The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Urban Supermarkets, Suburban Designs
Supermarkets are moving back to urban areas like Philadelphia. But their big box designs are decidedly un-urban, according to architecture critic Inga Saffron, who calls for more relevant urban designs.
Testing Ideas in Dubai
Dubai is increasingly attracting architects and planners as a blank slate, and it's becoming a vibrant testing ground for ideas new and extreme.
Nature Gains Constitutional Rights in Ecuador
A new constitution has been approved in Ecuador, and among its amendments are specific articles that grant inalienable rights to nature.
Margot Gayle, Historic Preservationist, Dies at 100
A crusader for preserving New York's cast-iron historic buildings died Sunday at 100. The Times looks back at her legacy.
No Washing in Washington
Washington State is telling local governments that they need to ban carwashing in driveways, where runoff goes into storm drains and pollutes groundwater.
What Constitutes a 'Floating Home'?
Houseboats may soon appear on Lake Erie, along the Port Clinton, OH waterfront. But first, planners are taking great pains to define what makes a 'floating home.'
The First All-Black Town in the U.S.
Founded in the 1880s, Eatonville, FL was the first all-African American town to be incorporated in the U.S. It is also the childhood home of writer Zora Neale Hurston. Today, the community strives to balance its history and the future.
Incomes to Mix in New L.A. Housing Plan
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is planning to propose a $5 billion housing plan for the city that focuses on mixed-income development and locations near transit. Some applaud the move, but others worry it may not be feasible.
New York Needs a Wrecking Ball
<em>New York Times</em> architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff argues that some buildings make the city worse, and lists of some that need to be demolished. Included in his list are Penn Station, Madison Square Garden and Astor Place.
Doug Farr on Detroit, His Hometown
A Detroit weekly talks to Doug Farr about his life growing up in Detroit and his ideas for bringing sustainable urbanism to the city.
Relating Peak Oil To Auto Dependency And Urban Planning
Daniel Lerch, author of "Post Carbon Cities" presents his thoughts for a new California Dream in a 'post carbon future' in which cars still exist but are used sparingly due to urban planning that reduces their necessity. He looks toward Portland.
BLOG POST
New Orleans on My Mind
<p> <span style="font-size: small"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman">Last Thursday night marked the end of an intense two-week team project in my Gateway: Planning (a kind of Introduction to Planning) course.<span> </span>In this project, my classmates and I assumed the role of consultants to a fictitious working group of the real-life New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA) and prepared and delivered oral briefings on key challenges to post-Katrina housing recovery.<span> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: small"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman"> </span></span> </p>
Le Mobilien: Parisian Bus Rapid Transit
Paris has invested big in Le Mobilien, its version of Bus Rapid Transit. Streetsblog has a short video profiling the system.
Rule-Bending Keeps Fresno Sprawling
Despite a 2002 General Plan update aimed at curbing sprawl in the Central California city of Fresno, repeated zoning amendments have allowed hundreds of developments to push the city's edge farther out into the fringe.
Prague Plans Pedestrian Zones, Excludes Homeless
Prague is building on prosperity and tourism by creating new public-private spaces for shopping and entertainment. Detractors are concerned that they are destroying real public space, and are paired with greater control on unwanted users.
BP's Chief Scientist Advocates Higher Gas Prices
BP's chief scientist provides his insight into solving the energy and climate crises, including the affect of higher gas prices and separating transportation from the heat and power sectors when dealing with strategies to reduce carbon emissions.
Foreclosed and Disenfranchised?
Thousands of Americans who have lost their homes in the foreclosure crisis may find themselves ineligible to vote in November.
Downtown Miami Developer May Bet On Casinos
The developer of a nine block mega-project may pursue casino gambling as an added component to what promises to transform a derelict portion of downtown Miami.
Twin Cities Spreading
The Minneapolis-St. Paul region is spreading further south, according to a recent study, which shows that projected growth will require more than 50,000 new homes and millions of square feet of retail and office space.
The Real Bailout America's Cities Need
If we can bail out the investment industry, we should be able to bail out our failing infrastructure, according to this column from Neal Peirce.
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.
