Michael Smith is a long-time Strong Towns member who joins this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution podcast along with his colleague, architect Aaron Holverson. Together they work at Studio GWA, a planning and architecture firm based in Rockford. In this conversation, we discuss a historic revitalization project in a core neighborhood of Rockford, the challenges that come with a project like this, and also why the street and surrounding blocks matter to the success of a place like this. It’s a great lesson in what it takes to bring an old building back to life—certainly not a piece of cake—but also a lesson in what can happen when a community has a place to feel proud of.
Additional Show NotesStudio GWA website
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Mary Jones: Taking Matters Into Her Own Hands to #SlowTheCars
Jenifer Acosta: Giving New Life to Historic Buildings and Neighborhoods
Lauren Fisher: Building Family and Community Resilience
Ilana Preuss: Saving Downtown with Small-Scale Manufacturing
Michael Kelley: Making Cities More Bike- and Walk-Friendly
Nick Meyer: Shining a Spotlight on the Good That's Happening in Your Town
Haile McCollum: Small Business Owner and Community Leader
John Simmerman: Building Active Towns
Nathan Chung and Ryan Karb: Improving Food Access Through Mobile Markets
Sophia Hosain: Composting for Community
Coté Soerens: Creating a Coffee Shop for the Whole Neighborhood
Jeanyll Morris: Empowering Young People to Rebuild Homes
Marilyn Burns and Leah Ross: Starting a Community Laundry Co-op
Charles and Whitney Coats: Promoting More Housing, More Options, More Access
Mayor Chris Frye: Shifting Perceptions About a Rust Belt City
De'Amon Harges: A Roving Listener
Lisa Leslie: Building a Cohousing Community
Jason T. Hyman: Bridging the Wealth Gap Through Intentional Investment
Strongest Town 2021: Bentonville, AR
Strongest Town 2021: Bismarck, ND
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