Young historic-preservation minded Philadelphians are organized and ready to protect the history of their city.
PlanPhilly’s Alan Jaffe reports on the growing number of young people getting involved in Philadelphia's development and preservation debate. The Young Friends of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, a strictly volunteer organization, has taken to social media for outreach to supporters informing them about events and local preservation issues.
"'I think young people don’t necessarily concern themselves with historic preservation. They think of it as preserving George Washington’s birthplace,' [Young Friends steering committee member Molly Lester] said. 'I think they’re more concerned with urbanization, especially with so many people moving back to the cities. They’re interested in quality of life issues and city planning,' which is reflected in the current popularity of urban exploring and an Instagram focus on city buildings."
Following its relaunch in 2014, the group has been involved in a number of preservation advocacy projects, and is now being asked to consult on the potential demolition and redevelopment of North Philadelphia's Sharswood neighborhood. "The plan includes the acquisition and demolition of nearly 1,300 parcels of private and public lots, which include the historic and cultural fabric of the existing community, Lester said." The Young Friends hope to see preservation receive more attention in the day-to-day planning affecting Philadelphia's changing neighborhoods.
FULL STORY: Young Friends bring new meaning and tactics to preservation battles
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.