Community / Economic Development
How Does Placemaking Pay?
Hazel Borys compiles an extraordinary list of studies quantifying the role of livable, walkable places in building equity, city coffers, health, and social capital.
Why Reliance on 'Eds and Meds' Is Misguided
A growing list of cities are banking their economic development on the medical and educational sectors, which have consistently grown over the past few decades. Aaron Renn examines why overreliance on eds and meds is problematic.
In SF, Guerrilla Grafters Remix Urban Farming
"It's like the gardener's version of graffiti," says one. In San Francisco, activists hope to transform once-purely ornamental street trees into fruit-bearing ones, to provide fresh fruit to the local community.
Generation Y's Love Affair With Cities Grows, But Will It Last?
As Generation Y-ers (or Millennials) reach maturity, some question the generation's ongoing adoration of the city, and whether it will continue as they begin to marry and raise children.
How Long Will NYC's East River Ferry Need a Tug?
Hopes are high that the East River Ferry connecting Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan can become a viable commuting mode, while also boosting development around its landings. Although ridership is growing, some doubt if it can become self-sustaining.
Transit-Oriented Gentrification
In the the first of a 2-part series on transit and gentrification, WAMU's Martin Di Caro reports on the rapidly developing (and gentrifying) Georgia Avenue corridor in Washington D.C.
Richard Florida: Silicon Valley Will Soon Be Centered in San Francisco
Continuing to chronicle what he sees as an 'urban migration' from suburban office parks, Richard Florida provides the Bay Area illustration of this movement, as he sees the center of Silicon Valley heading to San Francisco from Santa Clara County.
Defying the Odds, Bakersfield Booms
California's Central Valley was one of the areas hardest hit by the Great Recession, with several of its cities still burdened by the worst unemployment rates in the country. Signs in Bakersfield, however, point to a burgeoning boom.
Will Digital Divide in Kansas City Exacerbate its Historic Racial Divide?
The competition to determine which communities in Kansas City will qualify to receive Google Fiber, the nation's fastest internet service, has stoked fears of increasing the city's historic patterns of segregation, reports John Eligon.
Will Visions of a Vegas on the Manzanares Materialize?
Late last week, billionaire casino magnate Sheldon Adelson announced that Madrid had won the competition to become the future location of Europe's "largest gambling mecca," reports Giles Tremlett. Questions regarding the project's viability remain.
Facing the Hard Facts of Economic Development
Can community building deliver more jobs than trying to lure back an industrial sector that's been leaving the U.S. for decades?
Buffalo Dusts Itself Off
After years wasted trying to implement large-scale redevelopment of its formerly industrial waterfront, Buffalo is cleaning up its shores from the ground up, reports Daniel Robison.
Skepticism, Economics, and Regulations Choking Development in Minneapolis
Stringent zoning, high costs, and a culture of skepticism directed at developers have hampered efforts to introduce infill redevelopment into some of Minneapolis' most prime locations.
New Tool Seeks to Measure the Benefits of Urbanization
A new city prosperity index has been unveiled by UN-Habitat at this week's World Urban Forum. The index seeks to catalog the ways in which global urbanization can encourage shared prosperity and human development, reports Claire Provost.
Are Efforts to Improve the Livability of China's Cities Hurting the Country's Economy?
As China continues to mature into a developed nation, efforts aimed at making its largest cities more environmentally sustainable and healthy may be putting a damper on the country's economic growth.
In D.C., Crime Prevention Starts at the Drafting Table
What's a better way to ensure lower crime than to involve police directly in the planning process? One development in Washington, D.C. will do just that.
Housing Mobility Provides a Prescription for Healthy Living
Moving families from segregated, high poverty neighborhoods, into desegregated "areas of opportunity" has multiple effects. Housing mobility programs help revitalize communities and improve the physical and mental health of families involved.
We Built This: Keeping Score of America's Stadium Spending Spree
To the tune of at least $4 billion in tax exemptions, America's taxpayers have collectively subsidized the construction of sports venues across the country, for the benefit of sports owners' bottom line. Are we getting our money's worth?
DC Planning Director Harriet Tregoning on Smartly Bridging the Anacostia River
DC Planning Director Harriet Tregoning discusses plans to create a pedestrian-oriented space out of the 11th Street Bridge as part of a larger goal of uniting DC around the Anacostia River, making it an amenity and not a barrier.
Creative Placemaking Gets Infusion of New Funding
Creative placemaking, or investing in arts and culture as a way to improve quality of place and stimulate vibrancy, is getting a new boost as ArtPlace announces another round of funding.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Clovis
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
