The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Katrina Lessons Forgotten?

<p>As rebuilding continues in New Orleans, many homes are being built in the floodplain without raised foundations, leading many to believe that the tough lessons learned during Hurricane Katrina have already been forgotten.</p>

January 6 - The Washington Post

Taiwan Launches High-Speed Rail Service

<p>After several long delays, Taiwan's new Shinkansen bullet train begins commercial service, linking the island's two major cities.</p>

January 6 - Associated Press via Forbes

Friday Funny: Celebrity-Inspired Subdivisions Debut

<p>The domestic diva Martha Stewart is putting her stamp on a New Urbanist style community in Central Florida.</p>

January 5 - The Orlando Sentinel

Condos Rise In Forward Thinking Blue Collar Town

<p>A company town near Seattle leveraged former Boeing property to attract new residential and commercial development, and is even luring the city's sports teams and the Seattle branch of the Federal Reserve Bank.</p>

January 5 - The New York Times

A Look At The Streets Of Dubai

<p>Streetsblog explores the transportation situation in the rapidly growing emirate.</p>

January 5 - Streetsblog


Should Taxpayers Foot The Bill For Wildfires?

<p>A debate over who should be responsible for the costs incurred by wildfires is raging between the Federal government and state and local officials.</p>

January 5 - The New York Times

Designing A Better Cell Tower

<p>A 65-ft tower in San Diego is being redesigned as a piece of modern art.</p>

January 5 - The San Diego Union-Tribune


The Great Mall Of Asia

<p>At over 4 million square feet, Manila's new mega-mall is part commercial palace and social square.</p>

January 5 - PopMatters

Mini-Me McMansions: The Modern Day Playhouse

<p>Sales of high-priced playhouses that replicate real-life homes are increasing.</p>

January 5 - The Oregonian

Design Problems For Transit Service To Minneapolis' New Stadium

<p>As Minneapolis rushes to complete design on a new ballpark for the Twins, access to an extension of the city's light rail line and new Northstar Commuter Rail could be jeopardized.</p>

January 5 - Minneapolis Star Tribune

The False Trade-Off: Aesthetics vs. Safety

<p>While many people believe that there is a zero sum game between increasing safety and preserving or enhancing aesthetics, a recent post on Streetsblog offers a different perspective.</p>

January 5 - Streetsblog

Racheting Up San Francisco's Skyline

<p>Planners and local officials want to see the city's height restrictions lifted and the city's skyline accentuated with new high-rise buildings.</p>

January 5 - USA Today

Toxic Neglect: The Plight Of Poor New Orleans

Covering the cleanup efforts after Hurricane Katrina, Robert Bullard examines why the government neglects the problems of the poor, and in fact, makes them worse.

January 4 - The Next American City

The Neighborhood With The Best Food

<p>Forget good housing or easy access to transit -- one New York writer chose to move to the Queen's neighborhood of Jackson Heights for its incredible selection of food.</p>

January 4 - The New York Times

Will 2007 Be The Year Of The Green Building?

<p>With the increasing adoption of eco-friendly design and construction practices, green building is becoming all the rage.</p>

January 4 - E/The Environmental Magazine

Northern Virginia Counties Move To Slow Growth

<p>Anti-growth sentiment has led to new building moratoriums in the suburbs around Washington D.C., but they only serve to drive up home prices and keep out middle income families.</p>

January 4 - The Free Lance-Star

Seized Farmland Returned To Whites Amid Zimbabwe Food Shortage

<p>Food shortages and economic decline have forced Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe to rescind his 2005 land reform decision to seize all farmland from white farmers. Land has already been returned to 19 white farmers, while more await lease approval.</p>

January 4 - The Guardian Unlimited

Subway Superman Hailed Throughout NYC

<p>Wesley Autrey, a 50-yr-old construction worker, did the unthinkable on a subway platform in Manhattan on Jan 3: He jumped on the tracks to save a man who had suffered a seizure and fallen, as the southbound No.1 train entered the 137th St. station.</p>

January 4 - The New York Times

The Bleary-Eyed Cross-Border Commute

<p>In the wee hours of the morning, hundreds if not thousands of workers from Tijuana, Mexico trade the comfort of their beds for restless sleep in cars parked near U.S. border inspection stations.</p>

January 4 - The Los Angeles Times

Making Plans For Oil-Scarce Future

<p>In the most recent issue of Orion, James Howard Kunstler restates his prescription for an oil-scarce future: reinvesting in rail and water transportation; re-localized economies; and urban densification.</p>

January 4 - Orion Magazine

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A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.