History / Preservation

When Preservation Trumps Smart Growth

13 May 2008 - 1:00pm
Streetsblog

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

13 May 2008 - 7:07am

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

7 May 2008 - 9:00am
NPR

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?

29 April 2008 - 4:07pm

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

28 April 2008 - 1:26am
Portland Press Herald

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

24 April 2008 - 6:00am
The Post and Courier

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.

The Real Meaning Of The "American Dream"

23 April 2008 - 7:41pm
Both supporters and opponents of the sprawl status quo often refer to suburbia as “The American Dream.” One sprawl-defending organization even calls itself “The American Dream Coalition”. Sprawl critics use similar language; for example, in 1998, the Sierra Club issued a report titled “Sprawl: The Dark Side of the American Dream.” (www.sierraclub.org/sprawl/report98/)

Kalamazoo Leverages Historic Preservation As Economic Development Tool

20 April 2008 - 11:00am
Western Michigan Business Review

Older buildings with lower rents have enabled new businesses to startup in this Michigan city's lively downtown.

Support Wanes for Turkey's Controversial Dam

20 April 2008 - 5:00am
Der Spiegel

A massive dam project in Turkey that would flood historic areas and displace 50,000 people is losing international support, as officials in Germany threaten to pull out of the project -- often called a smaller version of China's Three Gorges Dam.

A Battle Over Building Heights

19 April 2008 - 9:00am
Santa Barbara Independent

In anti-growth Santa Barbara, preservationists and smart growth advocates have forged a compromise that will permit taller buildings for developments that include affordable housing.

Preserving a California Ghost Town

16 April 2008 - 2:00pm
Discover

This article from Discover takes a tour of Bodie, California, a gold-mining mountain ghost town, where the entire city is in a state of "arrested decay".

Media Density Discussions are Needed for Cities

16 April 2008 - 11:54am
Can any North American city have a meaningful public discussion about sustainability, about its "green-ness" or ecological footprint, without having the challenging but necessary public discussion about the city's density? 

Many are still trying to. Many freely trumpet smart growth and sustainability without the tension and trouble that comes with discussing the "d-word" openly, and thus avoid the necessary heavy-lifting. Few politicians, and embarrassingly not enough city planners, are willing to tackle the density issue publicly, as it is still what Sustainable Urbanism author Douglas Farr calls the "3rd rail" of sustainable city building.

Urban Trends Erasing Rural Past

11 April 2008 - 11:00am
The Ottawa Citizen

Rural communities in Ottawa are being wiped out as urban trends take over the minds of developers and consumers. Rural residents are looking at ways to preserve the character of their communities.

A Next Level of Urban Achievement in Vancouver?

9 April 2008 - 3:42pm

Long before I arrived here, I've been a fan and student of Vancouver city-building.  

Court Blocks City from Razing Historic Downtown Hotels

8 April 2008 - 8:00am
The Stockton Record

In response to the City of Stockton's attempts to block a lawsuit by citizens' group Save Old Stockton concerning demolition of several historic hotels, a California judge granted a temporary injunction to allow time for the lawsuit to proceed.

Putting A Green Spin On Historic Preservation

6 April 2008 - 7:00am
WFAA Channle 8 Dallas/Ft. Worth

The National Trust For Historic Preservation has started to trumpet the environmental benefits of recycling buildings and neighborhoods.

Reclaiming an 'Urban Wilderness' in Brooklyn

3 April 2008 - 9:00am
Orion

This article from Orion looks at an "urban wilderness" in Brooklyn that is being reclaimed and reused by locals.

Sprawl Not an Option for Rural Chicago Suburb

3 April 2008 - 8:00am
Chicago Tribune

Th small town of Golf, Illinois, is likely to stay that way because of barriers at its borders. Its residents couldn't be happier.

Hurdles and Speedbumps Slow New Orleans Recovery

2 April 2008 - 9:00am
The New York Times

One year after the city announced its broad redevelopment plans, many are unhappy with the rate of recovery in New Orleans.

Tourism 'The New Gold' in Namibia

27 March 2008 - 10:00am
The Christian Science Monitor

Impressive growth of visitors from nontraditional places, including China, have now put tourism ahead of gold mining in Namibia.