Community / Economic Development

Small neighborhood developments of cottages with low square footage known as "pocket neighborhoods" are catching on, especially with empty nesters looking to downsize.

April 2, 2011 - USA Today

Facing energy shortages, the city of Tokyo, Japan, has been forced to cut down its energy usage, which is changing the bustling and brightly lit city's character.

April 2, 2011 - National Public Radio

Payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) are a popular new way for cash-strapped cities to add to their revenue by swapping voluntary payments from nonprofits for property taxes. The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy evaluates this novel practice.

March 31, 2011 - Land Lines

Who ever heard of "small-box stores"? Retail experts say the Walmarts and Targets of the world should have great success with smaller stores in urban settings.

March 31, 2011 - Retail Traffic Magazine

Officials in Portland are keen to expand the city's streetcar system with a proposed $458 million extension project. But some questions about the project remain unanswered.

March 30, 2011 - The Oregonian

Seeing an unfilled niche in the housing marketplace, developers in suburban Seattle are trying to build a communal housing development.

March 30, 2011 - Sustainable Industries

As cities grow, the spaces within them that are truly public diminish, according to this piece. But even with few public spaces, public activities can still thrive.

March 30, 2011 - The Wall Street Journal

As green spaces and public areas increase in demand, more and more projects are being awarded to landscape architects rather than architects, some foresee a potential professional turf war.

March 30, 2011 - The Architect's Newspaper

Manufacturing in the U.S. hasn't gone away, it's just gone local, writes Allison Arieff.

March 30, 2011 - The New York Times

Richard Florida says that shrinking is not necessarily a good idea for cities like Detroit and Cleveland that are losing population, and that it could do "more harm than good."

March 29, 2011 - The New York Times

Following trends seen in Europe and China, a public park in New York City has installed a ping pong table.

March 25, 2011 - DNAInfo

State budget problems are trickling down to cities, which are being cut off from funding by their governors.

March 25, 2011 - The New York Times

Rural Kitsap County, Washington, has been debating over a policy change that would allow new communities to spring up in the area.

March 25, 2011 - Kitsap Sun

Through a rule that allows landlords to financially benefit from allowing charities and non-profits to use their spaces, empty office buildings in the UK are being utilized by groups for a variety of projects, including an art exhibition.

March 24, 2011 - This Big City

The experience of rebuilding a streetcar line in New Orleans and the subsequent neighborhood growth that followed offers lessons to other cities considering streetcar plans, according to this piece from Architect Magazine.

March 24, 2011 - Architect

Detroit's population plunged by 25% over the last decade, according to census figures - the largest decline of any major city in American history.

March 23, 2011 - New York Times

Built around a BART station in 1999, Oakland, California's Fruitvale Village has had a tough time keeping its retail space alive (as have many TODs). The property managers have learned some lessons over the years about how to overcome the challenges.

March 23, 2011 - New Urban Network

Traffic plans for a new casino in downtown Cleveland could create a major improvement for the neighborhood -- or an indelible sore spot.

March 23, 2011 - The Cleveland Plain Dealer

Many voices have raised concerns over municipalities defaulting on bonds during these tough economic times. But as this op-ed argues, those concerns are misguided.

March 22, 2011 - The New York Times

While some cities in Florida have shelled out big money to build baseball stadia for professional teams' spring training, many of those teams are moving their spring programs to other cities, raising concerns about the wisdom of those investments.

March 22, 2011 - Governing