Land Use

Managing Editor Tim Halbur selects his favorite books for designing and planning public spaces.

February 23, 2009 - Tim Halbur

The world is facing a water crisis, and existing development and management practices are only making it worse. This interview with water expert Peter Gleick looks at what's being done wrong and how it can be done right.

February 22, 2009 - The Nation

In an effort to get a more precise look at the city and its distinct neighborhoods, the Los Angeles Times is starting a collaborative mapping project to set clear and adaptable boundaries for L.A.'s neighborhoods.

February 22, 2009 - Los Angeles Times

An ambitious bill encouraging dense, transit-oriented development in the Seattle area has drawn negative responses from residents who criticize its "one-size-fits-all" approach.

February 21, 2009 - Seattle Post-Intelligencer

A suburban city near Austin tried to beautify with a parking ordinance, but city leaders are rethinking it.

February 21, 2009 - Austin American-Statesman

America's suburbs are no longer impervious to "slumming," as low income earners are forced into places that were once firmly middle class. Therefore, researchers say, anti-poverty measures should go beyond mere suburb relocation.

February 19, 2009 - Miller-McCune

The Municipal Art Society wants Coney Island to be bigger and more attractive, but the developer says time-share hotels and big boxes are the key the landmark's financial sustainability.

February 19, 2009 - The New York Times

Housing on city fringes may be cheaper, but research has shown that after a certain threshold (about 15 miles), the high cost of commuting is no longer offset by it.

February 19, 2009 - Natural Resources Defense Council

APA President Robert B. Hunter is the center of an investigation in Hillsborough County over whether his retirement and subsequent application to be rehired resulted in "double-dipping" at the taxpayer's expense.

February 19, 2009 - 10Connects.com

Its history of pollution dates back to the Civil War, but 25 years after being declared a Superfund site, Woburn's Industri-plex in Massachusetts is just about cleaned up. A retail complex there has opened recently.

February 18, 2009 - The Boston Globe

A new study shows that walks in the park are more beneficial than those on city streets, in terms of memory and attention. The natural scenery requires less direct attention, so it's sharper when needed next.

February 18, 2009 - The McGill Tribune

Recognizing that urban greenery is crucial city dwellers' health and well-being, experts in Chicago spent the 100th anniversary of Daniel Burnham's "Plan of Chicago" by discussing ways to attain its vision.

February 18, 2009 - Medill Reports

NYT columnist David Brooks compares the dreams for a more compact, less car-dependent lifestyle of many urban planners with the findings of a Pew Research poll on the types of communities Americans want to live in, and they are not like Amsterdam.

February 17, 2009 - The New York Times

When it comes to carbon emissions, dense cities are better for the environment than anything else, says economists Edward L. Glaeser of Harvard and Matthew Kahn of UCLA. And right now we're inhibiting building where we should be encouraging it.

February 17, 2009 - City Journal

More than $1 billion has been invested in a Vancouver slum area, but little improvement can be seen, according to this investigation from The Globe and Mail.

February 17, 2009 - The Globe and Mail

Manners Mall in Wellington, NZ, has been closed to all vehicles since the seventies. The City Council wants to restore buses through the walkway to improve service.

February 16, 2009 - The Dominion Post

This point-counterpoint from Building Design debates whether the British can design good public spaces.

February 14, 2009 - Building Design

Target Field is the forthcoming ballpark for the Minnesota Twins, and the team and their sponsor recently unveiled their plans for the public space in front of the park. Designs include 40 ft. topiary and a giant bronze glove.

February 13, 2009 - Minneapolis Post

In this thorough piece from The Atlantic, Richard Florida looks at the economic crisis facing the world, how it's affecting cities and regions, and how it will have a lasting effect on the U.S. -- in both good and bad ways.

February 13, 2009 - The Atlantic

Downtowns can be designed to both reduce driving and boost the economy. But they're still going to need parking, according to urban designers George Crandall and Don Arambula.

February 13, 2009 - Smart City