Land Use

A pop-up park in Williamsburg has brought bike tracks, an urban farm, an outdoor 'reading room', and other amenities to Brooklyn's historically industrial waterfront. Can the temporary oasis bring lasting change to its users?

July 22, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

The three finalists vying to redevelop 67-acres of Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Northwest Washington unveiled their vastly different visions for the historic site in public presentations this past week.

July 21, 2013 - Washington City Paper

For Alan Durning, curb-parking territoriality is the root cause of many of America's urban ills, from housing affordability to economic vitality. He describes the circumstances that've led to the current state of affairs and introduces the way out.

July 21, 2013 - Grist

When people think of Moscow, they're unlikely to envision lush green landscapes. But over the last two decades, thanks to a burgeoning environmental movement, the city has rapidly expanded its protected green space.

July 21, 2013 - POLIS

Over the heckles of hundreds of residents opposed to higher density and the two regional planning agencies making the decision, the Bay Area's growth plan designed to cut carbon emissions 15% by 2040 through better planning was approved.

July 20, 2013 - Pleasanton Weekly

As the Occupy Movement, Gezi Park protests, and everyday urban reclamation projects demonstrate, power and politics are embedded in place. As public spaces disappear, reclaiming the commons becomes increasingly important, say Leo Hollis.

July 20, 2013 - Aeon

Tasked with developing a plan for how D.C.'s underperforming neighborhoods could improve their attraction to shoppers and retailers, consultants Streetsense whittled down hundreds of factors into an 8-step guide to creating vibrant retail streets.

July 20, 2013 - Elevation DC

Urban Land looks at the reinvention of America's inner-ring suburbs. The authors explore the challenges of mixing uses, integrating cars and attaining authenticity as planners and developers seek the right recipe for the next big wave of development.

July 20, 2013 - Urban Land

NYC's revised plan for rezoning the area known as East Midtown met with a chilly reception from a variety of community and interest groups when unveiled last week. Planners are trying to finalize the controversial plan before Mayor Bloomberg exits.

July 20, 2013 - The New York Times

While cities are growing, it's comparatively easy to keep a healthy balance sheet. But for cities like Charlotte, managing the transition from a growth economy to economic sustainability is a treacherous one. Aaron Renn delivers a cautionary tale.

July 19, 2013 - Governing

A pilot program will reserve 900 on-street parking spaces for car-sharing vehicles. While the number of spaces is just .3 percent of the on-street supply, the program is expected to generate controversy in a city "where parking is at a premium".

July 19, 2013 - San Francisco Chronicle

Vexed in your attempts to capture the true character of a place through photographs? Richard I'Anson shares the secrets to taking great city snapshots.

July 19, 2013 - The Guardian

Civic Entrepreneurs, or 'Visionistas', are the dedicated, creative, and perhaps a little crazy, citizens who dream up big ideas for transforming a city, or their piece of it. Otis White suggests how we can encourage such dreamers to become doers.

July 18, 2013 - Governing

Wasn't the era of the shopping mall supposed to be over? City Creek Center, the retractable roof-topped luxury shopping center financed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is being credited with breathing new life into Salt Lake City.

July 18, 2013 - The New York Times

A mapping effort led by a group of cartographers called the Spatial Collective is helping to make visible what it's like to live in the Nairobi slum of Mathare. By giving form to the informal settlement, its problems are being made evident.

July 17, 2013 - NPR

Are we on the brink of a third industrial revolution? Guest 'PlaceShaker' Scott Bernstein thinks maybe, and looks to past successes for key patterns and ideas for injecting walkability into areas with industrial or 'special' uses.

July 17, 2013 - PlaceShakers

No form of energy production comes without controversy, including solar, despite it being renewable. In advance of the world's largest solar thermal plant opening in Calif's Mojave Desert, KQED's Lauren Sommer shows both sides of the green debate.

July 17, 2013 - KQED Science

According to economist Christopher Thornberg, sky-high housing prices in California indicate a state suffering from an acute housing shortage. In an op-ed for the LA Times, he argues that local interest groups and "populist politicians" are to blame.

July 17, 2013 - Los Angeles Times

Where the Boston area's water supply once gushed, pedestrians and bikes will now flow thanks to a plan to repurpose the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority's aqueducts as public spaces.

July 16, 2013 - The Boston Globe

After less than a year on the job, Vancouver's planning manager is under fire for controversial proposals. Do the recent misfires reflect poor messaging, tight budgets, and short timelines; or a more fundamental problem with the city's leaders?

July 16, 2013 - The Globe and Mail