New Urban News

Decision makers are realizing that large (and expensive to maintain) acreage requirements are making kids, and their parents, dependent on cars to shuttle them to and from school. Some states have already eliminated the minimums, and more want to.

The Charter Award-winning Ft. Belvoir neighborhood in Fairfax, VA offers a model for military base reconstruction and affordability.

The Canada Lands Company refurbishes surplus military bases into New Urbanist neighborhoods.

The new LEED-ND program is seeking pilot projects to be certified under its new rating system, though developers of some greenfield New Urbanist communities worry the system will penalize them.

Pools of capital ebb and flow, but the tide may be starting to come in for smart growth and New Urbanist investment funds.

New Urbanists are pushing for big changes to the International Traffic Engineers' thoroughfare design manual to help make roads more pedestrian-friendly.

Philip Langdon covers two new urban projects, Holiday neighborhood in Boulder, CO, and Beerline B in Milwaukee, WI, that achieve an intriguing mix of approaches and styles.

In the face of an "inaccurate claim" that city neighbors are less friendly than their suburban counterpart, Robert Steuteville of New Urban News provides comments on the University of California study "Social Interaction and Urban Sprawl".

Natural drainage techniques reduced engineering costs in one South Carolina case study by 31 percent over conventional methods. New Urbanists are searching for ways to make this the norm.

From city, neighborhood, block to building-scales, Stephen Mouzon offers ideas to offset high housing costs and economic segregation.

Robert Steuteville comments on the progress The New Urbanism has made in implementing form-based codes and regional plans.

"Low-impact" technologies and natural drainage systems are the latest trend in New Urbanism.

Fruitvale Village in Oakland, California, provides a valuable case study for designing and leasing retail space in transit-oriented development projects.

"A decent place to live" may top holiday lists this shopping season.

Grants, contributions, a collaboration with the Institute for Classical Architecture & Classical America, open minds, and tight budgets are helping Habitat for Humanity raise its design standards.

Philip Langdon recalls mixed-feelings about Reston's unfinished dream.

Memphis and Miami may be leading the charge to rethinking medical districts with New Urbanism.

Seaside's New Institutes Program helps communities establish nonprofit organizations different from homeowners' associations.

A transportation researcher at Texas A&M has set about to prune the view against fixed hazardous objects -- a.k.a. street trees.

One chain increasingly tailors its stores to the urban market by including two levels, escalators, and structured parking.