Community / Economic Development
The One-Day Casino
To keep its gaming rights which will in turn preserve its property value, The Queen of Hearts casino must open for eight hours every two years.
Urban Planners, Butt Out!
The authors of one study assert that vibrant cities can't be engineered by the application of "nuanced criteria"; however, this has very much become the paradigm of urban planning.
Hospitals Flee Poor Areas
Unable to bear the financial burden of serving the community's poor, inner-city nonprofit hospitals have been shutting down while investing in suburban hospitals, where patients are more likely to be insured.
Branding Sustainability
Las Vegas' Union Park is a LEED-certified development that sits on a revitalized brownfield, but with no shortage of Vegas' glitz. Can smart growth be as marketable as it is environmentally good?
Not Quite Urban, Not Quite Suburban
One city in Virginia has gone from suburban to (quasi-)urban in just a few years.
Investing in Communities During the Mortgage Crisis
Former Indianapolis Mayor Stephen Goldsmith is impressed by Mayor Christopher B. Coleman's efforts to revitalize depressed areas of his city, St. Paul. Coleman keeps the focus on increasing local investment through his 'Invest St. Paul' program.
Ghost Town in Yorkville
Yorktown was a booming exurb of Chicago, until the mortgage crisis put the kibosh on a number of developments in progress. Residents of these 'ghost towns' find themselves stuck with properties they can't sell.
A Tale Of Two Theaters
The theaters are in the same city, owned by the same company, a mile apart. One is by the highway on a 14-acre lot, the other is two stories in the middle of town with underground, metered parking, and eateries on the ground level. One is closing.
Economic Thinking is Job Number One
In the midst of this financial crisis, it is doubly important to understand the economic perspective on urban planning and real estate development, argues USC Professor Peter Gordon.
Is Farmland Preservation Worthwhile?
Preserving farmland has always been a major issue in the U.S. But as Bill Fulton discusses, the local economic results don't quite justify the efforts.
Friday Funny: Cat Key to Town's Economic Development
A stray cat born and raised at a Japanese train station has been named its official stationmaster -- and become a tourist attraction that's successfully boosted the local economy by more than $10 million.
Farming in Skid Row...Vertically
Around Los Angeles' Skid Row, vertical farms have been installed on walls. Its project leaders note that it not only promotes locally grown foods, but it also beautifies areas that "would otherwise just be concrete and steel."
Affordable Housing Hits Resort Town
A new master-planned development in Whistler blends housing types, keeping in mind its local workers, full-time residents, and seniors. Most notably, however, it provides much needed affordable housing options.
From Bad to Worse in NOLA
The economic crisis is the latest hindrance to stall rebuilding efforts in New Orleans. From issues of boosting homeownership to restoring tourism, the Big Easy's road to recovery is looking bumpier than ever.
The Cost of Density
As Toronto's heritage buildings fall to disrepair, new condominiums are slated to go up in their stead, prompting outcry from preservationists.
Canada's High-Tech Hub
Ottawa's high-tech sector has burgeoned. More of its residents are employed in fields of engineering and science than in any other Canadian city, making it a high-tech hotbed not unlike those of the U.S.
Prescribing a Healthy Future For Charlotte
Charlotte faces a number of challenges in the 21st century, from rising immigration to declining industry to sprawl. This Citistates Report suggests one strategy to harbor a healthy future: go green.
The Case for the Cross-Border Region
Recognizing a need for formal cooperation between the regions in the middle of North America, the author of this article calls for a North American Central Economic Region.
Continued Demolition Threatens New Orleans Character
In post-Katrina New Orleans, a fine line exists between razing potentially deadly structures, and harnessing a zeal for wholesale redevelopment.
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
