pull, causing nearby pedestrians to orbit around them like tiny pizza moons. 2. The Empire State Building has its own ZIP code because, well, why not? 3. Central Park is like the city’s own backyard, except it’s bigger than some countries. 4. The New York City Subway system has its own ecosystem, with rats as the unofficial mascots. 5. New York pigeons have formed their own underground government and demand crumbs as taxes from unsuspecting tourists. 6. New York City’s skyline is so iconic, even aliens might recognize it from outer space. 7. Times Square is like a perpetual party where the guests never leave. 8. The High Line used to be an old railway track, but now it’s like a nature walk on stilts. 9. New York’s pizza is so legendary, even the pigeons have their favorite slice joints. 10. The New York Public Library has more books than you could read in a lifetime, but it’s still missing your autobiography. 11. Wall Street is like the ultimate money-making machine, except the only thing it prints is stress. 12. The Brooklyn Bridge is like the city’s lifeline, connecting Brooklyn hipsters with Manhattan moguls. 13. New York’s bagels are so good, even the gluten-free folks are tempted to cheat. 14. The Chrysler Building’s spire is like a giant middle finger to gravity. 15. The Bronx Zoo is like a safari adventure, except you’re more likely to see kids on field trips than actual lions. 16. Grand Central Terminal is like a majestic palace for commuters, where rush hour feels more like a royal procession. 17. Coney Island is like a carnival on steroids, with hot dogs that taste like freedom. 18. The Apollo Theater is like a temple of music, where legends are born and dreams come true. 19. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is like a treasure trove of culture, with more priceless artifacts than a Bond villain’s lair.

Stop me if you've heard this one. How many lawyers does it take to change a lightbulb? How many Senators does it take to change a lightbulb? How many NBA refs does it take to change a lightbulb? I once sent an email to the Mayor of Vancouver that began: How many of your city planners does it take to change a lightbulb? My favorite line on panels has been that if city engineers and bureaucrats just figured out how to illuminate Gothem City, you wouldn't need Batman. Strategically strung LEDs would have negated the creation of the Dark Knight. Lighting spaces for ambiance and safety has been critical to communities, since the creation of fire, thousands of years before Downtowns were ever imagined. And tonight the South Park Business Improvement District celebrates the culmination of a project that even with its simplicity, took us a full calendar year to deliver - the lighting of 11th Street, Pico Blvd, and Hill Street, with over 10k LED lights. This project will highlight key economic corridors and create a safer pedestrian environment. I'm incredibly proud of our team's work - and the leadership of our Programs and Partnership Manager, Rich Sarian - to deliver this project. And while we'll celebrate tonight with free food, community, and music from the Top Shelf Brass Band, I can't help but still contemplate the reality of the joke. Not how many bureaucrats does it take to change a light bulb, but how long does it take for them to let anyone else do it? Why does critical affordable housing get delayed by a multitude of hang ups in the process? Why do small business owners need to hire expediters to navigate city government? Why does it take a decade to move forward with modernizing and expanding the convention center - the engine we rely on to support restaurants, hotels, our downtown theaters, and local retailers? To continue to win, innovate, and invest at the speed of opportunity, we have to do things faster. Cities can't afford to operate as if they are staging a marathon, while businesses, residents, and those of us that partner with government to improve our communities, are in all out sprints through 110m hurdles. Anyway... check out some of the cool coverage of our project! We're excited about it and want to do more like this, as fast as we can! https://lnkd.in/ghWCcAzg

Mother’s Bistro is Portland treasure and I will do everything I can to create a safe and thriving downtown in which it can be a thriving business! Here’s my plan: 🔵 prioritize public safety—increase the number of police officers in the City so that they have the time and resources to do proactive, community policing, build relationships with business owners & everyday citizens, and address the crimes that make it hard for small business owners like Lisa to remain in business, much less thrive. 🔵 Move homeless people off the streets into safe shelters, where mental health and drug treatment services can be provided. Enforce the new prohibition on open use of hard drugs, and crackdown on dealing. 🔵 Encourage businesses to keep their employees downtown! Incentivize new businesses to locate their workforce downtown! We can revitalize downtown Portland in part by fostering a vibrant arts scene while addressing the issue of vacant buildings: •Develop mixed-use spaces combining residential, retail, and creative workspaces. •repurpose vacant office buildings into: 1. affordable housing- recognizing it will only be feasible and cost effective for some. 2. affordable studios and performance spaces for artists and musicians, considering tax incentives to property owners who lease to arts organizations or creative businesses. Revitalize Portland Coalition #mothersbistro #supportsmallbusinessowners

More than a century ago, Pittsburgh invested heavily in state-of-the-art public bathrooms. Built throughout the city, they broke down racial, gender, and class barriers. Like cities throughout the United States, Pittsburgh abandoned its investment in this infrastructure. My latest NEXTpittsburgh article explores some of the history of public bathrooms in Pittsburgh. https://lnkd.in/eK7ufpJA

Happy 20th Anniversary, #MichiganMainStreet! In honor of its anniversary, we're diving deep into the data to analyze the impact Michigan Main Street has had since inception in 2003. Vibrant communities showcase investment, community pride, and a unique atmosphere as a place for people to gather, socialize, and enjoy their experiences. Known as placemaking, improvements to the public realm through design enhancement, public space creation, beautification, and cleanliness, is a key undertaking of Michigan’s Main Street Communities as Main Streets supplement and enhance municipal services and embed the charisma of each community into the storefronts, streetscaping, and pedestrian experience. Importantly, the key aspects of Main Street's programmatic efforts, including business attraction and retention, marketing and branding, events, and historic preservation, all play into placemaking – filling the storefronts and sidewalks with people and investment. Check out the nitty-gritty behind these figures - and SO much more - in our Impact Report here: https://lnkd.in/gespseip

Planning the built environment for all…and even after designing a better built environment we must include enforcement…

Here's a piece I wrote about New York City's public bathrooms that was recently published by Jacobin magazine. https://lnkd.in/dE456sHE And if you are interested in this topic, I highly recommend you check out Kevin Gurley, AICP's work on the topic: https://lnkd.in/dWJjB235