The Future Great City podcast
nextSTL began as the St. Louis Urban Workshop in 2009. Since then, the site has continued to evolve. Incorporating more voices across more platforms to tell the story, past, present, & future, of St. Louis. The evolution of Facebook and Twitter has changed the discussion, and the process of writing about urban and civic issues. Conferences, events, appearances by nextSTL contributors on radio and television, we’ve done, and will continue to do it all. Now it’s time to launch the Future Great City podcast. The podcast will facilitate more conversations with more of the people shaping St. Louis today.
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Episode 16 - Tishaura Jones
02/28/2017
Episode 16 - Tishaura Jones
Just a week ahead of the decisive Democratic primary in the St. Louis City mayoral contest, our guest is city Treasurer and mayoral candidate Tishaura Jones. We have also spoken to mayoral candidates Lewis Reed, President of the Board of Aldermen () and Lyda Krewson, Alderwoman for the 28th Ward (). From the (): Building on a background as a public servant, financial services professional, and educator, Tishaura O. Jones was sworn in as Treasurer of St. Louis on January 1, 2013. She is the first woman to hold the office in the history of St. Louis and is running for Mayor of the City of St. Louis.
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Episode 15-2 - Lewis Reed
11/02/2016
Episode 15-2 - Lewis Reed
Our guest this week is St. Louis City President of the Board of Aldermen and mayoral candidate, Lewis Reed. Reed became the second official candidate for Room 200, a seat occupied by Mayor Francis Slay for the past 15 years. 28th Ward alderwoman Lyda Krewson was the first to announce a run in June. . Reed is currently in his third term as president of the Board of Alderman, a citywide elected office. Prior to that office, Reed was elected to two terms as alderman for the city's 6th Ward. He unsuccessfully challenged Slay in the 2013 mayoral contest. 2013 saw basically a one-on-one primary, while the coming contest could feature a half-dozen or more candidates vying for the open seat. We plan to invite each officially declared candidate for mayor on the Future Great City podcast and feature interviews on a single page to better inform city voters. Our conversation with Lewis Reed ran well over an hour and we veered off into talking cycling and the city near the end. As a result, this podcast is presented in two parts, with the second half posted next week. Reed's announcement to run again was made with this video: Lewis Reed for Mayor of St Louis 2017, and accompanied by the following statement: St. Louis, Missouri-President of the Saint Louis Board of Alderman Lewis Reed released a video today (August 8, 2016) as an introduction to the community on his candidacy. Reed had previously made it public that he will be running for mayor, but this is the official announcement and first campaign communication. In the video, Reed highlights his diverse family life and why it is always best to include diverse opinions & perspectives, compassion and respect for others when addressing an issue. Also highlighted is his success in spearheading development in Lafayette Square and on Washington Ave as Aldermen of the 6th Ward, creation of Bike St. Louis, creating funding sources for youth programs, and bringing the NextDoor platform to the City of St. Louis.
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Episode 15-1 - Lewis Reed
10/26/2016
Episode 15-1 - Lewis Reed
Our guest this week is St. Louis City President of the Board of Aldermen and mayoral candidate, Lewis Reed. Reed became the second official candidate for Room 200, a seat occupied by Mayor Francis Slay for the past 15 years. 28th Ward alderwoman Lyda Krewson was the first to announce a run in June. . Reed is currently in his third term as president of the Board of Alderman, a citywide elected office. Prior to that office, Reed was elected to two terms as alderman for the city's 6th Ward. He unsuccessfully challenged Slay in the 2013 mayoral contest. 2013 saw basically a one-on-one primary, while the coming contest could feature a half-dozen or more candidates vying for the open seat. We plan to invite each officially declared candidate for mayor on the Future Great City podcast and feature interviews on a single page to better inform city voters. Our conversation with Lewis Reed ran well over an hour and we veered off into talking cycling and the city near the end. As a result, this podcast is presented in two parts, with the second half posted next week. Reed's announcement to run again was made with this video: Lewis Reed for Mayor of St Louis 2017, and accompanied by the following statement: St. Louis, Missouri-President of the Saint Louis Board of Alderman Lewis Reed released a video today (August 8, 2016) as an introduction to the community on his candidacy. Reed had previously made it public that he will be running for mayor, but this is the official announcement and first campaign communication. In the video, Reed highlights his diverse family life and why it is always best to include diverse opinions & perspectives, compassion and respect for others when addressing an issue. Also highlighted is his success in spearheading development in Lafayette Square and on Washington Ave as Aldermen of the 6th Ward, creation of Bike St. Louis, creating funding sources for youth programs, and bringing the NextDoor platform to the City of St. Louis.
