Watching Slumdog Millionaire, the Oscar winning film of 2008 that is being released on DVD today, can be a bracing experience for those accustomed to the conveniences of Western living. The destitute living is accurately and graphically depicted and is all too real for those that have seen it. Yet, the real danger is letting the poverty obscure a larger, perhaps more important lesson about urban places: Many of these urban slums are functioning, productive cities in their own right, and represent an intergenerational path toward economic improvement.
Urban Development
Hurry Up and Wait
NYC's Mayor Bloomberg oversaw the rezoning of thousands of blocks, yet many of the development projects he envisioned as the key to the city's future success are now stalled or in jeopardy.
The New York Times
El Paso to Walk the Walk
Citing a recent study that demonstrates higher home values in walkable neighborhoods, officials in El Paso say it's time to change the way their city grows.
El Paso Times
Demystifing the Development Process
The L.A. City Planning Commission president and architect, Bill Roschen, talks about how the commission is implementing clear and consistent policies toward their goal of "Doing Real Planning" in Los Angeles.
The Planning Report
Become an Unscrupulous Developer, Virtually
Monopoly: City Streets melds the board game with Google Maps gives you the chance to buy the world's streets and develop your dream project on them (in competition with other players, of course.)
The Guardian U.K.
Rail Riders Discover that Going the Extra Mile is the Hardest Part
Many would-be train riders are frustrated by poor transit options at their destination city.
National Public Radio
Pittsburgh Preps for its Debut on the World Stage
Why the decision to host the next G-20 summit in Steel City is a good one.
Forbes.com
Smart Growth Program Vetoed
Texas Governor Rick Perry recently vetoed a bill that would have created a state level "smart growth" program.
New Geography
Sprawl Halted in New Jersey
The Morris County Planning Board indicates that no new residential subdivisions of 20 or more lots were received in 2008, which signals the end of large-tract developments.
Daily Record
If A German Town Can Go Car-Free, Why Not America?
An article in the New York Times this week profiled Vauban, Germany, a town without cars. NYTime's Room for Debate Blog asked planners and developers to envision a car-free town in America.
The New York Times
The Future Office: Flexible, and Collaborative
Once the economy bounces back, new office space development will allow for time-sharing and flexibility, said experts at a recent forum hosted by ULI.
ULI's The Ground Floor
Predicting McCain and Obama's Effect on Cities
Neal Pierce asks the question, 'Who's Best for Cities, McCain or Obama?' The evidence has been difficult to come by, but Pierce unearths some clues and makes some logical predictions.
Citiwire.net
Freakonomics Investigates Suburbia
Urban experts weigh in on the future of the suburbs.
Freakonomics (Opinion) on The New York Times
Fresh Food Financing
Pennsylvania is putting its money where its mouth is with the Fresh Food Financing Initiative, a $120 million fund to encourage inner-city groceries.
The Christian Science Monitor
Suburbia Running Out of Gas
The economics of long commutes are forcing many to the conclusion that suburban living is no longer viable, and suburban housing prices are falling accordingly.
The New York Times
Tiny Monaco Using Stilts to Expand
The second-smallest country in the world (after the Vatican) has plans to expand its territory by building more land on stilts in an idea inspired by oil rigs.
The Guardian
Tornado Clears Way for LEED Platinum Building
The 5-4-7 Arts Center in Greensburg, Kansas gets a LEED platinum designation- evidence that the town, which was 95% destroyed by a tornado in May, 2006, is making good on its sustainable rebuilding plan.
Kiowa County Singnal
One Man's Legacy in L.A.
William Fulton reflects on the lasting impact of L.A. developer Robert Maguire III on the city.
The Los Angeles Times
Big Box on a Diet
Big box stores are following their customers into downtowns, and stores like Circuit City and Target are retooling for density.
Architectural Record
Portland's Smart Growth Faces Cries of Gentrification
Portland, famed for its progressive policies and smart growth, is facing criticism that the same growth they are applauded for is squeezing other groups out- particularly African-Americans.
The New York Times
Contribute
- Walkscore to Get Bus Points
- Finding A Sustainabe Path for Jakarta
- Isn't This How We Got Into This Mess in the First Place?
- Simulating Mount Rushmore
- Talking 'Bout a RailVolution
- The Solution for Homelessness? Homes.
- The History of the Parking Lot
- The Most Polluted Metro Areas in America
- 'No Credits, Just Prerequisites'
- Center for Developmentally Disabled Doesn't Fit Zoning - Any Zoning
Fleeting Design -- Scott Page
Public Options in Transit and Health Care -- Michael Lewyn
Let Me Clear My Throat -- Ian Sacs
Don't Bogart That Joint, My Friend -- Dwight Merriam
Healthy, Wealthy and Wise Transportation Policy -- Todd Litman
D.C. Area Professional Development Courses Offered in Economic Growth and Environmental Sustainability– Last Chance to Register!
Planning Academy at Virginia Tech, VT National Capital Region campus in Alexandria, VA
Nov 05, 2009
Step Up Your Site Analysis with Planetizen's Advanced Google Earth Webinar
Planetizen
Nov 04, 2009
Managing Growth With Priority Funding Areas: A Good Idea Whose Time Has Yet to Come
Routledge
Nov 04, 2009
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