Officials in the Village of Brewster, a community of just over 2,000 people in New York's Putnam County, hope a redesign of their downtown will attract new residents who want to escape the clamor of the city.

Cloey Callahan reports on the Village of Brewster's plan to redevelop its Main Street in an effort to attract New York City commuters.
The village, about 60 miles from Manhattan, "has all of the ingredients to become the next Hudson Valley hotspot, particularly for urban dwellers seeking greener pastures," Callahan quotes Mayor James Schoenig as saying. Residents can reach Manhattan in 80 to 90 minutes, and local officials hope to capitalize on this proximity in a region with increasingly high housing costs.
Called 'Brewster Crossing,' the project shared on the village website reflects an ambitious mixed-use development designed to attract residents as well as businesses to the Main Street corridor. Plans include 408 rental units and artist lofts fanned across three new 5- to 6-story buildings, as well as a brewery, retail and dining businesses, a 500-car parking garage, and public spaces like a resident lodge and public garden.
The estimated cost of $60 to $100 million will be paid, according to the plan, by developers. Community members largely support the redevelopment proposal, but some express concern about the future of historic buildings and legacy businesses. The village will also have to consider the additional infrastructure–such as fire, police, and school capacity–that a growth in population will require.
FULL STORY: Village of Brewster seeks to attract NYC commuters with downtown redevelopment

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

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

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
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