convert a sample of the Microsoft buildings data into a .osm file

make-osm.py

#!/usr/bin/python

inl = '''{"type":"Feature","geometry":{"type":"Polygon","coordinates":[[[-79.017141657351175,43.19780192629009],[-79.017342809996279,43.197800746032968],[-79.0173418817583,43.197716672803352],[-79.017253374594461,43.19771719211721],[-79.017252424769524,43.19763116357705],[-79.017139779288271,43.19763182452288],[-79.017141657351175,43.19780192629009]]]}}, 
'''


osm_xml = """<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?>
<osm version='0.6' generator='JOSM'>
  <node id='-100425' action='modify' lat='41.57544047908' lon='-75.42956033631' />
  <node id='-100426' action='modify' lat='41.57540557904' lon='-75.42937613631' />
  <node id='-100427' action='modify' lat='41.57544907909' lon='-75.42936143631' />
  <node id='-100428' action='modify' lat='41.57547727912' lon='-75.42935183631' />
  <node id='-100429' action='modify' lat='41.57551217915' lon='-75.42953593631' />
  <way id='-100424' action='modify'>
    <nd ref='-100425' />
    <nd ref='-100426' />
    <nd ref='-100427' />
    <nd ref='-100428' />
    <nd ref='-100429' />
    <nd ref='-100425' />
    <tag k='building' v='prison' />
    <tag k='source' v='Bing' />
  </way>
</osm>
"""

osmid = -1
import json

print """<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?>
<osm version='0.6' generator='JOSM'>"""

for inl in open("NewYork.json"):
    if inl.find("Feature") < 0: continue
    try:
        jjj = json.loads(inl[:-3])
    except ValueError, e:
        print e
        continue

    if (-75.2 > jjj['geometry']['coordinates'][0][0][0] > -75.8 and 
        44.1 > jjj['geometry']['coordinates'][0][0][1] > 43.8):
        startnode = osmid
        for ccc in jjj['geometry']['coordinates'][0]:
            print ("<node id='%d' action='modify' lat='%f' lon='%f' />" % (
                osmid, ccc[1], ccc[0]))
            osmid -= 1
        print "<way id='%d' action='modify'>" % (osmid)
        node = startnode
        while node > osmid:
            print "<nd ref='%d' />" % (node)
            node -= 1
        print "<nd ref='%d' />" % (startnode)
        print "<tag k='building' v='yes' />"
        print "<tag k='source' v='Bing' />"
        print "</way>"
        osmid -= 1
print "</osm>"

Thanks for making this available Russ. I notice that lat/long values for the area of interest are in several places. Am I correct in assuming I need to change all of those?