The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
With Last Recession Still Fresh in Mind, Hard Times Ahead for Architects
The economic recession will mean tough times for architects, who saw jobs cut by more than 40% during the last slump. Many in the field are wondering whether many architects will survive the current situation.
Officials Working Out Nitty-Gritty of Rail Project
Views are already beginning to clash as the California high-speed rail project begins its development process. But until environmental and design reports are available, many questions are to be left unanswered.
Can Infrastructure Spending Unite America?
Bill Scher believes that public investments in infrastructure will be a hallmark of the incoming administration, and suggests that it should be a point of political unity.
Master-Planned Mixed-Use in Central Ohio
While the goal of these walkable communities is to attract young urban professionals, the benefits, of course, extend beyond that.
NYCHA Development Offers Benefits, Raises Concerns
The New York City Housing Authority is using a new strategy to develop new housing by selling open space. HUD oversees how the development works, but some think it does not offer a fair opportunity for community participation.
Land Use and Religion Collide in CO
After a church in Denver was denied permission to expand its facilities, they filed a lawsuit against Boulder County on charges of discrimination. This month, the case reached a federal courtroom.
California Not Ready for Climate Change
Authors of a recent study have concluded that California is unprepared to face global warming challenges, and water and electricity agencies in particular have been urged to act immediately.
Planning a Better Public Space in San Francisco
Planners and parks officials in San Francisco are making moves to reimagine currently underused public space in the heart of the city as a new civic park and gathering place.
Big Dig Moves Congestion to Suburbs
Since its completion, Boston's Big Dig freeway project has succeeded in reducing congestion downtown, but new figures show the congestion has merely moved out of the central city into suburban areas.
FEATURE
The Work of Community Development
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has a plan to help the nation's hardest hit homeowners and neighborhoods. But by concentrating assistance in the most devastated areas, few places will be saved, writes Charles Buki.
Locals Upset as Ads Invade Venice
The historic city of Venice has largely been free from outdoor advertising, but a new deal with the city allows billboards to be placed on scaffolding set up for building renovations. Locals are not very happy about the change.
Buffalo at a Crossroads
Nicolai Ouroussoff tells the tale of Buffalo, a quintessential rust belt city that seems committed to preserving its architectural heritage but unsure about its future.
New Plan for Calgary Offers the Best of Both Worlds
Calgary is poised to make itself into a city that encourages density without sacrificing too much of the leg room currently offered by existing suburbs.
Yellowstone Considers Cellphone Towers, Wireless Internet
Environmental groups aren't happy to hear that Yellowstone officials may be installing more cellphone towers and providing wireless internet in the near future, fearing that the technology will detract from and destroy the park's natural scenery.
Bicycles Disappearing From Asia
Researchers in Asia are warning that unless governments start to make their urban planning policies more bicycle-friendly, bikes could virtually disappear from the urban environment within a decade.
Brad Pitt on Transportation
The celeb narrates the PBS series e2, which tackles transportation in its third season.
Winnipeg Poor Choice for National Museum?
Canada's first national museum to be built outside Ottawa may not be receiving as many visitors as originally planned.
When Cyclists Hurt Cycling
In this commentary, it is noted that when the Sacramento transportation 1/2-cent sales tax measure was up for renewal in 2004, it was decided <em>not to include cycling improvements</em> after a poll showed it would detract from the measure's passing
Infrastructure Funding Boosts Likely in 2009
Repairing the nation's infrastructure is a good move on to-be President Obama's part, as it also creates jobs "that lead to the creation of still more jobs."
Tapping the Vancouver Planning Brain Trust
Many of the planners who helped transform Vancouver into one of the world's most liveable cities have been lured to cities all over the planet to try to tap in to the brain power that made Vancouver a success. But it's not that easy.
Pagination
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.