Community / Economic Development
Economic Woes May Cut Down Sprawl
The downturn in the economy could bring about major changes to the pattern of suburban sprawl development.
New Urban Developers Surviving The Current Economic Storm
As the housing industry flounders, New Urbanist developers are using the flexibility inherent in their community plans to their advantage.
Can The Earth Provide Enough Food For 9 Billion People?
That's how many are expected to inhabit the world by 2050. Experts worry over looming food shortages.
A Reminder to the City: Neighborhoods Are Building Blocks of Civic Life
Neighborhoods -- their habits, their participants, and their values -- are what create and define value in a city and in a home. Cities need to embrace this fact if they want to preserve values and retain residents.
City of Portland Maine Cuts Urban Design and Historic Preservation Staff
The City Manager of Portland, Maine terminates 98 positions, including the Urban Designer and Historic Preservation staff, eliminates the Parks Department, and moves the Economic Development department in to the Administrative office.
Canada's 'Food Deserts'
A new study shows that supermarkets have migrated away from Canada's central and poorer neighborhoods, turning them into 'food deserts' with minimal access to more expensive food.
A Cup of Coffee and A Calico, Please
"Cat cafes" are popping up all over Tokyo, giving patrons the company of a cat -- without the burden of actually owning one. There are at least seven cat cafes in Tokyo.
New Orleans Small Business Rising from the Ruins
As proposals for big-box retail projects mount in New Orleans, many small business owners who are returning to the city worry about the coming competition. A documentary is currently being filmed about the recovering city's business atmosphere.
Is Grand Canyon Skywalk a Road to Prosperity?
This segment from NPR looks at what's happened since a Native American tribe in Arizona opened a glass-floored walkway extending over the Grand Canyon.
Amusement Park Planned for Baghdad
Investors are moving forward with plans to build an amusement park in Baghdad, arguing the Iraqi capital is in dire need of entertainment facilities. Many worry that security concerns will disrupt those plans.
A New Downtown For Las Vegas
With a volcano, an Egyptian pyramid and the Eiffel Tower already under its belt, Las Vegas is trying its hand at building something else from scratch: a downtown.
Relocation of Sports Team Could Benefit Light Rail Plans
Officials in Oklahoma is hoping to woo the Seattle Supersonics to relocate in Oklahoma City by offering tax incentives. One politician is hoping to advance plans for a light rail transit system by planting the idea with team officials.
Scaling Down Windsor, Ontario
City Hall in Windsor and the provincial government of Ontario are following the wrong path to revitalization, argue the creators of an influential website called Scaledown Windsor, who think Canada's 'motor city' needs to be reinvented.
The Transformation Of A Light Rail Corridor
Seattle's new light rail line is poised to usher in a new era for Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Though most are excited about the new development, the fear of gentrification has made some residents worry that they won't be around to reap the benefits.
When Professionals Plan Their Own Neighborhood
In Somerville, Massachusetts, a group of community residents -- many of them professional architects and planners -- have organized themselves to help the city address problems in their neighborhood.
Gray Gold: Housing The Baby Boomers
A recent working paper considers the implications of housing the nation's aging population.
To Save Detroit, Plan For A Smaller City
A recent editorial argues that Detroit must look for ways to concentrate its dwindling population in a smaller, more compact city if it is to survive.
Chinatown BID Plans Fuel Debate
Facing gentrification and skyrocketing property prices, business owners in New York's Chinatown are thinking about forming a Business Improvement District. Many say the plan would hurt small businesses.
Kalamazoo Leverages Historic Preservation As Economic Development Tool
Older buildings with lower rents have enabled new businesses to startup in this Michigan city's lively downtown.
The Managed Gentrification Of Harlem?
A delicate agreement has been reached to permit the rezoning of Harlem's main corridor for new development, but critics argue the plans for new moderate-income housing won't prevent the gentrification of one of the city's poorest neighborhoods.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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.
