Earlier this week Tyler Nickerson rolled out a nice review of our recently released Urban Edits.

Tyler is a newer addition to the ongoing Grand Rapids urban discussion. In the few years that I've known him it's evident that he's an earnest advocate for a just urban environment and one that's willing to raise his voice to back a just cause. He comes to this book review from a very different perspective (policy) than ours (design) and that's why I was excited to see criticism.

Tyler's point regarding a market based planning solutions not working in all environments is valid. While I would agree that, in general, we need stronger municipal planning departments the reality is that we don't have them and won't have them for the foreseeable future.

Like any other urban/social problem, I don't see us or our work or any one solution as a fit for every planning project a City has to offer. But, as practitioners, we are one solution as translators of citizens desires and editors of a 21st Century, Midwestern urban fabric.

Thanks, Tyler.