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The Messy City Podcast

Kevin Klinkenberg
Urban Development
Urban Planning
Kansas City
Tupac Shakur
Local Businesses
Akron, Ohio
Housing Affordability
Public Transportation
Urban Design
Community Engagement
Inflation
Public Safety
Commercial Real Estate
Cleveland, Ohio
Strong Towns
New Urbanism
Kansas City Streetcar
Community Development
Real Estate Development
Kansas City Royals

Embracing change, uncertainty and local initiative for our cities and towns kevinklinkenberg.substack.com

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes116Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureDesignArts

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Artwork for The Messy City Podcast

Latest Episodes

Longtime friend-of-the-pod Abby Newsham returns, on her hiatus from the popular Upzoned podcast. Abby is a practicing planner in Kansas City with Olsson Associates. Abby is very active working with communities leading planning charrettes, and we talk... more

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One of the perils of being in a profession or field for many years is how you see beyond simple dualities. By that I mean, you hear people argue confidently and vehemently about X vs Y, but you know there’s actually a Z they’re not even thinking abou... more

YouTube

One of the great trends in housing from recent decades has been the revived interest in micro-communities, especially those organized around shared courtyards. I first started to learn about this in the late 1990s, and am delighted to say it’s really... more

YouTube

Jason Segedy returns for his third appearance on the show, as Jason now works in North Canton, Ohio as the Deputy Director of Administration. Jason has also gotten more active on LinkedIn in recent months, with his usual provocative and insightful th... more

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Recent Guests

Abby Newsham
Planner at Olsson Associates (Kansas City office)
Olsson Associates
Episode: Do our communities need better hardware or better software?
Steve Nygren
Founder of Serenby, an innovative community focusing on sustainable living and urban design.
Serenby
Episode: Transforming Your Own Backyard
Justin Pregont
Developer and founder of Pomeroy Development
Pomeroy Development
Episode: Brooklyn Doesn't Need Your Butt
Gabriel Metcalf
Head of planning for California Forever, with experience in housing, transportation, and urban policy.
California Forever
Episode: Can California Forever begin to cure the state's housing woes?
Andrew Burleson
Co-founder and board chair of Strong Towns
Strong Towns
Episode: How to Unleash the Swarm
Dan Parolek
Architect and urban designer, co-founder of Opticos Design, with extensive experience in new urbanism and direct collaboration with Leon Krier.
Opticos Design
Episode: Reflecting on Leon Krier
Chuck Marohn
Founder of Strong Towns, a nonprofit focused on improving urban development and financial viability of cities
Strong Towns
Episode: Reframing the Housing Discussion
Nolan Gray
Author of Arbitrary Lines and urban planning expert
Episode: A Conversation with Nolan Gray
Ward Davis
Real estate developer focused on town centers and new urbanism
High Street Real Estate Development
Episode: Development is Harder Than You Think

Host

Kevin Klinkenberg
Host and principal voice guiding discussions on urban design, development, and community change.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 61 ratings
  • :)

    I love the host’s bias towards action over policy. His guests are so interesting! They are largely people I would never have heard about otherwise, and it’s so instructive to hear their stories. I do wish the host had a better mic. His content quality deserves equivalent sound quality.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    nsmcc
    United Statesa month ago
  • Recommended for those interested in cities and places

    As someone with an interest in urban design and improving where I live, I really enjoy the messy city podcast. Kevin is a very knowledgeable and down to earth host, interviews interesting guests, and doesn’t need to over hype. A genuinely good podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    AnAussieListener
    Australia2 months ago
  • A great listen even for non-experts like me

    I’m a dilettante urbanist, and this podcast is one of my favorites for hearing experts break down how to improve our cities in tangible ways. Kevin does a great job of keeping the conversations informative yet still accessible for non-technical folks like me.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    the stellion
    United Statesa year ago
  • Econ Dev

    This is my favourite economic development podcast hands down, even ahead of the Strong Towns podcasts. The exploration to incremental development and small developers is super useful information even for small towns. Very insightful and useful conversations. I recommend this to anyone in Econ dev, town/city administration, councils, etc.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Frontball
    Canada2 years ago
  • Great information

    Enjoying listening to what others are doing around the country. Inspiring interviews and discussions.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Lake Dallas Tiny Home Village
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The show often features insightful discussions on incremental development and small-scale projects.
The host fosters thoughtful dialogue and avoids hype, making it a solid resource for urbanists and practitioners.
Listeners find the guest mix inspiring and relevant to mid-sized cities and rural towns.
The podcast is valued for its focus on real-world development stories and clear explanations of complex policy ideas.
The host brings knowledge and practicality to urban design conversations.
Guests are perceived as credible, with a strong emphasis on community impact and practical outcomes.
Interviews are accessible and filled with actionable takeaways for non-experts.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#134
United States/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#213
Germany/Arts/Design

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

A Conversation with Ross Chapin
Q: What are some specific tricks to make nested house plans work when you have tighter quarters?
Nested house plans allow for one side to be open and active, while the other is closed for privacy, creating a good balance in closer communities.
A Conversation with Ross Chapin
Q: What are some of the things that you looked at to try to balance the need for security, but also that human need for connection with others?
I've tried to accentuate the layering from public to private, creating comfortable spaces where community can flourish without feeling exposed.
A Conversation with Ross Chapin
Q: How did that change the course of what you were doing professionally in terms of how that was received?
It was a turning point in my whole career; it drew a lot of initial attention and was well received by the media.
Transforming Your Own Backyard
Q: How did you come to doing this?
I was a restaurateur who discovered the beauty of nature and community, eventually transforming my priorities to focus on sustainable development.
Transforming Your Own Backyard
Q: What do you mean by radical common sense?
It's about practical solutions that seem obvious once you analyze them, such as connecting people through designed communal spaces.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Messy City Podcast

What is The Messy City Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show centers on urban development, small-scale and incremental city making, and practical solutions for housing and community resilience. Conversations frequently explore zoning reforms, affordable housing, and hands-on projects in mid-sized and rural towns, with a strong emphasis on grassroots initiatives, sustainable design, and the lived realities of developers, planners, and residents. A notable throughline is a preference for human-centered, walkable neighborhoods and policy ideas that enable practical change without waiting for perfect legislation. Guests range from developers and planners to advocates and authors, often sharing actionable stories and strategies that listeners can adapt to real communities. The tone tends to be pr... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Messy City Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Messy City Podcast:

1. The Bottom-Up Revolution
2. The Strong Towns Podcast
3. On with Kara Swisher
4. Prof G Markets
5. Conversations with Tyler

How many episodes of The Messy City Podcast are there?

The Messy City Podcast launched 3 years ago and published 116 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Messy City Podcast?

Recent guests on The Messy City Podcast include:

1. Abby Newsham
2. Steve Nygren
3. Justin Pregont
4. Gabriel Metcalf
5. Andrew Burleson
6. Dan Parolek
7. Chuck Marohn
8. Nolan Gray

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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