/episode/index/show/futuregreatcity/id/4763541
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Episode 14 - John Schneider
08/09/2016
Episode 14 - John Schneider
In this episode we speak with "Mr. Streetcar" John Schneider of Cincinnati. A longtime downtown resident there, John has been instrumental in the biggest civic infrastructure projects in that city over the past 30 years. This episode was recorded at the 21C Hotel on the streetcar line in downtown Cincinnati. John Schneider was a board member of Downtown Cincinnati, Inc. and served as its first transportation committee chair. In that role, he proposed and helped to advance the reconfiguration of Fort Washington Way (Interstate 71) through downtown, proposed the location for the new riverfront home of the Cincinnati Reds, and chaired the campaign that resulted in Hamilton County voters overwhelmingly approving the site of the Great American Ball Park. Schneider is an alumnus of Leadership Cincinnati, vice chairman of the City Planning Commission, and chairs the Alliance for Regional Transit. He has authored many articles on Cincinnati’s planning and infrastructural issues and is a frequent speaker on rail transit. Former Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory named Schneider “Mr. Streetcar” for his role in returning passenger rail transit to Cincinnati after a sixty-year absence. Schneider is Managing Member of First Valley Holdings LLC, a redeveloper of property in and around downtown Cincinnati. John and his wife, April, have resided in downtown Cincinnati for many years. *bio sourced from Rotary Club of Cincinnati
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Episode 13 - Umar Lee
07/26/2016
Episode 13 - Umar Lee
In this episode we speak with Umar Lee of St. Louis, an activist, author, and former cab driver. Lee became known to many during the 2014 protests in Ferguson following the killing of Michael Brow. He was also a vocal presence during the debate surrounding the entry of ride sharing services in St. Louis such as Lyft and Uber. We spoke with Lee about his upbringing in North St. Louis County, how things have changed, and how in some ways the scene has been set for years for unrest. Regarded by many to be a controversial figure, Lee's critique of the region is clearly a product of his love for St. Louis. In the podcast we touch on Lee's conversion to Islam, his time away from St. Louis including a stint in New York, and his return to St. Louis, and why he often rails against "Hipsters" on social media. Umar can be found on Twitter . The Future Great City podcast by nextSTL is sponsored by and .
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Episode 12 - David Dayen
07/12/2016
Episode 12 - David Dayen
David will be speaking at SPACE Architecture + Design this Thursday. The event is free and open to the public, but you are asked to . The event is presented by nextSTL and Left Bank Books. Copies of Chain of Title will be available to purchase. _________ In this episode we speak with David Dayen, author of Chain of Title: How Three Ordinary Americans Uncovered Wall Street's Great Foreclosure Fraud, published in May of this year. David was awarded the Studs and Ida Terkel Prize, awarded annually to a first-time author who demonstrates a "commitment to exploring aspects of America that are underrepresented by mainstream media". We discuss the broad, national foreclosure crisis, which was (and is) really is criminal mortgage fraud. The centuries old basic tenant of American land ownership is being undermined. At times, who owns a home can't be proven. Millions of Americans have experienced foreclosure, some are still in their homes, banks have paused proceedings in places where home prices have not yet rebounded. While the "crisis" may seem to be our rearview mirror, its effects are long lasting and will take decades to be resolved. While centered in the "sand states" of Florida, Arizona, Nevada, and California, where the majority of new home construction occurred in the past decade, cash out, interest-only, and adjustable rate mortgages were (and are) common in Missouri. In St. Louis, mortgage products often focused on the African-American homeowner, who may have had equity in their homes. David Dayen is a journalist who writes about economics and finance. He is a contributing writer to Salon.com and The Intercept, and a weekly columnist for The Fiscal Times and The New Republic. He also writes for The American Prospect, Vice, The Huffington Post, and more. He has been a guest on MSNBC, CNN, Bloomberg, Al Jazeera, Russia Today, NPR, Pacifica Radio and Air America Radio. He lives in Los Angeles, where prior to writing about politics he had a 15-year career as a television producer and editor.
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Episode 11 - Lyda Krewson
06/28/2016
Episode 11 - Lyda Krewson
Two weeks ago, City of St. Louis Alderwoman Lyda Krewson . We speak with her about the 28th Ward, why she first decided to run for city office, how she has approached her run for mayor, and more. Krewson, the chief financial officer of PGAV Architects, was first elected to the city's Board of Aldermen in 1997 in a special election. She has been re-elected five times, more recently in 2015. The 28th Ward encompasses parts of the six city neighborhoods: Central West End, DeBaliviere Place, Hi-Pointe, Skinker-DeBaliviere, West End, and Wydown-Skinker. Krewson earned an education degree from Truman State University, and an accounting degree from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. She is currently the Chair of the Transportation & Commerce Committee, and serves on the Airport Commission and Port Authority. More on the
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Episode 10 - Development Roundup with Greg Johnson
05/25/2016
Episode 10 - Development Roundup with Greg Johnson
In this episode we speak with regular nextSTL contributor Greg Johnson. We attempt to cover the boom in development news from across St. Louis from the riverfront westward. From CityArchRiver to the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency to the Alverne to Jefferson Arms and on and on, we cover a lot of ground! With so much happening here, our discussion, recorded a couple weeks ago, is already a bit dated. Visit nextSTL.com to catch up and learn more about how St. Louis is changing. You can find Greg on Twitter . began as the St. Louis Urban Workshop in 2009. Since then, the site has continued to incorporate more voices across more platforms to tell the story, past, present, & future, of St. Louis. Now it’s time to launch the Future Great City podcast.
