Researchers from the University of Washington trace the history and development of Hong Kong, the skyscraper capital of the world, from reclamation of waterfront land in the 1800's to contentious urban renewal projects today.
From article by Mark Huppert and Marc Weigum on MetropolisMag.com:
"Since land reclamation first began in 1841, the harbor has shrunk to half its original size."
"The Wan Chai neighborhood is a good case study of the long-term history of the region's land reclamation policies. At the outset of British colonial rule, this area was the shoreline of Hong Kong Island on Victoria Harbor. To provide perspective on how much area was reclaimed since then, in Wan Chai today it would take about 20 minutes to walk from the original shoreline to the current waterfront."
"Perhaps if the reclamation and renewal processes in Hong Kong included clear sets of measurements for non-financial project performance, there would be a greater chance of broad project success. Think of it as the project's over-arching community balance sheet or its non-financial assets and liabilities. Arguably, there cannot be success without damage – no winner without a loser. It is the yin and yang of the development process."
The authors close the article by stating that real estate professionals and policy makers should make it a priority to produce the best possible results for all the stakeholders involved.
FULL STORY: From Reclamation to Renewal
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
AI Traffic Management Comes to Dallas-Fort Worth
Several Texas cities are using an AI-powered platform called NoTraffic to help manage traffic signals to increase safety and improve traffic flow.
Podcast: Addressing the Root Causes of Transit Violence
Deploying transit police is a short-term fix. How can transit agencies build sustainable safety efforts?
Minneapolis as a Model for Housing Affordability
Through a combination of policies, the city has managed to limit the severity of the nationwide housing crisis.
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
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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.