Community / Economic Development

Remaking a Formerly State-of-the-Art Corporate Headquarters
Holmdel, New Jersey, was home to a huge, beautiful, and empty headquarters of the now defunct Bell Labs. Now the campus is home to tech startups, a library, and a host of other businesses.

Dallas Breaks Ground on Yet Another Downtown Park
Pacific Plaza will the fourth park built in the center of the city in the last decade, and there are still plans for three more.

Private Equity Startup Offers Small Scale Public Development Investments
Startup, Cooperative Capital, allows investors to buy into community investment projects and vote on which projects to fund.

The Amazon Opportunity to Revitalize Urban Communities
If corporations continue to be able to take public subsidy as the price of locating in an area, maybe the debate isn't whether to offer subsidies but simply how and for what to offer them. Here’s one incentive that might actually benefit communities.

PlanIt Podcast: The Value of Neighborhood Groups in Planning
Neighborhood is a term loosely used when talking about any certain area of a community. In this episode, we explore the value of collaboration between neighborhood groups and cities in local planning processes and best practices.

How Surveillance in Cities is Evolving
Across the globe, smart cities are increasingly procuring and implementing information technology in order to improve the efficiency and sustainability of urban spaces. The former CTO of L.A. and the mayor of Beverly Hills weigh in on the subject.

Squaring Urbanism, Equity, and Density in the SB 827 Debate
As Sen. Wiener has announced new amendments to the controversial land use, transit-oriented development, and real estate bill, The Planning Report turns to three experts to unpack the legislation's consequences.

Mexico's Traditional Housing Is Disappearing—and With It, a Way of Life
Mariana Ordóñez Grajales and Onnis Luque are fighting to preserve their country's vernacular architecture.

Cities Turn to Highway Cap Parks for Economic Development
Some worry that, of the many reasons cities pursue cap parks, creating quality green space is low on the list.
The Philadelphia Design District Makes its Debut
Long a hub of creative workers in Philadelphia, a collaboration of companies based in the Old City neighborhood in Philadelphia has rebranded as the Philadelphia Design District.

Responses to the Suburbanization of Poverty in Short Supply
Low-income residents have scattered to the periphery, where social services are less accessible.

'Jumpstart Germantown' Aims for the Antidote to Gentrification
A new program based in the Germantown neighborhood in Philadelphia aims to encourage community ownership of urban re-investment.

Reviving the 'Miracle Mile' May Be Tucson's Next Big Thing
After tremendous success with a streetcar line, the desert city is considering strategies for investing in its historic automobile corridor.

Cryptocurrency Goes in Search of Cheap Power, Finds it in Small-Town America
Some of the least expensive electricity in the country can be found in Upstate New York, where cryptocurrency miners are starting to set up shop—with or without local approval.

Eyes from the Street: The Neighbourhood Fabric that Matters
The mantra “eyes on the street" focuses on the physical and functional traits of urban fabric but fails to explain the high crime rate of my Jacobsian neighbourhood. Time to reconsider, look for explanations, and exchange mantras for research.

Research Connects School Choice to Gentrification
One unintended consequence of No Child Left Behind: increased gentrification.

San Francisco to Grant Low-Cost Housing Preference to Artists
A new program underway at the San Francisco Arts Commission would make it easier for artists to gain access to the city's stock of affordable rental and ownership opportunities.

Ohio Announces 320 'Opportunity Zones'
The new Opportunity Zones program is one to watch as states around the country throw their hats in the ring.

Mayor de Blasio Wants a Vacancy Tax to Combat Empty Storefronts
The hottest trend in commercial real estate, letting storefronts in Manhattan sit empty while waiting for top dollar, is robbing the city's streets of the benefits of a bustling economy.

More Bad News for Tesla—This Time From the EPA
A rollback of fuel economy standards carries huge financial consequences for the all-electric vehicle manufacturer that makes over $300 million annually by selling credits to auto manufacturers unable to achieve current fuel economy standards.
Pagination
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions