Land Use
Urban Parks Grew in 2011, as Employment Declines
The 100 largest U.S. cities added 120 new parks last year, but overall spending remained largely flat. Approximately half the cities experienced cuts in their parks budgets, forcing departments to defer maintenance costs even as usership grows.
Urban Parks Go to The Dogs
According to a study by the non-profit Trust for Public Land, reporter Haya El Nasser says that dog parks are becoming the fastest-growing of city parks nationwide.
Edward Blakey Reviews Moscow Expansion Plans
University of Sydney Professor Edward Blakely has reviewed Moscow’s plan to expand the capital’s borders to the south-west by 2014 and proclaimed that they will not hamper the city’s development. The territory will more than double.
A Pedestrian Plaza for Outer Brooklyn
Public plazas aren't just for Manhattan. As part of DOT's Public Plazas program, one outer Brooklyn neighborhood has seen a traffic island turned into a pedestrian plaza. Matt Chaban reports on the praise it has earned.
London's "Pop-Up" Shopping Mall To Be One of a Kind
British entrepreneur Roger Wade has built "[t]he most environmentally friendly shopping mall ever built." 'Boxpark,' which recently opened, is composed of 60 standard size shipping containers stacked two stories high by five rows wide.
How the Suburbs Killed Our Connectivity, And How to Fix It
The deeper our sense of community, the better positioned we are to take on change, says Scott Doyon, but the leisurely lull of the suburbs may have killed our ability to work together.
Massive Mixed-Use Transit Oriented Development To Hit White Flint
In Maryland, the Washingtonian Tower has been the tallest skyscraper in Montgomery County. Developers in White Flint are proposing an even taller building that will incorporate mixed-use, transit-oriented, and retail/office development in one plan.
Janette Sadik-Khan, "Street Fighter"
MSNBC gives the NYC Transportation Commissioner the kung fu-like title, as well as calling her "The High Priestess of People-Friendly Cities." [VIDEO]
Doing it Old School with Physical Models
In this era of computer simulations, are models like the Bay Model (a giant replica of the San Francisco Bay previously used for research on estuary hydraulics and fluid dynamics) relevant? Janice Sinclaire says yes.
Regional Planners Sued for Promoting Sprawl
The Cleveland National Forest Foundation is suing SANDAG over a $200 billion transportation plan that purportedly only promotes sprawl through freeway extensions.
Pedestrian-Only Malls Failing, Opening Back Up to Cars
Tod Newcombe reports on pedestrian-only malls like Buffalo's, which after 25 years has been so unsuccessful that they want to turn it back into a road. So why are these ped malls failing?
A Plea for Quality Public Spaces
Architect and planner Alexander Garvin takes a walk through New York City's public spaces, and says the city has been paying too much attention to new buildings and not enough on the public realm.
In Some Ways, Downtown Brooklyn's Aspirations Remain Just That
A recent rezoning led to high economic hopes for downtown Brooklyn. But a more recent economic downturn seems to have undermined those expectations. Indeed, some growth has occurred, but success depends on whom you ask.
Art Creates a Sense of Place
Trail Towns, a program that promotes the economic potential of rails-to-trails systems, explains how art can create a sense of place and promote creative reuse along the trail.
Public Market to Open Over Big Dig
The Boston Public Market construction has been slow going - in fact, it's still in the blueprint stage - but officials say work will begin this summer in a site along the Rose Kennedy Greenway, the part built over the Big Dig site.
Walmart Talks Sustainability, But Keeps Sprawling
Walmart talks big about climate action, but its land-use strategy is anything but climate-friendly: It builds massive new stores on virgin land in sprawling areas, then abandons them in favor of still newer, still bigger stores, says Stacy Mitchell.
MCTS Announces Greenline, Blueline, and Redline
In Milwaukee, a new express service will operate on three new routes which will begin service on January 29th, 2012. In addition to the new service, MCTS is restructuring a number of other routes, and creating new routes as well.
Extensive Cycling Infrastructure Created By Mass Protest
The Netherlands gains the title of 'Safest Place to Cycle,' which is mainly due to their extensive infrastructure. But how did these high quality cycle paths come to exist?
Richard Florida's Most Artistic Cities
Richard Florida ranks the top ten artistic cities in America. Los Angeles takes the 4th place spot competing competing amongst other cities including New York, Santa Cruz-Watsonville, and Santa Fe.
Best Smart Growth Projects in America
This year, the Environmental Protection Agency looked at "articulate" city plans that aimed for a more sustainable future. There were five plans across that nation that were awarded for "achievement in smart growth."
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
