History / Preservation
When Preservation Trumps Smart Growth
A New Jersey town along the one of the state's light rail line has rejected a plan for adding new mixed-use residential to its downtown, for fear of new development threatening its main street's historic character.
Myth and Reality About European Sprawl
Some commentators argue that sprawl is an inevitable result of affluence, based on European development patterns. These pundits tell a simple story: European urban cores are losing population and becoming more automobile-dependent - just like American cities. So if Europe can’t beat sprawl, neither can America.
From Dump to Park in Cairo
Cairo's first new green space in more than 100 years has opened -- on top of a 500-year old garbage dump.
A City The Car Built?
When talking to people about Los Angeles, one comment I often here is that L.A. was the first city to be built around the automobile. This statement certainly makes sense when you look at the current landscape of Los Angeles – with its freeways and strip malls and crowded parking lots – and lack of a widespread rail transit infrastructure when compared to other dense American cities.
The problem with this statement is that it’s not really true. While the car has definitely left its impression on the region, Los Angeles could actually be considered a textbook example of a city built around transit – albeit one that no longer exists.
City of Portland Maine Cuts Urban Design and Historic Preservation Staff
The City Manager of Portland, Maine terminates 98 positions, including the Urban Designer and Historic Preservation staff, eliminates the Parks Department, and moves the Economic Development department in to the Administrative office.
San Francisco Teaches Charleston About Preserving Lesser-Known Areas
Though more than a hundred years newer, the city of San Francisco has a lot to teach cities like Charleston about preserving their less-than-iconic historic areas.
