The centerpiece of a proposed $500 million retail and hotel project that aims to "bring new life and economic opportunity" to Staten Island, plans for the 625-foot New York Wheel were announced by Mayor Michael Bloomberg this week.
Speaking with his trademark understatement, Bloomberg declared on Thursday that, "The New York Wheel will be an attraction unlike any other in New York
City – even unlike any other on the planet." But will it be enough to get tourists to set foot on Staten Island?
According to Henry Goldman and Esmé E. Deprez, reporting in Bloomberg, in addition to the Wheel, which be designed and manufactured by the team that built the London Eye, "BFC Partners, a Brooklyn-based developer, will construct
Harbor Commons, a 350,000-square-foot retail complex featuring
100 designer outlets and restaurants and a 200-room, 120,000-
square-foot hotel south of the [adjacent minor league] ballpark, where an affiliate of
the New York Yankees plays."
"The complex will generate $480 million in private
investment and create more than 1,200 construction jobs and
1,100 permanent ones, the mayor's office said."
FULL STORY: New York Wheel: World's largest Ferris wheel proposed for NYC

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