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Episode 9 - Rasheen Aldridge, Jr.
05/04/2016
Episode 9 - Rasheen Aldridge, Jr.
In this episode we speak with Rasheen Aldridge, Jr. Born and raised in St. Louis, Rasheen is a community organizer and activist. Growing up in the City of St. Louis, he attended the suburban Parkway school district. Rasheen is currently enrolled at Forest Park Community College and is a candidate for 5th Ward Democratic committeeman. Named to the Ferguson Commission, Rasheen has protested on the streets of Ferguson and been a guest of President Barack Obama at the White House. He also serves as director of an organization called Young Activist United St. Louis and sits as student co-chair on the Missouri Jobs with Justice. In addition, Rasheen is a leader in the Show Me 15 workers’ rights movement advocating living wages for fast food workers and others. You can find Rasheen on Twitter. began as the St. Louis Urban Workshop in 2009. Since then, the site has continued to incorporate more voices across more platforms to tell the story, past, present, & future, of St. Louis. Now it’s time to launch the Future Great City podcast.
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Episode 8 - Megan Ellyia-Green
04/05/2016
Episode 8 - Megan Ellyia-Green
In this episode we speak with Megan Ellyia-Green, 15the Ward alderwoman in the City of St. Louis. Originally from upstate New York, Megan attended Penn State University before earning a Masters in Education and Leadership from Saint Louis University. She was elected to represent one of city’s 28 wards in 2014 following the resignation of Jennifer Florida. Megan will be up for re-election in March 2017. A self-described Progressive, Megan has become known for her independence on city-wide issues and her thorough independent research on topics such at the effort to keep the NFL in St. Louis. She’s dedicated to increasing transparency in local government, and is involved in national politics as an organizer for presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. You can find Megan on Twitter and online at . began as the St. Louis Urban Workshop in 2009. Since then, the site has continued to incorporate more voices across more platforms to tell the story, past, present, & future, of St. Louis. Now it’s time to launch the Future Great City podcast.
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Episode 7 - Scott Ogilvie
03/22/2016
Episode 7 - Scott Ogilvie
In this episode we speak with Scott Ogilvie, 24th Ward alderman in the City of St. Louis. Twice elected from the neighborhoods south of Forest Park, Scott has become known for asking difficult policy questions of the city and his colleagues, while pushing for political reform and good governance. Ogilvie has won support and earned critics by being one of the few alderman with an outspoken vision for the city as a whole. We speak to Scott about the upcoming every-five-years challenge at the ballot box to the city’s 1% earnings tax, the failed effort to keep the NFL Rams in St. Louis, and much more. You can find Scott on Twitter and check out his website at . began as the St. Louis Urban Workshop in 2009. Since then, the site has continued to incorporate more voices across more platforms to tell the story, past, present, & future, of St. Louis. Now it’s time to launch the Future Great City podcast.
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Episode 6 - Jeff Rainford
03/08/2016
Episode 6 - Jeff Rainford
In this episode we speak with Jeff Rainford, an independent public policy consultant who is best known for his 14 years as chief of staff to four-term City of St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay. Described by friends and foes alike as fierce and effective, he was instrumental in returning control of the city’s police department to the city for the first time since the Civil War. He was also the city’s point person on the ultimately unsuccessful effort to keep the NFL Rams in St. Louis, and worked hard on keeping the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency in the city. St. Louis will find April 1 if that effort is successful. Rainford is a native St. Louisan, growing up in Webster Groves. He worked as reporter for KMOX radio and KMOV-TV before joining the mayor’s staff. *audio was set incorrectly for this recording – thanks for listening to a little echo began as the St. Louis Urban Workshop in 2009. Since then, the site has continued to incorporate more voices across more platforms to tell the story, past, present, & future, of St. Louis. Now it’s time to launch the Future Great City podcast.
