#37 Ryan Johnson: Culdesac - Building America’s First Car-Free Neighborhood From Scratch
03/20/25 • 59 min
In this episode, I talk with Ryan Johnson, co-founder and CEO of Culdesac, about building the United States’ first car-free neighborhood from scratch. We discuss everything from winning over the fire department with foldable ladders to building hundreds of units without building a single parking garage. Ryan also opens up about how designing for people—rather than cars—has paid off big time for both residents and local retailers, and why he believes autonomous vehicles, ride-sharing, and a passion for walkability will reshape cities nationwide.
TAKEAWAYS
Walkability Isn’t a Niche Luxury—It’s a Mass Market Demand. The majority of Americans would pay more to live in a walkable neighborhood, and 92% of Gen Z is on board. This isn’t just a trend—it’s a tidal wave.
Car-Free Living Works—Even in Phoenix. If a walkable neighborhood can thrive in a sprawling, car-centric city like Phoenix, it can work anywhere. The key? Thoughtful design, mixed-use spaces, and actual community-building.
Parking Garages Are the Next Real Estate Mistake. Developers still pouring millions into structured parking are setting themselves up for regret. AV ride-hailing, changing transportation habits, and shifting zoning laws are making them obsolete faster than people realize.
Retail Thrives When It’s a Destination, Not an Afterthought. Culdesac started with six planned retail spaces—now they have 21, and local businesses are thriving. Why? Because people actually want to be there.
Building for Humans, Not Traffic Engineers, Changes Everything. The way we build cities has quietly been making us more isolated, unhealthy, and unhappy. Culdesac’s design flips that script—prioritizing gathering spaces, green areas, and human-scale density.
CHAPTERS
00:00 The Need for Change in Urban Design
02:57 Introducing Cul-de-Sac: A New Vision for Neighborhoods
06:12 Designing Walkable Communities: The Cul-de-Sac Approach
08:54 Innovative Infrastructure: Rethinking Parking and Access
11:50 Financing the Future: Capital Strategies for New Developments
15:04 Community and Belonging: The Heart of Urban Living
18:07 Navigating Challenges: Working with City Regulations
21:07 Phased Development: Learning and Adapting in Real Time
24:00 The Impact of COVID-19 on Construction and Costs
26:58 Market Dynamics: Setting Rents in a Changing Landscape
29:43 The Evolution of Walkable Neighborhoods
32:03 Creating Community Through Intentional Design
34:48 Retail and Community Engagement
37:59 The Role of Local Businesses in Urban Development
40:50 Innovative Urban Design and Architecture
43:54 Challenges and Surprises in Development
45:41 The Future of Walkable Communities
50:18 Leadership and Vision in Development
55:41 Advice for Aspiring Developers
CONNECT WITH RYAN
Culdesac: https://culdesac.com
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanjohnsonaz
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liveculdesac/
Twitter: https://x.com/ryanmjohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
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https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-tunnell-2a41894a/
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CONNECT WITH BUILDING CULTURE
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In this episode, I talk with Ryan Johnson, co-founder and CEO of Culdesac, about building the United States’ first car-free neighborhood from scratch. We discuss everything from winning over the fire department with foldable ladders to building hundreds of units without building a single parking garage. Ryan also opens up about how designing for people—rather than cars—has paid off big time for both residents and local retailers, and why he believes autonomous vehicles, ride-sharing, and a passion for walkability will reshape cities nationwide.
TAKEAWAYS
Walkability Isn’t a Niche Luxury—It’s a Mass Market Demand. The majority of Americans would pay more to live in a walkable neighborhood, and 92% of Gen Z is on board. This isn’t just a trend—it’s a tidal wave.
Car-Free Living Works—Even in Phoenix. If a walkable neighborhood can thrive in a sprawling, car-centric city like Phoenix, it can work anywhere. The key? Thoughtful design, mixed-use spaces, and actual community-building.
Parking Garages Are the Next Real Estate Mistake. Developers still pouring millions into structured parking are setting themselves up for regret. AV ride-hailing, changing transportation habits, and shifting zoning laws are making them obsolete faster than people realize.
Retail Thrives When It’s a Destination, Not an Afterthought. Culdesac started with six planned retail spaces—now they have 21, and local businesses are thriving. Why? Because people actually want to be there.
Building for Humans, Not Traffic Engineers, Changes Everything. The way we build cities has quietly been making us more isolated, unhealthy, and unhappy. Culdesac’s design flips that script—prioritizing gathering spaces, green areas, and human-scale density.
