Why Places Matter According to Mariela Alfonzo


Mariela Alfonzo is the NewCities Associate Fellow for Placemaking and CEO of State of Place – a predictive analytics software which helps city-makers create walkable, livable and smarter places quickly, cost-effectively, and efficiently. 

NewCities (NC): How did you first get involved in researching and advocating for the value of ‘place’ in the urban environment?

Mariela Alfonzo (MA): My passion for great places was sparked by growing up in the car-dominated, strip-mall laden placeless Miami suburbs. Early on it was obvious to me that place mattered – but I knew simply preaching my passion for place alone wasn’t enough.

(See more...)