Most urban development over the past 70 years has failed to create enough revenue to fund its infrastructure – streets and utilities that now are deteriorating. Yet we keep building more, increasing liabilities rather than adding to our cities’ value.

The question is how to change the course. Chuck Marohn, a civil engineer, land use planner, and founder of the nonprofit Strong Towns, examines what he says is a need to build cities and suburbs differently, establishing a land use and transportation pattern that produces enough long-term revenue to build resilient, self-sustaining – i.e. “strong” – towns and cities.

The event launches the new Making a Great City series, designed to advance realistic solutions to our country’s infrastructure crisis and point Kansas City, specifically, toward being great, more productive city. It is co-presented by the Hall Family Foundation, the planning and design studio of Gould Evans, Greater Kansas City LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation), the local council of the Urban Land Institute, the Mid-America Regional Council, Newmark Grubb Zimmer, and the National Association of Realtors.