The Hartford Courant
New London, Four Years After Kelo
The 2005 Supreme Court decision on Kelo v. New London was a landmark in eminent domain law, paving the way for Pfizer to develop there. Four years later, Pfizer is pulling up stakes.
The Hartford Courant
City/Suburb Relationship Doesn't Have to Be Zero-Sum
The suburbs are stereotyped as homogeneous, boring, cookie-cutter communities. But suburbs are evolving, according to this column from Tom Condon. Their relationship with cities is also changing -- and it can be good for both.
The Hartford Courant
Nancy Pelosi, Symbol of the West
The myth of the American West as a wild, natural place is long gone, says urban studies professor Carl Abbott. The Western U.S. is actually the most urban part of the nation.
The Hartford Courant
Downtown Plaza Recovers from the 70s
New London, Connecticut, like many victims of the 1970s, was saddled with a harsh, ineffective public plaza at the heart of its downtown. Planners are working to return the plaza to its historic form.
The Hartford Courant
Trading Planning Tips With Shanghai
While the city's regional approach is the envy of many American planners, Shanghai is also guilty of top-down planning that may end up encouraging sprawl.
The Hartford Courant
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
Rooftop Gardens Offers Alternative To Backyards
Green roofs offer an opportunity for outdoor space and gardening for people with little or no yards.
The Hartford Courant
Cities Need To Be Built For People, Not Cars
With observations from six world cities on four continents, the new book "Endless City" calls for development that supports people and the environment, rather than automobiles.
The Hartford Courant
Illegal Aliens To Have Big Effect On Census And Reapportionment
Census 2010 is on the way, and a new report is warning that the high concentration of illegal immigrants in the South and West will skew counts and unfairly reapportion more congressional seats to states with more undocumented people.
The Hartford Courant
New Jersey's Transit Should Be An Example For Connecticut To Follow
Connecticut could learn a lesson from neighboring New Jersey about how to improve its transit infrastructure.
The Hartford Courant
Has Smart Growth Made A Difference In Maryland?
Though former Governor Perris Glendening lead the charge for smart growth in Maryland, its hard to tell if the state's policies have curbed sprawl significantly.
The Hartford Courant
Texas Wants To Buy Back Interstate, Convert To Toll Roads
Transit officials in Texas are looking to convince Congress to let the state buy back sections of interstate highway for conversion into revenue-generating toll roads.
The Hartford Courant
Developers Look To Diversify Area Near Casinos
Developers in Connecticut look to Las Vegas as an example of how to most successfully develop land around nearby casinos.
The Hartford Courant
Finding 'The Perfect American Street'
Recounting a recent trip to Great Barrington, Massachusetts, writer Philip Langdon shares the pleasure of the small town's main street.
The Hartford Courant
The Corruption Of Smart Growth
With many developers touting their various projects as "smart growth", the term is losing much of it meaning.
The Hartford Courant
Selling Roads To The Highest Bidder Won't Solve Transportation Problems
While leasing public roads to private companies for large cash payments might be attractive for some public officials, it doesn't help solve the larger issues facing the country's transportation system.
The Hartford Courant
City Hall Is Best Left In The Center Of The City
Mayor Tom Menino's proposal to move Boston City Hall to the south waterfront ignores the importance of the building's location, and the recent developments in downtown.
The Hartford Courant
Connecticut Needs To Train More Planners
With no graduate urban planning programs at any of the state's public or private universities, the American Planning Association's Connecticut Chapter is working with University of Connecticut to establish a master's program in planning.
The Hartford Courant
Is The U.S. Government Encouraging Sprawl?
Federal employees are often located in suburban areas away from transit, going against a policy of locating offices in downtown locations.
The Hartford Courant





















