For serious transportation policy wonks lately every day is like Christmas. Climate change, bailout, deteriorating infrastructure, reauthorization, aging baby boomers, bailout, stimulus, new administration, economic development, global competition, urban redevelopment, bailout, etc. One has all they can do to just keep up with all the relevant news and positioning say nothing of understanding it. In fact, I don’t understand it.
Urban Development / Real Estate
Losing Business Because of Pay Parking? Charge More!
Parking guru Don Shoup was invited to speak in Santa Rosa as an expert on parking policies. Though the city is the only one in Sonoma County to charge for parking (to the chagrin of downtown merchants), it is considering building a 545-space garage.
The Press Democrat
Banks Holding On To Toxic Real Estate Assets
The Congressional Oversight Committee tasked with looking into the economic crisis says in a new report that there is a continuing risk of banks holding onto troubled assets, including real estate. Minnesota Public Radio talks to noted experts.
Minnesota Public Radio
Denver to Replace Public Housing Project with Mixed Use TOD
The Denver Housing Authority is planning on demolishing one of the city's oldest low-income public housing projects to make way for a new mixed-use, transit-oriented housing development.
The Denver Post
Huge Redevelopment Project Coming to Sacramento
12,000 new homes could be coming to Sacramento over the next two decades -- part of a $5.3 billion redevelopment focused on the city's historic railyards.
The New York Times
Understated Impact of Olympics on Vancouver
Iconic Olympic venues may not be the best take-away from next Winter's games in Vancouver. The real benefit for the city may be its new rapid transit line, according to this article.
USA Today
Developers Eye High-Density Opportunities in California's High Speed Rail Hubs
Southern California developers are gearing up to pounce on the areas surrounding proposed high speed rail hubs that will make up California's statewide high speed rail line.
San Diego Business Journal
The 2010 Winter Olympics Athletes Village: Vancouver's Next City-Building Model, Part 1
Wed, 08/12/2009 - 04:30
I'm sure much will be written on the observations and learning's from the 2010 Vancouver-Whistler Winter Olympics and Paralympics process - at least once all those working tirelessly on it have had some time to catch our breath after next year's monumental event. As you can imagine, we're already inundated with visitors, questions and critiques, and we still have months to go and much hard work to do.
Portland: A Rose By Any Other Name
Tue, 08/11/2009 - 22:37
Every real estate developer and urban planner knows that Portland, Oregon rocks.
It is probably our best civic example in the United States of defining a comprehensive growth strategy for its citizens and staying true to the vision. The result is an authentic, creative, smart, home grown, artsy, sustainable, eco-friendly, colorful, self sufficient, vibrant, athletic, outdoorsy, walking, biking, multi-generational and experimental lifestyle downtown community where buildings, transit, waterfront festivals, park blocks, fountains, theaters, bookstores, galleries, music, crafts, food, wine, beer, coffee and people all blend together perfectly. It really works here. But one thing was never done properly and needs to be changed to capture this spirit – the name of the city.
Redevelopment Funds Take a Hard Hit in California
More than $2 billion has been cut from redevelopment programs in California's budget, which many say will exacerbate the building slowdown in the state.
The Architect's Newspaper
Finding a Middle Ground Between Rural and Urban
A new city being planned on 77 acres of agricultural land in Oregon has prompted some to question the hard difference between urban and rural as compartmentalized by the Portland area's urban growth boundary.
The Oregonian
Corruption Bust Offers Lens on Development in New Jersey
The recent corruption bust that resulted in the arrests of more than 40 people in New Jersey shows the interesting shape of the development process in the state.
Associated Press
Rethinking the Street Space: Evolving Life in the Streets
For more than 100 years, street design policy was stagnant. But now, planners and policymakers are expanding their ideas about what streets can be. In the second part of their series on streets, Amber Hawkes and Georgia Sheridan examine the history of street design -- and look to the future.
Strange Turn of Events Impedes the Adoption of Miami 21
Sat, 08/08/2009 - 18:19
Hundreds of activists, students, politicians, lawyers, developers, architects and planners swarmed Miami's City Hall on Thursday for the City Commission's first reading of Miami 21. By some estimates, nearly 80% of the the 100-plus testimonials were spoken in favor of Miami 21, with Miami Mayor Manny Diaz kicking off the event with an 11-minute pro-Miami 21 paean. It was certainly one of the most eloquent, if not most passionate speech I have heard him deliver during his tenure. Strangely, Commissioner Angel Gonzalez was missing from the dais for what might have been the most important vote of the year. Apparently, the two week notice was delivered in time for him to reschedule surgery.
The Mixed-Use Library
Libraries are struggling to make ends meet in Milwaukee. One possible solution: integrating a mix of uses.
Library Journal
Miami 21 and the Redevelopment of Biscayne Boulevard
The Miami Herald looks at the redevelopment of Biscayne Boulevard, which was unofficially accomplished using the still proposed Miami 21 zoning regulations, and wonders if all of the city's corridors could redevelop in such a manner.
Miami Herald
Inside the Construction and Planning of Masdar City
WBUR's On Point takes an hour-long look at plans for Masdar City, the zero-waste, carbon-neutral city under construction in Abu Dhabi.
On Point
