Downtowns

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.'

June 11, 2008 - 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.

June 9, 2008 - 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.

June 2, 2008 - 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.

June 1, 2008 - 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.

May 20, 2008 - 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.

May 19, 2008 - 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.

April 26, 2008 - 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.

March 19, 2008 - 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.

March 18, 2008 - 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.

March 18, 2008 - 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.

March 17, 2008 - 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.

March 11, 2008 - 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.

March 2, 2008 - 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.

March 1, 2008 - The Architect's Newspaper

Experts Consider Streetcar in Indianapolis

Business leaders in Indianapolis are looking to replicate the success of Portland, Oregon, by creating a task force to pursue plans for a streetcar system in the city's downtown.

February 29, 2008 - Indianapolis Business Journal

Upturn for Downcity

The Downcity neighborhood of Providence is undergoing an urban revitalization, one hinged on preservation and renovation of historic buildings.

February 28, 2008 - The New York Times

The Myth of the Urban Core

Question: What do Keybank Tower in Cleveland, the Kettering Tower in Dayton, and One Seagate in Toledo have in common? Answer: They are their respective city’s tallest buildings, and they were built after their city’s population peaked.

December 18, 2007 - Samuel Staley

Back To The City

Babay boomers are leaving the suburbs and moving to pedestrian-friendly cities.

July 25, 2004 - AARP

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