This month's Broadway "opening" proposal is as much a clarion to the new thinking of public street space in America as it is a gift to the people of New York City.
New York City
New York's Post-Bubble Future
The economic downturn and burst of the real estate bubble have thrown a wrench into New York City's broad plans for redevelopment and environmental redesign. This piece looks at what lies ahead for the city.
The New York Times
Where's the Weird?
Architectural eccentricity is becoming a rarity in New York, as evidenced by the demolition of the O'Toole Building--a fairly weird building.
New York Magazine
Public Housing Elevators Under Scrutiny
Records show that there have been about 300 injuries related to faulty New York public housing elevators since 2001. Ironically, a problem stemming from chronic underfunding has cost the Housing Authority $3.5 million in settlements over six years.
The New York Times
Art to Bring New York Plaza Back to the Public
In an effort to reclaim a public plaza at the foot of the Manhattan Bridge that was demolished in the 1960s by Robert Moses, artist Brian Tolle is reconstructing the statues that once adorned the plaza.
Bloomberg
Broadway Opening is a Leap Towards Better American Cities
Tue, 03/10/2009 - 04:34
How to Make BRT Work for New York City
In this fourth and final installment on Bus Rapid Transit, Streetsblog and Walter Hook discuss how to make BRT work along 1st or 2nd Avenue--two ready-made BRT corridors.
Streetsblog
The Planetizen News Brief - 3/5/09
4:20 minutes (3.98 MB)
New York kicks cars off Broadway, Congress is advised to raise the gas tax and charge by VMT, and transportation jobs hit the street -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing every week on the nationally-syndicated radio program "Smart City".
New York's Pedestrian Malls: Architects and Planners Weigh In
Six architects, planners, public intellectuals and authors give their differing opinions on Bloomberg's plan to turn Broadway into a pedestrian-only space.
Freakonomics - NY Times Blog
New York City to Reclaim Broadway For Pedestrians
Mayor Bloomberg and Janette Sadik-Khan have unveiled plans to turn a large segment of midtown into a pedestrian-only thoroughfare. The bold move is being applauded by livable street advocates across the United States.
Streetsblog
Is Mayor Bloomberg Feeling Squeezed?
Starting with a tony 5-floor, 7,500 square foot townhouse on the Upper East Side, New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg has quietly bought 4 of the 6 neighboring townhouse apartments and combined them into what is now a 12,500 square foot mansion.
New York Times
Mid-Town Manhattan To Go Car-Free
Mayor Michael Bloomberg has announced plans to close off parts of Broadway in Manhattan to car traffic. The city will experiment with the closing as early as May, creating a large pedestrian zone near Times Square.
The New York Times
Condo Composting
With few options besides sending food scraps to landfills, New Yorkers are composting in their homes.
The New York Times
Walkability and the City Beauty Quotient
Sun, 02/22/2009 - 11:47
There's no shortage of writing and conjecture on New York City when it comes to urban and city issues. But one subject that has been neglected in the urban academic discourse is the city's incredible concentration of beautiful women.
It's amazing. It's like you can't avoid them, not that you'd want to. Walking down the street in New York City is like walking down a fashion runway. With cross traffic. And no security guards trying to tackle you.
It's amazing. It's like you can't avoid them, not that you'd want to. Walking down the street in New York City is like walking down a fashion runway. With cross traffic. And no security guards trying to tackle you.
Seeking Access To An Underground Railroad's History
A man who has been leading tours of abandoned underground railroads in New York City is hoping to gain permission to break through a 19th century brick wall below the streets to find a perfectly preserved locomotive from the mid-1800s.
The New York Times
How to Strengthen New York City's Middle Class
David Giles explains the economic extremes that now characterize New York City and offers four suggestions on how to retain and strengthen its middle class.
City Limits
Improving On The Ambiguity of Privately Owned Public Spaces
Cities are filled with spaces intended for the public -- but many of them are clearly owned and operated by the private sector. Though cities bend rules to get these spaces built, the public benefit is often outweighed by the cost. The challenge now is to make them better.
New York City's Fleeting Middle Class, Broken Down
A new study shows that New York City is losing is middle class, and quick. However, says one planner, the findings, though detailed, don't give the big picture.
Crain's New York Business
NY's Middle Class Still Exists
Maybe they're not in Manhattan, but Queens and Brooklyn are still home to much of New York's diverse middle class. And although facing some economic stress, they're not likely to go anywhere soon, according to Joel Kotkin.
New Geography
New York City Bus Tracking System Delayed
A long-help plan to install GPS-ready bus tracking equipment to New York City buses has been pushed off indefinitely.
NY1 News
Streetsblog: Advocacy Journalism and the Reconquering of the American City
The Internet is a trove of great ideas about improving cities. Filling blogs and personal websites, the vast majority of ideas out there are little more than that: ideas. New York City's Streetsblog -- now a growing nationwide force -- is transforming the conversation into action.
