History / Preservation
Urban History, Coming to a TV Near You
In case your knowledge of urban history is a bit fuzzy, tune into the History Channel this week.
The World's Longest Ped Bridge
It's 1.28 miles long, spans 212 ft. above the Hudson River only 80 miles north of Manhattan, and a state park, no less, officially titled "Walkway Over the Hudson". Initially a railroad bridge that opened in 1888, it closed after a fire in 1974.
Salt Lake City Neighbors Fuming Over Teardown Ban
The Yalecrest neighborhood of Salt Lake City has been designated an historic district, and local property owners are up in arms over what they see as a taking of property rights.
Looking Back at I.M. Pei's Plan for Oklahoma City
I.M. Pei's 1964 redesign of Oklahoma City involved the destruction of more than 500 buildings. It was abandoned in the 80s. A model now on display reveals the modernist ideal that Pei envisioned and eventually failed to inspire redevelopment.
Unlike Beijing, Shanghai Preserves Some History
The government of Shanghai was ahead of the curve with preservation, creating 12 historic preservation zones in the city in 2004.
The Lasting Influence of the 1939 World's Fair
The 1939 New York World's Fair painted a picture for Americans of what they future would look like that continues to influence how the country develops. Wired has a photo-essay.
Seeking Preservation in Beijing
Wang Jun, author of two best-selling books on urban history and planning in China, became an advocate of historic preservation after watching Beijing's old city destroyed and rebuilt as skyscrapers.
Inside the World of Maps
This series from the BBC looks at the art and innovation of cartography.
Riverfront Easement Provokes Debate
In Red Wing, Minnesota, the city is seeking to turn 200-acres of marshes and forests into a permanent conservation easement. A citizen group has complained that locking down the land forever is a bad idea.
Historic Preservation is Ruining New York
Edward L. Glaeser says that historic preservation is preserving countless undeserving structures in New York, which is keeping new buildings and affordable housing from getting built.
Brasilia, 50 Years Later
Christopher Hawthorne remarks that Brasilia had an optimism that is remarkably different from today's new cities that are striving towards sustainability and preparing for eco-disasters.
WalMart vs. Preservationists at Civil War Site
In Orange County, Virginia, a battle is heating up at the site of the civil war's Battle of the Wilderness. The Board of Supervisors has approved a WalMart nearby, but preservationists are challenging the decision in court.
Saving Modernism in Palm Springs
Palm Springs is seen as a haven for Modernist architecture, but so far no local buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Agora from Athens to Atlanta: Public Space as Marketplace, Park and Center of Urban Life
The popularity of the agora, or central marketplace, has waxed and waned throughout the centuries. Park designer Richard Light looks back at the history and meaning of the agora from Ancient Greece to today.
'49 Cities' That Made a Difference
"49 Cities" is a touring exhibition that looks at the relationship between urban design and the success or failure of cities, from Levittown to ancient Rome to Le Corbusier's Radiant City.
New York City Takes Over Governor's Island
The City has reached a deal to take over 172-acres of undeveloped land from the State, and redevelopment possibilities are flooding in - public park, high school, commercial buildings, NYU satellite campus, and more.
New Series Highlights the "Shame" of New Orleans
Treme, the new TV series from David "The Wire" Simon, explores the impact of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans.
Does Land Conservation Drive Housing Costs?
A new study in the San Francisco Bay Area says no, that had there been no controls in place there would be only 6.5% more housing built over the past 50 years.
Natural Gas vs. Black History
Which is more important? A family farm settled by free African-Americans 200 years ago has a grant for historic preservation, but lies over a vast reserve of natural gas.
Preservationists Concerned About Visual Blight from Streetcars
Portland has them. So does Charlotte. But in the nation's capital, streetcar overhead wires are under fire from historic preservationists.
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
