Hundreds of activists, students, politicians, lawyers, developers, architects and planners swarmed Miami's City Hall on Thursday for the City Commission's first reading of Miami 21. By some estimates, nearly 80% of the the 100-plus testimonials were spoken in favor of Miami 21, with Miami Mayor Manny Diaz kicking off the event with an 11-minute pro-Miami 21 paean. It was certainly one of the most eloquent, if not most passionate speech I have heard him deliver during his tenure. Strangely, Commissioner Angel Gonzalez was missing from the dais for what might have been the most important vote of the year. Apparently, the two week notice was delivered in time for him to reschedule surgery.
History / Preservation
Wal-Mart Proposed Near Civil War Site Angers Historians
A proposed Wal-Mart retail center near a Civil War battlefield in Virginia has preservationists up in arms.
NPR
Accustomed to Decline, One Neighborhood in Flint Bucks Trend
Take two seemingly unrelated words: Flint and Gentrification. Now put them together. What you get is an unexpected rebirth in one part of the struggling city -- a neighborhood where home ownership and community investment are actually increasing.
The New York Times
Troubled Florida Not Losing Hope Yet
With foreclosures racking up, the state of Florida is entering a dark period. Despite the dire prognosis, the stat'es historic ups and downs hint that Florida may be able to come back.
The New York Times
Navigating by Intuition
Sat, 08/08/2009 - 18:14
As a lifelong urbanite, I’ve always felt comfortable learning cities “by Braille.” I put on my walking shoes and wander, making mental maps as I go. I experience serendipity, yet can generally intuit where things are likely to be – the CBD, the government center, nightlife.
This summer our family spent time in Berlin, Venice, Florence, and Paris. Of the four, Paris was the only one I’d been to before. By the time we got there, it was like greeting an old friend.
Big Box Retail to Destroy Ancient Indian Mound
Officials in the city of Oxford, Alabama have approved the construction of a Sam's Club retail store that will use the dirt of a 1,500 year old Native American ceremonial mound as fill, arguing against reports of its historical significance.
Grist
Jane Jacobs, NIMBY?
Howard Husock reads two new books on Jane Jacobs, which he says reveal the unexplored significance of Jacob's activist side, opening the doors to protesting the entire activity of city planning.
City Journal
School's out, and the bulldozers are busy
Mon, 08/03/2009 - 07:19
Summer seems to be the season to demolish old schools. There’s nothing that makes people madder than when a neighborhood school is reduced to rubble. One Portland blogger compared the wreckage of a 1920s school to Dresden. People in Beaumont, Texas, took the local school district to court to save their 87-year-old high school, and those “Greenies” are fired up on Facebook.
Lost City Found Near Venice
Through the use of infrared aerial photography, the lost ancient Roman city of Altinum has been found.
Der Spiegel
Miami 21's Final Act?
Sun, 08/02/2009 - 19:40
After more than four years of public meetings, new drafts, extensive revisions, debate, and controversy, Miami 21 is finally scheduled for its first City Commission reading on August 6th. For all who have, or continue to work patiently and dilligently on the groundbreaking zoning code, this is exciting and relieving news.
Jane Jacobs vs. Robert Moses
A review by John King of Anthony Flint's new book, Wrestling With Moses: How Jane Jacobs Took On New York's Master Builder and Transformed the American City.
The San Francisco Chronicle
Architectural Heritage Endangered in Moscow
Moscow's architectural heritage is in danger, according to a new report on preservation in the city.
Metropolis
The Battle Over a Historic L.A. Hotel
Preservationists and developers are deep in a dispute over the Century Plaza hotel in L.A. On the drawing board are two high rise towers, but defenders of the site argue the hotel's historic value trumps the benefit the new project would bring.
The New York Times
A Fable About Sprawl
Mon, 07/20/2009 - 14:32
Once upon a time, there was a city called City. And everyone living in City voted in the same elections and paid taxes to the same government.
And then 5 percent of the people decided that they wanted to live in an new neighborhood that was opened up for development by the highways. And they called it Richburb, because they were, if not rich, at least a little richer than many of the people in the city (since even if there wasn’t zoning to keep the poor out, new housing usually costs more than old housing anyhow).
