Community / Economic Development
When Does a Failing Mall Become "Blighted"?
In Westminster, Colorado, the city's economic development department is attempting to have the Westminster Mall blighted and thus up for seizing through eminent domain.
Hopeful Progress in Brazil's Slums
Redeveloping the slums of Rio de Janeiro has been on the city's agenda for decades. Despite the many challenges, some new efforts seem to be paying off.
Preserving Rurality
Rural areas across America are trying to figure out how they can improve their economies but still maintain their rural qualities.
A Chinese Bubble to Burst
Some economists are warning that China's building boom is actually a bubble that is soon to burst.
An Olympic Gamble for Community Revitalization
East London is the home of the city's poorest and most overlooked neighborhoods. It's also home to the site of the 2012 Summer Olympics, which officials hope will revive the struggling area.
Downturn Helps Downtown L.A. Avoid Gentrification
The crash of the economy happened at the right time for gentrifying downtown Los Angeles, according to this piece from the Los Angeles Times.
French Utopia Devolves
Born from the 1968 riots, a carefully planned community in France has been steadily taken over by crime and unrest, prompting some to question whether its utopian ideals actually work.
Camden's Public Library System to Shut its Doors
One of the nation's poorest cities is about to become the first major city in America to lose its public library owing to the states' financial crisis.
Score One For Livability
Senator Dodd's Livable Communities Act passed a milestone on August 3 by passing the Banking Committee on a party line vote: 12-10. Known as a "smart growth planning" bill, it would integrate transportation with housing and economic planning.
The "Instant Cities" of Industrial China
This year China will add 17 million people to its urban population. To house them, places like Guangzhou and Shanghai are constructing 'instant cities.' Christoph Gielen traveled through these developments, documenting the expansion.
Could Meetings on The Subway Become As Common As Graffiti?
The current norm of commuting, which happens all at once and too often by car, is placing too much stress on our infrastructure, our resources and even our emotional health. Melissa Lafsky reports how the structure of our workdays could be changed.
Friday Funny: Elder Speaks of Bygone Suburban Ways
A family elder tells tales of the old ways when the family was "not enticed by the frappucinos at the Starbucks that just opened," and there were park-and-rides as far as the eye could see.
Detroit Light Rail Questioned
An environmental impact study will be launched to look at a possible 9.3-mile light rail line in Detroit. Time's blog questions whether it's really such a smart move to build the line.
An Obstructionist Manifesto
In a recent speech, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown called the people who spoke out against a Bass Pro Shop "obstructionists." One of those obstructionists speaks out about the city's economic development processes, which he calls
Would A World Cup in Qatar Make Sense?
The Middle Eastern country of Qatar is bidding to play host to the 2022 World Cup. But some wonder whether the Cup might do better for the area if it were hosted by a regional coalition.
Drive-Thrus Banned at Birthplace
The city of Baldwin Park, California -- purported home of the world's first drive-thru -- is temporarily banning any new construction of drive-thrus to try to combat obesity.
Revitalizing Downtown in Small and Mid-Sized Cities
Small and mid-sized cities in Canada are taking innovative steps to revitalize their downtowns, and lure businesses and entrepreneurs back.
Eating a "Town Meal" With Local Food
To publicize an urban agriculture project in Middlesbrough, England, organizers threw a town meal for 8,000 people sharing the food grown by the gardens. The growing experiment was so popular that many locals don't want it to stop.
The Daily Commute and The Daily Protest in Mexico City
Frequent street closures due to unregulated protest -- up to about 7 per day -- clog the streets of Mexico City, leaving some hungry for a more active response from the government.
Reviving Struggling Urban Areas with Parks
Three cities -- St. Louis, Houston and Detroit -- have gained new urban parks that are playing big roles in reviving parts of town.
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
