A new report from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy examines American cities suffering significant population losses, and concludes that investing in existing assets such as historic areas and transit systems offers the best path to prosperity.
"Many of America's legacy cities -- older industrial metropolitan areas facing manufacturing decline and population loss -- have had a difficult time bouncing back." says the Lincoln Institute's At Lincoln House blog. "But the key to revitalization for Baltimore, St. Louis, Camden, N.J., Youngstown, Ohio or Flint, Michigan, is to take stock of the assets right at their doorstep, such as downtowns, parks, transit systems, and academic and cultural institutions."
"That's the message of Regenerating America’s Legacy Cities [free download], an analysis of 18 cities by Alan Mallach and Lavea Brachman, who advocate step-by-step 'strategic incrementalism' as a path to economic development, rather than the silver-bullet approach of signature architecture, a sports stadium or other megaprojects."
“'Intentional strategies are needed to unlock the potential of a city’s assets to bring about sustainable regeneration,' the authors write. Making progress 'begins with leaders sharing a vision of the city’s future and then making incremental, tactical decisions that will transform the status quo, while avoiding grandiose and unrealistic plans.'”
Read the full story: Regenerating America's Legacy Cities
New Legacy Cities Initiative Announced
The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy is launching the Legacy Cities Initiative to provide a network of support for cities of the country's industrial past.
The Vacancy Epidemic
A new report uses terms like epidemic and hyper-vacancy to drive home the point about the effects of vacancies on communities like Cleveland, Gary, Toledo, and Detroit.
Strategies for Revitalizing Smaller Post-Industrial Cities
For every Pittsburgh or Cleveland success story, there's a story waiting to be told in smaller cities like Gary and Lowell.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Eastern Nebraska is running out of electricity
Data centers and electrification are straining eastern Nebraska’s grid, throttling economic development.
Study reveals best places in the U.S. for cycling, walking
New research from Streetlight Data examines bicycle and pedestrian miles per capita in the 100 largest U.S. cities by population.
New BLM proposal would slash public comment periods, environmental protections
The proposed rewrite would also strip legal leverage from Tribal nations and state governments.
DSA members accuse Mamdani of 'abandoning values' over housing redevelopment
New York City's mayor plans to replace about 2,000 units of public housing with private, mixed-income housing.
All sides of BRT debate unhappy with CDOT’s most recent move
The Colorado Department of Transportation is no longer considering center-running bus lanes for Colorado Boulevard.
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
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello