The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Richard Florida ranks the top ten artistic cities in America. Los Angeles takes the 4th place spot competing competing amongst other cities including New York, Santa Cruz-Watsonville, and Santa Fe.

December 1 - The Atlantic Cities

This year, the Environmental Protection Agency looked at "articulate" city plans that aimed for a more sustainable future. There were five plans across that nation that were awarded for "achievement in smart growth."

December 1 - The Atlantic Cities

According to Tollroads News, "Without any tolling option, New York State DOT has been forced to drop a long planned rebuild of an old segment of the Brooklyn Queens Expressway (BQE) and a portion of the Gowanus Expressway, both I-278 in Brooklyn."

December 1 - Tollroads News

The non-partisan Legislative Analyst pulled no punches. To proceed with the project without more funding and environmental clearances would violate the authorizing ballot proposition and endanger funding for all other state needs, including education

December 1 - San Jose Mercury News

John Farrell of Renewable Energy World explains how a shift to local, renewable energy sources and away from the current system of long-distance, coal-burning utilities will

December 1 - Renewable Energy World

Colorado Public Radio investigates the housing market in Denver, noting the revival of apartment building while single family homes and even condos remain at a standstill. Demand for rentals continues to outstrip supply in other cities as well.

December 1 - Colorado Public Radio via NPR

Once reversed to keep its filth out of the drinking water, the Chicago River is finally getting cleaned up, on orders from the EPA. Now recognized as an asset, re-reversal and clean-up is predicted to infuse the city with $1 billion in investments.

December 1 - The Economist

As proposals for the large-scale development at Brooklyn Bridge Park come in, some members of the public are crying foul over a perceived lack of transparency and public involvement during a recent meeting.

December 1 - Brooklyn Daily Eagle

BLOG POST

<p> This morning I embarked with three dozen volunteers to plant 10 trees in Pigeon Town, a neighborhood in western New Orleans. The group was completing an eight-hour training on urban greening initiatives, learning everything from pruning methods to how to work with municipalities to find funding for beautification projects—which have been proven to improve everything from <a href="http://www.pennsylvaniahorticulturalsociety.org/phlgreen/seeinggreen.htm">real estate values</a> to <a href="http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/news/News_Releases/2011/11/more-green-crime/">crime statistics</a>. </p> <p> The training did not, however, cover what we were supposed to do when we heard gunshots ring out. That we had to improvise. </p>

November 30 - Jeffrey Barg

Architect David Heymann says that a lot of architects claim to use the specifics of a site's natural features to inspire their design, but most end up with designs that are aggressive to the landscape - and to people.

November 30 - Design Observer

Landowners with fewer apartments units are starting to use software similar for pricing airline tickets and hotel vacancies to determine rental rates for their properties, reports Matt Hudgins for The New York Times.

November 30 - The New York Times

North Bethesda's White Flint Mall is your standard 850,000 sq. ft. mall surrounded by parking structures. The developer has announced it will be replacing the whole thing with a 5 million sq. ft. collection of apartments, offices and shops.

November 30 - The Gazette (Maryland)

Florida's five largest cities ended up in the top 20 of Men's Health list of saddest cities in the U.S. St. Petersberg took the top spot as saddest city.

November 30 - Mens Health

It's 1900 all over again - more Californians are born here than come from other states or countries. The recession and high housing costs have continued the outflow from the state meaning that growth is dependent largely on offspring of immigrants.

November 30 - Los Angeles Times

In the summer of 2010, London launched a new program that had established bright blue bike lanes known as 'Cycle Superhighways' alongside main roads. These initiatives are intended to provide the quickest routes into the city centre.

November 30 - This Big City

BLOG POST

<p> After reading <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-rta-surveys-riders-20111129,0,908396.story">this story</a> about a transit agency surveying their customers, I thought to myself: do riders really want another survey asking whether they are satisfied or how clean the stations are?  Although clean stations are certainly better than unclean stations, I suspect that these are not transit riders&#39; major priorities.  (And when I say &quot;transit riders&quot; I really of course mean &quot;myself&quot;). </p>

November 30 - Michael Lewyn

In urban street design, a new movement known as 'shared spaces' has been emerging. This new movement "aims to reduce the dominance of cars by getting people and vehicles to share the road space," according to Walkonomics.

November 30 - This Big City

In Chicago, the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) is willing to spend $500,000 to survey their riders to see how the public feels about the bus and train services.

November 30 - Chicago Tribune

Pending government approval, state housing department plans to grant all slum-dwelling families in Mumbai houses may become reality. The houses are free for families settled prior to 1995.

November 30 - The Times Of India

This blog post showcases the "backhouses" in and around Greenwich Village. The small residential structures behind other buildings can range from carriage houses for elegant rowhouses to those of tenements.

November 30 - Off the Grid