The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

FEATURE

Strip malls are in virtually every American city, but they're rarely an important part of those cities. Ava Bromberg says they can be. Her idea is to turn strip malls into community-owned hubs that generate capital within their neighborhood and keep it there.

October 1 - Nate Berg

Some recent studies show that the winds are slowing in the U.S., but others say it is speeding up. Regardless, variable winds could have a great impact on the wind power industry.

October 1 - Miller-McCune

A new film focuses on the life of a home designed by architect Rem Koolhaas for a client in a wheelchair, which radically redefines domestic living, and the results of the experiment when put to actual use.

October 1 - The Wall St. Journal

In San Francisco, the mid-Market St. area has struggled for decades with blighted conditions. An area property owner thinks that digital billboards could solve the problem, and has put a proposition on the local ballot to get them built.

October 1 - The San Francisco Chronicle

In the midst of an important debate in Washington, DC over the future of America's transportation funding, a report issued this month by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) identified several challenges facing regional transportation policy.

October 1 - Northwest Hub

Elaine Cogan gives these tips for talking about planning issues with senior citizens and getting the most out of them throughout the planning process.

October 1 - Planning Commissioners Journal

Climate change is now being visualized in 3D maps on Google Earth.

October 1 - The Sydney Morning Herald

The Senate will introduce on Sept. 30 its companion bill to the Waxman-Markey climate change legislation that has already passed the House of Representatives. Both bills rely on 'cap & trade' to meet their greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.

September 30 - The Wall Street Journal - Politics

San Pedro, a port city near Los Angeles, is looking to boost its image with a 1.2 billion dollar makeover. Plans include a promenade, a cruise terminal, and a vibrant commercial district and could take up to 10 years.

September 30 - Los Angeles Times

Musician David Byrne gathered a panel of planners and cyclists for a spirited conversation in San Francisco about the joys of urban cycling.

September 30 - Streetsblog

The Infrastructurist dissects the poor judgement behind GE's recent ads for supposed clean coal technology that feature scantily clad models posed as coal miners (offending video included).

September 30 - The Infrastructurist

Taxi and minibus drivers in Cape Town are concerned that a new Integrated Rapid Transport (IRT) system will put them out of work. The city cites lack of regulation, safety concerns, and standardized work hours as reasons the new system is necessary.

September 30 - BBC News

A new study suggests that cities for which residents have a higher degree of emotional attachment and loyalty have greater levels of economic growth.

September 30 - The Globe and Mail

Failing malls didn’t get into trouble overnight: most began their descent long before the tough climate.

September 30 - Building Place Notebook

Stockholm's congestion charge is not only reducing traffic and greenhouse gas emissions, it's also increasing sales of alternative fuel vehicles.

September 30 - The New York Times

High demand from tourists near Central Park has attracted unlicensed bike rental vendors in NYC. Competition is getting tougher as police crack down on the booming business.

September 30 - The New York Times

BLOG POST

<p> Since its founding in the mid 1990s, Alliance for Downtown New York has long been one of the world&#39;s leading business improvement districts. This non-profit organization has presided over the reinvention of New York&#39;s historic Financial District as a thriving 24-hour live/work district, while retaining a respectable share of the city&#39;s financial services sector. The Alliance built a network of Wi-Fi hotspots that lit up nearly every major public space in the district - not just outdoor locations like Bowling Green and City Hall Park, but also indoor atria like the Winter Garden and 60 Wall Street.

September 30 - Anthony Townsend

Different cities have different levels of greenhouse gas emissions. A new study looks at how they are different and why.

September 30 - The Economist

A federal judge has allowed a citywide ban on new digital billboards and building-sized supergraphics to continue.

September 30 - Los Angeles Times

The relationship between poverty, poor health and obesity is complex, writes Daniel Engber. However, research is showing that "obesogenic" environments and social inequality play leading roles in all three.

September 29 - Slate.com