Community / Economic Development

Willamette Falls Access Approved as Part of Redevelopment Plan

The first U.S. incorporated west of the Rockies—Oregon City—is moving forward with a redevelopment plan that will provide public access to the stunning Willamette Falls.

December 14, 2014 - The Oregonian

Shared Kitchen Space: Best Culinary Innovation since the Food Truck?

Potentially the biggest culinary innovation since the gourmet food truck, L.A. Prep upholds principles of smart growth while supporting culinary entrepreneurs. Artisanal food producers will move into its 50 kitchens starting in January.

December 11, 2014 - Next City

Veteran City Leader Offers Strategies for Creating Dynamic Streets and Spaces

Drawing on longtime efforts to promote livability at the neighborhood, city, and regional level, Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Rick Cole recently highlighted lessons learned about "urban revitalization."

December 10, 2014 - The Planning Report

Former D.C. Mayor Reminds Cities to Retain a Sense of Place

Anthony Williams, who served two terms as D.C. mayor and is credited with the city's turnaround, spoke about creating great neighborhoods at a panel event held by local media company Elevation DC. Cities, he said, need to retain their sense of place.

December 10, 2014 - Elevation DC

Can Agile Thinking Create Outstanding Plans?

Planning exercises typically require intense baseline data collection, extensive community engagement, visioning, number crunching, analysis, modeling, forecasting, more analysis, tradeoffs, revisions to the baseline data collected at the onset

December 9, 2014 - Civicly

How a Land Trust Property Went Viral

Defy Media created a Prank It Fwd video that has received over 5 million YouTube views. What those viewers didn't know was that the house given away in the video is part of a land trust from Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Cleveland.

December 9, 2014 - Shelterforce/Rooflines

Los Angeles Returning to its Roots with the Growing Influence of Latino Urbanism

The antecedent of many of the urban design and public realm upgrades that have occurred in Los Angeles in recent years: street life in Latin American cities. Christopher Hawthorne calls it a return to first principles.

December 8, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

Library

Top 10 Books - 2015

Planetizen is pleased to release its list of the ten best books in urban planning, design, and development published in 2014.

December 8, 2014 - James Brasuell

CicLAvia Rides into South Los Angeles

CicLAvia, the Los Angeles open streets event, heads to South Los Angeles for the first time today. Sahra Sulaiman explains the communities preparedness leading up to this historic event.

December 7, 2014 - Streetsblog LA

Report Finds Doubled Concentrations of Poverty Since 1970

A new report from City Observatory analyzes urban poverty and gentrification using census data from 1970 to 2010.

December 7, 2014 - Next City

Gentrification

3 Strategies for Controlling Gentrification

Sandy Smith summarizes a recent "Gentrification, Integration, and Equity" event hosted by Next City in Philadelphia.

December 6, 2014 - Next City

Accessory Dwelling Unit

Affordable Accessory Dwelling Units

Prospect Newtown, in Longmont, CO, has seamlessly integrated affordable housing by creating a host of accessory dwelling units (ADUs). The ADUs are perfectly blended within the town overall—and actually help contribute to the development’s success.

December 6, 2014 - Build a Better Burb

End of the Mall

Life, Death, and Repurposing of the Great American Mall

A PBS Newshour economic correspondent visits the sites of former malls in Ohio and Massachusetts, some successfully repurposed, others in construction, and one in decay, speaking with economic experts along the way about the future of the mall.

December 5, 2014 - PBS NewsHour

The Promise of Renewal in Massachusetts Gateway Cities

Massachusetts is funding a placemaking initiative to renew its old industrial gateway cities. Available funds are only $16 million, but there's a plan to make the money go a long way.

December 5, 2014 - Boston Globe

'High Tech Highway' Emerging in Phoenix

In an area more known for retirement communities and fixed incomes—Phoenix's Easy Valley—corridor of high tech companies has emerged along the Loop 101.

December 5, 2014 - Phoenix Business Journal

Will Los Angeles Legalize Street Vending?

The $500 million underground street vending economy in Los Angeles took a step closer toward legalization on Tuesday.

December 5, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles River Kayak

A Playful Approach to Activating Spaces along the Los Angeles River

An interview with two of Project 51's co-founders, John Arroyo and Catherine Gudis, on the collective's recent "Play the LA River" card deck, a playable guide which invites participants to discover 56 unique sights along the entire Los Angeles River.

December 4, 2014 - Maayan Dembo

Parking Meter Revenues Donated to Santa Claus Fund for Low Income Families

A small town in Northern Ontario, Canada, annually gives its parking meter revenues over a two-week period to a fund providing aid for low income families over the holidays.

December 4, 2014 - The Kapuskasing Times

Akron-Cleveland Covered Bridge

The 20 Cities with the Deepest Roots

Cities with long-time residents develop their own character—a recent analysis by Governing identified data to rank such distinct cities.

December 4, 2014 - Governing

California Fuel Consumption Rises—First Time in Eight Years

For the first time since 2006, gasoline consumption in California increased from the prior fiscal year. From July 2013 through June 2014, consumption increased 1 percent.

December 4, 2014 - The Sacramento Bee

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Transportation Planner I

KFH Group Inc.

Director, Strategy and Research

Greater Baltimore Committee

Senior Planner

Eagle County Government

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100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.