Urban Intelligence: Scaling Real-Time Geospatial Data.
Industry
PropTech / Urban Planning
Project type
WebGIS & Automated Data Pipeline
Key tech
Python, PostGIS, Ember.js, Mapbox GL
Outcome
Multi-source Web Scraping & Spatial Analysis
The Challenge:
Beyond Static Mapping
The client’s existing WebGIS was stagnant, relying on manual data updates that couldn't keep pace with the rapid development in Houston and Austin. To provide a true "source of truth," they needed a way to automatically monitor, scrape, and normalize zoning, parcel, and permit data from hundreds of disparate municipal sources into a single, high-performance platform.
An Engine for Continuous Intelligence
We engineered a robust data pipeline that transforms municipal fragmentation into a competitive advantage. By building custom scrapers in Python and Node.js, we automated the collection of parcels and construction permits. This data is fed into a PostGIS spatial database and rendered via Mapbox GL, providing the client with an always-current view of the urban landscape.
Homepage
The Urban Data Ecosystem
From municipal portals to high-fidelity visualization.
The collectors
(Ingestion)
Python & Node.js. High-resilience scrapers that monitor and extract data from city permit and zoning portals.
The spatial vault (Storage)
PostGIS. A geospatial database optimized for complex polygon geometries and rapid spatial querying.
The interface
(frontend)
Ember.js & Mapbox GL. A professional-grade GIS interface for rendering millions of data points with zero lag.
Key Features
Automated MSA Tracking. Real-time updates for zoning and parcels across the entire Houston and Austin metropolitan areas.
Permit Monitoring. Instant visibility into new construction permits, providing an early look at market trends.
Prototyping Infrastructure. A dedicated AWS-hosted environment and testing domain for rapid data source validation.
The Geospatial Stack
Purpose-built tools for high-stakes urban analysis.
PYTHON/NODE.JS
For scalable and resilient web scraping logic.
POSTGIS
For industry-standard geospatial data integrity.
MAPBOX GL
For high-performance, GPU-accelerated map rendering.
AWS
For a stable, cloud-based testing and production environment.
Ready to Automate Your Data Intelligence?
From GIS pipelines to custom SaaS, we build the systems that turn fragmented data into business assets.
