Urban Development / Real Estate

Houses That Refuse to Leave

Like in Pixar's recent movie Up, some people refuse to leave their homes when every lot around them is turning into a major development. This blog profiles some of these so-called "nail houses," as seen from Google Earth.

28 August 2009 - 9:00am

Google Sightseeing blog

Shopping Mall Sprawl Hurting City Businesses in Israel

Historic downtowns in Israel are struggling against the growing tide of suburban American-style shopping malls that are developing on the outskirts of town.

26 August 2009 - 11:00am

Tablet

Stepping Forward on Abu Dhabi's Art Island

Construction is underway on Saadiyat Island. The atoll off the coast of Abu Dhabi is seen by developers as a new artistic oasis in the middle east. But some question whether the plan will pay off.

26 August 2009 - 10:00am

Telegraph

Wal-Mart Proposed Near Civil War Site Angers Historians

A proposed Wal-Mart retail center near a Civil War battlefield in Virginia has preservationists up in arms.

25 August 2009 - 11:00am

NPR

Larger Apts., Less Density

New "Lifetime Homes" standards in the U.K., which are designed to accommodate people at all stages of life, will lead away from ultra-small flats to larger apartments, says Builder Magazine.

25 August 2009 - 8:00am

Building

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1 comment

Has Dubai Jumped the Shark?

Some estimate that almost 50% of current projects in Dubai are on hold or canceled. Can Dubai recover from the financial crisis?

24 August 2009 - 2:00pm

Fast Company

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1 comment

The Middle Ground Between Moses and Jacobs

This article from Triple Canopy looks at the unrealized urban planning ideas of former New York City Mayor John Lindsay, which were somewhere in between Jane Jacobs and Robert Moses.

24 August 2009 - 9:00am

Triple Canopy

American Dream 2.0

From the increase of city living to the decrease in vehicle miles traveled, a "new American Dream" is developing, according to Carol Coletta. But without cohesion, the benefits of these developments aren't likely to make a big impact.

22 August 2009 - 11:00am

Good

Creating 'Eco-Districts'

Green buildings are great, but don't do too much if they're located in grossly un-green places. The city of Portland is trying to address the issue by creating "eco-districts".

21 August 2009 - 10:00am

Governing

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3 comments

Sprawling in Beijing

Beijing could be heading towards a sprawling future, according to a new report from the World Bank. Despite expanding transit options, the location of jobs is pushing more people out from the center of the city.

20 August 2009 - 6:00am

The New York Times Style Magazine

St. Joe Company's Big Plans and Drastic Impacts on Florida's Panhandle

The construction of a new airport and industrial district on Florida's panhandle characterizes the impact of the St. Joe Company, the state's biggest landowner and one in the midst of drastically changing the area's landscape.

19 August 2009 - 10:00am

Miller-McCune

Michael Bloomberg: The Un-Moses

The New Yorker offers a long profile of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and highlights his efforts to "undo" the work of Robert Moses.

19 August 2009 - 5:00am

The New Yorker

Recasting the Station as the Neighborhood Nucleus

Zoning changes around the train station in New Carrollton, Maryland seek to redefine the city into a more vibrant, walkable area. The changes have received preliminary approval.

18 August 2009 - 10:00am

The Washington Post

First Small-Scale Urban Wind Turbines Rising

Developers in Portland has begun installation of a set of wind turbines atop a new tower in downtown Portland.

17 August 2009 - 9:00am

Portland Business Journal

Recovery Through Self-Discovery

Some economists are starting to believe that the U.S. is on its way to economic recovery. But recovery from what, asks William Shutkin in this piece. He suggests the recovery should really be a discovery of better ways of developing and using land.

16 August 2009 - 1:00pm

Citiwire

As World Expo Host, Shanghai Aims for Bigger Splash Than Beijing

As the host of the 2010 World Expo, Shanghai is sparing no expense. Civic investment and projects are expected to eclipse those of Beijing when it hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics.

15 August 2009 - 9:00am

The New York Times

Daniel Lerch

Another bold move in Portland

Fri, 08/14/2009 - 18:58

Wind turbines atop Portland high-rise. When we moved the Post Carbon Cities office to downtown Portland I was thrilled to get a bird's-eye view of the downtown streetcar, the first new streetcar line built in the US since World War II. This morning I got a new history-making treat out my window: four wind turbines mounted yesterday on a new high-rise, among the first such urban wind projects in the country.