The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Too Ugly to Preserve?
As D.C.'s J. Edgar Hoover Building reaches the end of its 40 years of service as the headquarters of the FBI, one of the city's last examples of Brutalist architecture is getting little love from preservationists as discussion begin over its fate.
Experience Hurricane Sandy from the Safety of Your Desk
For the next few days, America's eyes will be on the East Coast, where a historic storm is already making its presence felt. Quartz has posted a list of webcams to provide you with a first-hand experience of the storm, from the safety of your desk.
Would a Romney Administration Cut FEMA?
On the eve of landfall of Hurricane Sandy, Matthew Yglesias recalls Mitt Romney's 2011 response to a GOP primary debate question in which he called federal disaster relief spending "immoral."
What Can Be Done to Revive L.A.'s Forgotten First Park
Pershing Square occupies a special place in the physical and historical landscape of Los Angeles. But the city's first park has been the victim of poor redesigns and a "massive failure of civic vision." Can anything be done to fix it?
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Does it Make a Difference if a Planning Program is in a Policy, Design, or Other Kind of School?
Students investigating options often ask if it makes a difference where the planning school is located. The short answer is it matters less to students than many think.
San Francisco Searches for a Suitable Guardian for its Trees
How to care for S.F.'s 110,000 street trees and 130,000 park trees was the subject of a hearing last week called by Supervisor Scott Wiener. The Department of Public Works is engaged in a controversial program to transfer care to property owners.
Kansas City Puts Down Payment on Clearing Blight
Joining a host of other Midwestern cities establishing land banks to help corral, clear, and repurpose their vacant properties, Kansas City will begin transferring 3,500 vacant properties it recently acquired into a city-owned land bank.
Toronto Towers Not Exactly Birds' Best Friends
A lethal combination of a rapidly expanding modern skyline and the intersection of several major migratory flight paths have rendered Toronto one of the world’s most deadly cities for migratory birds, reports Ian Austen.
Who Will Pay for America's $2.2 Trillion Infrastructure Backlog?
With the federal government unable to agree on much of anything, state and local taxpayers are bearing the burden for repairing and replacing America's aging infrastructure says a new report from Standard & Poor’s Rating Services.
Testing Density with Trick or Treaters
Planner and urbanist Brent Toderian explains why Halloween is his favorite holiday.
When It Comes to Conservation, the Tables Slowly Turn in the Global North-South Divide
Announced at a recent United Nations summit on biodiversity, India’s pledge of $50 million to assist developing countries with conservation efforts marks a significant shift in the way environmental protection is funded worldwide.
Visualizing the Connection Between Transportation and Public Health
An informative infographic produced by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation illustrates the role of walkable, bikeable, and transit-oriented communities in producing healthier populations.
An Integrated Process for Better Urban Planning Outcomes
Urban Planning has become increasingly complex with the rise of big data, inflating costs, diverging politics, and the advent of new technologies. To work with all these elements requires an inclusive approach to produce a useful outcome.
NPR Distinguishes Energy Independence From Security
Surging oil and natural gas production has transformed the domestic energy paradigm. With the U.S. on track to replace Saudi Arabia as the world's largest oil producer, will the U.S finally meet President Nixon's 1973 goal of 'energy independence'?
Do You Believe in an Architectural Afterlife?
Using Baltimore's Memorial Stadium, which was demolished in 2001, as a case study, Keith Eggener argues that the life of a building isn't confined to its physical presence as a whole object.
The Bad News About Rising Home Prices
Economists see America's recovering housing market as a positive indication of the country's economic health. But according to a new study, rising home prices "decrease income mobility and ultimately hurt the U.S. economy," reports Nicole Goodkind.
As Northeast Casino Boom Continues: NY Gambles with Possibility and Risk
Large casino resorts in Atlantic City and Connecticut take a hit, as new, smaller and local casinos, attract gamblers from the surroundings areas. New York state officials are paving the way for more casino proliferation, despite some skepticism.
Bad Habits Are Hard to Break for US Metro Commuters
Despite significant investment in transit infrastructure, and renewed interest in downtowns and walkable neighborhoods, new data shows that gains in transit commute mode share have been hard to come by in America’s largest cities, says Kaid Benfield.
Mecca Builds Up, at the Cost of Its Historic Heritage
A unique blend of religious beliefs, state policies and capitalist interests are reshaping Mecca for the worse, critics argue, at the expense of its most prized cultural assets.
Freaky Friday: The Most Mysterious Buildings in the World
While your neighbors may be busy outfitting their "haunted" house for next week's festivities, we bring you a collection of buildings that have managed to gain a fear factor all on their own.
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.
