When an Apple Store wanted to move into the Georgetown neighborhood in D.C., the Design Review Board pushed for a more fitting facade. After a backlash from residents eager for an Apple, the trademark building went in. Is Georgetown better off?
Edward T. McMahon, a senior resident fellow at the Urban Land Institute, thinks not. He says that the Apple Store is an example of a pervasive sameness of the landscape that is erasing the differences between American cities and towns:
"Over the past 40 years America's commercial landscape has progressed from unique to uniform, from the stylized to the standardized."
"To foster a sense of place, communities must plan for built environments and settlement patterns that are uplifting and memorable -- and that create a special feeling of belonging and stewardship by residents."
FULL STORY: The Place Making Dividend
Remote Work and the Shift to Suburbia
Is the growth of working from home turning America into a ‘suburban nation?’
Homeownership—American Dream or Nightmare?
Owning a home has long been considered the ultimate aspiration. But social and economic realities mean the stories about and the path to homeownership are not simple and straightforward.
Opinion: The Old Visions of Suburbia Are an Anachronism
Low-density suburbs are on their way out, and the suburbs of the future will better address the present-day needs of the people living in them.
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.
How Financing Restricts the Rental Housing Market
The way apartment buildings are financed has a major impact on supply and costs.
Houston Mayor Pauses Complete Streets Projects
The move raises concerns among road safety advocates who point out that traffic deaths continue to rise.
Twin Cities Trains Move to Fewer Cars, Higher Frequency
Headways will drop from 15 minutes to 12 minutes.
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
City of Cleburne
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
City of Laramie, Wyoming
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.
