History / Preservation

Streetcar Graveyard

Friday Eye Candy: All 1,000 Miles of Southern California's Historic Rail Network

An intrepid mapmaker has created a stunning map of the Pacific Electric Railway System, the old public transit system for L.A. and surrounding environs, once the largest trolley system in the world.

September 7, 2018 - L.A. Taco

Equal Justice Initiative

Unequivocal Praise for the National Memorial for Peace and Justice

The Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, opened in April, are worthy memorials to one of the nation's greatest tragedies, according to this review.

September 4, 2018 - The Dallas Morning News

Chicago Three-Flats

Classic Chicago Residential Architecture Disappearing Quickly

A recent report by the DePaul University Institute for Housing Studies finds the number of two-flats, three-flats, and four-flats in quick decline among the residential building stock of Chicago.

September 3, 2018 - Chicago Tribune

Renderings Alamo Master Plan

Alamo Plaza Revitalization Takes Small, Controversial Step Forward

Revitalization plans for the Alamo Plaza are moving forward, controversially, in San Antonio. The hope is to have investments complete by the 300th anniversary of the Alamo in 2024.

September 2, 2018 - San Antonio Express-News

Electric Cars

Oregon Supreme Court Rejects Challenge by AAA to Stop Electric Vehicle Rebates

A controversial new sales tax on motor vehicles in a state with no sales taxes survived a court challenge. As a result, Oregon consumers will have another reason to consider purchasing or leasing an electric vehicle: receiving up to a $5,000 rebate.

August 9, 2018 - Utility Dive

General P.G.T. Beauregard equestrian statue

What Do You Do With Controversial Monuments and Statues?

Cities around the country are scrambling with ways to accommodate monuments to a past that many consider as oppressive.

August 8, 2018 - National Public Radio

Seattle View

How Setting Makes a Place: A Seattle Retrospective

Chuck Wolfe reflects on his rapidly changing hometown, arguing that Seattle’s signature location and setting—however rearranged by the regrades of the past, Freeway Park, or a pending James Corner-led waterfront remake—remains for all to see.

August 7, 2018 - Crosscut

Boyle Heights

Why L.A.'s Boyle Heights Matters to Anti-Gentrification Activists

The historically Latino working class neighborhood is a frequent touchstone in debates over gentrification in Los Angeles. That history goes back decades and colors residents' perceptions.

August 4, 2018 - BOOM: A Journal of California

California Water

Los Angeles (and Climate Change) Seriously Threaten Air Quality at Mono Lake

With water levels habitually low, officials from the Eastern Sierra say they are "headed for a showdown” with L.A.

July 23, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Pipeline Politics Ruffle NATO Summit

At the NATO Summit in Brussels last Wednesday, President Trump charged that Germany was captive to Russia because of its dependence on Russian natural gas, and a new, controversial pipeline from Russia to Germany will exacerbate its dependency.

July 15, 2018 - The Washington Post

Washington, D.C. Apartment

What Do Affordable Housing Developers Think of California's Potential Rent Control Initiative?

A California November 2018 ballot initiative seeking to repeal the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act could have unintended consequences, according to Related California's Bill Witte.

July 9, 2018 - The Planning Report

Mattapan Trolley

Future of Historic Mattapan Trolleys Still Uncertain

The 72-year-old trolley system is beloved by local riders, but difficult to maintain.

July 8, 2018 - Boston Globe

The 1960s

Mourning the Loss of the Dairy Queen in Rural Texas

As populations shrink, small towns are losing an important place to get together,,

June 27, 2018 - Houston Chronicle

Regrets of an Accidental Placemaker

My pitches for space usually centered around the developer’s needs and not the needs of the neighborhood or its residents. I didn’t pay much attention to what impact those events would have on the surrounding neighborhoods.

June 27, 2018 - Shelterforce/Rooflines

Detroit, Michigan

Ford Planning Residential Units in its Detroit Train Station Adaptive Reuse

Ford will treat the Michigan Central Depot to a mixed-use adaptation.

June 21, 2018 - Detroit Free Press

Mayan City

The Ancient Roots of New Urbanism

The planning values and principles of New Urbanism are deeply rooted in human history. What does this look like, and what can we learn from it? The archaeology of an ancient Mayan city sheds some light.

June 19, 2018 - Dean Saitta

Central Park

The Uses Of Urban Theory

Eminent urban scholar Richard Sennett populates Building and Dwelling with rich discussions of history, philosophy, and theory—as well as strolls through contemporary cities.

June 19, 2018 - Los Angeles Review of Books

Michigan Central Deport

The Massive Significance of Ford's Move into Detroit's Abandoned Michigan Central Depot

Ford has confirmed its plan to move into the Michigan Central Depot in Detroit.

June 17, 2018 - Detroit Free Press

San Diego Gaslamp District

Looking Back to Find the Future of San Diego

An advocacy group is republishing the 1974 regional plan for sustainability, and finding that it's just as relevant now as it was then.

June 13, 2018 - Bisnow

Texas Suburb

Study: There's a Lot of Vacant Land in Texas Cities

All that empty acreage means that these big, rapidly developing cities don’t really have to sprawl.

June 11, 2018 - CommercialCafe

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.

Senior Manager Operations, Urban Planning

New York City School Construction Authority

Building Inspector

Village of Glen Ellyn

Manager of Model Development

Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.