The Midtown Garden Homes infill project brings light density and sustainable materials to a neighborhood predominantly populated with single-family homes.

A new development in Reno hopes to provide a model for sustainable, community-oriented housing, according to an article by Ben Schulman in Architect Magazine.
After moving to Reno, architect Jack Hawkins “set out to develop a project that could establish a principle of economic sustainability from a land-use perspective, as well as material sustainability, embedded within the architecture of the project itself.”
His first project, where Hawkins lives, was a group of four infill residences that “established a precedent for density in an area of predominantly single-family housing.” Now, Hawkins is working on a new, larger development called Midtown Garden Homes. “Sustainability is baked into the program, including passive solar, minimal duct work, landscaping that acts as a block-level mitigation technique to minimize climate effects, and, potentially, low-cost, vernacular cooling systems—à la “swamp coolers”—that are common in dry climates like Reno’s.”
The project also uses an innovative funding model to make it pencil out. “Noting the front-loaded soft costs associated with rezoning concerns, among other development hurdles, Hawkins was strategic in advising the developers to separate the individual parcels that compose the entirety of the project. In the event of liquidity needs, one part of the project could potentially be sold while the other components are maintained, opening the door for more profit potential down the line.”
FULL STORY: A Garden of Homes Grows in Reno

The Surprising Oil Tax in the Inflation Reduction Act
President Biden has made reducing gas prices paramount in his administration, so it was likely a surprise to hear a Republican senator last Sunday warn TV viewers that a revived and increased oil fee in the climate bill will increase their gas costs.

The Tide Has Turned Against Open Streets
Once a promising development for advocates pushing for a less car-centric future in cities, the open streets movement has ceded significant ground to cars since the height of the pandemic.

San Antonio Office Tower To Become Residential
With the building more than half vacant, the new owners of the Tower Life Building plan to convert the historic tower into residences that could include affordable housing.

Department of the Interior Forced to Intervene on the Colorado River
More questions than answers on the Colorado River this week as the federal government failed to deliver on threats to force Southwest states to cut back on water use.

Explaining Rent Inflation
The delayed effects of changes in rent costs make rent inflation a difficult figure to pin down.

Dallas Names 66-Mile Bike and Walking Trail
When complete, the newly named DFW Discovery Trail will incorporate 50 miles of existing trails into a regional ‘super highway.’
San Francisco County Transportation Authority
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Cohousing Association of the US
City of Crystal River
Sun City Center Community Association, Inc
City of Mesa
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.