Nationally renowned urban thinker Chuck Marohn, who kicked off the Library’s Making a Great City series in January, returns to assess the crucial takeaways from all three sessions, including the advisability of an incremental, neighborhoods-first approach to development in cities such as Kansas City. By observing and asking how neighborhood residents live their lives – getting out on the street and discovering what’s going on – local governments can discern a community’s pressing needs. Risk is lowered. Returns on investment are higher.

Marohn is a civil engineer, land use planner, and founder of the Minnesota-based nonprofit Strong Towns. His presentation is co-presented by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.

The Making a Great City series is designed to help facilitate the healthy growth of Kansas City, making it a model for fiscally responsible development and financial resiliency.