Category Archives for "Green for Real"

Or what to do with underused parking lots and golf courses… OK, I’ll admit it. I am a bad (actually terrible) golfer and a not much better driver (of cars, that is). These days golf is a sport in decline (even before Covid-19 cratered much of the planet’s economy), which has triggered questions like: What […]

Traveling without moving, a new approach to downsizing Most realtors tell a person who is thinking of, say, downsizing, to list and sell their larger home and buy something smaller and presumably cheaper. This kind of talk is a bit self-serving because, if the client follows this piece of advice, the realtor gets another listing […]

Here is a 10-minute video I put together on: How to protect yourself, your biz and your real estate holdings as well as clients, employees, suppliers, guests, residents, tenants… in a time of covid-19. This is what I cover off: IN THE GREAT DEPRESSION INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION CONTRACTED BY MORE THAN 40% in Canada, US and […]

Over 2,000 have signed up for this free webinar on March 24 at 7 pm ET: How to protect yourself, your biz, your real estate investments as well as clients, employees, suppliers, guests, residents, tenants… in a time of Covid-19 Listen as 20-experts give their views and take questions… Register now, https://www.covidcrisisplan.com/brucefirestone Prof Bruce is […]

Noted urbanist and planner Jeff Speck shares his views on how to create a more walkable city. Points covered include: -Euclidean zoning (separation of uses) started by moving housing away from dirty soot-producing mills with the result that life expectancy immediately improved… (the one and only success of urban planners, Ed) -large areas of single […]

The ROI Group was formed to create a forum for interested parties to get together online (and occasionally in the real world too) to speak to issues surrounding the creation of vibrant communities that are sustainable in every way. The idea is to find new, innovative ways to meet multiple “bottom lines” including how to: […]

[Negative Cost Labor (And Low-Cost Finance)] Sometimes, you can turn a cost into a negative cost. A former architecture student of mine, Dominique Tonetti and her husband, Frank Dutton, are managing to do that on their new project, Solisterra in Québec. Dominique and Frank are building wonderful straw bale structures on a 150-acre property they […]

[Neo-urbanist catalysts and anti-catalysts] Some time ago, I saw a Rick Mercer GOC (government of Canada) produced television commercial titled the “One Tonne Challenge.” My eldest daughter, Rachel turned to me after the commercial and asked, “How do I personally go about reducing my carbon footprint, Dad?” That is one of the problems with well-meaning […]

[A version of this article first appeared in Ottawa Business Journal, https://www.obj.ca/article/op-ed-meet-steve-willis-city-halls-most-important-person] [Part 1, https://brucemfirestone.com/steve-willis-attempt-to-makeover-ottawa-part-1-of/] Interestingly,Mr. Willis recognizes that a one size fits all planning and infrastructure approach makes no sense. He promises that in the next OP (official plan) review (slated to be completed in 2021 or 2022), a more nuanced, fine-grained approach whereby […]

[A version of this article first appeared in Ottawa Business Journal, https://www.obj.ca/article/op-ed-meet-steve-willis-city-halls-most-important-person] [Read part 2 here, https://brucemfirestone.com/steve-willis-attempt-to-makeover-ottawa-part-2-of/] I meet with Steve Willis in his suite of offices at Ottawa city hall after everyone else’s workday seems to be over, except his. He’s the new general manager of planning, infrastructure & economic development, a crucial 700-person […]

[August 31, 2017 was the 20th anniversary of the passing of Lady Diana. Here is my story about why, other than for the obvious fact of her untimely and unnecessary death, I remember that day and night so well.] I’ve created waterfront property in my career–lots of it. Want to know how? I dig nature […]

(This article first appeared in OBJ,  https://obj.ca/article/opinion-coach-houses-open-door-better-urban-planning-ottawa.) As OBJ readers may already know, the city of Ottawa recently changed its bylaws to permit construction of coach houses on many existing residential lots. This is part of a worldwide effort to densify and intensify existing urban areas to make them more interesting, more diverse, and more […]