Community / Economic Development
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.
Wave of Bankruptcies Will 'Remake' Shopping Malls Across the Country
Thousands of stores across the country face closure as the credit crisis curtails consumer spending, and chain retailers file for bankruptcy.
Sustaining Our $1.2 Billion Daily Gasoline Habit
Gas prices have risen dramatically and continue to rise, with oil topping $110 per barrel. How are we paying for it, and who benefits? The News Hour's Ray Suarez interviews oil expert Lisa Margonelli for answers.
Los Angeles Taco Trucks in Trouble
Mobile taco trucks in Los Angeles may face tougher fines for parking in any one place for too long if proposed restrictions are passed by the county.
A Final Plea For Transit In Southwest Michigan
If local officials don't come together with a workable plan, Detroit may just blow its last chance to implement a regional transportation system.
The Explosive Growth of Homestead, Florida
Perhaps named as a self-fulfilling prophecy, the last seven years have brought unprecedented residential growth to Homestead, Florida. Commercial development is just trying to keep up.
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
