Community / Economic Development
America's Most Livable City Needs Improvement
Portland leads the nation is sustainability and in fact, may be responsible for starting this movement, but its economy remains mediocre and it is one of America's least diverse cities. Urbanophile's Aaron M. Renn explains why.
Redevelopment Plans Shaken Up as California Cuts Budget
Urban redevelopment plans to slow or stall in California, as Governor Jerry Brown slashes the budgets of redevelopment agencies in the state.
Abu Dhabi Looks Ahead to 2030
Abu Dhabi has released a new 20-year plan. It planners argue that it will be flexible enough to withstand changes in the global economy, should they come.
Federal Funds on the Line as Cities Challenge Census Results
The U.S. Conference of Mayors expect the number of challenges to be higher than the 1,200 challenges filed for the 2000 Census because regions claimed to have received low population counts.
Music Gives New Life to Brownfield
A lakefront steel plant on Chicago's South Side that has been abandoned since 1992 is the venue of the Dave Matthew's Caravan July music festival.
Parklets Poised To Revolutionize Public Space, In a Tiny Way
Imported from Europe, parklets transform parking spaces into inviting public spaces. They are flourishing in San Francisco, and are poised to invade other cities across the country.
A 'Drought-Proof' City
By focusing on reducing water use to levels that could be served by its two water sources, the city of El Paso, Texas, has been able to quench its thirst without running dry.
The Changing Role of Globalized Cities
National Geographic Traveler talks with urban theorist Richard Florida about the changing roles of cities, and the emerging centers of economic prosperity.
Tokyo to Include Tsunami-Hit Areas in 2020 Olympic Bid
In preparing a bid to host the 2020 Olympics, Tokyo is planning to include areas that were ravaged by the recent tsunami and earthquake.
Detroit RoboCop Statue Brings New Form of Public Participation
Crowd-funded plans to build a statue of the movie character RoboCop are moving ahead in Detroit, and the project is redefining public participation in civic ventures.
Slow Progress in East New Orleans
In this piece from Places, Deborah Gans offers a firsthand look at planning for recovery in the city's neglected East side.
Top 10 States With Highest Growth Potential
Citing data from the Chamber of Commerce, The Atlantic releases its top picks based on their capacity for growth and innovation. Alaska, North Dakota, and Wyoming come out on top.
Cab's Eye View of L.A.
When other musicians opt to romanticize L.A. with images of Hollywood and Malibu mansions, pop band Death Cab for Cutie captures the opposite in the music video for their new single, "Home Is A Fire."
Yacht Race to Bring New Cruise Terminal to San Francisco
As San Francisco prepares to host the America's Cup yacht race in 2013, one of the key building areas for the event is also being fast-tracked as the site of a new cruise terminal.
High Rise Boomlet Bringing Good and Bad to Chicago
High rise apartment construction is set to take off again in Chicago, though it's unclear for how long and whether the resulting projects will have a positive lasting impact on the city.
China's Superhighway on Kenyan Soil
Three Chinese companies are building a 31-mile highway to the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. It's a move locals see as an effort to gain favor with the Kenyan government.
Western Australia's Capital Envisions its Transformation
Recently released Capital City Planning Framework for Perth outlines a mixed-use city that is both livable and welcoming to outsiders.
A Neighborhood of Stairs
The La Independencia neighborhood in Medellin, Colombia sprawls up a hillside, leaving the inhabitants to walk up to 10 flights of stairs every day. An ambitious development program is considering building an outdoor network of escalators.
Reviewing Recent Books on Cities
In reviewing a handful of new books looking at cities and how they work, this piece from The New Yorker glosses over the current thinking behind the urban conversation and wonders if city celebration has gone too far.
Stalled Developments Documented
Photographer Daniel Kariko focuses on issues of land use in sensitive environments. His latest work looks at stalled suburban housing developments in the U.S.
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.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association
