Community / Economic Development
Evolution in Industrial Towns
Amid the recession, industrial towns in the Rust Belt have been forced to evolve as jobs dry up. But this is nothing new for the region, where towns have been re-imagining their economies for decades. NPR reports.
A Blueprint For Making Cities Efficient, Sustainable And Livable
Nicolai Ouroussoff, architecture critic for The New York Times, argues that the time is right for a new vision of rebirth for America's ailing cities. He applies this new vision to the challenges of New Orleans, Los Angeles, the Bronx, and Buffalo.
Small Gardens Have Room to Grow
Small farms are getting some attention from the Obama Administration, but what's still holding them back is the proper infrastructure, according to this piece from Citiwire.
One City, Two New Stadia
Paul Goldberger looks at the two new baseball stadia opening in New York this Spring.
Ports Weather Recession as Investments Pour In
The entire country is in recession, but the nation's ports are experiencing a flood of interest from investors, according to this article from Reason.
Without Rail, Sydney Will Fall Behind Global Cities
Without a proper light rail system, Sydney will get left behind as other global cities progress into a diverse transit future, according to planning expert Peter Newman.
Facing Climate Change, U.N. To Propose Major Economic Reforms
In response to the widening threat of climate change, the United Nations will release a note of suggestions that propose a dramatic change in global economic relations, tarriffs, and taxes, according to this piece from Fox News.
Starting Up Small
Though typically centered in bigger cities, this piece from Business Week looks at the best small cities to locate startup businesses in every state.
Boston Neighborhoods to See Rail-Related Upgrades
New stations for the Fairmount rail line in Boston has made its surrounding neighborhoods targets for redevelopment by community organizations, which may rebuild up to a dozen properties.
HUD Homeownership Program Shows Promise
An ambitious HUD program promoting homeownership in troubled neighborhoods is, by some accounts, "one of the more intelligent things HUD has done in its history."
"Communiversity": A Bond You Can't Break
College towns fare relatively well during a recession due to the stable, highly skilled work force colleges offer their communities.
Staten Island Rail on the Drawing Board
A year-long study of the proposed West Shore Light Rail finds that the borough could draw nine stations and about 13,000 riders traveling within Staten Island or to Manhattan.
Not Quite the Urban Utopia
When Andres Duany planned the village of Cornell, he built in walkability, density, and mixed-use. The outcome, however, falls short of the New Urbanist vision; driving is the norm and retail is scarce. What happened?
Sustaining the New Urbanism
New urbanists ponder how they can adapt to the new economic climate and avoid the fate of their predecessors.
Rebirth Through Art in Abandoned Detroit
This piece from NPR looks at what artists are doing in Detroit to snatch up abandoned homes and convert them into community centers and art spaces.
Unappreciated Cyclists In Sausalito
Marin County has a reputation to live up to. In this column, Sausalito does just that in its treatment of hordes of cycling tourists who rent bikes on Fisherman's Wharf, pedal across the GG Bridge to have lunch in Sausalito, and return on the ferry.
New York's 'Slaughtered Neighborhoods'
Likening the impact of the economic crisis to a dirty bomb or a "second 9/11", Tom Engelhardt takes the reader on a tour of what remains of his once-vibrant New York neighborhood.
Draft Master Plan Released in New Orleans
A new master plan for New Orleans has been released. Controversy is expected on the highly anticipated plan as public input is gathered.
Duany on Restoring New Orleans
Andrés Duany observes that American planners and architects are misunderstanding New Orleans by thinking of it as an American city rather than a Caribbean one.
Clean Coal Stimulus Funds Put To Work In Indiana
Duke Energy hopes to tap $3.4 billion of stimulus funds to build the nation's first clean coal plant, burning the coal in a gaseous form and storing the CO2 emissions. It already has received federal funds to build the $2.35 coal power plant in IN.
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 Moorpark
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
