Three public plazas in the center of Philadelphia are set to see much-needed makeovers, and soon.
The three plazas are near City Hall, and for years have been seen as unsuccessful public spaces. But new efforts to lure people downtown are focusing attention on these plazas as better amenities for the city.
"The changes under discussion have the potential to radically transform a governmental no-man's land into a big-city version of a town square. Dilworth and JFK (a.k.a. LOVE Park) would be made into softer, more parklike settings featuring lawns, cafes, and a skating rink. The forlorn plateau on the east side of the Municipal Services Building (officially, Reyburn Plaza) would be eliminated altogether and marketed as a hotel site.
In terms of ambition, the combined renovation effort could rival the recent overhaul of Independence Mall, a '60s-era project that was recast in a gentler, if imperfect, form. But more is at stake at this end of Center City because the plazas sit at the epicenter of Philadelphia's daily life: the juncture where the city's downtown office core, transit network, convention district, and an emerging residential neighborhood all come together."
Read the full story: Changing Skyline: In play: The soul of the city's center
Growth Centers on Philadelphia's Downtown, But Poverty Persists Elsewhere
An opinion piece points out the inequities of growth in contemporary Philadelphia.
Transit Use Thrives on Destination Density
If jobs, services, and other urban amenities are concentrated downtown, suburbanites can use transit to get there quickly without a car. Job sprawl makes transit useless outside central districts.
Philadelphia lawmakers fight to save 'Chinatown Stitch' from Trump cuts
The freeway cap project, approved and funded under the Biden administration, is now in jeopardy after the federal government rescinded all but $8 million in funding.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Data reveals that NYC’s bet on congestion pricing has paid off
After almost two years of the program, reports show positive impacts on traffic and air quality and no disruptions to parking.
Denver is solving homelessness. Why aren't the rest of us?
Since 2023, Denver's street homeless population has decreased by 64%, proving that effective tools exist to support those in need of housing.
In California, electric school buses are powering 1,000 homes — and turning a profit
Tellus Power, the charging equipment manufacturer behind the project, is also helping school buses connect to the power grid in Vermont, Illinois and San Francisco.
‘No state has sacrificed more:’ Arizona joins Nevada, sues feds over Colorado River plan
The Arizona Department of Water Resources' motion claims that the state's cities, tribes and farmers can't survive without sufficient water from the Colorado River.
Permits for single-family homes have nosedived, along with investor confidence
Permits to build new single-family homes also hit a 3.5 year low in September.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Montrose County
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority