John Milgrim’s Post

Should we prioritize people, or tech innovation in our large-scale development projects? The strategy's slowly shifting to people. And that’s exactly how California Forever CEO Jan Sramek wins over skeptics like Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway. Not bad. “There’s a lot of baggage that tech has created in building new cities that, unfortunately, we are at the receiving end of”, explains Sramek. So smart cities and tech libertarian network states aren't the focus here. Quite the contrary. He calls the project (in this context) “really, really boring.” The focus: ∙ More housing ∙ Walkable cities ∙ Affordable by design* ∙ Improving the country for residents *(housing prices to start at $400k) I recently covered California Forever, dubbing it a future ‘Tech Utopia’ given its massive Silicon Valley backing. So it’s exciting to see Sramek's positioning and skillful handling of the grilling. Is the era of the smart city over due to its 'baggage'? Time will tell. More on California Forever and other visionaries designing new cities from scratch here: https://lnkd.in/e9-i386q Full interview: https://lnkd.in/eMnT8QhU #futureofcities #urbandevelopment

During today zoom meeting with NYC's Mayor Eric Adams, several critical points were highlighted: Regulatory Challenges: Mayor Adams acknowledged the limitations in his authority over regulations but emphasized the need to build smart solutions to navigate challenges effectively. Common-Sense Approach: Mayor Adams emphasized his commitment to a common-sense and balanced decision-making approach in addressing the city's issues. Asylum Concerns: Expressing concern about the impact of asylum issues on NYC, Mayor Adams urged the federal government to pay attention to the city's unique position as the heart and soul of the country. Budget Priorities: Mayor Adams assured that the Police and Fire departments would not face budget cuts. He addressed retention problems by offering flexibility, allowing employees to work four days a week in office. Government Employment: NYC's 300,000 government agency employees faced challenges due to inflexible working conditions, which have now been amended to accommodate greater flexibility. Acknowledgment to Jamie Dimon: Mayor Adams expressed gratitude to Jamie Dimon for his contributions to NYC, emphasizing JPMorgan's commitment to the city where it was born and raised. NYC's Global Standing: Mayor Adams highlighted NYC as the number one city globally, with others striving to emulate its diversity and unique status. Congestion Pricing and MTA: Mayor Adams addressed concerns about MTA's additional budget requests, clarifying the complex layers involved and the city's commitment to collaborating with MTA to find real solutions to emissions and congestion issues. In the face of challenging times, Mayor Adams demonstrated a pragmatic approach, emphasizing collaboration with the federal government, addressing employee needs, and highlighting the city's unique strengths. The shared commitment to overcoming challenges and fostering smart solutions underlines the resilience and determination of NYC's business leaders and Mayor Adams in navigating the city through tough times. #newyorkcity #mayor #leadership #NYCLeadership #EricAdams #collaborationforchange #smart #sustainability #lovenyc #jamiedimon

Inviting my network to hear about this significant study offering a fresh perspective on the topic of intergenerational equity – that is, how we promote fairness from one generation to the next – through an infrastructure lens. The team canvassed multigenerational perspectives across multiple geographies to spark an informed discussion of what can be done today, to support the delivery of fair and fit-for-purpose infrastructure, in the future. https://lnkd.in/gveJ5Fhb

The upcoming mayoral race in San Francisco is poised to be a battleground of ideas, with former Acting Mayor Mark Farrell and incumbent Mayor London Breed offering contrasting visions for the city's future. At the forefront of this debate is the issue of modernizing government services through digital innovation—a topic that resonates deeply in a city renowned for its tech leadership. Delve into the candidates' platforms and their implications for shaping San Francisco's digital future:

All across Upstate, there’s evidence that businesses have recognized the potential we have to offer and are making investments in sustainable, future-focused projects that will put our region on the cutting edge of technological advancements and poised for long-term growth. It’s critical that we continue to do the work to ensure this upward trajectory continues, and that Broome County can fully participate in the Upstate economic renaissance that is well underway. Read more on why our vision for the Broome Tech Park is vital to sustained economic growth as originally published in the New York Real Estate Journal. https://lnkd.in/eviu39sf

Multimodal equity is a not so new revolution to the USA. Its benefit is undeniable in that the implementation can reach a broader population for a sustainable/equitable/resilient transportation network. I encourage all the dedicated public works professionals I know to consider on attending this panel to listen or give their experience and wisdom. This panel's purpose is to delve into the inherently social purpose of infrastructure and its key role as an enabler of intergenerational equity. The benefit of drawing on diverse voices in striking the right balance of community wants and needs will be central to the conversation.

Register today to hear our diverse panel explore the burning issue of intergenerational equity – through an infrastructure lens – expertly moderated by world-renowned urbanist and global advisor Professor Prof Greg Clark CBE FAcSS. 🎫 Event: CROSSROADS | Charting a course to equitable infrastructure 📅 Date: July 10 | July 11 | July 17 🕰️ Time: 11:00 AM CDT | 12:00 PM EDT, 11:00 AM BST | 2:00 PM GST, 2:30 PM AEST | 4:30 PM NZST 🔗 Registration Link: https://lnkd.in/e3a5a_Xd These exclusive virtual events mark the official launch of CROSSROADS – a wide-ranging study of community sentiment, based on a survey of more than 10,000 people across 10 countries. CROSSROADS reveals community attitudes towards all sorts of infrastructure – presenting a fascinating snapshot of preferences, priorities and multi-generational perspectives. Our panel of city leaders and industry experts will unpack the implications of the study’s key findings to help our audience make the right decisions, today, to chart a course to a more equitable infrastructure future, tomorrow. Can't make any of the live events? Register to receive a link to the on-demand recordings. #CROSSROADS #FutureCommunities #PowerofCommitment

I recognize the need to look beyond the technical aspects of a project to consider the broader community impact, however this aspect is not often understood or prioritized. Infrastructure sustainability, through initiatives like #Envision, involves integrating community needs, promoting social equity, and fostering positive long-term community cohesion, but as a technical thinker this can be difficult to align with. I’m looking forward to this presentation to better understand how engineered infrastructure can be better woven into our social fabric for the long game.

Intergenerational equity. Author/philosopher Roman Krznaric advocates being a 'good ancestor' and the importance of considering the world we are passing on to our children, grandchildren & beyond. Some studies have predicted that Millennials or Gen Z will be the first generation with a lower standard of living or to be worse off financially than their parents. University of Oxford researcher Hannah Ritchie posits that 'humanity is in a truly unique position to build a sustainable world' for the next generation. We're adding to that conversation by exploring intergenerational #equity through an #infrastructure lens. We surveyed more than 10,000 people across 10 countries about their views looking 30 years ahead. There is a clear divide between optimism and pessimism for the future across different countries. Younger generations are generally more optimistic, believing that current leadership will improve the state of their communities. Check out the event below to learn more insights from our research! #CROSSROADS #FutureCommunities #PowerofCommitment

Thank you to the TheMJ for asking me to share my thoughts about what growth really means from a place perspective at such an important moment. I’m as excited as everyone in my LinkedIn bubble about the possibilities of the new government’s first priority. However, we need more than standardised national frameworks for growth issued from Whitehall (albeit with the best of intentions). We need to seize this moment to design the inclusive, sustainable, long-term growth that all our communities deserve or continue to face the democratic, social, and financial costs of rising inequality. #missiongrowth #devolution #longtermplan https://lnkd.in/dQH52eWi