History / Preservation
Adaptively Reusing Brooklyn's Industrial Spaces
Preservationists say that there are better ways to use buildings along Brooklyn's industrial waterfront than to demolish them.
The Experts' Picks for Prettiest Towns in America
Travel writers, photographers, and an urban designer selected by Forbes have named the 20 prettiest towns in America; their varied definitions of "prettiness" are reflected in their choices.
Preserving Land to Save Money
Voters in suburban Minnesota will vote on whether to invest $10 million to preserve a closed golf course. Or they could save the $10 million and allow a developer to build houses. But many say it will be cheaper in the long term to buy now.
Scranton, PA - Not What You Think!
In this election, Scranton has come to symbolize blue-collar America, with visits by all four national candidates, parodied on Saturday Night Live, as well as the scene of NBC’s The Office. But the city is in a turnaround after decades of decline.
Wasting Resources and Destroying History
Preservation of iconic buildings is important for historical reasons as well as environmental one, according to actress and preservationist Diane Keaton.
When A Road Is More Than Just A Road
Brooklyn’s Ocean Parkway is one of America’s most 'elegant' roads. Designed by landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux to replicate the grand European Boulevards; opened in 1876, it was designated a landmark by NYC 100 years later
Is Farmland Preservation Worthwhile?
Preserving farmland has always been a major issue in the U.S. But as Bill Fulton discusses, the local economic results don't quite justify the efforts.
The Cost of Density
As Toronto's heritage buildings fall to disrepair, new condominiums are slated to go up in their stead, prompting outcry from preservationists.
Neon Signs Fading in Chicago
Chicago preservationists are urging owners of the last of the city's neon signs to keep them intact.
The Humble Beginnings of Mega Chain Stores
Where did today's biggest chain stores got their start? Roger Wade offers background and photos from fifteen mega-chains original locations, from from WalMart to Taco Bell.
The Ephemeral Shopping Mall
Harundale Mall, one of the first enclosed malls built in the country, is now a strip mall. This article contains an examination of its somber decline and the direction in which Harundale--and other malls--may be headed next.
Margot Gayle, Historic Preservationist, Dies at 100
A crusader for preserving New York's cast-iron historic buildings died Sunday at 100. The Times looks back at her legacy.
The First All-Black Town in the U.S.
Founded in the 1880s, Eatonville, FL was the first all-African American town to be incorporated in the U.S. It is also the childhood home of writer Zora Neale Hurston. Today, the community strives to balance its history and the future.
History Trumps Art on San Francisco Waterfront
Over the past few years, San Francisco's waterfront has become home to art pieces like an enormous, cartoony bow and arrow and a giant spider. Labor historians have a different idea: A five-story crane built in the early 1970s for loading coconuts.
A Tale of Two Towns, And What Makes Them 'Authentic'
Rick Cole, city manager of Azusa and now Ventura, reflects on what 'authenticity' really means for towns struggling to balance identity with new development.
LNG Terminal Threatens Status of World Heritage Site
The government of Quebec's approval of a massive Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility near Quebec City may threaten the city's status as a World Heritage site.
Judge To City: Stop The Manhattanization Of Downtown!
In a huge blow to a city already polarized by a ballot-box planning initiative affecting open space on the November ballot, a judge has halted downtown redevelopment by rejecting the Environmental Impact Report in part because of the 'shadow effect'.
The Unseen City Icons
This piece from Discover looks at the iconic "invisible" things that define cities -- like Seattle's clouds, Houston's air conditioning, and L.A.'s Botox.
Hong Kong Sprawls Into the Ocean
One man's personal quest to save the beauty of Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor from rampant development.
The Middle East's 'Urban Prison'
In this article from Progressive Planning, Tom Angotti looks at Gaza and the land use regulations that have imposed an "urban apartheid".
Pagination
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions