Despite being sued over its construction, a developer built a parking deck against code and severely limited the potential of the remaining downtown block it sits on.
Atlanta native Bobby Glustrom owns 3.2 acres of a 4.6-acre block where a controversial parking deck was built in 2001. "His land, which is mainly surface parking lots surrounding the three sides of the deck, is an area that's ripe for a major new development. But then there's that deck."
Glustrom did everything possible to stop the deck from being built. But, during the three-year legal challenge to stop its construction, landowner Holder Properties went ahead and built -- then sold -- the deck anyway.
"The sad saga of the deck shows the importance of good urban design. As the Atlanta region continues to grow, more and more parking decks will be built. It is imperative that developers, builders, property owners and architects fully understand how the design of a deck will impact the environment."
"The best decks are those that are invisible...A badly designed deck does just the opposite. It often is a stand-alone building that everyone knows is a parking garage. And it likely will have a blank wall that kills any liveliness on the sidewalk. In short, a bad deck sucks the life out of an urban area."
"The bottom line for metro Atlanta is that urban design matters -- especially when it comes to parking decks."
FULL STORY: Urban design matters --- especially for parking decks
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
