It’s about the people
By : J. David Chapman/August 14, 2025
I write and speak often about places, spaces, and the built environment. I’m passionate about how towns are planned, how neighborhoods come together, and how great public spaces invite us to gather. I even wrote a book called subURBAN! detailing how great cities accomplish it.
But the truth is—great places and spaces aren’t really about the bricks, the sidewalks, or the skyline. They’re about the people. The places we love simply provide the venues and catalysts to build, renew, and continue relationships. Without people, even the most beautiful street or park is just an empty backdrop.
This past month has been a perfect reminder.
First came our trip to Seaside, Florida. Seaside is as close to New Urbanist perfection as you’ll find—walkable streets, a lively town square, and architecture that feels like it belongs. But what made it unforgettable wasn’t the design. It was the unexpected reunion with four Zeta Tau Alpha sorority sisters from Oklahoma State University who had been a big part of our lives decades ago. We hadn’t seen them in nearly 30 years. We spent the evening together in nearby Seacrest Beach, eating pizza, listening to live music, and catching up as if no time had passed.
The next weekend, Julie invited three of her Alpha Chi Omega sorority sisters and their husbands to spend a couple of days with us at our lake house on Grand Lake. Monkey Island provided the perfect backdrop—sunlight on the water, laughter on the deck, and time to reconnect without the rush of daily life. Again, it was the people who made it memorable.
And just last week, we returned from a float trip on the Elk River in Missouri. The setting was beautiful—clear water winding between green bluffs—but the best part was sharing it with old friends. My college roommate, and his wife, joined us for the day. And my buddy David, who flew in all the way from Northern Ireland, made the four-mile trip downriver with our good friends and entire family.
Three different settings. Three very different experiences. But the common thread was clear: it’s not the place itself, but the people we share it with that make the memory. The built environment matters—but it’s only when it brings people together that it becomes truly great.
J. David Chapman, Ph.D., is chair of finance & professor real estate at The University of Central Oklahoma (jchapman7@uco.edu).