diff --git a/src/py/crankshaft/crankshaft/pysal_utils/pysal_utils.py b/src/py/crankshaft/crankshaft/pysal_utils/pysal_utils.py
index 3cbb7f7..4906d1a 100644
--- a/src/py/crankshaft/crankshaft/pysal_utils/pysal_utils.py
+++ b/src/py/crankshaft/crankshaft/pysal_utils/pysal_utils.py
@@ -132,23 +132,21 @@ def knn(params):
                     "attr_where_i": attr_where.replace("idx_replace", "i"),
                     "attr_where_j": attr_where.replace("idx_replace", "j")}
 
-    query = "SELECT " \
-                "i.\"{id_col}\" As id, " \
-                "%(attr_select)s" \
-                "(SELECT ARRAY(SELECT j.\"{id_col}\" " \
-                              "FROM ({subquery}) As j " \
-                              "WHERE " \
-                                "i.\"{id_col}\" <> j.\"{id_col}\" AND " \
-                                "%(attr_where_j)s AND " \
-                                "j.\"{geom_col}\" IS NOT NULL " \
-                              "ORDER BY " \
-                                "j.\"{geom_col}\" <-> i.\"{geom_col}\" ASC " \
-                              "LIMIT {num_ngbrs})" \
-                ") As neighbors " \
-            "FROM ({subquery}) As i " \
-            "WHERE " \
-                "%(attr_where_i)s AND i.\"{geom_col}\" IS NOT NULL " \
-            "ORDER BY i.\"{id_col}\" ASC;" % replacements
+    query = '''
+            SELECT
+              i."{id_col}" As id,
+              %(attr_select)s
+              (SELECT ARRAY(SELECT j."{id_col}"
+                FROM ({subquery}) As j
+                WHERE i."{id_col}" <> j."{id_col}" AND
+                      %(attr_where_j)s AND
+                      j."{geom_col}" IS NOT NULL
+                ORDER BY j."{geom_col}" <-> i."{geom_col}" ASC
+                LIMIT {num_ngbrs})) As neighbors
+             FROM ({subquery}) As i
+            WHERE %(attr_where_i)s AND i."{geom_col}" IS NOT NULL
+            ORDER BY i."{id_col}" ASC;
+            ''' % replacements
 
     return query.format(**params)
 
@@ -165,19 +163,20 @@ def queen(params):
                     "attr_where_i": attr_where.replace("idx_replace", "i"),
                     "attr_where_j": attr_where.replace("idx_replace", "j")}
 
-    query = "SELECT " \
-                "i.\"{id_col}\" As id, " \
-                "%(attr_select)s" \
-                "(SELECT ARRAY(SELECT j.\"{id_col}\" " \
-                 "FROM ({subquery}) As j " \
-                 "WHERE i.\"{id_col}\" <> j.\"{id_col}\" AND " \
-                       "ST_Touches(i.\"{geom_col}\", j.\"{geom_col}\") AND " \
-                       "%(attr_where_j)s)" \
-                ") As neighbors " \
-            "FROM ({subquery}) As i " \
-            "WHERE " \
-                "%(attr_where_i)s " \
-            "ORDER BY i.\"{id_col}\" ASC;" % replacements
+    query = '''
+            SELECT
+              i."{id_col}" As id,
+              %(attr_select)s
+              (SELECT ARRAY(SELECT j."{id_col}"
+                 FROM ({subquery}) As j
+                WHERE i."{id_col}" <> j."{id_col}" AND
+                      ST_Touches(i."{geom_col}", j."{geom_col}") AND
+                      %(attr_where_j)s)) As neighbors
+            FROM ({subquery}) As i
+            WHERE
+                %(attr_where_i)s
+            ORDER BY i."{id_col}" ASC;
+            ''' % replacements
 
     return query.format(**params)
 
@@ -191,15 +190,3 @@ def get_attributes(query_res, attr_num=1):
     """
     return np.array([x['attr' + str(attr_num)] for x in query_res],
                     dtype=np.float)
-
-
-# def empty_zipped_array(num_nones):
-#     """
-#         prepare return values for cases of empty weights objects (no neighbors)
-#         Input:
-#         @param num_nones int: number of columns (e.g., 4)
-#         Output:
-#         [(None, None, None, None)]
-#     """
-#
-#     return [tuple([None] * num_nones)]