Mike Van Houten on Housing and Developments

Downtown Makeover is one of the longest running blogs in Reno, reporting largely on development projects in and around Downtown Reno. Mike Van Houten has been closely tracking developers and their projects for 15 years, publishing everything from permits to concept drawings to photos of new housing developments as they grow. Conor and Mike discuss the benefits of an urban lifestyle and downtown Reno's growth towards urban living, how he uses his site to break the reputation of Downtown Reno as full of shuttered casinos, ideas for controlling the ever-increasing rents in town, the false narrative of evil developers vs. inflexible NIMBYs, how construction costs shape what is built, and much more! Mike also gives some background and his views on several of the most significant (and sometimes controversial) developments currently in the works in Reno, including the Reno Experience District in Midtown, a brand new residential project in the ballpark area, the Jacob's Entertainment "Neon Line" in the NW Quadrant, and the hotly debated 34-unit building currently under construction on Riverside Drive in the heart of the Powning Historic District.  Thank you for listening!   Check out Downtown Makeover at http://www.downtownmakeover.com