The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Surveying the Year's Best Buildings
Why wait until December to survey the year's best buildings? Nary a third of the way through 2012, Mark Byrnes has shared his list of the most interesting buildings so far.
The Developing World Finds Value in Preserving Its History
Lauren Gravitz explores the importance of demonstrating the economic viability of cultural tourism to safeguarding historic sites in Peru and Bolivia.
Los Angeles Announces Ambitious Bike Share Program
Nate Berg reports on the surprising news delivered on Sunday by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, timed to coincide with the latest iteration of CicLAvia, the city's marquee event for bicyclists and pedestrians.
For Affordable Housing in NYC, a Bountiful Harvest
Alison Gregor highlights efforts by affordable housing developers to implement edible community gardens, bringing fresh food and neighborhood ties to inner-city tenants.
APA Conference Keynote Focuses on Challenges of Communicating Climate Change
Meghan Stromberg reports on the opening keynote from this year's annual APA national conference, taking place in Los Angeles through April 17th. Dr. Andrew Weaver spoke about the disconnect between climate change science and public perception.
LAPD Moves to Curb "Lawlessness" on Venice Beach
A rising tide of hostility along Venice's famous boardwalk has prompted residents to call on the LAPD for help, Martha Groves reports.
BLOG POST
The End of Exurbia? Not Yet
<p> After the Census Bureau released population estimates showing that core counties were (at least in some metro areas) growing faster than exurban counties, the media was full of headlines about this alleged trend. An extreme example came from the Washington Post: "An end to America's exurbia?" (1) </p>
Is The Era Of Smart Growth Over?
Maybe not. But smart growth experts appearing at the APA in Los Angeles say it may be morphing into whatever the "next big thing" is.
NYU Scales Back Village Expansion from Monstrous to Huge
NYU has announced its intention to reduce the proposed square footage for their controversial Greenwich Village expansion plan by approximately twenty percent.
CA HSR Plan Approved. Next Stop: The Legislature
The Authority approved the $68 billion plan. Now the hard work begins in convincing the state legislature to sign off in order to capture the $3.5 billion allocated by the feds and begin construction from the Central Valley to the San Fernando Valley
Examining the Impact of the Changing Role of Women on the Built Environment
In this essay, Luis Rodriguez traces the demographic and socio-economic trends that reflect the changing role of women in society, and their impact on the way communities are planned and designed.
Establishing a Voice for Pedestrians in Los Angeles
Nate Berg chronicles the efforts of planner and urban designer Deborah Murphy to establish a pedestrian advocacy group in one of the few large cities in the U.S. that doesn't have one.
Green Building Takes Hold in Britain
As the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) hands out its most recent awards, Sarah Morrison chronicles the mainstreaming of green building in Britain.
GOP Up To Its Old Tricks on Transportation Bill
Tanya Snyder explores the recent horse-trading being proposed by House Republicans, in which they've expressed a willingness to pass the Senate transportation bill in exchange for Senate approval of the Keystone XL pipeline.
BLOG POST
Sanitary City vs. Sustainable City - Who Wins, Who Loses?
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Boston Delivers on Digital with Citizens Connect
Hana Schank reports on Boston's Citizens Connect app, and the innovative ways in which the city's Department of New Urban Mechanics is empowering citizens and government employees alike.
Planning to Walk
In the final installment of his series on "Walking in America" on Slate, Tom Vanderbilt looks at why so much of the built environment is hostile to pedestrians, and how planning can change that.
Studying the Surprising Correlation Between Big-Box Stores and Hate Groups
Emily Badger reports on an intriguing new study that shows big-box stores may be even more closely correlated with the presence of hate groups than many of the factors that have long been used to explain them.
Scoring Your Walkability
For the third installment of his series on America's pedestrian problem, Tom Vanderbilt profiles Walk Score, the venerable walkability website and evaluation system.
Car-free in L.A.: It's Not as Tough as it Sounds
If you happen to find yourself in LA anytime soon, for a conference perhaps, Alissa Walker explores Nathan Landau's new book, "Car-Free Los Angeles and Southern California", which provides a wonderful guide to enjoying the city without using a car.
Pagination
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
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.