Smith Lane

About Smith Lane

Presented by OnPlace, Smith Lane Podcast is all about community building and placemaking. In each episode, your hosts Monaca Smith Onstad and Callie Friedman, will take you behind the scenes with industry experts and will dive deep into what’s shaped their community, or, their own personal Smith Lane. We’ll hear success stories, have discussions around emerging trends, and hear valuable insights from developers, architects, engineers, tech leaders, entrepreneurs, and more placemakers.

Publisher

OnPlace Collective

Category

society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

25 Mar 2024

Latest episode

14 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

48 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   14 Oct 2026

   Playful Placemaking: How Ryan Rosen Designs Communities for Belonging and Joy

   Callie Friedman and Mackenzie Straley welcome Ryan Rosen, founder and creative director of Friendly Futures, for a high-energy episode exploring how play, placemaking, and intentional design can transform neighborhoods into true communities. Kicking off with a signature game that has everyone laughing (and getting competitive), the conversation sets the tone for a deep dive into how “social architecture” can build deeper connections between neighbors of all ages. Ryan Rosen shares stories behind Friendly Futures’ innovative projects, like Indigolf at Indigo, a golf-inspired game woven throughout a master-planned community, and Cowboy Golf at Fox Point Farms in San Diego. The team gets honest about what works (and what doesn’t) in activating public spaces, why programming matters as much as physical amenities, and how “surprise and delight” touches can encourage everyday interaction and belonging. The group discusses the value of early visioning, the myth of “just add amenities,” and how true wellness isn’t about the fanciest gym, it’s about the quality of your relationships and sense of belonging. Ryan Rosen highlights play as a lifelong wellness tool, referencing research and books like Aging Playfully, and shares how Friendly Futures customizes games for places like Chicago’s Wild Mile and DFW’s Painted Tree, unlocking new layers of community engagement. The episode is packed with practical developer insights, playful anecdotes, and creative ways to stretch budget and space to get the most from every amenity. It all leads to a personal closing, as Ryan Rosen reflects on his own “Smith Lane”, the San Diego street and community that shaped his passion for joyful, inclusive placemaking. Listen, laugh, and leave inspired to bring more play, joy, and real connection into the places you live, design, and love.

2. 

   30 Sept 2026

   The Platting Queen: Jenelle Schmidli’s Mission in Development and Mental Health

   This week, Callie and Monaca welcome Jenelle Schmidli, known as the “Platting Queen”, for an episode that bridges land development know-how with heartfelt advocacy for mental health. Jenelle unpacks the complex, collaborative world of platting, revealing how her childhood curiosity on a rural Mississippi road grew into a lifelong passion for shaping communities. Together, the conversation moves from technical tips for efficient plat approvals to the human side of construction. Jenelle shares her personal journey as a survivor, advocate, and mother, illuminating the often-overlooked crisis of suicide in the construction industry. Her courage and vision, as well as her annual “Robe Walk” for suicide awareness, remind us that community-building is about more than plans and permits. It’s about connection, vulnerability, and turning pain into purpose.

3. 

   16 Sept 2026

   Layers of Value: Reviving Forgotten Places for Meaningful Connection

   Monaca and Callie welcome Jake Salzman, landscape architect and founder of Cultivate Land, for a timely conversation about revitalizing aging spaces, the “missing middle,” and why the true value of place is layered - starting long before the first shovel hits the ground. Drawing on personal stories from their farm childhoods and their careers in placemaking, the crew explores how our built environment shapes not just where we live, but how we connect, linger, and belong. The episode unpacks what’s at stake and what’s possible when we shift from designing for cars and convenience to designing for people and experience. Jake explains why Houston is the perfect testing ground for new kinds of community infrastructure, and how creative re-use (from empty parking lots to forgotten warehouses) can transform neighborhoods from places we pass through to places worth staying. With practical insights for developers, planners, and neighborhood champions, the team dives into the economics and human impact of early planning, social infrastructure, walkability, and authentic placemaking. Along the way, stories from projects like Newfield and Indigo show how risk-taking developers, layered systems, and authentic stewardship create community resilience and real belonging.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

13 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

10 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 29 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

45

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32

Contact Smith Lane

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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