History / Preservation

Historic buildings in downtown Los Angeles with large "Pan American Lofts" sign on side of building.

Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly

The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.

March 18, 2024 - Beverly Press

Cobblestone street with streetcar line, row of vintage streetlights on left, and colorful restaurant and shop awnings on right on River Street in Savannah, Georgia.

Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts

From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.

March 12, 2024 - Strong Towns

Pink light art installation above public plaza in Singapore by Janet Echelman.

Celebrating Women Urbanists

This International Women’s Month, we look back on our list of Most Influential Urbanists to highlight the contributions of women in urban planning and urban design.

March 12, 2024 - Planetizen

View of Statue of Liberty with New York City skyline in background

City Profile: New York City

One of the earliest urban centers in the United States, New York City is a vibrant, multicultural city with a complex set of challenges ahead of it.

March 7, 2024 - Diana Ionescu

View from between tall white brick buildings in evening in downtown Los Angeles with modern office building across street.

Federal Office Conversion Program Slow to Start

To date, no loans have closed through a federal program meant to spur office-to-residential conversions.

March 3, 2024 - Bloomberg CityLab

Black-and-white photo of street with old black model T and brick building on the corner.

The History of Racial Zoning and Housing Discrimination in the US

More than a century of discriminatory housing policy divided cities and contributed to the racial wealth gap and other social and economic inequities.

February 29, 2024 - Urban Land Magazine

Paved walkways with wood benches in green city park with large trees.

Considering Mindfulness as an Urban Planner's Tool

A recent blog post in Substack considers the appropriation of mindfulness to urban observation and, implicitly, urban planning today.

February 26, 2024 - Resurgence: A Journey via Substack

View from inside York House adaptive reuse building in London.

Adaptive Reuse: The Missing Piece to the Housing Puzzle?

Millions of square feet sit vacant while millions of Americans struggle to find affordable housing. Can reimagining our empty skyscrapers be the key to unlocking both solutions?

February 26, 2024 - Ricardo Brites

Several visitors walk around the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial, which is surrounded by cherry blossom trees in bloom with pale pink flowers.

9 Public Land Destinations to Visit This Black History Month

These national monuments, parks, and sites honor and preserve Black history in America.

February 7, 2024 - Sierra

Arched entrance sign over street to San Diego's historic Gaslamp Quarter with slogan "historic heart of San Diego."

San Diego to Update Historic Preservation Program

The city wants to identify new areas for preservation while streamlining processes to promote adaptive reuse of historic properties.

January 24, 2024 - Times of San Diego

Aerial view of the Sangay volcano in Ecuador at sunrise or sunset.

Amazonian Ruins Reveal Ancient ‘Garden Urbanism’

An archaeological site shows evidence of a unique layout of dense residential buildings interspersed with a network of roads and farmland.

January 16, 2024 - Scientific American

Close-up of historic building with green facade and curved windows in San Francisco, California.

Op-Ed: A ‘Culture of Preciousness’ Undermines Historic Preservation

A focus on historic materials could foster inequity and obscure the important social and historical meanings of a structure.

January 11, 2024 - Next City

View looking up at stone entrance arch with name and Olympic rings at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Turns 100

The historic venue celebrates its 100th anniversary, marking a century of memorable moments that include two Summer Olympic Games.

January 8, 2024 - Los Angeles Sentinel

Rendering of exterior of MARTA Five Points transit station.

Atlanta’s Five Points Station Overhaul Enters Public Review Phase

The project is part of MARTA’s effort to support more transit-oriented development in downtown Atlanta.

December 10, 2023 - Urbanize Atlanta

Aerial view of houses against partly cloudy sky in San Mateon County, California.

California Cities Cite Historic Preservation to Block Development

Are some cities using historic designations disingenuously?

December 7, 2023 - Mercury News

Outdoor public restrooms with two silver doors and icons for men, women, wheelchair accessibility, and baby changing above doors.

Baltimore Considers Public Restroom Project

The city is starting to develop a plan for adding more public restrooms downtown, where available bathrooms are scarce and historic buildings are being damaged by public urination.

December 5, 2023 - The Baltimore Banner

stack of books

Planetizen’s Top Planning Books of 2023

The world is changing, and planning with it.

November 24, 2023 - Planetizen Team

Old cemetery with weathered wooden cross grave markers in Goldfield, Nevada with mountain in background and blue sky.

Contested Property: Haunted Houses and the Anxiety of Ownership in America

Sometimes home becomes a place of fear for the least supernatural reasons.

October 31, 2023 - Diana Ionescu

View of Burj al Babas, Turkey, abandoned development of French-style chateau homes.

What Abandoned Places Teach Us

Abandoned cities and other forsaken human-built sites are haunted by the mistakes city leaders and builders have made over centuries.

October 20, 2023 - Reader's Digest

Black and white digital illustration of Newark, New Jersey town square with old clock.

Jersey City and Newark: A Tale of Renaissance and Stagnation

The rise and fall (and rise again) of two great American cities teach us lessons about racism, economic opportunity, and more.

October 19, 2023 - Marcelo Remond

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