CHAPTERS
00:00 The Need for Change in Urban Design
02:57 Introducing Cul-de-Sac: A New Vision for Neighborhoods
06:12 Designing Walkable Communities: The Cul-de-Sac Approach
08:54 Innovative Infrastructure: Rethinking Parking and Access
11:50 Financing the Future: Capital Strategies for New Developments
15:04 Community and Belonging: The Heart of Urban Living
18:07 Navigating Challenges: Working with City Regulations
21:07 Phased Development: Learning and Adapting in Real Time
24:00 The Impact of COVID-19 on Construction and Costs
26:58 Market Dynamics: Setting Rents in a Changing Landscape
29:43 The Evolution of Walkable Neighborhoods
32:03 Creating Community Through Intentional Design
34:48 Retail and Community Engagement
37:59 The Role of Local Businesses in Urban Development
40:50 Innovative Urban Design and Architecture
43:54 Challenges and Surprises in Development
45:41 The Future of Walkable Communities
50:18 Leadership and Vision in Development
55:41 Advice for Aspiring Developers
CONNECT WITH RYAN
Culdesac: https://culdesac.com
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanjohnsonaz
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liveculdesac/
Twitter: https://x.com/ryanmjohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
CONNECT WITH AUSTIN TUNNELL
Newsletter: https://playbook.buildingculture.com/
https://www.instagram.com/austintunnell/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-tunnell-2a41894a/
https://twitter.com/AustinTunnell
CONNECT WITH BUILDING CULTURE
https://www.buildingculture.com/
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Previous Episode
#36 Stephen Smith: Safety vs. Sanity: The Surprising Cost of Over-Regulating Our Built World
In this episode, I sit down with Stephen Smith, founder of the Center for Building, to uncover the labyrinthine world of building codes—how they’re made, who really influences them, and why they end up stifling the very innovation and affordability we need. From the peculiarities of elevator requirements to the often overlooked role of local politics and special interests, we unpack how these complex rules shape our homes, buildings, and cities more than we might realize.
TAKEAWAYS
CHAPTERS
00:00 The Challenge of Building Codes in the U.S.
03:06 The Role of Building Codes in Urban Development
05:46 Understanding the American Way of Building
09:09 The Impact of Building Codes on Housing Costs
12:09 Elevator Regulations and Their Consequences
14:52 Harmonization of Codes and Standards
18:11 Over-Dimensioning in American Construction
21:05 Labor Issues in the Construction Industry
23:57 The Need for Code Review and Justification
26:49 The Tyranny of Bureaucracy in Building Codes
38:49 The Grenfell Fire and Its Aftermath
45:05 Design Innovations in Building Codes
48:25 Understanding the ICC and Code Writing
58:09 The Revolving Door: Industry and Regulation
01:07:26 The Role of Government in Building Codes
01:15:20 Getting Involved: Supporting Change in Building Codes
CONNECT WITH STEPHEN
Center for Building https://www.centerforbuilding.org/
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/stephenjacobsmith.com
Email: [email protected]
MENTIONED RESOURCES
Elevator research: https://admin.centerforbuilding.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Elevators.pdf
CONNECT WITH AUSTIN TUNNELL
Newsletter: https://playbook.buildingculture.com/
https://www.instagram.com/austintunnell/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-tunnell-2a41894a/
https://twitter.com/AustinTunnell
CONNECT WITH BUILDING CULTURE
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SPONSORS
Thank you so much to the sponsors of The Building Culture Podcast!
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Next Episode
#38 Jeral Poskey: Urban Transportation of the Future? Retrofitting Suburbia with Swyft Cities.
In this episode, I talk with Jeral Poskey, former project executive at Google, and current Founder and CEO of Swyft Cities, about a radically different approach to urban transportation that’s fast, flexible, and surprisingly affordable. Spoiler: it's not autonomous or flying cars.
When I first heard about Swyft’s solution, I was skeptical. But I’m increasingly excited about the possibilities, and how it could unlock walkable districts and neighborhoods within the suburban sprawl context (so basically everywhere).
We get into how Jeral’s experience inside Google’s real estate division led to the birth of Project Swyft, why traditional mass-transit infrastructure isn’t feasible (at least on its own), and how Swyft’s solution solves for the last few miles, weaves between buildings, and adapts to cities as they grow.
If you're into urbanism, real estate, autonomous vehicles, or just want to understand what could actually make our cities function better (without waiting 20 years and wasting billions of dollars for a new train–looking at you, California), this one’s worth your time. And excitingly, Swyft has numerous projects underway around the world beginning in 2026.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction to Project Switch and Urban Transportation
01:48 The Origins of Swyft Cities
05:08 Innovative Transportation Solutions
10:31 Skepticism to Curiosity
14:09 The Last Mile Connection and Urban Challenges
17:34 Economic Models and Urban Growth
19:23 Modularity and Network Effects in Urban Transit
21:16 AI and Efficiency in Transportation Systems
23:40 Cost Comparisons and Infrastructure Decisions
24:15 Understanding the Station Design and Functionality
26:22 Infrastructure Flexibility and Cost Efficiency
29:09 The Competition: Self-Driving Cars and Urban Mobility
32:52 Private vs. Public Sector Transportation Solutions
35:16 Real-World Applications and Case Studies
40:01 Overcoming Skepticism and Educating Stakeholders
43:45 Induced Demand: A Positive Perspective on Urban Transportation
48:13 Future Vision: Scaling and Real Estate Integration
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