While the number of national retailers is still growing in New York City, growth is slowing and it concentrated in the restaurant and food sector of the market.

The Center for an Urban Future has released its tenth annual ranking of national retailers in New York City, finding that "the number of chain store locations across the city increased for the ninth year in a row, but fewer chains have expanded this year than in the past."
A website set up to announce and host the new report has more insight into the findings of the study. In one case, the story echoes a recent news report documenting retail closures around the city. The Center for Urban Future, however, notes that chain stores are included in the number of failed commercial storefronts:
Overall, a fifth of all national retailers in the city closed stores in the past year, and only one-in-seven retailers on our list increased their footprint—the smallest share since we began keeping track a decade ago.
The study also ranks national retailers in terms of their presence in New York City. "For the ninth consecutive year, Dunkin’ Donuts tops our list as the largest national retailer in New York City, with a total of 612 stores, a net increase of 16 stores since 2016—and 271 since 2008," according to the post. MetroPCS is second on the list this year for the first time. The dominance of Dunkin' Donuts on the list speaks to one of the big takeaways about national retailers in New York City as reported in the study: "the growth of restaurants and food retailers is leading the charge."
FULL STORY: STATE OF THE CHAINS, 2017

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

US Senate Reverses California EV Mandate
The state planned to phase out the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035, a goal some carmakers deemed impossible to meet.

Trump Cuts Decimate Mapping Agency
The National Geodetic Survey maintains and updates critical spatial reference systems used extensively in both the public and private sectors.

Washington Passes First US ‘Shared Streets’ Law
Cities will be allowed to lower speed limits to 10 miles per hour and prioritize pedestrians on certain streets.
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.
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions