The onetime steel capital's transition to an economy based on the healthcare sector has helped Pittsburgh emerge from the recession much quicker than many other cities, bringing welcome jobs and questions about its sustainability, reports Don Lee.
Like many communities across the country, Pittsburgh has benefited from the boom in healthcare spending as "new outpatient clinics, doctors' buildings and nursing centers have mushroomed coast to coast to meet higher demand from aging baby boomers and medical advances." In Pittsburgh, this boom has "helped revive neighborhoods, open up more opportunities for women and staunch the region's long population decline," notes Lee.
"Spending for medical care is nearing one-fifth of the American
economy, much more than in other developed nations and beyond what
governments, businesses and consumers can afford," leaving many anxious about long-term growth propects in the healthcare field, however. That uncertain future, and concerns about "overdependence on a rapidly shifting industry, huge nonprofits that
don't generate much in tax revenue, and a business model that
exacerbates the disparity in income among workers in different but
similar jobs," add a backdrop of unease to Piitsburgh's success story.
FULL STORY: Healthcare jobs fuel revival in Pittsburgh
Three New Hospitals Slated for Pittsburgh
The cutting-edge facilities are part of a $2 billion investment by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Power Demand is Surging in US
The U.S. has entered a new power paradigm according to a new energy analysis that warns of unprecedented new demands for power, largely from “new manufacturing, industrial, and data center facilities,” and the grid is not prepared for the surge.
Healthcare Providers Get in the Housing Business
Some hospitals and healthcare providers are partnering with affordable housing developers to connect housing to health services and create more affordable housing for hospital workers.
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.
Twin Cities Trains Move to Fewer Cars, Higher Frequency
Headways will drop from 15 minutes to 12 minutes.
DC Bikeshare System Breaks Ridership Record
Capital Bikeshare users took over 20,000 rides on one day in March.
EV Infrastructure Booming in Suburbs, Cities Lag Behind
A lack of access to charging infrastructure is holding back EV adoption in many US cities.
Barrett Planning Group LLC
City of Cleburne
KTUA Planning and Landscape Architecture
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.
