Community / Economic Development
Sprawl, European Style
The U.S. often gets a bad rap for its sprawling suburbs and unplanned development, but Robert Kwolek notes that many European cities and other parts of the world aren't far behind.
Building A Healthier Environment
The built environment plays a big role in public health, and the professions involved in creating the built environment need to pay more attention to building healthy places, argues Clark Manus, president of the American Institute of Architects.
Kazakhstan's Shiny and Empty New Capital
Kazakhstan built a new capital city in 1997 in far-off Astana. This piece from The New Yorker takes a tour of the city, and finds a unique architectural development underway, but a city still in its early years of formation.
Football Team's Cleveland Plans Could Learn from the Past and Public
The Cleveland Browns football team has announced plans to revitalize a lakefront part of the city. Those plans could benefit from more public input and could learn from previous success, according to this article.
London's Skyscraper Boom Trickles Off
A number of large skyscrapers in London, approved and financed before the recession, are being completed. But with no new ones planned, these skyscrapers are looked at as the end of an age of large-scale building.
City Attempts to Find "The Right Price for Parking"
This week the city of San Francisco will launch its SFpark Program in an attempt to appropriately price street parking and reduce traffic due to people cruising for available parking spaces.
Urban Farming on Brownfield Sites
At a national conference on brownfields, representatives from the EPA outlined how to safely farm an urban garden on top of a contaminated site.
The Chinese Alternative to Home Ownership
In this article the author describes the Chinese practice of assigning individuals apartments which are little more than shells. He claims that the act of customizing the shell creates a sense of ownership similar to that of homeowners in the U.S.
International Resolution on the Need For Quality Public Spaces
UN-HABITAT (United Nations Human Settlement Programme) recently adopted its first ever resolution on public space, encouraging equity and the development of quality public spaces.
Why Public Art?
Does public art make a difference, and how? ASLA's The Dirt blog looks at all the ways public art is effective, from job creation and real estate value to cultural cache and tourism.
Mississauga's "Priority Neighbourhoods" Targets Suburban Poverty
With poverty indicators rising in suburban areas, Mississauga is looking to emulate Toronto's controversial "priority neighbourhoods" strategy to improve access to services.
Edward Glaeser and Green Cities
Another look at Edward Glaeser's provocative new book Triumph of the City, this time by reporter Mary Newsom and with a focus on Glaeser's opinions on the city and the environment.
Are Local Businesses Making a Comeback?
Styled after Harper's Index, this "Localism Index" suggests that local economies and independent businesses might just be making a comeback.
Greenfield Economics Explained
Aaron Renn of Urbanophile explains the allure of "greenfield economics" and that the process of urban and suburban decay is cyclical in nature.
Urban Design Marathon Comes to Los Angeles
The 72 hour event is intended to challenge the idea that creating change in public space is long and difficult, explains the event's founder, Karem Halbrecht.
The Smart-Growth Governor
Former Maryland Governor Parris Glendening says that in some ways the economic downturn in the U.S. has been a good thing because it gave the state a chance to reevaluate development patterns.
The Federal Role in Supporting Urban Manufacturing
Revitalizing American manufacturing is widely-acknowledged as vital to our country’s economic recovery and long-term prosperity, but it is equally essential to understand the changing of this sector in order to make smart policy decisions.
Pursuing New Development Ideas
As funding falters in the private sector, some privately- or university-driven design centers are still pursuing new ideas is urban design and development. Places profiles one at the University of Arkansas.
How To Build A Crosswalk
Grist points to a new series of blog posts offering step-by-step instructions on how to get a crosswalk installed in your neighborhood.
Funds to Demolish Abandoned Buildings Grow
The city of Youngstown, Ohio, is heavily reliant on funding from grants and outside sources to help pay for the clearing of abandoned properties. Those funds have grown since last year.
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.
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
