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

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.

Half of Post-Fire Altadena Home Sales Were to Corporations
Large investors are quietly buying up dozens of properties in Altadena, California, where a devastating wildfire destroyed more than 6,000 homes in January.

Opinion: What San Francisco’s Proposed ‘Family Zoning’ Could Really Mean
Mayor Lurie is using ‘family zoning’ to encourage denser development and upzoning — but could the concept actually foster community and more human-scale public spaces?

Jacksonville Launches First Autonomous Transit Shuttle in US
A fleet of 14 fully autonomous vehicles will serve a 3.5-mile downtown Jacksonville route with 12 stops.
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.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
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