full frame shot of residential building

Building Up or Out? The Paradox of a Maximum Height Ordinance in Tallahassee’s CollegeTown

By: Chloe Kauffman CollegeTown is a popular, high-traffic neighborhood for college students in the Tallahassee area, with its growth spurred by a greater demand for students to live closer to the main campuses of Florida State University and Florida A&M University. CollegeTown is a revitalized warehouse district. Located next to a major railroad corridor, merchants would … Continue reading Building Up or Out? The Paradox of a Maximum Height Ordinance in Tallahassee’s CollegeTown

A Close Look at Pedestrian Traffic in the Gaines Street Corridor

By Samantha Murray Tallahassee’s CollegeTown area may be one of the most vibrant places in the city with its popular restaurants and rising art scene. Yet, its road infrastructure has not kept pace with development. In order to sustainably support potential economic growth, future urban development should prioritize increasing walkability in the CollegeTown urban space. … Continue reading A Close Look at Pedestrian Traffic in the Gaines Street Corridor

Infrastructure critical to urban redevelopment

By Donald Sizemore College Town currently serves as the epicenter of Florida State University’s social life in Tallahassee. Yet, this vibrant mixed-use commercial and residential area--skirting the southern border of FSU, three blocks from Florida A&M University, and just a quarter mile from FSU’s football stadium--did not exist in 2010. Instead, the area was a … Continue reading Infrastructure critical to urban redevelopment

Private Sector Can Shoulder Some of the Risk for New Road Construction

By Giovanna da Silva The 21st century has seen a substantial increase in public-private partnerships in the United States and around the world. The basic principle behind public-private partnerships, or P3s, is that government works with the private sector in order to build and finance public works projects. P3s have been increasingly encouraged by state … Continue reading Private Sector Can Shoulder Some of the Risk for New Road Construction

Gentrification in Frenchtown: A Nuanced Perspective

By Jordan Greer Gentrification has been contentious since British sociologist Ruth Rich coined the word in the 1960s. Rich used the term to describe the process of wealthy citizens, landlords, and developers moving into British working class neighborhoods and renovating the area. This process of redevelopment, she argued, drove up the costs of housing and … Continue reading Gentrification in Frenchtown: A Nuanced Perspective

Private Toll Roads: A Case Study of Tallahassee’s Orchard Pond Parkway

By Giovanna da Silva Florida boasts the highest number of toll roads in the country. Until last April, state and local governments owned and operated all of Florida toll roads. Tallahassee’s Orchard Pond Parkway challenged this precedent, however, opening to the general public in 2017 and becoming the first privately constructed and operated toll road … Continue reading Private Toll Roads: A Case Study of Tallahassee’s Orchard Pond Parkway

Regulations Hinder Growth of Florida’s Solar Energy Sector

By Sam Stadtlander and Giovanna da Silva In 1883, Charles Fritts created the first solar cell and established the path towards developing renewable solar energy.  Since then, the 20th and 21st centuries have seen increased demand for technological innovation in the solar sector as an alternative to natural gas and other conventional energy sources. Due to … Continue reading Regulations Hinder Growth of Florida’s Solar Energy Sector

Hurricane Response Efforts are Most Effective When Decentralized

By Chad Thomas According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), emergency responses to hurricanes aim to prevent further loss of life and  property damage. Effective emergency responses utilize local information and enable decentralized responses from within the disaster zone. Local information about necessary relief in affected areas aids response efforts. A decentralized response enables … Continue reading Hurricane Response Efforts are Most Effective When Decentralized

A Brief History of Frenchtown

By Jordan Greer With Frenchtown development becoming one of the spotlight issues in the city of Tallahassee's future economic redevelopment plans, a look at the social and economic context for this marginalized area of the city might be useful.  On July 4th 1825, the federal government granted $200,000 worth of northern Florida territory to Marquis … Continue reading A Brief History of Frenchtown

After this Hurricane Season, We Need to Rethink Flood Insurance

Giovanna Dasilva With the national spotlight on flooding caused by hurricanes Harvey and Irma, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has come under scrutiny. The federal program primarily focuses on offering flood insurance coverage and reducing the impact of flood damage.   The NFIP was established in 1968 to counteract a market failure on the … Continue reading After this Hurricane Season, We Need to Rethink Flood Insurance