Downtowns
A New Downtown for Scottsdale
Scottsdale, Arizona planners have released a new vision for their downtown, in a 'trend toward urban living'.
The Arizona Republic
Theaters Catalyze Downtown Development
Former single-screen cinemas in New York City and Long Island are reopening as multi-use art centers and helping to stimulate the revitalization of dormant downtowns.
Newsday
A New Face for Phoenix
Downtown Phoenix prepares for a facelift with a new form-based code and downtown master plan.
The Arizona Republic
Bad Mortgages and Gas Prices = Good For Cities?
The article suggests that rising gas prices, enduring subprime mortgage crisis, and some changing demographics (i.e., the aging of Baby Boomers) are all contributing to the greater popularity of central city neighborhoods.
The Chicago Tribune
Creating a Place for Public Debate of City Planning and Design
Baltimore considers following in the footsteps of Paris, San Francisco and Copenhagen by opening a "design center", a place for people to gather and debate the design of their city.
The Baltimore Sun
Controversial Public Art Piece Given the Boot
Vancouverites send a sculpture packing, stirring up a debate over the role of public art.
The Canadian Press
Too Many Condos, Not Enough Jobs
Planners in Vancouver are moving to curb booming residential growth to expand commercial development downtown. 'It's all good to walk and bike to work, but if you don't have offices for people to go to, that makes things rather difficult.'
The Vancouver Sun
Waco Debuts Nation's First 'Green' Chamber Building
The Waco Chamber of Commerce is credited with inspiring a renaissance in downtown, developing their new headquarters on a former parking lot. They hope to receive LEED certification - the first U.S. chamber building to receive this designation.
Waco Tribune-Herald
On the Brink? Miami's Downtown Struggles To Revitalize
While mega-condo developments are enlivening districts in and around Miami's urban core, a long moribund downtown business district struggles to keep up. Many hope that small improvements will make a big difference in the area's quest for vitality.
The Miami Herald
Keeping Public Space Public In Knoxville
Downtown Knoxville has seen many improvements in recent years. This column calls on the city to be careful how it lets private interests use downtown's new public spaces.
Metro Pulse
The New Milwaukeeans: Making Sense of Population Growth In The Cream City
After forty years in the statistical doldrums, what does Milwaukee make of a sudden, slight increase in population? Local expert and urban enthusiast Dave Steele reports.
The Next American City
The Importance Of Street Parking
New research from the University of Connecticut shows that on-street parking is a key ingredient in a vibrant and pedestrian-friendly downtown.
The Hartford Courant
Downtown Tram Planned for Burj Dubai
Plans for a 4.6 km tramway have been announced for downtown Burj Dubai -- a $136 million transit system intended to link major developments in the rapidly rising emirate.
Arabian Business
Economy Boosted By Renovated Buildings
Buildings are being renovated all over downtown Washington D.C., and as they rise so does the city's tax revenue.
The Washington Post
New Funding Resuscitates L.A.'s Grand Avenue Project
The highly anticipated mixed-use Grand Avenue project in downtown L.A. has just secured $100 million in funding. This new funding is expected to kickstart the project's construction, which has been delayed for months.
The Los Angeles Times
Suburban Detroit Builds Up, Not Out
The suburban Detroit town of Wixom is looking to lure in residents by creating dense downtown living.
The Detroit Free Press
Global Impacts on Downtowns
This report from Progressive Urban Management Associates outlines the ten trends that will impact downtowns over the next two decades.
Downtown Idea Exchange
Clamoring for Urbanity in Waco
Proposed housing developments in the urban core of Waco, Texas, have given many in the city high hopes for a denser, more vibrant central city.
The Waco Tribune
Zoning Changes Bring Good and Bad in Downtown Seattle
Zoning changes in downtown Seattle have created a more dense area, as was intended. But the zoning changes are also bringing some unintended consequences.
The Stranger
End of Downtown Construction Boom May Be Near
Two notable large-scale projects in downtown L.A. have not broken ground on time, which many see as a sign of the end of downtown's real estate boom.
The Architect's Newspaper



















