The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

The Orlando Sentinel talks with Bill Warren, city manager of the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which is a semi-autonomous government that runs the land under Disney World.

November 7 - The Orlando Sentinel

The new $98 billion price tag and 2033 completion date in the revised HSR Authority's business plan applies to the first phase, meaning that the extensions to San Diego and Sacramento will take even longer, leaving some San Diegan leaders seething.

November 7 - AP via The Sacramento Bee

A recent Urban Land Institute panel discusses where real estate is headed, based on the publication 'What's Ahead for Real Estate Through 2020'. From Baby Boomers to Gen-Y, demand is changing, and developers are beginning to tune in.

November 6 - The Planning Report

Politico recaps the findings of the two federal commissions authorized by the last transportation bill. While their findings are not hopeful, they do present a better outlook for a change 'down the road' - perhaps in a future authorization bill.

November 6 - Politico

A new Brookings Institution report shows that places of concentrated poverty are getting worse due to unsustained growth nationwide and the suburbanization of poverty. Authors Elizabeth Kneebone and Alan Berube expound on the findings.

November 6 - The Atlantic Cities

As the world continues to urbanize and megacities continue to grow, cities are increasingly "unrecognizable," no longer necessarily, say, places of political power. David Pillings repots on this and other issues challenging the traditional city.

November 6 - Financial Times

With its revised business plan released Nov. 1 showing a dramatic increase in costs and time to build the 800 mile system, the Authority adopted its funding plan to a largely skeptical audience, many from the Central Valley where construction begins.

November 5 - Los Angeles Times

Grist profiles a British street artist who specializes in creating images on dirty urban spaces (like tunnel walls) by simply washing away the grime.

November 5 - Grist

Nate Berg introduces us to a branch of astrophysicists hoping to utilize new telescope technology to locate potential alien cities on distant planets.

November 5 - The Atlantic

While the rest of the city's waterfronts are to be developed as public promenades, much of Brooklyn wants to retain its previous industrial uses. Liana Grey reports.

November 5 - Real Estate Weeky

As part of a larger parks plan, one Atlanta suburb wants to use its bonds to build a sports complex where housing already exists. Adding to the controversy, the idea doesn't seem to have gone through a proper public review. Melissa Weinman reports.

November 5 - Reporter Newspapers

The new edition of the Grand Theft Auto series will parody LA, including its idiosyncratic planning landscape, which will feature avaricious developers, activist NIMBYs, and a oceanside dwelling starchitect.

November 4 - Curbed LA

Mark Chediak of Bloomberg writes about a referendum being held in Boulder, Colorado that will decide whether or not to publicly take over the Smart Grid project implemented by Xcel Energy.

November 4 - Bloomberg

Manuel "Matty" Moroun has spent millions cleaning up Michigan Central Depot, cleaning out debris and hiring architects and feasibility experts to figure out how much of the building is worth saving.

November 4 - The Detroit News

The Web Urbanist counts down twelve of the best ultra modern home designs with a descriptive slideshow.

November 4 - Web Urbanist

Ethan Epstein chronicles the work of Seattle's mayor, Mike McGinn, who won office in 2009 from established candidates and a powerful incumbent on a "philosophically anti-car" base.

November 4 - City Journal

A startup is proposing a new way to incentivize alternative transportation choices by giving people the option each day to choose between cars, bikes and transit.

November 4 - Fast Company

The editorial board of The Sacramento Bee was pleased with the new business plan of the HSR Authority, especially its new focus on improving commuter rail, while its premier columnist, Dan Walters, continues to see the project as unnecessary.

November 4 - The Sacramento Bee - Opinion

Mark Chediak of Bloomberg writes about a referendum being held in Boulder, Colorado that will decide whether or not to publicly take over the Smart Grid project implemented by Xcel Energy.

November 4 - Bloomberg

In downtown Chicago, the parking lots add an extra $2 "congestion" tax for parking the whole day. Instead, many park illegally at Metra Station receiving parking tickets just to avoid the congestion pricing.

November 4 - Chicago Tribune