City planners in Charleston, SC would like to see some local malls redeveloped as mini-downtowns, filling in their parking lots with buildings, but local developers think they're insane. 'This really horrifies me,' says one business person.
"(City planners) said the code would help create beautiful places full of life in the suburbs, but 40 or so commercial real estate owners representing properties that would be subject to the city's proposed rules didn't see it that way.
'This really horrifies me,' said Jerry Garfinkle, representing Cisco's Cafe and Sunfire Grill in West Ashley. 'If I build 20 apartments above a restaurant, I think you'd have 20 empty apartments.'
Morgan's presentation repeatedly used the Big Kmart on Savannah Highway as an example of what the city wants to discourage, repeatedly showing a photograph of the store's vast and mostly empty parking lot.
Steven Anastasion, owner of the site, was not amused. 'This (plan) is great, if you can create a whole new city from scratch,' he said. 'We're in the real world.'
FULL STORY: Planners' dream draws fire; Could big shopping centers become mini-downtowns?
Downtown Pittsburgh Set to Gain 1,300 New Housing Units
Pittsburgh’s office buildings, many of which date back to the early 20th century, are prime candidates for conversion to housing.
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Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
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Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
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Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
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From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street
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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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
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Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
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Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service