New Geography

Liquor stores and religious uses are the only building markets staying afloat in Florida, say experts.

Joel Kotkin explains why the Obama Administration's focus on transit is wrong-headed and doesn't do anything for the majority of Americans.

Towns with universities are doing better through the economic crisis than most, attracting jobs and preserving property values.

Downtowns used to serve primarily as the economic and job hub of a community, but are shifting to be more focused on providing a entertainment center and civic forum.

Telecommuting should be considered an aspect of transportation, according to this piece from New Geography.

A report from the US Census Bureau shows that the nation continues to suburbanize.

Texas Governor Rick Perry recently vetoed a bill that would have created a state level "smart growth" program.

The Economist magazine has published it's list of the most livable cities in the world. But quite a few of these cities have the most unaffordable housing, complains Owen McShane.

The U.S. Bureau of the Census is producing new data that shows how infill development is affecting urban areas. Wendell Cox says that the new data shows that infill has been happening since 1960 with or without mandates.

As farmland prices skyrocketed, so did the cost of growing a suburb.

Wendell Cox argues that the growth of the suburbs is not attributable to flight from cities, but to residents of small towns and the countryside moving to denser living.

Rick Harrison argues that smart growth looks good on paper, but in application the density creates a whole host of problems.

Andrés Duany observes that American planners and architects are misunderstanding New Orleans by thinking of it as an American city rather than a Caribbean one.

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.

This piece from New Geography looks disparagingly at an idea in San Francisco to allow corporate sponsorship of the Golden Gate Bridge in order to raise money for infrastructure projects.

According to Kirk Rogers, European suburbs are not all that different from American ones--they indulge the need for space, good schools, and cars-- and they're there to stay.

Wendell Cox looks at how single-family detached housing came to be, and why it's likely to remain a popular option for the middle class.

Joel Kotkin believes that the Obama victory is a sign that the 'creative class' - as detailed by Richard Florida - is coming into power, and that traditional business will be pushed aside.

Joel Kotkin derides urban boosters who have looked to external forces -- such as the mortgage meltdown -- to fuel an "urban renaissance", rather than looking at altering their own economic environments to be more attractive to investors.

One city in Virginia has gone from suburban to (quasi-)urban in just a few years.