The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

In a rather remarkable application of new, carbon-free renewable power to obtain additional oil from old wells, solar thermal technology involving mirrors placed above an oil field in Coalinga, CA will create steam to inject into the wells.

October 4 - Reuters via Los Angeles Times - Business

The French city of Nantes was for generations an industrial shipbuilding center, but that business gasped its last breath in 1987. City leaders began working then to reimagine the city, and part of that visions is, yes, a mechanical elephant.

October 4 - The New York Times

Steven Huff, who is chairman of a concrete company, is building a 13 bedroom, 14 bath home in Highlandville, Missouri out of his company's energy-efficient concrete. When built, it will be one of the largest homes in the U.S.

October 4 - The Kansas City Star

In a popular new development in Brooklyn built near transit, 50% of parking spaces are going unused. Why are parking requirements so overspec'ed?, asks Jeremy Smerd.

October 4 - Crain's

A group of local artists in Omaha, Nebraska are putting their mark on old grain elevators located right in the heart of the city, making the art pieces an Omaha fixture.

October 4 - WebUrbanist

In an obviously difficult market for new housing, Cross Creek Ranch is standing out from the pack with a master-planned community that restores a degraded dirt parcel to a native landscape.

October 4 - Builder Magazine

Allison Arieff says it is high time that the "dumb box" that makes up the majority of suburban housing be rethought to meet the needs of a new generation, presenting a small handful of homebuilders that are making an effort.

October 3 - The New York Times

Preservationists are all about preserving our past. Urbanists are all about harvesting lessons from what the preservationists fight for -- to create better places in the future. Seems like these two groups would get along quite well. But no.

October 3 - PlaceShakers

Thanks to massive projects fuelled by developers rather than retailers, and official efforts to spur a consumer economy, China is becoming home to massive, deserted malls.

October 3 - The Globe and Mail

FEATURE

October 3 - Tatiane de Jesus

Since 2002, California has added 8.3% more drivers while reducing its gasoline consumption by 3.5%. And while taking the lead, they are not alone in this trend. Credit high fuel prices, economic stress and improved car technology for the reduction.

October 3 - Los Angeles Times - Business

In Ithaca, New York, Robert Steuteville's hometown, a small ad hoc music festival with bands performing on local porches has become a big deal, showing what a big difference a little tactical urbanism can make.

October 3 - New Urban News Network

Laura Tepper explains "road ecology", the intersection between transportation planning and habitat conservation.

October 3 - Places

Jarrett Walker rides on the Wellington Cable Car, giving him the opportunity to explain the four conditions for when a funicular is a sensible transit solution.

October 3 - Human Transit

World annual death toll due to particulate pollution from indoor and outdoor sources is 2 million people each year, according to a new report from the World Health Organization.

October 3 - USA Today

In this Climate Watch blog and accompanying "Miles To Go" radio report, the reporter observes how powerful parking rated as a factor in determining whether to drive, walk, or take transit, and the public policies that affect the quantity of parking.

October 3 - KQED News: Climate Watch

A group of traffic and infrastructure consultants along with NGOS and academics have banded together to spread better bicycle infrastructure around the world.

October 2 - Streetsblog

A handful of Washington insiders argue that while Obama is calling for the creation of a national infrastructure bank, there is already such an entity in existence and ready to assume the role.

October 2 - The Washington Post

"...all architecture – most especially that which thinks its not – is now Post Modern," writes Sam Jacob.

October 2 - Strange Harvest

Social activists have reacted sharply to the Indian Planning Commission's report that 25 rupees (50 cents) and 31 rupees a day is sufficient for people in rural and urban areas, respectively. Jyoti Malhotra reports on the ongoing debate.

October 2 - India Real Time (Wall Street Journal)