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Episode 5 - Ralph Pfemmer
02/23/2016
Episode 5 - Ralph Pfemmer
In this episode we speak with Ralph Pfremmer Executive Director of . The organization’s mission is to “lead in fostering healthy, active and vibrant communities where walking, bicycling and the use of public transit are a way of life” through programs, transportation planning, and policy initiatives. Most recently, to repave and add bike lanes to Gravois Avenue. Under former Executive Director Ann Mack led Trailnet’s effort to oppose the , a MoDOT road widening project also opposed by the communities through which it would pass. Prior to joining the staff at Trailnet in October 2014, Ralph was the CEO and founder of Pfoodman Holdings, a multi-unit food service management company serving education, business/retail, and senior living sectors. He used active living and sustainability as a platform for business development, promoting his company’s culture by establishing a unique presence in communities. The Trailnet challenge, and now Ralph’s, is to work with partner organizations – , , , , St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and others. Ralph joined the cycling community after a health scare in 1998 that motivated him to incorporate exercise into his daily routine and begin a healthier way of life. began as the St. Louis Urban Workshop in 2009. Since then, the site has continued to incorporate more voices across more platforms to tell the story, past, present, & future, of St. Louis. Now it’s time to launch the Future Great City podcast.
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Episode 4 - Ben Hilliker
02/09/2016
Episode 4 - Ben Hilliker
In this episode we speak with Ben Hilliker, the founder and CEO of , a commercial real estate firm in St. Louis. Ben graduated from Washington University in St. Louis and was President of an engineering firm with offices in five cities, prior to entering the commercial real estate field. In 1973, Ben sold the engineering firm and went to work in commercial real estate. In 1985 he established Hilliker Corporation, which has grown to 18 full-time agents today. Hilliker Corp. is known for its focus on challenging, and largely urban, properties. In the podcast Ben talks about the changing math of historic St. Louis warehouses where residential conversions led to a massive jump in prices and the preservation of dozens of threatened buildings. Other dynamics in the St. Louis commercial real estate are touch on as well, including the impact of the 1993 flood and the then depressed market. began as the St. Louis Urban Workshop in 2009. Since then, the site has continued to incorporate more voices across more platforms to tell the story, past, present, & future, of St. Louis. Now it’s time to launch the Future Great City podcast.
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Episode 3 - Sarah Kendzior
01/26/2016
Episode 3 - Sarah Kendzior
In this episode we speak with Sarah Kendzior, a freelance writer living in St. Louis. She has written about exploitation, particularly in higher education, the diminishing opportunities of America’s youth, and inequality and gentrification. Sarah has also covered internet privacy, political repression, and how the media shape public perception. A collection of essays, , was published in 2015. Her writing has appeared at , , , , and , among many other outlets, and Sarah has appeared onNPR, MSNBC, Al Jazeera, CBC News, BBC World Service, Citizen Radio, FOX, HuffPost Live. In addition to her work as a journalist, Sarah is a researcher and consultant. She earned a PhD in anthropology from Washington University in Saint Louis and an MA in Central Eurasian Studies from Indiana University. With a particular expertise in contemporary Uzbekistan, Sarah was named by in 2013 as one of “the 100 people you should be following on Twitter to make sense of global events”. You can read more at . began as the St. Louis Urban Workshop in 2009. Since then, the site has continued to incorporate more voices across more platforms to tell the story, past, present, & future, of St. Louis. Now it’s time to launch the Future Great City podcast.
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Episode 2 - Sean Spencer
01/12/2016
Episode 2 - Sean Spencer
In this episode we speak with Sean Spencer, Executive Director of the newly reconstituted and expanded . The organization is a consolidation of Grand Oak Hill Community Corporation, Southwest Garden Housing Corporation and Shaw Neighborhood Housing Corporation. The TGNCDC serves an area of nearly 30,000 residents in the City of St. Louis. began as the St. Louis Urban Workshop in 2009. Since then, the site has continued to incorporate more voices across more platforms to tell the story, past, present, & future, of St. Louis. Now it’s time to launch the Future Great City podcast.
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Episode 1 - Michael Allen
12/21/2015
Episode 1 - Michael Allen
In this episode we speak with architectural historian Michael Allen about the state of historic preservation and the built environment in St. Louis. His work can be found at his new site, . began as the St. Louis Urban Workshop in 2009. Since then, the site has continued to incorporate more voices across more platforms to tell the story, past, present, & future, of St. Louis. Now it’s time to launch the Future Great City podcast.
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Episode 0 - Future Great City Intro
12/18/2015
Episode 0 - Future Great City Intro
It’s nextSTL.com in a podcast! In this preview episode we speak with nextSTL contributor Greg Johnson and preview the podcast, sharing thoughts on St. Louis, the website, and what upcoming episodes of the podcast will offer. Get ready for the Future Great City podcast from St. Louis and nextSTL.com! This may only be a 9-minute preview, but we cover a lot of ground. From chlamydia to literacy, we run through some of the recurring issues and topics in this city and look ahead to what the Future Great City podcast will bring to the local discourse. began as the St. Louis Urban Workshop in 2009. Since then, the site has continued to incorporate more voices across more platforms to tell the story, past, present, & future, of St. Louis. Now it’s time to launch the Future Great City podcast.
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