The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Homeless at the Mall
A reporter goes undercover as a homeless person to find out what happens when the indigent pay a visit to L.A.'s first corporate-controlled public park.
Social Inequity a 'Time Bomb' for U.S. Cities
The annual UN State of the World's Cities report contains a dire warning for American cities: racial divisions and social inequities are at alarming levels.
Reusing Empty Big Boxes
Sometimes big box retailers get too big for the boxes they're in. So they move. What's left behind are huge empty buildings -- and opportunities for re-use.
BLOG POST
Energy Crisis Solved
<span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman"> </span>Technology innovation – that’s all we need to solve the energy crisis!<span> </span>Unleash American ingenuity and we’ll be able to cope with higher energy costs.<span> </span>The Windmillmobile, should go a long way toward reducing petroleum consumption.<span> </span>It seems to work fine unless there is a strong tailwind.<span> </span>The engineers are still working on the sensor to fold down the windmill for garages and overpasses.<span> </span><span style="font-size: small"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman"> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p> </span></span>
'Can Hard Times Be Good for Architecture?'
Critic Christopher Hawthorne argues that a difficult market could lead architecture away from a fascination with large, iconic buildings to a focus on the 'connective tissue' of cities.
Kansas City Pins Light Rail Plans on Sales Tax Hikes
In metropolitan Kansas City, two sales tax initiatives on the ballot in efforts to raise money for the region's long-planned light rail system.
Nancy Pelosi, Symbol of the West
The myth of the American West as a wild, natural place is long gone, says urban studies professor Carl Abbott. The Western U.S. is actually the most urban part of the nation.
Real Estate Market Won't Hit Bottom 'Til 2009
The Urban Land Institute reports on their new study, which predicts the real estate market will hit bottom in 2009 and 'flounder' through 2010.
The Homeless in Public Spaces
Robert Sibley comments on the worldwide problem of homeless people in public spaces, and reflects on how Canadians can and should manage them.
Maryland Bus Services Strained by Overtime Caps
Budget cuts have resulted in new overtime caps imposed on the Maryland Transit Administration, causing delays and even cancellations of some bus runs.
Boston's Back Bay Fills In
The last empty lot in Boston's posh Back Bay neighborhood will soon be developed into a luxury, contextually appropriate, condominium.
BLOG POST
YouTube For Your Data: Many Eyes on Obama & McCain
<p> <img src="/files/u2/20080827-clip.png" align="right" />Is it possible to condense two weeks of soaring rhetoric by politicians into a single graphic? Let's find out.<br /> <br /> In my last post I covered free online tools for <a href="/node/34623">creating information graphics</a>. Here is a look at another free online tool that can be used to easily create sophisticated visualizations and information graphics. <br /> <br />
(Almost) Creative City
London, Ontario has been focused on retaining and embracing its creative class. The city remains optimistic that it's on the right track toward becoming a creative city--which has been good news for its economy.
Improvements to SF's Public Transit System in the Works
San Francisco's Municipal Railway transit system will see incremental but major changes in the next five years.
BLOG POST
'Death Wish' and the Life of Great American Cities
<p> City streets need only few things to make them safe, according to the famous urbanist Jane Jacobs. She says safe streets need people walking around, places for them to go, things for them to do and other people for them to interact with. Simple as that. But Jane forgot one more thing: a sock full of quarters. <br />
Is it 'Over' for the American Landscape?
In this review of Alex MacLean's new book, "Over: The American Landscape at the Tipping Point," Hervé Kempf of Le Monde describes MacLean's book as a photo essay on a nation at the end of an era.
Rebuilding Underway in Sichuan Province
A California-based architecture firm has been selected by a Sichuan planning department to rebuild the city of Dujiangyan after the deadly earthquake in the province earlier this year.
BART Riders May Pay More to Park
To offset delayed transit funds, the Bay Area Rapid Transit District plans to charge those who drive to BART stations more to park. In some places, commuters will be charged to park for the first time.
Pagination
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
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
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.