Urban Edge

Stories, perspectives and insights from the Kinder Institute

Is there a better way to warn residents of flooding?

Gauges, radar and modeling help area leaders know whether the Texas Medical Center is at risk of high water.

‘Mixed-use’ is popular, but what does it mean?

Developers say as projects take hold in the suburbs, the term may need an updated definition.

Director's Address - May 2015

A message from the director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research for the month of May.

Mayoral candidates to debate health

The slew of candidates vying to become Houston’s next mayor will inevitably spend the next six months giving stump speeches about jobs, infrastructure and public safety.

Why Code for America Hired An Economic Development Director

Hiring Bycer to lead its economic development efforts is part of a new layer of organization for Code for America this year.

How Houston’s East End finally got transit

METRO’s Green Line began service this weekend in Houston’s East End. But if the community hadn’t demanded better service 40 years ago, it might not have the transit line it now enjoys.

Architecture firm explores how to 3D-print houses

Gensler, the San Francisco-based design and architecture firm, says it’s working with a Chinese company to explore the possibility of producing homes using massive 3D-printers.

How Oklahoma City’s mayor put his city on a diet

Most communities are delighted to make any of the “top city” lists that have become ubiquitous in the media in recent years.

What happens when you let kids build a city?

East End residents used objects to represent police stations and recreation centers they want built in their neighborhood.

Can a building’s design promote healthy lifestyles?

For more than a decade, developers competed to brand their buildings as “green,” betting that tenants would pay a premium for a structure with energy-efficient features that could save money and or garner positive PR.