Land Use
Reviewing Recent Books on Cities
In reviewing a handful of new books looking at cities and how they work, this piece from The New Yorker glosses over the current thinking behind the urban conversation and wonders if city celebration has gone too far.
The Kibbutz Goes Suburban
The Israeli kibbutz, long a bastion of modest communal living, is being co-opted by suburban-style development that wants the benefits of socialist coexistence and single-family homes, writes reporter Shanee Shiloh in Ha'aretz.
Wendell Cox Blames Planners for Housing Crisis
Smart Growth opponent Wendell Cox clamors that land use regulations imposed by Smart Growth exacerbate the ongoing housing woes.
Dwindling Sprawl: The End is Near for Suburbia
As mobile technology is fast becoming more mainstream, Urban Land Institute's CEO Patrick Phillips envisages more mixed-use developments in the next decade.
Discrimination Dressed Up As Discriminating Taste
In this post from Reason, Tim Cavanaugh joins the debate over preservation holding back the city, and argues that land use regulations have a wholesale negative impact on the city.
St. Louis Streetcar On Path to Revival
Plans to revive a decades-dead streetcar loop in St. Louis are gathering steam.
A Pool in the River
This Kickstarter campaign is hoping to raise money to build a floating pool in the waters around New York City that use and filter river water to provide a public swimming facility.
Conan O'Brien's Streetscape Improvements to Proposed 'Conan O'Brien Blvd.'
In response to Chicago's recent naming of a street in honor of Oprah Winfrey, late night TV host Conan O'Brien has suggested having his own street in L.A., along with various streetscape improvements.
South Korea to Build New Capital for Southern Sudan
The new country of Southern Sudan, officially declaring its independence in July, will have help from the national development arm of South Korea in building a proposed new capital city.
Secret Plans for Chinese Version of Austrian Village Irk Locals
Plans to build a copy of a scenic Austrian village in China have irked officials in Hallstatt, Austria, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Urban Development Shifts Reduce Driving
The patterns of urban development over the past few decades have pushed more and more people into cars by necessity. But as design priorities change, so are people's walking and driving habits.
Old Airport to Become Large Urban Campground
An old disused airport in Brooklyn will be converted into an urban campground, expanding from its current 5 campsites to more than 600.
Which is the Real Culprit, Growth or Cars?
Jeff Wood of Reconnecting America interviewed a variety of thought leaders at the recent Congress for the New Urbanism. In this video, he talks with Jeff Tumlin about getting Santa Monica, California to embrace growth.
Density, Closer to the Ground
Vancouver, Canada, famous for its dense downtown development, is changing tack slightly with a transit corridor from downtown to the airport, bringing building heights down mostly to 4 to 12 stories.
Tear Down the Freeway, Or Fix It Up?
That's the dilemma with Interstate 81 in Syracuse, NY, an elevated freeway that cuts through the center of the city. At the end of its life expectancy, planners are debating its fate.
A Call for More Pedestrian-Only Streets
Jay Walljasper says U.S. cities are greatly lacking in pedestrian-only shopping districts, and points to their success in Europe as a model.
The "Trivial Profession" of Urban Planning
In the new book of essays Reconsidering Jane Jacobs, Thomas J. Campanella says that noteworthy to practicing planners in 2011 is the final essay by Thomas J. Campanella wonders if urban planning is at risk of becoming trivial.
Realizing Fast-Forward Urbanism
Top-down and bottom-up planning are brushed aside in favor of the concept of a middle ground approach in the new book "Fast-Forward Urbanism: Rethinking Architecture's Engagement with the City". It could work, according to this review.
The Temporary Stadium
As London prepares to host the 2012 Summer Olympics, plans for a temporary basketball stadium that can be removed after the event are offering a new way to look at the event and its potential for creating venues with no long-term usability.
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
