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Realtopia - Real Estate for TeensReal estate. Real conversations. Hosted by a teenager trying to understand the world shes about to inherit. Im Naomi Cohen, and I created Realtopia a real estate podcast for teenagers, by a teenager. What began as a podcast about real estate... Author: Naomi Cohen Language: en Genres: Business, Education for Kids, Investing, Kids & Family Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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Episode 24: Ellen Dunham-Jones (Co-author of Retrofitting Suburbia) — Can the Suburbs Be Redesigned for Belonging?
Episode 24
Sunday, 1 November, 2026
Can a dead mall, an empty office park, or a sea of parking become a place where people actually belong?Naomi sits down with Ellen Dunham-Jones, architect, urban designer, and co-author with June Williamson of Retrofitting Suburbia. Her database now tracks more than 2,500 suburban retrofits across the country.Ellen explains how postwar suburbs separated people and everyday life through zoning, and what it takes to turn aging suburban properties into places where people actually want to stay. Her answer goes beyond walkability: a programmed town green, small blocks, active storefronts, bike access, and even simple things like picnic tables, porches, and festivals can change how a place feels.She also shares examples from the Mosaic District in Virginia, Guthrie Green in Tulsa, Lancaster, California, and the Atlanta BeltLine — places where design and programming helped people gather, linger, and feel more connected.Her most practical point: open space alone is not enough. In many suburbs, people already have greenery. What they often miss is other people — and reasons to come together.In this episode:• How a dead mall helped launch Ellen's work on suburban retrofits• What postwar suburbs made harder for connection• Reuse, redevelopment, and regreening• The physical ingredients of a successful town center• Why programming matters as much as open space• How small interventions can create social life• What suburban belonging a city-based score might miss• How retrofits can give teenagers more independence• Why the old suburban dream may no longer fit the way people liveA conversation about the suburbs we already have — and how much they can change without starting over.Realtopia is hosted by Naomi Cohen.
