First hour: With more remote work, what becomes of large office spaces after the pandemic?
Second hour: Discussing racism in American infrastructureIf more workers are going to do their jobs from home or from remote settings, even after the pandemic, what becomes of large office spaces? NPR reports that the pandemic could lead to an exodus of workers from downtown and centralized office buildings. That means pain for local tax rolls, and for nearby businesses that rely on foot traffic during lunch hours. Is this a budding problem for Rochester? And how can office space be reimagined? Our guests explore it:
- Ana Liss, director of planning and economic development for Monroe County
- Evan Gallina, senior project manager with Gallina Development
- Ralph Dandrea, CEO of ITX Corporation
Then in our second hour, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg sparked some debate when he recently said, "There is racism physically built into some of our highways." Critics called it hyperbole, and mocked the statement for trying too hard to connect all problems to race. But historians have taken this opening to teach about the history that Buttigieg is referencing: redlining, highways destroying Black neighborhoods, inner loops, and more. Our guests have their own stories to share:
- Mary Kearney, Rochester resident since her childhood
- Shane Wiegand, co-lead of the Antiracist Curriculum Project at the Pathstone Foundation, and board member at City Roots CLT
