Ellen Barry reports on the Georgian government's plans for Lazika, "its grandiose city of the future", which will be based on the Chinese concept of the instant city.
Intended to house half a million residents in ten years on what is now a stretch of marshy land near the Black Sea, the hastily started plans for the new city, which were rolled out only four months ago, have drawn mixed reactions in the country, but little real debate.
"Government officials have little time to engage with skeptics. The headlong pace of new construction in Georgia has not allowed for public debate over the projects' financing, environmental impact or merit. Despite queries raised on all of these scores, Lazika's first building - a futuristic Public Service Hall for the new city - is already under construction, and due to open in September. Ten years from now, President Mikheil Saakashvili has said, Lazika will be Georgia's second-largest city after Tbilisi, which has a population of about 1.5 million, and a leading Black Sea trading hub."
"There are so many things that need to be done," says Eka Gigauri of Transparency International. "Why build a totally new city? What stands behind that? There was nothing, no explanation. Just the president said, ‘We are building a new city there.' "
FULL STORY: On Black Sea Swamp, Big Plans for Instant City
Major Redevelopment Planned for Gwinnett County, Georgia
City leaders in Norcross, Georgia approved a plan that would bring new housing, retail, and parks to a 'long-neglected' stretch of highway.
Younger, Low Income, Minority Voters Favored Transit in MARTA Referendum
New maps show demographic trends in voting after a March special election to expand MARTA in the Atlanta region.
Turning an Atlanta Roadway Into a Shared Street
Atlanta might transform Peachtree Street into a very different kind of public space.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie