History / Preservation
Turmoil on Memphis' Signature Street
Memphis' Beale Street is famous as a home of the blues and one of the city's biggest tourist attractions. Even so, been it's mismanaged and is often empty. With some conflicts settled, the city hopes to realize the street's value as a civic asset.
Southern Cities Seek Balance Between Preservation and Modernity
In the wake of recent tragedy, cities like Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia still take pride in their architectural heritage. Debate abounds over whether modern architecture should be given freer rein.
11 of the Most Endangered Historic Places in the United States
The National Trust for Historic Preservation has announced the 2015 edition of its annual list of the most endangered historic locations in the United States.
The Early History of the 'Smart Cities' Movement—in 1974 Los Angeles
An article in Boom: A Journal of California extends the timeline of "smart cities" and "big data" efforts by a considerable amount—all the way back to the late 1960s.
Mapping the Age of Every Building in Los Angeles
Developed using open data from local government sources, built: LA is a mapping tool that displays the age of every building in the county. Much of the area's built environment is surprisingly old.
The Man Who Made Chicago Easy to Navigate
Edward Brennan waged an extended turn-of-the-century campaign to clean up Chicago's then-confusing address numbering system. Though few recognize his name, Brennan's legacy lives on in modern Chicago.
Paterson: A Postindustrial Portrait
Once a major industrial hub, Paterson, NJ has experienced urban decline since the end of World War II. But the city is rich with history and opportunities for revival. The article chronicles how the city can avail these opportunities through design.
Report: How Did Reagan More than Double the Gas Tax in 1982?
A new report by the Eno Center for Transportation looks at the landmark five cent gas tax increase of 1982, more than doubling the existing tax, and explores its relevance to today's federal transportation funding crisis.
'Big, Excellent News' for Dallas Preservationists
The Dallas City Council surprised everyone by reversing early indications of reticence and giving full support to the recommendations of the Historic Preservation Task Force.
Composing Cosmopolis
It’s wise to search widely across time and space for good examples of processes and products for intercultural city building.
USGS Map Archive Now Easily Accessible
The U.S. Geological Survey has introduced topoView, an intuitive map-based tool making it far simpler to search and access its archive of 178,000 topographical maps dating from 1880 to 2010.
Demolitions Increased After Vancouver's 'Heritage Action Plan' Took Effect
Vancouver, British Columbia's Heritage Action Plan went into effect in January of this year. According to an article in the Vancouver Courier, the policy has failed to achieve its intended goals.
How 3D Laser Scanning Helped Save Earthquake Damaged Buildings in Napa
The 3D scan provided a safe and quick solution for potential restoration, rehabilitation, and preservation by capturing thousands of points a second and creates a virtual photograph of the object that it scans.
Debate: YIMBY vs. Preservation in New York City
New York magazine recently convened a debate between two leading voices of an ongoing conversation in New York City: what to build and what to preserve.
Bay Area's Newest Commuter Rail Service on Display
The Northwestern Pacific RR served Marin and Sonoma counties and the North Coast in the 1890s. The route of the new SMART train, while not as long, will run in the same right-of-way, starting next year. One new train was on display in San Rafael.
The Real Story Behind the Death of Streetcars in the United States
Yes, there was a conspiracy led by General Motors to replace streetcars with their buses in the 1930s. But streetcars were dying well before then, due to competition with the automobile and other reasons apart from nefarious corporate collusions.
MoMA Exhibit Explores Latin American Architecture
A new exhibit at MoMA celebrates the "fitfully idealistic" architecture of Latin America, 1955 through 1980. Broad in scope, the exhibition ranges from Brasília's bold utopianism to the community-focused tactics of Bo Bardi.
Preservation Task Force Hits a Wall in Dallas City Council
Big questions remain about how Dallas will address preservation controversies in the future. Meanwhile the past hangs in the balance.
Los Angeles (Temporarily) Bans New McMansions
Concerns about out-of-character construction, much of it oversized, has led the Los Angeles City Council to prohibit construction of additional 'McMansions.' In some areas, all new development will be held up for two years.
Not All Preservationists Are NIMBYs
In the quest for density and infill, preservationists often stand beside those who want static cities. But both preservation and density can be ideologies, and thoughtful land use demands a nuanced middle ground.
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.
Greater Baltimore Committee
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association
