The city of Memphis, Tennessee is in the middle of an understated boom focused on downtown development and adaptive reuse.

Memphis is booming, Patrick Sisson writes, and it's doing so largely in the context of the built environment it already has. "More than $13 billion in revitalization projects has reshaped Memphis's downtown over the past four years, and, according to Cushman & Wakefield/Commercial Advisors, tourism grew 13 percent between 2012 and 2017."
Adaptive reuse projects abound in this historical river port and shipping hub, with its ample supply of old warehouses and similar facilities. "Since the second-tier market has been slower to ramp up post-Recession, developers have had to be more thoughtful, deliberate, and thrifty, leading to an outsize focus on adaptive reuse," Sisson says.
In addition to an expanding transit system, Memphis' shift back downtown has spurred the development of bike infrastructure. "In a spread-out landscape lacking transit access and sufficient bus service—trolleys cover a small fraction of the city—a rapid investment in cycling infrastructure has made significant inroads. According to the Memphis Flyer, the city went from 1.5 miles of bike lanes in 2010 to 400-plus miles of bike-friendly thoroughfares today."
Green space is another priority. To reclaim the city's riverfront for residents, an expected $75 million development including a network of waterfront parks is currently in the works.
FULL STORY: Memphis downtown boom fueled by riverfront city’s rich history

Planning for Congestion Relief
The third and final installment of Planetizen's examination of the role of the planning profession in both perpetuating and solving traffic congestion.

Minneapolis Housing Plan a Success—Not for the Reason You Think
Housing advocates praise the city’s move to eliminate single-family zoning by legalizing triplexes on single-family lots, but that isn’t why housing construction is growing.

Car Noise Is Killing Us
It’s not just traffic collisions that kill—a new study from researcher at Rutgers finds that the loud noises emanating from cars has direct impact on heart health in Americans.

Parks as a Weapon Against Climate Change
The 2022 ParkScore finds that cities are increasingly employing green space as a tool for mitigating heat and extreme weather effects, but the distribution of parks remains inequitable.

Louisiana Capital Shifting to Electric Transit
The Baton Rouge area is now served by a fleet of nine all-electric buses.

New Community Engagement Practices for Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan Update
A major update of Seattle’s comprehensive plan is just getting under way, with new opportunities for local groups to get involved with outreach and engagement.
City of Malibu
EMC Planning Group Inc.
Jefferson Parish
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Rohnert Park
City of Hot Springs
City of Lakeway, Texas
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.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.