Land Use

When city leaders proposed redeveloping the South Lake Union area of Seattle, they made big promises for job growth. Just a few years in, their expectations have already been exceeded.

August 30, 2011 - The Seattle Times

The annual Burning Man festival is underway in Nevada, and this piece from The New York Times looks at the urban plan that undergirds the event.

August 30, 2011 - The New York Times

Franklin, Massachusetts tied for last place in WalkScore's ranking of walkability in the state. Taryn Plumb says the city isn't taking the ranking in stride.

August 29, 2011 - The Boston Globe

In Antelope Valley, Calif., questionable code enforcement practices encroach the Fifth Amendment taking clause while the obfuscation of facts by public officials mars the transparent aspect of the planning process.

August 27, 2011 - Boing Boing

Developers in Frederick, ND are aiming to build "green" homes that middle income buyers can afford. The homes are sporting features such as, solar panels, geothermal heating and high-tech computer systems that are typically found in high end homes.

August 27, 2011 - The Washington Post

Alyse Nelson takes a look at a handful of alleys that were transformed from crusty dumping grounds into beautiful urban spaces.

August 27, 2011 - SightlineDaily

Joining Yelp, Net-A-Porter, and Apple, tech companies find a new hub in Union Square (aka "Silicon Square").

August 27, 2011 - The Wall Street Journal

Saqib Rahim asks, "If Denver is committed to transit, how much parking should it build?"

August 26, 2011 - The New York Times

Graffiti artists from around the world were invited to transform the brutalist post-war architecture of Bristol, England's Nelson Street.

August 26, 2011 - Tim Maughan Books

The success of the 2012 Olympics in London likely won't be evident until after the event, which is seeking to repurpose a down-and-out part of town into a new neighborhood.

August 26, 2011 - London Evening Standard

Plans are moving ahead to convert Berlin's Tempelhof airfield into the city's newest park.

August 25, 2011 - The Wall Street Journal

Urbanist Peter Kageyama's new book suggests that the "loveability" of a city as a factor in its success is greatly underappreciated. Mike Lydon has this review.

August 25, 2011 - Mike Lydon

As San Francisco prepares to host the 2013 America's Cup regatta, plans to use parts of the city's scenic waterfront for spectators' yacht parking edge too far into the public realm, according to this piece from the San Francisco Chronicle.

August 25, 2011 - San Francisco Chronicle

Roger Valdez set out to read and review the entire land use code of the city of Seattle. Now that he's done, he says it's time to rewrite the whole thing.

August 25, 2011 - Crosscut

A new report from the London School of Economics looks at the “cycling economy” that is taking the United Kingdom by storm and the economic benefits generated by individual cyclists.

August 25, 2011 - TheCityFix.com

GOOD Magazine writes about Chicago's O'Hare International Airport dedicating 2,400 square feet of vacant space to on-site beekeeping.

August 24, 2011 - GOOD Magazine

Infrastructure costs are towering in the U.S., but much of that could be because of old habits in road building. This column looks at how cities and states can reduce their infrastructure costs.

August 23, 2011 - Citiwire

Portland, Oregon is already known for having a strict policy regarding its urban growth boundary. A new 50-year plan designates large rural reserves, while also holding large areas as urban reserves for possible future development.

August 22, 2011 - The Oregonian

The BMW Guggenheim Lab has released an online urban planning game called "Urbanology," which asks a serious of questions to determine the type of city you think is the future.

August 22, 2011 - TheCityFix.com

In Seattle's Green Lake neighborhood, a local with a wicked sense of humor has taken planning into his/her own hands, posting a plan to turn an empty eyesore of a lot into a public park.

August 21, 2011 - Boing Boing