History / Preservation

Coney Island Concepts Debated

The Municipal Art Society wants Coney Island to be bigger and more attractive, but the developer says time-share hotels and big boxes are the key the landmark's financial sustainability.

February 19, 2009 - The New York Times

Achieving Burnham's Green Vision for Chicago

Recognizing that urban greenery is crucial city dwellers' health and well-being, experts in Chicago spent the 100th anniversary of Daniel Burnham's "Plan of Chicago" by discussing ways to attain its vision.

February 18, 2009 - Medill Reports

Seeking Access To An Underground Railroad's History

A man who has been leading tours of abandoned underground railroads in New York City is hoping to gain permission to break through a 19th century brick wall below the streets to find a perfectly preserved locomotive from the mid-1800s.

February 17, 2009 - The New York Times

New Urbanism Needs To Age To Become True Urbanism

In this episode of the KunstlerCast, James Howard Kunstler looks at New Urbanism, compares it to regular urbanism, and argues that criticized New Urbanist developments will get better with age.

February 13, 2009 - KunstlerCast

New Deal Legacies Endangered

Buildings and homes built as a product of the Works Progress Administration of the 1930s are being torn down at a rate that some find unsettling.

February 11, 2009 - International Herald Tribune

Glimpsing into New Orleans' First Master Plan

The master plan will replace an outdated, complex zoning law and address urban housing, wetlands preservation, and transit, among other things. New Orleans is finally "poised for sustained growth," according to the plan's lead consultant.

February 11, 2009 - The Times-Picayune

D.C. Thwarts Apple Store

The Old Georgetown Board, the design review board of Washington, D.C.'s historic district, has voted a third time to reject Apple's bid to tear down the current building and put up one of their iconic Apple Stores.

February 5, 2009 - National Trust For Historic Preservation

Town Chooses Between History and Housing

Some Chelmsofrd, MA residents think gutting their historic town halls--one vacant for 20 years--to bring in much-needed affordable housing units is a great idea. But some still find the idea of marring such architectural icons unacceptable.

February 4, 2009 - Lowell Sun Online

Friday Funny: Historic, or Just Plain Lewd?

Hoare Road, East Breast, and North Piddle are actual place names that get a chuckle out of most people. But when it comes to the more "aesthetically unsuitable" names, feelings are divided.

January 30, 2009 - The New York Times

Comeback for Little Rock's Little Rock

The rock after which Little Rock, AR is named will be excavated to cap off the revitalization of the city's riverfront. No one knows how much of the rock, estimated to be 300 million years old, is left, which raises the question: Is it worth it?

January 29, 2009 - The Wall Street Journal

A Historic District, In Name

This piece from Preservation magazine looks at how historic districts in Portland fall short in preventing incompatible uses.

January 27, 2009 - Preservation

Coney Island Brings in Residences and Retail

Highlights of the Coney Island revival plan include new housing, shops, and recreational facilities--which some say have no place in the historic amusement district.

January 21, 2009 - New York Daily News

Beijing Disappearing

Wrecking crews continue to clear the old hutongs of Beijing, replacing them with modern streets and skyscrapers. Meanwhile, a handful of scavengers work to save pieces of history from the wreckage.

January 20, 2009 - The New York Times

Creating Sustainability in Oregon

The master plan for Salem, Oregon's Pringle Creek Community is ambitious, says Jim Fitzsimons, incorporating mixed-use, sustainable development with the community-enhancing aspects of old city neighborhoods.

January 17, 2009 - Terrain.org: A Journal of the Built & Natural Environments

'Distinctive Destinations' for 2009

The National Trust for Historic Preservation has released their annual dozen 'distinctive destinations', vacation spots that rank high in authenticity, beauty, and of course, preservation. Franklin, Tennessee is one of the lesser-known locales.

January 15, 2009 - preservationnation.org

Mapped History of Manhattan's Waterways

Interactive maps of Manhattan from 1865 and 2008 are overlayed in this piece from The New York Moon that discusses the history of the island's waterways.

January 15, 2009 - The New York Moon

Can Brutalism Clash with Religious Exercise?

A Washington, D.C. church contends that its current facility, a historic Brutalist buildling, interferes with its theology and should be able to replace it with something more "welcoming" and fitting with "the scale of the community."

January 14, 2009 - The Christian Science Monitor

Preserving Cuba's Urban Quality

As U.S.-Cuba relations evolve with a new presidential administration, author Richard Louv argues that officials should be careful about relying on commerce to save the country's decaying urban areas without preserving them.

January 12, 2009 - Citiwire

Art Invades New Delhi, Comments On Changing City

Public art installations around New Delhi highlights the challenges of preserving India's heritage amidst development. 'We ask people to think about constructing a modern city and the accompanying extinction and loss,' says artist Ravi Agrawal.

January 5, 2009 - Washington Post

Re-Creating Historic Places - But Why?

Plans to construct a replica of a German palace in Berlin are being met with confusion and derision. It's a project that many critics say has no point.

January 5, 2009 - International Herald Tribune

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.