History / Preservation

Conversion Of Rail Line To Bus Guideway Incites Preservationists

Locals in two British villages have rallied together to save a 160-year old train station, which is faces demolition as an unused rail line is converted to the country's longest bus guideway.

May 25, 2007 - BBC

Beijing's Hutongs Falling Victim To Development Pressure

As property prices spiral upward in Beijing, some tenants in the city's 600-year-old hutong alleyways are rushing to cash in on their neighborhoods' destruction.

May 25, 2007 - The Christian Science Monitor

Egypt's Westernized Suburbs Leave Some Uncomfortable

Western-style suburban developments near Cairo, Egypt, have many concerned that about the loss of local culture.

May 23, 2007 - The Los Angeles Times

Land Use Measures Face Hurdles Before Ballot

Lawmakers in Arizona are hoping to get two land-use measures on the ballot that would allow the state to sell off trust land to conservationists, and make right-of-way lands available for road construction.

May 18, 2007 - The Business Journal of Phoenix

Historic Rail Corridor Dilemma: Rails to Trails or Rails?

Rail buffs hope to run a tourist train on an unused rail line in the Sierra foothills outside of Sacramento, but there are concerns that it would prevent the corridor from being used as a recreational trail for hikers, bikers and equestrians.

May 17, 2007 - The Sacramento Bee

Train Tunnel Excavation Reveals Artifacts

Transportation engineers in Rome have uncovered a hotbed of buried ancient Roman artifacts as they dig tunnels for a planned underground train system.

May 16, 2007 - The Guardian

What Happens When A City Bans Advertising?

When South America's largest city banned billboards, neon signs, and all other forms of outdoor advertising, an unexpected cityscape emerged and previously unnoticed problems were revealed.

May 14, 2007 - On The Media

High Speed Train Tunnel Compromises Landmark Cathedral's Foundation

Transportation planners in Spain have proposed building a tunnel for a high speed train system which would run directly underneath a cathedral designed in the late 1800s by Antoni Gaudí. Experts say the tunnel could cause the cathedral to crumble.

May 10, 2007 - International Herald Tribune

Young Preservationists Fight For Old Buildings

The many of the city's leading preservation professionals are under 40 -- demonstrating a generational interest in protecting the historic character of urban areas.

May 3, 2007 - The New York Sun

Residents Fight Condos To Preserve Historically Black Neighborhood

Local residents are fighting against plans to build condos and redevelop a historically black section of Los Angeles, a move that they fear will gentrify their neighborhood.

May 1, 2007 - The York Dispatch

Locals Oppose Scale Of Apartment Complex In National Park

The Presidio of San Francisco -- the nation's only privately-operated National Park -- has been trying for years to redevelop one of its buidings into an apartment complex. Citing local concerns, a recent proposal for 350 units has been denied.

April 30, 2007 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Preservation And Planning Roadblocks For Developers In Historic Cities

Creating new developments in historic European cities is a struggle for developers, who often endure long waits for planning approval and strong opposition from preservationists.

April 28, 2007 - International Herald Tribune

Give And Take In The National Parks

Despite objections, the National Park Service will continue to allow "bioprospecting" in the parks - a practice some environmentalists say opens the door to exploitation, but which scientists contend has very little environmental impact.

April 19, 2007 - E, The Environmental Magazine

Thoreau's Walden May Become A Soccer Field

This report from NPR looks at a Massachusetts school's efforts to build soccer fields in part of the forest Henry David Thoreau wrote about in his book Walden.

April 17, 2007 - NPR

The Everyday Urbanism Of Brooklyn's Jamaica Avenue

Away from New York City's gentrified neighborhoods, there exists the middle class, ethnically diverse, and incredibly unglamorous neighborhoods of Brooklyn's Jamaica Avenue.

April 16, 2007 - The New York Times

Another Groundbreaking For 2nd Avenue Subway

On April 12, for the third time in 35 years, there will be a groundbreaking for the long-awaited Second Avenue subway in NYC. This article reveals the troubled history for this long-awaited subway line.

April 11, 2007 - The New York Times

'Historic Value' Prevents Teardown Of Ranch-Style Home

Preservationists have petitioned the city and stopped a homeowner from tearing down the 1950s ranch-style home he recently purchased, citing the home's historic value.

April 9, 2007 - The Chicago Tribune

Facing Urban Renewal, Montreal's Red-Light District Gathers Defenders

City officials in Montreal want to clean up its red-light district, targeting the notoriously X-rated area as the first site for urban renewal in the city. But many say the area's heritage and soul are worth preserving.

April 9, 2007 - The Globe and Mail

Historic Preservation Or 'Architectural Taxidermy'?

A number of historic buildings in Chicago are being preserved -- but only on the outside. Developers have bent the rules of preservation to repurpose historic buildings as parking garages and luxury condos while preserving only their facades.

April 9, 2007 - The Chicago Tribune

Increase In Open Space For Portland Region

The regional government in Portland, Oregon, has set its sights on buying up thousands of acres of scenic lands for open space and parks. The voter-approved buy is part of a plan to improve many of the region's public spaces.

April 3, 2007 - The Oregonian

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