Vital City

Did you know that, for decades, the New York subway was the only major transit system in the world with a geographically accurate subway map? Or that one of the members of the team that designed the map’s last iteration rode every line in the subway system with his eyes closed to make sure that he felt each and every curve? On the occasion of the MTA's unveiling of its new subway map, Jake Berman goes deep into the pros and cons of this new map, revealing the myriad considerations that go into mapping out the city's underground. https://lnkd.in/eKRF4Msp

I wrote a piece for Vital City about the nonprofits that are essential to the social safety net of NYC, and the policy changes that could make them more effective!  https://lnkd.in/ejFq92UH

Many progressives are leery of building big. That wasn’t true 200 years ago, when the Erie Canal transformed New York.

Design and perception shape subway safety. The way stations look and feel influences rider behavior and confidence. The latest report from Vital City makes a compelling case for integrating smart design with behavioral strategies to make New York’s subway safer. WXY’s founding principal, Claire Weisz, was among the advisors on this study, providing key insights into how station layouts, lighting, and material choices can deter crime and create a more secure environment. Many of these principles echo the vision outlined in a previous article she collaborated on with WXY's Bahij Chancey and David Vega-Barachowitz called "The Platforms We Deserve" (read it here: https://lnkd.in/eVHA8RfP) where the team explored how the subway could function as an extension of the public realm. The most recent study reinforces that design influences safety. Open sightlines, clear wayfinding, and well-lit spaces can help make stations feel more secure. Behavioral interventions encourage compliance through environmental cues, improving the experience for riders. A clean and well-managed station signals order and deters disorder. New York’s subway can be better, and design is crucial to that transformation. Read the full study: https://lnkd.in/eYGBNg2Z

Today, The New York Times spotlighted Vital City’s research on subway safety, produced by Paul Reeping, Aaron Chalfin and John Hall, as well as policy recommendations on how to reduce crime and disorder underground today. https://lnkd.in/eVv5P37p

Listen to the latest episode of Vital City’s podcast, with James Rubin in conversation with John MacIntosh of SeaChange Capital Partners, about what the City and private players can do to help the nonprofit sector. https://lnkd.in/eqFPDiNe

Ernesto Castañeda and Marshall Plane from The Immigration Lab at American University make the case in Vital City that immigrants give more than they take to New York City's economy — and it isn’t even close. https://lnkd.in/e6uBqmNZ

Is AI a friend or a foe? The future of the technology’s relationship with the nonprofit sector is up to us, says Rich Leimsider, director of the AI for Nonprofits Sprint Fund for the City of New York https://lnkd.in/ep77ePRn

Former Bronx Defenders Executive Director Justine Olderman (currently at NYU Marron Institute of Urban Management and New York University School of Law) advises senior leaders to listen to, not dismiss, their social-justice-driven younger staff members. https://lnkd.in/eG-hUg7J 

Despite a strong track record, charter schools in NYC find themselves at a crossroads, writes Robert Pondiscio of American Enterprise Institute. He explains how we got here and what the future might look like. https://lnkd.in/eP_fZvTw