The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Poor Side of Town is Usually the East Side
The reason? Dan Zambonini proposes that the prevailing winds in most U.S. cities run westerly, so pollution from industrial smokestacks would blow through the eastern neighborhoods.
Smaller Cities Attracting High Tech
Austin, Texas and Baltimore, Maryland have the right stuff to woo the high-tech industry despite their modest size, says Monique Wassenaar Silverio.
Major Redevelopment Project on Chicago's Lakefront
Skidmore, Owings and Merrill re-designed the former U.S. Steel plant site, which will eventually house almost 50,000 people.
Plants Do The Dirty Work
"Phytoremediation" is a growing field (pun intended) of practice that uses particular types of plants to leech toxic materials out of the soil in contaminated sites.
Native Americans Vs. Solar Power
Regulators have approved the construction of 9 large solar power plants in California, but many are facing opposition from local Native American tribes who say that the environmental and cultural impacts were not fully considered.
Massachusetts to Get 'Pay As You Drive' Auto Insurance
To reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% below 1990 levels by 2020, Massachusetts hopes to tap federal funds to help enact a 'Pay As You Drive' auto insurance program to reduce transportation emissions.
Blame Climate Not Politicians for Weather-Beaten Cities
Extreme weather events have had big city mayors across the world scrambling to clean up messes and prove their cities aren't falling apart. But the real issue is the climate, not the politics.
The Case Against Inclusionary Housing
Affordable housing mandates - "inclusionary zoning" - have been a popular way for cities to deal with high housing costs. But Stephen Smith says there are real market costs, and while the empirical work is in its infancy, it doesn't look promising.
Moving Past Jakarta
Officials in Indonesia are increasingly considering a plan to relocate the capital from Jakarta to another, less troubled location.
Housing and the Growth of the Sun Belt
Recent figures from the U.S. Census Bureau show big growth in the Sun Belt of the Southwest. This piece from <em>The New York Times</em> looks into why.
Air Hangar Reborn as Waterpark
An air hangar in Germany has been converted into a massive waterpark, which some see as the possible beginning of a trend in adaptive reuse of these types of facilities.
New Transit Systems of 2010
Garrett Bradford of TheCityFix reviews some of the most innovative and sustainable transit systems from around the globe that made their debut over the last twelve months.
Taking New York City's Parks Through Tough Times
New York City Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe talks with <em>Next American City</em> about the city's increased emphasis on creating active public spaces and how his department is handling budget cuts.
The Allure Of Light Rail Transit
Centering on Denver as the epi-center of light rail development in the U.S., NPR reports on a new wave of light rail and streetcar projects sweeping the nation as cities hope to attract the latest talent and urban development to become "world-class".
The Prince of Wales Seeks "Harmony"
The Prince of Wales has a new book out, called "Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World." Robert Steuteville says the book is "a catalogue of environmental crises and sustainability solutions."
The Year in Infrastructure
<em>The Infrastructurist</em> runs down the ten most important news stories and trends in the world of infrastructure in 2010.
A Decade of Growth, But Then the Bust
Nevada was the fastest growing state in the nation over the last ten years, but amid that growth has been a severe economic downturn.
Olympic Village Blasted for Missing Affordable Housing Targets
Housing activists in Vancouver are criticizing the city for only offering a small portion of the Olympic Village built for the 2010 Winter Olympics as affordable housing.
Urban Policies and the Impact of the Tea Party
As the Tea Party prepares to move into its new seats in the Congress, many are left wondering what impact they will have on urban issues and legislation.
Traffic Management, Disney Style
At Disney World, getting millions of visitors through the lines of their desired attractions faster is a huge logistical challenge. The theme park is taking a high-tech approach to the problem.
One Hundred Miles
County of Mendocino
planning NEXT
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Montrose County
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority
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.
