The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Good Planning Demands Patience
<p>A recent editorial defends the City of Milwaukee's slow pace regarding the redevelopment of the Park East corridor -- a prime area of downtown real estate reclaimed from a demolished freeway spur.</p>
Pioneer Urban Affairs Journalist Dies
<p>Journalist Ray Hebert helped introduce the public to planning issues with his coverage of urban growth and mobility in the 1960s.</p>
Oregon Requires State Agencies To Reduce Energy Use
<p>Lawmakers in Oregon approved a bill to require state agencies to cut their energy consumption by 20% by 2015. Agencies will have to submit plans for how they will cut their energy use, which is expected to occur through facilities improvements.</p>
Open Borders Give Spain An Economic Boost
<p>With no restrictions on immigration, Spain is increasingly home to an immigrant-rich population. And while some feared the open policy would strain the country's public services, the economic benefit has far outweighed the cost in services.</p>
BLOG POST
Chinese urbanism and the scale of development
<p>SHANGHAI, CHINA--I've been a fan of New Urbanism for several years, but I've always considered myself an urban "pluralist"--someone who doesn't believe there is an "objective" or general urban form that is persistently successful over long periods of time. Indeed, Bob Bruegmann's thesis in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sprawl-Compact-History-Robert-Bruegmann/dp/0226076911/ref=sr_1_1/103-6037660-7039810?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1179060172&sr=8-1" title="sprawl: a compact history">Sprawl: A Compact History</a>, suggests that urban form changes and evolves over time, although generally in a less dense direction.</p>
The Larger They Come, The Harder They Fall
<p>Preference for smart growth features are on the rise, while demand for large lot housing types falls.</p>
Retired Urban Planner Saves Los Angeles On Hit CBS Show
<p>A team of FBI agents attempt to stop a terrorist attack on Los Angeles in a recent episode of CBS's hit show, Numb3rs. But it's the FBI agent's father -- a retired city planner -- who saves the day.</p>
New Condo Towers Pit 'Boomers' Versus 'Echo-Boomers'
<p>Though swank new condo towers in certain hip metro markets are catering to young singles, empty nesters are ruining the party by purchasing units as well.</p>
Brooklyn's Downtown Jail To Reopen As Part of A Mixed Use Redevelopment
<p>Brooklyn's House of Detention has long been an eyesore, but the red-hot housing market may change its setting into a lively place, with apartments, hotels or offices on both sides, and retail below. The market will help determine the uses.</p>
Super-Sized Schools Are Getting a New Land Diet
<p>Decision makers are realizing that large (and expensive to maintain) acreage requirements are making kids, and their parents, dependent on cars to shuttle them to and from school. Some states have already eliminated the minimums, and more want to.</p>
North-South Rail Route To Reopen In Koreas
<p>The governments of North and South Korea have agreed on plans to create a cross-border train route -- the first such rail crossing in more than 50 years.</p>
Friday Funny: Get Your Own Embassy
<p>Looking for a distinctive vacation home? There are 29 U.S. embassies for sale worldwide, several with prices under $500,000.</p>
Moscow: The Next Boomtown?
<p>Moscow is fast becoming the world's latest real estate boomtown. If you're an expatriate looking for housing, expect to pay upwards of $10,000 for a decent apartment.</p>
Affordable Housing May Be New Life For Gang Hangout
<p>Los Angeles has knocked down a former "Crips" gang hangout and has plans to convert it into affordable housing.</p>
Suburbs Tell Sidewalks To Hit The Road
<p>In suburbs across Illinois, residents are joining forces to fight against the creation of sidewalks, which they view as a threat to their communities' rural character and their very security.</p>
New Venice Bridge To Be Constructed Off-Site To Test Weight
<p>The first new bridge in Venice, Italy, in 70 years will first be constructed in a hangar before it is actually placed over the city's canal -- which many fear will cause the canal's banks to sink under the tremendous weight.</p>
Military Neighborhood Ranks High
<p>The Charter Award-winning Ft. Belvoir neighborhood in Fairfax, VA offers a model for military base reconstruction and affordability.</p>
Blacks Feel Hurt Of Katrina More Than Whites
<p>New Orleans black population has been more negatively affected by Hurricane Katrina than the city's white population, according to a recent survey.</p>
Manhattan's Tight Rental Market To Get Tighter
<p>With Manhattan rents skyrocketing and vacancies dropping, many renters are resorting to creative, and often questionable living arrangements. Builders have shied away from rentals and gone into condos while potential buyers are choosing to rent.</p>
Opponents May Stop Fee Raise That Would Pay For Affordable Housing
<p>Political opposition may stand in the way of Oregon's plans to raise money for affordable housing by increasing the fees paid when filing real estate documents by more than 100%.</p>
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